System and method for selectively updating a display in a multiple display
device system. Software executing on the computer system analyzes
information associated with the display devices, e.g., respective levels
of user activity (e.g., peripheral activity), graphics activity (e.g.,
changes in image data), and/or application activity, associated with each
display device, optionally generating priority information associated
with the display devices. The display devices are updated in accordance
with the analysis using two or more update rates, optionally based on the
priority information, e.g., by generating a sequence of video frames
based on the analysis, each video frame including a video image and frame
identifier designating a display device, and transmitting the sequence
over the cable to a plurality of frame grabbers, each frame grabber
examining the sequence of video frames, selecting a video frame based on
the frame identifier, and forwarding the video frame to the designated
display device.