Running 6 19" LCDs from 1 computer

[daveyd]

I was asked to build a new PC for a friend who wants to run 6, 19" LCDs from the computer. I know XP can handle 6 LCDs. Which and how many video cards will be needed to run 6, 19" LCDs?

 

[Tarrant64]

Anything in particular he needs it setup for? I mean, does he want to emulate one huge screen with it?

I was thinking 2 pci-x vid cards(2 outputs each) and a pci agp card. There's gotta be something better than that though.

 

[SuperNaruto]

I use 2 nvs400, each card is a quad and supports 8

 

[Gautama2]

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Anything in particular he needs it setup for? I mean, does he want to emulate one huge screen with it?

I was thinking 2 pci-x vid cards(2 outputs each) and a pci agp card. There's gotta be something better than that though.

I didn't think that any boards had 2 pci-x slots. Then again, im not up to date on the server motherboard world.

 

[bluemax]

Depends.... does he want fancy 3D performance?

It'd probably be CHEAPEST to go with one of the motherboards out there that have four PCI-e16 card slots, then use two monitors from each inexpensive graphics card.

This may not work, in which case, you'll have to consider graphic workstation cards, like the Matrox ones that drive 4 monitors each, and/or PCI-e1 cards that can also do multimonitor.

That professional route would be significantly more expensive.... but then, the price of 6 19" LCD's isn't chump-change either. Matrox isn't screamin' 3D though, so my first idea may be best, IF nVidia supports those 3 video cards together.

hmmm... where's a review of that 4-card motherboard........

Well, here's one with 3x PCI-e16 slots. That might do it:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813153030

 

[montypythizzle]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813153030

yeah thats what id do with like some 6800les or w.e

 

[bluemax]

IF you're trying to make one big wall-presentation, consider the Matrox lineup, like at the bottom... http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/corpo/products/home.php#add

 

[BurnItDwn]

As others have said, without knowledge of what you want to display this is a bit hard.

I'd say 1 "good" video card to hook up to the primary and secondary displays ...
Then a Matrox G200 MMS quad PCI video card if you can find one.

If you want all 6 of them to be used for games, etc, then I don't know what to do.

There is always the Matrox thing that attaches to 3 monitors, then to one output on the video card, but then you risk losing some image quality, and I don't think you are able to use more than one of them on the same PC.

Why not consider going with three slightly larger monitors, or two really big monitors?
Just an idea to think about....

 

[Lonyo]

Dual PCIe graphics cards on a dual PCIe mobo, don't run in SLI/Crossfire, then add a (Matrox or whatever) PCI card.
Matrox seems to play nicely enough with other cards (I have a Matrox + 7800GT in my PC with no conflicts).
Or you can get a quad output Matrox card (try Ebay), or quad output nVidia card (ebay) such as the NVS 200 or similar.
Or just bang in 3xdual head PCI cards.

 

[daveyd]

He does not want to use all 6 monitors to game. He is into the stock market and wants the ability to view multiple things on all 6 screens

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Gautama2

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Anything in particular he needs it setup for? I mean, does he want to emulate one huge screen with it?

I was thinking 2 pci-x vid cards(2 outputs each) and a pci agp card. There's gotta be something better than that though.

I didn't think that any boards had 2 pci-x slots. Then again, im not up to date on the server motherboard world.

you guys are mixing up pci-e and pci-x - different, and yes there are server/workstation m/bs that have 2x pci-x along with 2x pci-e @ 8x

 

[BurnItDwn]

Originally posted by: daveyd
He does not want to use all 6 monitors to game. He is into the stock market and wants the ability to view multiple things on all 6 screens

This makes it MUCH less difficult to implement.

the "cheapest" way would be to get an old matrox g200 with 4 VGA connectors and then an agp or pci express card with 2 connectors (depending on the mobo)

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn

Originally posted by: daveyd
He does not want to use all 6 monitors to game. He is into the stock market and wants the ability to view multiple things on all 6 screens

This makes it MUCH less difficult to implement.

the "cheapest" way would be to get an old matrox g200 with 4 VGA connectors and then an agp or pci express card with 2 connectors (depending on the mobo)

This should work well. PCI cards are also an option. Six 19" LCDs... *drool*

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: Gautama2

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Anything in particular he needs it setup for? I mean, does he want to emulate one huge screen with it?

I was thinking 2 pci-x vid cards(2 outputs each) and a pci agp card. There's gotta be something better than that though.

I didn't think that any boards had 2 pci-x slots. Then again, im not up to date on the server motherboard world.

you guys are mixing up pci-e and pci-x - different, and yes there are server/workstation m/bs that have 2x pci-x along with 2x pci-e @ 8x

That was my typo mistake. I used "x" as a short for express instead of "e". That's what I was thinking though.

 

[skrewler2]

Are the LCDs taking VGA or DVI? If VGA, DVI --> 2VGA splitters may help you out.