[ale] Using a HDTV for 2nd monitor

[Scott Castaline]

I want to hook up my LCD HDTV to my PC as a 2nd screen. I temporarily 
hooked it up to the VGA port of my MoBo with my primary panel on the DVI 
port. The system auto-detected the tv once I launched the GUI 
gnome-display-properties creating a virtual display of my desktop. 
Unfortunately both the top and bottom panels moved to the TV with the 
background, the desktop icons stayed on display 0. My intention is to 
use the TV for playing videos on my system. The following is my 
configuration:

MoBo: Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H 
<http://gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3516#sp>
Display 0: ViewSonic VX2250wm-LED 
<http://www.viewsonic.com/products/desktop-monitors/lcd/x-series/vx2250wmled.htm>
Display 1: Vizio VA220E <http://www.vizio.com/lcd-hdtvs/va220e.html>

Fedora 14 2.6.35.10-72.fc14.x86_64
Gnome Desktop Environment
xrandr  progrma version 1.3.3
server reports RandR version 1.3
not sure of the version but using the ATI OpenSource radeon driver with 
Comp-Fusion 3D and Emerald Themes (not sure if that all beyond the 
driver has anything to do with this).

I want to use the embedded iGP HD 4290 with Display 0 on the DVI port 
and Display 1 on the VGA port and am planning on getting the necessary 
cable to hook it up as the TV is not near my desk. Now for some questions:

1. What do I need to do to clean up the display(s)? I don't mind the 
virtual display setup, but I want the top and bottom panels to remain on 
Display 0 and be able to place VLC on Display 1.

2. Is there a way of having a 5th desktop locked into Display 1 and my 
normal 4 Desktops on Display 0 instead of one large virtual display?

3. I do have an older PCIe x16 HD 3650 card. Would I be better off 
installing that as Device 1 for Display 1? Also am I better off using 
HDMI if I go this route? I would still want to route audio through my 
onboard audio instead of the TV sound which kinda sucks.

4. I think this is the last question. Obviously Display 1 wouldn't 
always be there, is there a way to have the system switch back to my 
normal setup of just using Display 0? The cable would be still connected 
and the TV maybe turned on but in TV mode instead of using the VGA 
input, so I'm not sure if it would drop the return signal when operating 
that way as the VGA logic would still be powered up.

Let me know if I need to clarify anything on this.