hehe... just managed to set up a 3-video card system.

[WoundedWallet]

Don't know yet what good is it going to be, but it was there to be tried.

This is what I have now:

mobo_ = Tyan 2460(6 PCI slots)
video = Radeon VIVO AGP
_____ = Voodoo5 PCI
_____ = Voodoo3 PCI
Sound = SB Live PCI
NIC__ = Netgear PCI
Controller= Promise66 PCI

There you have it. Five PCI cards(without ACPI grouping them all in one IRQ) and three monitors. Each with their own resolution and refresh rate.

Now I wonder if I can triple my pleasure by watching three research movies at the same time

 

[rbV5]

Cool, you could hook your TV up to the VIVO and have 4 displays at once. Speaking of that, can you clone your TV with the Radeon AND work with a seperate refresh rate/resolution with your V3 or V5? I just got a new monitor, thinking about putting my V3 back in to drive my 19" monitor.

 

[WoundedWallet]

As matter of fact, my TV is hooked up to my VIVO so I can watch DVDs over there. I have this long asz cable going alongside the house and into the living room.

I haven't tried cloning it though. I didn't think it was a Radeon feature. I'll look into that.

But I'm running into a funny problem. Now my rig is drawing so much power that when I start Netscape Mail my UPS starts screaming. And I have two healthy Belkin UPS.

I understand that with four HDs, 3 Video cards, 2 processors and so on.... that I'm maxing my 435W Enermax. But why is that Netscape Mail draws more power than other programs is beyond me.

Well... I'm glad I have another plug in the wall for another UPS soon.

 

[spanky]

i've had a 4mb ati rage w/ 2 voodoo2 pci in my 450mhz k6-2 box. it still sicked at CS. but thats becuz i didn;t know about wickedgl drivers back then

 

[rbV5]

<< I haven't tried cloning it though. I didn't think it was a Radeon feature. I'll look into that >>



What I meant was, the TV-out is a clone of the primary monitor, while watching the TV-out, can you be using your secondary monitor at a different resolution/refresh rate?

 

[WoundedWallet]

rbV5, sorry for taking so long to answer your question. I had moved the PC to a different corner of the room and the TV cable needed to be stretched out a bit. Luckly it is a long cable so I had a lot of lag behind the TV. But I'm lazy so it took a party to make do it.

So to answer your question, yes! I'm now palying Pink Floyd @ The Wall on my TV with a 800x600@60Hz resolution while typing to you on another screen with a 1600x1200@70Hz resolution, while the PowerDVD control is sitting on the third screen witha 1078x768@85Hz resolution and refresh rate.

So all three monitors have different everything and I'm still playing one of the monitors on the TV.

To top that my system also has a MS dss80(?) speakers which are USB and don't need a sound card. So I can choose whether I use the SBlive or the MS USB, which I have stretched to the living room via USB hubs along the way. The only catch is that I can't have the SB and the USB palying at the same time. But I can live with that.

I'm still happy

 

[rbV5]

Very cool!

After seeing your post, I did a little messing around and found that I could hook my V3 2000 PCI and my AIW Radeon both into my Mitsu monitor(using the BNC connectors for my AIW and the VGA for my Voodoo card) I can run my TV-out at 800x600 cloning my Primary display(Radeon), and press the BNC/D-Sub button and use the secondary diplay(v3 2000) at 1600x1200@85 hz for browsing or whatever at the same time.

I had both my 19" Optiquest and my 22" Mitsu hooked up, but the wifey said "no dual CRT's in the family room. (she'll go for a DFP with the Mitsu however....it'll have to wait because I just ordered a new MB, processor, DDR memory and an AIW 7500)

Just wondering, when I enable my secondary card, it disables my video-in, so no TV or video capture while the secondary card is enabled, are you seeing the same thing with your VIVO?

Anyway, my thanks to you sir for giving me the idea originally!

 

[WoundedWallet]

hmmm... I don't have anything connecting in right now. I used to have a vcr in but it got "rained" on(leak upstairs). I could connect my vhs camera but knowing me that may take a few days even though all the wires are handy.

It sounds like a dumb question but will the composite cable work both ways? Meaning put it on the out of the TV and on the in on my VIVO? That would be more interesting than my tapes. Sorry but I'm a rookie with this video stuff.

 

[rbV5]

No biggie, don't even worry about it.

Nope, nothing with video-in works with the secondary card enabled. Not a big deal to me actually, my TV works fine with its own tuner, and I have fought back the urge to capture video while watching a DVD while working with Photoshop at the same time, so I'll be alright