How many Monitors can I connect to This Desktop ?

Quote from kevinqc:


So where do I go from here ?
More...

I have another idea. Your Dell box has 3 PCIe X1 slots.

You can buy some older Quadro NVS 285 or 290 or 295 cards with PCIe X1 interface. Like this one:

http://www.overstock.com/Electronic...MB-Video-Card/4835934/product.html?cid=123620

This card uses a DMS-59 interface, which splits into 2 DVI or 2 VGA to connect to your monitors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMS-59

With each card at the price of USD $60 or so... 3 of them would be $180 to drive 3 x 2 = 6 monitors. You can buy one first. Try it out. If all works well, get one more to add 2 more monitors and so on. You can limit your risks. For business applications, I think the NVS 285/290/295 are much more cost-effective. You don't need all the 3D stuff on Eyefinity anyway. (Sorry for not thinking in this direction earlier.)

Note: if you buy 3 of these NVS cards, it's advisable to have all of the same make (e.g. PNY Technologies or others), so that you don't run into compatibility issue between different makes. All of the same model is the best. Same make, same model, so the driver software is the same.

Note also that I am not sure if the Quadro NVS 285/290/295 will be compatible with your existing ATI video card. (My guess is it is not compatible.) Which means you may have to take out your ATI card. You can certainly try it before getting more Quadro cards.

Shop around for your Quadro NVS cards. There should be quite a few of them on the market. Make sure you are getting the PCIe X1 version because they also have models that use PCIe X16.

Oh... yeah... make sure your Dell indeed has 3 available PCIe X1 slots. (I only read it from the specs.)
 
Kevin

You made a mistake (we all make them, so learn from it) when you bought the Dell without asking the 'how many monitors can I run' question first.

Dell are good computers (if you get the right one) but are no good for expanding.

You're better off trying to sell the system on eBay and starting again.
 
Quote from AK100:

Kevin

You made a mistake (we all make them, so learn from it) when you bought the Dell without asking the 'how many monitors can I run' question first.

Dell are good computers (if you get the right one) but are no good for expanding.

You're better off trying to sell the system on eBay and starting again.
More...

That luxury is not available to me where I live so I have to find anoher way out of it but thank you for future purchases.
 
Quote from Bolimomo:

I have another idea. Your Dell box has 3 PCIe X1 slots.

You can buy some older Quadro NVS 285 or 290 or 295 cards with PCIe X1 interface. Like this one:

http://www.overstock.com/Electronic...MB-Video-Card/4835934/product.html?cid=123620

This card uses a DMS-59 interface, which splits into 2 DVI or 2 VGA to connect to your monitors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMS-59

With each card at the price of USD $60 or so... 3 of them would be $180 to drive 3 x 2 = 6 monitors. You can buy one first. Try it out. If all works well, get one more to add 2 more monitors and so on. You can limit your risks. For business applications, I think the NVS 285/290/295 are much more cost-effective. You don't need all the 3D stuff on Eyefinity anyway. (Sorry for not thinking in this direction earlier.)

Note: if you buy 3 of these NVS cards, it's advisable to have all of the same make (e.g. PNY Technologies or others), so that you don't run into compatibility issue between different makes. All of the same model is the best. Same make, same model, so the driver software is the same.

Note also that I am not sure if the Quadro NVS 285/290/295 will be compatible with your existing ATI video card. (My guess is it is not compatible.) Which means you may have to take out your ATI card. You can certainly try it before getting more Quadro cards.

Shop around for your Quadro NVS cards. There should be quite a few of them on the market. Make sure you are getting the PCIe X1 version because they also have models that use PCIe X16.

Oh... yeah... make sure your Dell indeed has 3 available PCIe X1 slots. (I only read it from the specs.)
More...


First very kind of you to take so much time.

Second, I need time to process all this stuff being not a pro at this stuff.

I don't mind spending the money but it is an agony that would killl me if it didn't work.

But I can never thank you enough to all of you guys trying so hard to help me.
 
Quote from kevinqc:

Hi,

Just bought a new Desktop PC from Dell with following specs.

Currently I am looking at 6 time Frames of one symbol in a workspace using only one 24 inch LCD ( 1920X1080 )

I would like to connect as many monitors as possible. Can you guys tell me what is the maximum numver of Monitors I can Connect to it with the current configuration?

Also what changes do I need to make to connect 6 Monitors to it ?


Dell XPS 8300

i7-2600 Processor (3.4GHz, 8MB Cache)

Chipset Intel® H67

8GB (4X2GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz Memory

NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) GT530 1GB GDDR3 (VGA/HDMI/DVI)

Windows - 7 Ultimate ( 64 bit )


Thank you all.
More...

You may or may not be able to run 6-monitors. Your mobo has an H67 chipset. Between that and the BIOS, you're at the mercy of what they are prepared for and will allow. And you should understand... the makers of that mobo put "onboard video" on it.... so that you would be spared the expense of buying a dedicated video card. It's likely they never considered such a machine would be used to run 6 monitors.... and may not have programed the BIOS for it.

Unless somebody is already running 6-monitors on such a setup, we're all guessing at possibilities.

You could try an NVS 450 quad card in your x16 slot + an NVS 295 dualhead in an x1 slot. That would work on an X58 mobo, but the H67 is new enough that we don't know what will work in the way of 6-monitors.

The poster who mentioned, "considering the number of monitors (especially when you're talking 6 monitors) BEFORE buying the computer" was absolutely correct.

Too bad you didn't buy a Precision T3500.

Perhaps someone with an H67 mobo is already running 6-monitors and will chime in with a known solution.

Good luck.
 
You should contact Dell and ask this question. If they sold you the wrong machine for your purposes then they may allow you to return it for credit or a refund.
 
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