What is the best video card that supports 2 monitiors?

[GreenLantern]

And I mean the best available card.

 

[FreakyGuy]

ATI Radeon 8500. Simple.

 

[GreenLantern]

I've heard you have to have both monitors at some resolution for it to work. Is that a limitation of the O.S. or the card?
I'm getting a new 19" and thinking it would be cool to have my old 15" nearby for extra display. I didn't know Hydravision survived past the Radeon VE. Cool.

 

[Menacer]

What OS are you using? When using Win2k (though I'm not sure about 9x) you'll have to run them as if they were one huge monitor (as in, same refresh, res). It's a limitation with the OS, as dual monitors on one card isn't supported properly in Win2k. Matrox gets around this by tricking Windows into thinking there's two cards installed. ATi doens't.

If you're using XP then it's just like you had two seperate video cards installed. Works great.

 

[stevens]

I use my 8500 to display to my tv and monitor and they arent on the same resolution and i run win98se so you can do it with win98se.

 

[dbal]

<< And I mean the best available card. >>



Radeon VE. The best 2x2xfar.....
Hydravision, excellent 2D, affordable price, even good for gaming (FSAA, anisotropic filtering etc.) GET ONE NOW!

 

[idfubar]

I've had very good experience with the Matrox G450 - Dualhead has been refined over multiple revisions of the card... Software even works under *Nix operating systems (can use different resolutions on multiple monitors as well)... a G450 eTV model is also available for Tivo-like capabilities (slightly more costly, though)...

The Radeon 8500, to my knowledge, doesn't support dual CRT monitors - the second montitor must be a TV or LCD...

Radeon VE is affordable and I've heard good things about Hydravision...

-Rishi

 

[dnacard]

The Radeon 8500, to my knowledge, doesn't support dual CRT monitors - the second montitor must be a TV or LCD...

I think the retail package includes a dvi to vga convertor and if not you can get one for around 5 bux.

in terms of just specs the 8500 smokes the VE, i don't know about dual monitor support for the two though

 

[DieHardware]

The 7500 is DH too.

 

[idfubar]

dnacard:

VERY NICE!!! I had no idea there was such a thing as a DVI-to-VGA converter - can you think of any locations that would stock one?

Also, how is the 8500? How's the video capture/compression? What's the max resolution on the video capute? Max fps?

-Rishi

 

[rbV5]

<< The Radeon 8500, to my knowledge, doesn't support dual CRT monitors - the second montitor must be a TV or LCD... >>



It actually supports 3, dual CRT's plus the Third monitor must be a TV or VCR check the Radeon FAQ



<< I had no idea there was such a thing as a DVI-to-VGA converter >>



Its the only way to hook up an AIW Radeon to a CRT monitor.

 

[AntaresVI]

oh-yeah, dont even look at the radeon VE - 8500 is the way to go

 

[Darius]

Radeon VE is great because you can find them for $50. If you are not gaming, then the Radeon 8500 is not worth 4 times the price for dual monitor support.

 

[Mattlock]

How about a 7500 vs. the VE for less money (than the 8500)?

Mattlock

 

[Daovonnaex]

ATi Radeon 8500 or Matrox G550 (though the G550 is not a 3D card).

 

[Marrkks]

all depends on $$ and gaming. the VE for $50 is a great deal if you don't game. Hydra vision kicks azz!.! look 'ma no restarts.

"even good for gaming (FSAA, anisotropic filtering etc.)" <---???? if I run quake2(not3) w/FSAA my K6(not7) cpu usage goes to ~60%!!(with background apps running) sure looks purtty at a whopping 20fps while I die.:frown:

 

[GreenLantern]

thanks all.

seems dual display configs are OS dependent. One big desktop is a very attractive idea but too bad a bigger monitor has to run at jumbo res (800x600) to accommodate a smaller one(15") which is my situation.

 

[sleepykumar]

I have a similar question. I am a new poster, so be nice. I have two dell 17" flat panel displays but no computer (don't ask). I want to buy a dell (i know I know they're overpriced and all but I don't have the skill or confidence to do this myself) and want to know what video card to get. The default choices are nVidia GeForce2 GTS with TV out. It doesn't seem like nVidia cards will work, so I assume I will just need to go out and get another card on my own. I know at work (we have two panel setups there) we use the Matrox G450 but I wonder if there's something better now. Also it seems from their website that the card comes with one 15 pin input and one DVI input, but for some reason at work there seems to be identical 15 pin connectors (no adapter used).

I do a lot of spreadsheet and internet stuff and want to be able to have like 20 windows open at once but no 3d gaming (for now). Also, I want to be able to view dvd's on the screen.

Which card is best? I'm looking to spend around $100 unless there is a real advantage to spending more. Is there a real benefit to dual DVI support? And are my monitors even digital? (I assume they are - how do I confirm?)

Thanks for your collective help!!