Dual Head PCI Video Card

version77 · Jun 18, 2003

Quote from okwon:

If the DVI output is a DVI-I type, I think you can just purchase a DVI to VGA adapter (cheap) and connect another CRT to the card.

Yep. ATI Radeon 7500 comes with a VGA and a DVI-I. Just buy a
VGA adaptor for the DVI-I and you can run 2 monitors on the 7500
card. The adaptor costs about $27 at your local computer store.

okwon · Jun 18, 2003

$27 dollars? I picked up a DVI-I/VGA adapter a couple of days ago for $8 at the local computer store.

version77 · Jun 18, 2003

You got one for $8? Was it new or used? Are you sure it is the
DVI-I adaptor? There is another type of DVI that only fits in certain
cards... Otherwise, I was ripped off by Computer City! Arghh...

Oh, and what brand was yours? Mine was a Belkin...

okwon · Jun 18, 2003

Yeah, new. They had two kinds, both were the DVI-I adapters. One was $15 (name brand) and the other was $8, generic. Actually, I think it was $8.99, so $9 to be more accurate. They also had one with an extension cable for $30. I got it at Fry's Electronics.

I returned it though because when I got home, I found out my vid card DVI output is DVI-D. Stupid of me not to check beforehand.

okwon · Jun 18, 2003

Now that I think about it, the $30 one was Belkin. But adapters are adapters. Unless there's a noticeable difference in quality, like gold plated connections or something, I don't think the brand makes a difference.

version77 · Jun 18, 2003

Yeah, Belkins seem to be expensive. I would rather have the $8
one if it worked just as good... Heck, it cost almost half as much
as the whole video card!

version77 · Jun 18, 2003

The pins on the Belkins look like gold, but I am not too sure...

okwon · Jun 18, 2003

Well you're still better off than me. I had to buy another card to add another monitor because of the stupid DVI-D output on my card.

version77 · Jun 18, 2003

Quote from okwon:

Well you're still better off than me. I had to buy another card to add another monitor because of the stupid DVI-D output on my card.

I always thought there were 2 types of DVI adaptors. Couldn't
you just get the adaptor that would work with the DVI-D? Or
wouldn't that work with the VGA monitor?

okwon · Jun 18, 2003

Quote from version77:

I always thought there were 2 types of DVI adaptors. Couldn't
you just get the adaptor that would work with the DVI-D? Or
wouldn't that work with the VGA monitor?

I thought the same thing after I found out that I had the DVI-D, so I called my card manufacturer's tech support and asked. Unfortunately according to them, the DVI-D cannot be converted to VGA and must be used with a digital display. They were kind enough to suggest that I buy one of their more recent cards that have DVI-I outputs to solve my problem.