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Multi-monitor fun

I

ianbergman

Senior member
I'm looking to add the potential for at least 2 additional displays to my computer -- right now, I have an ATI Radeon AGP graphics card. While I want to keep this card for 3D gaming on the primary monitor, I'd like to add a PCI card with two or three outputs, something like the Matrox G450 PCI, although probably a more powerful solution. The idea is to add, when financially convenient, two more smaller LCDs for things like email and floating palettes.

The question is, can Windows XP do this? With an additional PCI graphics card, is it smart enough to use the primary AGP card to drive the central monitor, and then use the PCI card for the one or two on each side? My only previous experience with multiple monitors is using a single card to drive all the monitors at once.

Thanks for any comments!
 
The Matrox g450 plus your main card will be able to handle three monitors in XP with no problem. We use a similar setup at work, but have the g550s instead.
 
Originally posted by: ianbergman
I'm looking to add the potential for at least 2 additional displays to my computer -- right now, I have an ATI Radeon AGP graphics card. While I want to keep this card for 3D gaming on the primary monitor, I'd like to add a PCI card with two or three outputs, something like the Matrox G450 PCI, although probably a more powerful solution. The idea is to add, when financially convenient, two more smaller LCDs for things like email and floating palettes.

The question is, can Windows XP do this? With an additional PCI graphics card, is it smart enough to use the primary AGP card to drive the central monitor, and then use the PCI card for the one or two on each side? My only previous experience with multiple monitors is using a single card to drive all the monitors at once.

Thanks for any comments!
Click to expand...


You can certainly do what you describe--use the PCI graphics card to drive secondary monitors. However, I think you'll find most PCI graphics cards lacking. The G450 PCI is a GREAT 2D card--the quality is second to none on CRT displays. BUT, unless you're buying cheap analog-only LCDs, I wouldn't suggest using an analog (DB15) connection for an LCD.

You can, however, buy something like a Matrox Parhelia, P750, or P650 to use multiple displays. I have a P650 at work running 2 Dell 20" LCDs at 1600x1200 (its one of the few dual DVI cards that will support dual 16x12) that I'm VERY happy with. And if you're talking the original ATi Radeon, its not exactly that fast.... upgrading the main vid card (as opposed to spending $100 on a G450 PCI) might be the best bet. 🙂

Anyways... good luck!
 
Thanks for the comments... the primary card is actually a radeon 8500, so it's OK, but due for an upgrade. My hope though is to keep the single 3D "power" card separate from the others, for upgradeability... I can add a new ATI or nVidia card whenever, without having to worry about the expense/hassle of upgrading the other graphics card as well, or paying for a whole new triple-head solution.

So I guess the question now is, which cards should I look at? I only have the one AGP slot, of course, and I want to keep that for the "main" card, which is why I'm looking at PCI. So far I've only come across the Matrox 450 that would work in the PCI slot; if I should really, really avoid using PCI, then are there other options outside of completely replacing the current AGP card with a triple-head solution, and thereby sacrificing the 3D performance I expect whenever I get around to upgrading the 8500 to a 9800 or beyond?

Thanks! I'm glad this is possible; now I just have to work out the details! (and, umm, purchase two more LCDs. Fun).
 
oh, its possible. And if you're not going to do anything intensive on the secondary monitors (read: mostly 2D stuff), the G450 PCI will be fine. 🙂 Its just not a 3D demon. Its also analog-only.... which isn't wonderful for LCDs (that's a whole different topic). Its GREAT for 2D analog output, though... I have a G450 on the computer I'm typing at now on dual CRTs.

Matrox DOES make some PCI DVI solutions. Sadly, they're horribly expensive (see the MMS series).

Putting three LCDs all on DVI is difficult... but definitely not impossible. 🙂 Good luck on the quest... and if you do get it done, post it here and let us know how! :-D

 
These will get you one step closer.

Above is a list of PCI cards with (mostly) 1 DVI port and 1 VGA port. Which would let you run another LCD on DVI. 🙂 Note that some (notably the Radeon 7000s) are significantly cheaper than the G450 PCI. Interestingly enough, there are some dual DVI PCI cards... just don't look at the price tags. 🙂
 
thanks again for that list...

yeah, $300-ish is what I'm seeing for dual-DVI PCI cards. quad-head cards... Ouch. But I hadn't even thought of this... pick up a couple of Radeon 7000s, or something similar, in the PCI slot... heck, I've got plenty of free PCI slots. Just add a new card every time I add a new monitor (realistically, only a total of 3 screens). Any reason that wouldn't work?

sweet, all of a sudden this is actually looking affordable. I def. want to keep everything on DVI.
 
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