Dual Monitors

[lazyboy]

I was considering a dual monitor setup. I only want it for all the settings windows in apps like photoshop and maya so I dont't care much about quality. I already have the second monitor I was wondering what I should for the video card. I'm running windows 2000 and was wondering if I could just get a crappy PCI video card and use that. If I did that how would games and stuff that take up the full screen work out for me? Thanks.

 

[Nevo]

You can do just that.

Don't get a PCI card based on any S3 chipset; it won't work as a secondary. (However, you could set it as primary and your AGP card as secondary in the BIOS. You can still run games on the AGP card.)

Be sure you have recourse for returning the card; not all cards work as secondary video cards.

Full screen games will fill up one monitor and, in general, not use the second monitor at all. So you can watch your email or whatever on the second monitor. Games will still have full 3D accelleration on the monitor (card) on which they run.

I'm currently running four cards on my W2K box!

 

[robg1701]

Um.... <is typing this on the secondary display...a PCI S3 Savage 4.. >

 

[lazyboy]

sweet, thanks.

 

[Nevo]

<< Um.... <is typing this on the secondary display...a PCI S3 Savage 4.. > >>



That's odd. Are you sure?

S3 chipsets don't allow you to disable VGA mode. As Q240781 says, only video cards that can disable VGA mode can be used as secondary display adapters. I went through many S3 cards wondering why they wouldn't work.

 

[robg1701]

Yes, i am quite sure, i put it there myself...i could take a screenie ?

I havent tried this particular card in 'vanilla' Win2k though, but i am running Windows XP so its basically the same...Win98 works fine too.

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

I've used an S3 card as secodary in Win2k before as well. Daytona (AGP) with Voodoo3 2000 PCI as primary.