Does this exist?

[polara]

I am building a very low-cost box for running Photoshop CS4. First thought was to look for AMD mainboard with onboard graphics. But it seems that none I can find support output to 2 DVI monitors, which is my only requirement, other than low-cost . Even those with DVI/VGA/HDMI onboard only seem to support DVI + VGA or HDMI + VGA. I should also add that it has been very hard to track down this info. Only ASUS clearly states in their manuals what kind of video outputs are possible. Am I going to have buy a pci-e video card with dual-DVI connectors or is there a board with onboard graphics that can support this? Doesn't have to be AMD, btw.

Thanks.

 

[tcsenter]

Typically, you get one analog + one digital output at the same time on contemporary IGP solutions, but not two digital.

 

[Kenmitch]

I think you'd be better off just getting the low cost board of your choice and a low cost video card of your choice with dual-dvi.

I'm pretty sure that if they do make a dual link dvi capable motherboard it would not be in the low cost system price range

 

[polara]

Well one other reason for trying to go with the IGP solution is to get name-brand graphics hardware like AMD, Nvidia, or ATI for the good Win 7 driver implementation and support, but on a low budget. Photoshop is VERY dependent on known drivers and is pretty stupid/picky about recognizing anything that's not WDDM. Most really cheap cards fall into the "no-name" category and have spotty driver support. I could just re-use the dual DVI MSI Radeon x1600 from my current rig, an ancient Dell Dimension 8400, but I want newer, better hardware to go along with a faster CPU to make PS run faster. Gonna keep looking.

 

[Malak]

An HD3650 is only $40. It's your best solution for dual DVI.

 

[lopri]

As others have mentioned, on-board GPUs typically support only one digital output. Reason = cost. It wasn't long ago most integrated GPUs only supported a single analog VGA.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: polara
Most really cheap cards fall into the "no-name" category and have spotty driver support. I could just re-use the dual DVI MSI Radeon x1600 from my current rig, an ancient Dell Dimension 8400, but I want newer, better hardware to go along with a faster CPU to make PS run faster. Gonna keep looking.

All add-in board (AIB) partners who sell retail boards are fully supported by the generic/reference drivers released by ATI or NVIDIA. Only the OEM boards produced for computer companies (Dell, HP, Sony), or the mobile parts used in notebooks, will have custom PCI HW ID schemes that aren't supported.

 

[polara]

Further research reveals that the Intel G45/GMA X4500HD chipset DOES support DVI + HDMI simultaneous output. I am now looking at the ASUS P5Q-EM - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131336 as a possibility. At $125 it's a bit pricey, but would solve my needs. I would probably pair it with the Intel E6300 at $80 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819116091 for a total of $205.

Will still check out Malak's suggestion and spec out an AMD CPU/board combo using a SAPPHIRE 100236L Radeon HD 3650 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-14-102-726-_-Product for the dual DVI out. This card goes for $45, leaving $160 to meet or better the Intel combo. Can anyone recommend an AMD cpu comparable to the E6300 and a board to go with it? Thanks.

 

[Kenmitch]

Intel also makes a version of the board which will most likely do the same for less than the Asus board....Unless you are gonna overclock your system.

The Intel version would be FOUND HERE

I have a spare 1 or 2 of them if your interested PM me. 1 is new and sealed the other one was used for a couple of hours and has a e8200 on it currently.

When you stated low cost system I was thinking way lower cost....More like 50.00 board and maybe a 60.00 cpu or so

 

[polara]

Originally posted by: Kenmitch
Intel also makes a version of the board which will most likely do the same for less than the Asus board....Unless you are gonna overclock your system. The Intel version would be FOUND HERE

When you stated low cost system I was thinking way lower cost....More like 50.00 board and maybe a 60.00 cpu or so

Exactly! But how? For Photoshop CS4, I have only the need for dual DVI output, stable drivers, and a good amount of brute-force CPU power as must-haves. I'm open to suggestions and don't care if it's AMD, Intel or whatever. Thanks.

