Multi Monitor Video Card

Quote from Odgnut:

If you want a PCI ATI card you can get the ATI x1550 which is based off of the X1300. I just bought a 512MB Diamond Stealth x1550 PCI to go with the ATI 2400 HD PCIE that came with my computer. Works great. I believe the ATI x1550 also comes in a low profile version.

That's very interesting and good to know!

I spoke to an ATI tech last week and they told me that there was no ATI PCI-slot graphics card that was compatible with their 2400/2600 Radeon Series PCI-Express cards.

I was researching this because I was buying a new Dell computer and was trying to get some sort of compatibility issues out of the way first in regards to a 2nd graphics card; this one being in the PCI-slot and whether or not it would have issues with what was in the PCI-Express slot.

The ATI tech suggested that I look at the ATI FireMV series of cards for compatibility at both the PCI-Express and PCI-slots.
 
Quote from Landis82:

You need to increase your knowledge-base before recommending hardware. That is a PCI-Express graphics card and has nothing to do with the PCI-slot at the bottom of the motherboard in one's computer.
I stand corrected.
I missed your old mobo only has a PCI slot.

Anyway you go, your graphic card is going to worth more than your system.
 
Quote from Landis82:

That's very interesting and good to know!

I spoke to an ATI tech last week and they told me that there was no ATI PCI-slot graphics card that was compatible with their 2400/2600 Radeon Series PCI-Express cards.

I was researching this because I was buying a new Dell computer and was trying to get some sort of compatibility issues out of the way first in regards to a 2nd graphics card; this one being in the PCI-slot and whether or not it would have issues with what was in the PCI-Express slot.

Anyone who is planning to run 3 or more monitors for trading should really only consider Nvidia Quadro NVS. They're the easy and obvious choice. Matrox products run second.

ATI is in the "gamer" card business. Trying to use their cards in multi-card is basically using the wrong tool for the job.
 
I believe you're getting the Dell XPS 420 which is the same computer I bought. From a couple of weeks experience...I can highly recommend this system. You won't be playing any high end games with the ATI 2400 video card...but if you want a stable and fast trading system...It fits the bill.

The computer is very well built and IMO the only decent looking Dell PC. I bought the PCI Diamond Stealth x1550 from TheNerds.net. The PCI version for whatever reason costs a lot more than the PCIE version. Here is the link:

http://www.thenerds.net/BEST_DATA_P...DR2_ATI_RADEON_VGA_DVI_SVID.X1550PRO256P.html

TheNerds.net was the only place that had the PCI version in stock. There is also a low profile version by a company called HIS...which was cheaper by $30-$40...but since I've never heard of HIS...was wary about buying. Not worth the risk to save so little money.


Quote from Landis82:

That's very interesting and good to know!

I spoke to an ATI tech last week and they told me that there was no ATI PCI-slot graphics card that was compatible with their 2400/2600 Radeon Series PCI-Express cards.

I was researching this because I was buying a new Dell computer and was trying to get some sort of compatibility issues out of the way first in regards to a 2nd graphics card; this one being in the PCI-slot and whether or not it would have issues with what was in the PCI-Express slot.

The ATI tech suggested that I look at the ATI FireMV series of cards for compatibility at both the PCI-Express and PCI-slots.
 
Quote from Odgnut:

"... I've never heard of HIS...was wary about buying. Not worth the risk to save so little money.

There are LOTS of 3rd party video card makers who use ATI graphics engine. HIS is one.
 
Quote from gnome:

Anyone who is planning to run 3 or more monitors for trading should really only consider Nvidia Quadro NVS. They're the easy and obvious choice. Matrox products run second.

ATI is in the "gamer" card business. Trying to use their cards in multi-card is basically using the wrong tool for the job.

I beg to differ. I've used ATI cards for trading for years and have yet to have any problems...but then again I don't buy video cards for gaming. I buy the cheaper...lower clock speed mainstream cards...not the top of the line gaming cards.

I'm sure that Nvidia cards will work also...but just because Nvidia works for you doesn't mean everything else is crap. Before ATI I also used the Matrox cards. In fact I tried to port over my 6 year old Matrox G450 to my new computer...only to find out that Vista doesn't allow 2 video cards of differing brands.
 
Quote from gnome:

There are LOTS of 3rd party video card makers who use ATI graphics engine. HIS is one.

I know that...but just because a company produces a card based on ATI's chipset...doesn't mean that the rest of the card is built on quality. I've purchased cards from Diamond Stealth (now Best Data) in the past...and I can vouch for their quality. Also the Diamond Stealth got great reviews on Newegg...the HIS doesn't really have much of a history to base their quality on.
 
Quote from Odgnut:

I beg to differ. I've used ATI cards for trading for years and have yet to have any problems...but then again I don't buy video cards for gaming. I buy the cheaper...lower clock speed mainstream cards...not the top of the line gaming cards.

I'm sure that Nvidia cards will work also...but just because Nvidia works for you doesn't mean everything else is crap. Before ATI I also used the Matrox cards. In fact I tried to port over my 6 year old Matrox G450 to my new computer...only to find out that Vista doesn't allow 2 video cards of differing brands.

I didn't say they were "crap". I've used ATI and Matrox myself in the past without complaint.... even run them together in the same rig.

But these days, ATI is not in the "multi-card" business. True you can search around and find a few cards which will work together, but it's not ATI's focus.

Nvidia NVS is specificially designed for trading, banking, multi-monitor functions of all kinds. They make it easy and affordable.
 
Quote from gnome:

I didn't say they were "crap". I've used ATI and Matrox myself in the past without complaint.

But these days, ATI is not in the "multi-card" business. True you can search around and find a few cards which will work together, but it's not ATI's focus.

Nvidia NVS is specificially designed for trading, banking, multi-monitor functions of all kinds. They make it easy and affordable.

The point is ATI works...and works well running 4 monitors. It only took me 1 try to find a good PCI ATI card that works perfectly well with the ATI 2400 that came with my computer.

It was easier and more affordable for me to just buy a new ATI card that works with the one that came by default with my computer...then ditch it and buy 2 Nvidias, install them, and then try to sell the ATI for a loss.
 
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