Multiple Monitor card choice help

D

Drum

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Am in the process of setting up a 3 monitor system.
......( there's a 4th monitor - but it'll be on a different computer on a Tyke quad rack )

I'm no "techie" and since I have not looked at this stuff in quite awhile –
..........Just thought I'd ask for some help.

The computer is an Acer quad core // 4 gig mem // Win 7 //

Monitors are Samsung 2494s ( 24 inch )....DVI // Resolution is 1920 x 1080


In the past years I've had several setups;

//// A couple of quad monitor Appian Jeronimo cards
.............( Worked fine – but were $$$$ ).

//// A Matrox Dual Head 2 Go ( worked very well )
...............( I have never used the Triple Head 2 Go ......but am looking at them now ).

//// A Star Tech USB setup for one extra monitor
...........( not bad – but blinks sometimes as is often reported ).



So........What Would You Get ??.............Post a link if you can.

Best Regards and thanks in advance.
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Your best bet is to run 2 dual cards. A lot of cards are dual theses days. Since you are running 2 monitors for each card, you dont really need SLI or Crossfire, but it cant hurt. What kind of inputs do you monitors requires? Dual HD inputs are much more expensive then DVI/VGA inputs. Is your box big enough to handle 2 cards?
 
Quote from Rehoboth:

Your best bet is to run 2 dual cards. A lot of cards are dual theses days. Since you are running 2 monitors for each card, you dont really need SLI or Crossfire, but it cant hurt. What kind of inputs do you monitors requires? Dual HD inputs are much more expensive then DVI/VGA inputs. Is your box big enough to handle 2 cards?
More...
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Thanks for your reply;
Like I said - I'm no techie - so I can't answer all questions.

I don't have SLI or Crossfire.

My monitors have DVI inputs.

The computer is a mini-tower - (not a micro) - so it may have room for 2 cards - but I have not cracked the case - so I don't know.... ( and I find too late that ACER sucks at support )

I only need THREE (3) monitors on this machine.
So that's why I'm thinking maybe Matrox TripleHead2Go.

Thanks Again....appreciate it.
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You apparently like to go about it "the hard way".

The most important consideration is your computer's motherboard. Does it have "onboard video chip"? (I know, shouldn't bother to ask... 80-90% of computers do.)
 
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Yeah - I like to go about things the hard way - cause I don't know any other way !

The only thing I can find - says the
"Display Adapter" is Intel G45 / G43 chipset.
32 megs of memory.
I run eSignal with 2 monitors now - no problem.

Perhaps there is no real GPU ?
I don't know where else to look.

Thanks for your reply.
Any other suggestions ?
 
Quote from Drum:

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Yeah - I like to go about things the hard way - cause I don't know any other way !

The only thing I can find - says the
"Display Adapter" is Intel G45 / G43 chipset.
32 megs of memory.
I run eSignal with 2 monitors now - no problem.

Perhaps there is no real GPU ?
I don't know where else to look.

Thanks for your reply.
Any other suggestions ?
More...

Is this your new computer? If so you might have problems trying to run more than 2 monitors. "Onboard video", your G45, is best avoided.
 
Quote from Scataphagos:

Is this your new computer? If so you might have problems trying to run more than 2 monitors. "Onboard video", your G45, is best avoided.
More...

Thanks for your reply S,

Yes this is a new computer.
G45 - is best avoided ? Great !
Now what ?

I ran the test for the Matrox TripleHead 2 Go - and it said it was
compatible - but the resolution they stated it is capable of worries me -

"Max Res Supported 2400x600 ( 3x 800x600 ) "
As I said my monitors are capable of 1920 x 1080

Any ideas ? ( besides get a new computer ).:confused:
 
Quote from Drum:

Thanks for your reply S,

Yes this is a new computer.
G45 - is best avoided ? Great !
Now what ?

I ran the test for the Matrox TripleHead 2 Go - and it said it was
compatible - but the resolution they stated it is capable of worries me -

"Max Res Supported 2400x600 ( 3x 800x600 ) "
As I said my monitors are capable of 1920 x 1080

Any ideas ? ( besides get a new computer ).:confused:
More...

2 monitors running from your PCIEx16 slot are not a problem

Possibilities for the other 2...

1. Maybe your mobo will run a video card from the PCIEx1 slot. Some won't. You'll just have to try and see.

2. Find a dualhead PCI video card compatible with your PCIEx16 card.

3. Run a quad port card (4 monitors) from you PCIEx16 slot. You'll want to try one before you buy, if possible. Some mobos with onboard video chip won't run a quad.

Good luck,
 
Quote from Drum:


"Max Res Supported 2400x600 ( 3x 800x600 ) "
As I said my monitors are capable of 1920 x 1080
More...

This resolution seems horrible in this day and age. 800x600 is very coarse. Your 3 24-inch monitors will be wasted.

Get one video card that would support 4 monitors, or get 2 video cards that each would support 2 monitors. They are not that expensive these days. Probably something like $50-$60 from a hardware store. But the video cards need to match with your available slots. PCI, PCIeX1 or PCIeX16.

If you have a video port from the motherboard, it may or may not be disabled when you install the additional video cards. My old HP desktop, for example, has a onboard video port from the motherboard. When I put the additional PNY or EVGA video cards on the box, I could no longer use the onboard VGA video.
 
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