Any reason to spend the extra for a GT200 chip for multi-monitor with GTX 295?

[Viper GTS]

I'm adding two 20" monitors to flank my 30", the 30" will be driven by my GTX 295. I'm looking at cards to drive the two 20's, & I'm thinking there's no reason to spend the money for a GT200 variant when 9800GTX+/GTS 250 parts are as cheap as they are.

Any flaw to my plan? They use the same driver package so I should be good right?

Viper GTS

 

[Lonyo]

Why go even that high? Get something cheaper like a low end 7 or 8 series.

 

[Viper GTS]

I prefer to stick with dual slot cards for heat/noise concerns, I guess a dual slot 9600GT would be OK...

Viper GTS

 

[lavaheadache]

even a passively cooled turbo cached 6200 would be fine for running the 20's. And would even keep your temps and noise in check

 

[cbn]

Doesn't the 295 GTX have an HDMI port and two DVIs? (ie, three total ports)

Why do you need more video cards? (just plug the HDMI into the 30" LCD and use the DVI ports for the 20" LCDs)

Correction: I just looked up 30" LCDs at newegg and none in the $1000 range have HDMI ports. Since your video card has three output ports maybe you could just run a HDMI to DVI adapter for one of the monitors. This way you won't need more than that 295 GTX to get the tri-monitor set-up working.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Just learning
Doesn't the 295 GTX have an HDMI port and two DVIs? (ie, three total ports)

Why do you need more video cards? (just plug the HDMI into the 30" LCD and use the DVI ports for the 20" LCDs)

Correction: I just looked up 30" LCDs at newegg and none in the $1000 range have HDMI ports. Since your video card has three output ports maybe you could just run a HDMI to DVI adapter for one of the monitors. This way you won't need more than that 295 GTX to get the tri-monitor set-up working.

HDMI doesn't have the bandwidth to run a 30" LCD at native resolution, you have to use dual-link DVI. I could in theory run one of the 20" models off of the HDMI port but I would need to take it out of SLI mode whenever I wanted all three monitors active. Given what I've spent thus far another buying another video card is not a big deal, & while I'm not out to waste money I'm also not going to compromise to save $100.

I just realized though that I am 2 miles from another AT'er who has something like 20 nvidia cards folding. Maybe I can relieve him of one of his slower models so he can upgrade, make two people happy...

Viper GTS

 

[cbn]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS

Originally posted by: Just learning
Doesn't the 295 GTX have an HDMI port and two DVIs? (ie, three total ports)

Why do you need more video cards? (just plug the HDMI into the 30" LCD and use the DVI ports for the 20" LCDs)

Correction: I just looked up 30" LCDs at newegg and none in the $1000 range have HDMI ports. Since your video card has three output ports maybe you could just run a HDMI to DVI adapter for one of the monitors. This way you won't need more than that 295 GTX to get the tri-monitor set-up working.

HDMI doesn't have the bandwidth to run a 30" LCD at native resolution, you have to use dual-link DVI. I could in theory run one of the 20" models off of the HDMI port but I would need to take it out of SLI mode whenever I wanted all three monitors active. Given what I've spent thus far another buying another video card is not a big deal, & while I'm not out to waste money I'm also not going to compromise to save $100.

I just realized though that I am 2 miles from another AT'er who has something like 20 nvidia cards folding. Maybe I can relieve him of one of his slower models so he can upgrade, make two people happy...

Viper GTS

I thought SLI wouldn't work for multiple monitors?

P.S. Does this also mean both cores on a X2 card can't be used for multiple monitors? X2 cards (like 295 GTX) have internal SLI right?

 

[aka1nas]

SLI works with up to 2 displays (both hooked up to card #1) without issue since the 180 series Forceware came out. You can do 3+ displays with SLI enabled as well, but the extra displays need to be on a different display adapter that is not part of the SLI set.