3 displays?

[jasyn]

1st post!

well, i'm on the build path to replace my prehistoric p3 350.

i'll be demanding a lot from this new rig (gaming!, vid edit, pvr, coding etc). so... i'm considering options of a 3 display approach. is the following feasible?

primary/agp: ati 9600+ pro or equivalent (doom3!!!)
2ndary/pci: dual headed tv capture card (matrox?)
= 3x 1280x1024 16ms lcd response goodness

any forseeable problems with something like that? i guess finding a dual headed pci tv cap card might be a problem.

comments? suggestions?

 

[BoomAM]

Depending on if you want high res gaming, or just something to play games decently, the Matrox Parhelia will be ideal.
It supports 3 displays.
Its about as fast as a GF3 or 8500, which is far from slow.

Seems ideal for you imo.

Welcome to the AnandTech Forums as well!!!

 

[jasyn]

thanks =)

i think i'll forego the 3display goal. =/ i'm not willing to sacrifice gaming performance.

so i guess:

agp: ati radeon 9700+ pro
pci: ati aiw ve

 

[ProviaFan]

Or, try a Matrox dual-DVI G450 PCI card along with your Radeon 9700Pro. That way you could have three LCDs in DVI, without sacrificing gaming performance (you could only use 3D acceleration on the primary display, of course).

 

[cnhoff]

If you are demanding "a lot" from your new system don't buy the 9600

 

[BoomAM]

Despite what people say and think, the Parhelia aint slow. Its just not as fast as people expected. Its about as fast as a 8500, which i more than fast enough for games.
Why exactely to you need 3 displays? Its a waste really. If i was you, and wanted more than one display, i`d just buy the 9700pro, and run it in dual monitor mode. Or get the 9700pro all-in-wonder.

 

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by: BoomAM
Despite what people say and think, the Parhelia aint slow. Its just not as fast as people expected. Its about as fast as a 8500, which i more than fast enough for games.
Why exactely to you need 3 displays? Its a waste really. If i was you, and wanted more than one display, i`d just buy the 9700pro, and run it in dual monitor mode. Or get the 9700pro all-in-wonder.

except the parhelia isn't fast enough for games like unreal 2 and splinter cell, let alone doom 3. and 3 monitors isn't a waste if you are using photoshop or premiere (and similar software). and the 9700 all-in-wonder doesn't support 2 screens unless you want to use a tv for your second display.

 

[BoomAM]

The parhelia is every so slightly faster than a 8500, the 8500 can play Unreal2 and Splinter Cell fine. The card was`nt designed to be a powerhouse, and alot of people forget that.

 

[jasyn]

well .. my goal was to slap a dual display capable / tv capture capable card into the pci slot. that leaves me free to fill the agp slot with whatever my credit card can stomach. the result being the best of all worlds:

ie: excellent gaming performance, pvr and a 3 headed monster.

matrox makes multidisplay cards but none with built-in tv capture functionality that i'm aware of. ati's aiw are "hydravision" capable but that's not what i'm looking for. =/

i suppose one alternative would be to mate an mms pci matrox with their rainbow-runner card. while not the "cleanest" solution it should give me the 3 displays. hrm. <scratching head> anyone see any issues with that?

thanks for the help guys.

 

[Lonyo]

9700/9500Pro/9600Pro and 9000Pro AIW?

This would keep it in the "family", probably reducing risk of driver problems.

Assuming that you could manage to get the outputs on the 2 cards to go to 3 different monitors.

I guess 9700Pro AIW and 2 PCI cards would be a little too much? (cheap PCI cards, like 32MB GF2 or something)

 

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by: BoomAM

The parhelia is every so slightly faster than a 8500, the 8500 can play Unreal2 and Splinter Cell fine.

imo, the 8500 can't really play either game. and no, i'm no where near as picky as BFG10K

 

[jasyn]

i agree about "keeping it in the family" and as much as i respect matrox for what they've done .. they're nothing in the gaming market ... and they dont try to be.

well, after an hour at fry's, staring at their wall of video cards, mumbling to myself and talking with random strangers, i'm thinking this ...

agp: radeon 9?00 something pro
pci : radeon 7000 or equivalent
pci : tv cap/tuner card (ati tv wonder? hauppauge? ...)

this SHOULD work w/o a glitch. what i dont know is whether video can be viewed on the 2ndary pci display. ??? i'm against an AIW in the primary agp slot given how i'll toss that card less than a year down the road.

w00t

 

[dguy6789]

People should not be so picky, my gf2 mx400 will run unreal 2 at 640X480 lowest settings at 30fps or more most of the time, and splinter cell is even easier then unreal 2, 30 FPS, as long as it doesnt go below is very, very playable,as long as it is constant, have you played halo for xbox? the game NEVER EVER goes above 30 fps, it is at a constant 30 except for minor slow down, sure higher fps is good, but geez people, dont get so spoiled you ruin gaming, its like saying, that ferrari F50 sucks, im going formula 1 all the way. get an aiw card and a pci card or something. Peace Out