 

[Kenmitch]

Originally posted by: polara

Originally posted by: Kenmitch
Intel also makes a version of the board which will most likely do the same for less than the Asus board....Unless you are gonna overclock your system. The Intel version would be FOUND HERE

When you stated low cost system I was thinking way lower cost....More like 50.00 board and maybe a 60.00 cpu or so

Exactly! But how? For Photoshop CS4, I have only the need for dual DVI output, stable drivers, and a good amount of brute-force CPU power as must-haves. I'm open to suggestions and don't care if it's AMD, Intel or whatever. Thanks.

I don't think you'll find anything that will work out for you in the low cost as I pictured. I don't use photoshop but I'm thinking it would benefit from more L2 cache.

Maybe this combo and Budget video card would work for you. But seems like when you add the board and video card together they are about the same as a board that'll do it also.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: polara
Further research reveals that the Intel G45/GMA X4500HD chipset DOES support DVI + HDMI simultaneous output. I am now looking at the ASUS P5Q-EM - as a possibility. At $125 it's a bit pricey, but would solve my needs. I would probably pair it with the Intel E6300 at $80 - for a total of $205.

I would triple-check that information. Every Intel IGP up to at least G35 can only support one analog + one digital output simultaneously. I know the ASUS manual for P5Q-EM states that any two outputs can be used, but I would not take what the manual states as gospel. It wouldn't be the first error made in a user manual. This seems to contradict what ASUS says on its marketing overview/specs page: "The interface of this motherboard supports dual VGA output both DVI-D/HDMI and RGB."

i.e. this seems to suggest that DVI and HDMI are shared, which is consistent with the limitations clearly specified in the user manual for Intel's own DG45ID motherboard and Intel's block diagram for the chipset. Further, if you should ever install a PCI Express card into the PCI-E x16 slot, you lose digital output on the IGP, leaving only analog output, due to an Intel chipset limitation.

Its your money, but it doesn't make much sense to pay a huge premium for a premium IGP solution like Intel G45, when an inexpensive Radeon HD 4650 or GeForce 9500GT graphics card will be far superior to any current IGP. In addition, Photoshop CS4 has new GPU acceleration features that aren't going to run too well on an IGP.

 

[polara]

What got me going on IGP was the positive review of AMD's 785G Chipset - http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3615. Looked like it might finally be a good bang-for-buck graphics solution if you didn't need 3D gaming or Blue-ray playback. You are right to be skeptical of the stated claims on video output. Like I said earlier, it is very hard to get a straight answer on this point without having the board in your possession and testing it yourself. At this point I'm still researching and am open to any hardware that meets the needs. So can anyone tell me which AMD proc can match the power of the Intel E6300, for less money? Any chance a Celeron or Sempron might be just good enough to be a good deal?

 

[Malak]

Not sure what all you still need to purchase, but I found this pretty good combo deal on newegg

 

[piasabird]

Look at Intel Motherboards. Of course you may not be able to overclock. Intel makes a wide range of Integrated Graphics Options.

Video: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 onboard graphics subsystem with integrated DVI-I and DVI-D graphics output
http://www.directron.com/boxdq45cb.html

This model has two DVI Outputs and one can convert to VGA. I dont know if both will work at the same time or not.

I would read all the fine print at the Intel Website. I think this is a DDR2 800 board. When Intel says DDR2 800, they mean that is the absolute limit. Intel is a stickler for specifications. Dont try any Non-Sata Drives with most of these Intel Motherboards.

 

[polara]

Piasabird, that's a nice looking board from intel. Probably the only one with 2 DVI ports. I'm gonna take a good look at it, but at this point, I'm looking to build out around the new Athlon II X4 for it's unbeatable brute-force power to cost ratio. Will probably wait for a nice combo deal at Newegg, though I would like to get the ECS A785GM-M - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813135241. Seems to be the cheapest socket AM3 board with 4 memory slots (right now, anyway). Will probably go with the BFG Tech BFGE86512GTOCFE GeForce 8600 GT 512MB $40 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143115 for the graphics.

 

[heyheybooboo]

You might use a d-sub ---> DVI converter on the analog-out if yah ain't too picky.

I'd be interested in knowing if it worked.