would this work? triple display setup

javier_machuk

Member
Jul 28, 2011
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I want to assemble a machine for remote surveillance monitoring, i need it to have 3 displays, so no gaming just video streaming.

I already have an used nvidia 8400gs gpu, which is currently in an old core2duo machine, with this gpu i can connect 2 monitors but i can't use the integrated graphics for the third one since it's automatically disabled in BIOS once the discrete gpu it's connected. If i use an h81 + g3220, would i be able to use both, the discrete nvidia 8400gs and the intel hd graphics at the same time? i can do this on my sandy bridge+z68+hd7950, but i dont know if it would work with a low end motherboard and nvidia gpu.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,227
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Doesnt your cpu.support.3 monitors somehow? Dont use those powerhogs for 24/7 surveillance.
 

KingFatty

Diamond Member
Dec 29, 2010
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It would probably depend on the specific motherboard, brand, and BIOS. Two ASUS motherboards that I have for AMD CPUs are able to activate the on-board integrated graphics, to be used simultaneously with the discrete video cards, to get multi-displays working across integrated and discrete GPUs at the same time. You have to enable a setting called "surround" and set it to "enable" instead of "auto."

If your particular motherboard cannot do this, then two inexpensive alternatives would be adding another very inexpensive video card (like a $9.99 special after rebate) or a USB GPU that connects to a USB port and provides a DVI output for a display.
 

javier_machuk

Member
Jul 28, 2011
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time to look at motherboards manual then... last time i checked those usb adapter used a lot of cpu power, and most of the h81 mobos i saw only have 1 pcie slot for gpus. I just want to confirm before buying anything that it will work.

Thanks for your suggestions.
 

KingFatty

Diamond Member
Dec 29, 2010
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The manual may be misleading or counterintuitive, as was the case with the low-end ASUS mobo I had where it doesn't say that it's even possible and I literally had to try each setting and reboot until it worked.