Adding multiple monitors

E

eitai2001

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2007
Messages
4,329
Reaction score
2
Location
Jhb
Hi Guys.

I am looking to build myself a basic simulator at the end of the year (something like www.viperpits.org type stuff, but less complex :P )

I want to know, is it possible to add multiple graphics cards in use, without using SLI.

At the moment, I have a 9800GTX+, and I plan to run 3 monitors for the main screen, and then I will need another 2 - 4 monitors to run small screens such as 7" or 8" VGA LCD's (And if I can find, 6.4" LCD's if anyone knows where)

Is it possible for me to add 2 cheap graphics cards to run the small screens, and act independantly without causing errors. I would buy cheapy nVidia's, but I would need them to run as additional displays.

I'm thinking for the main display to get a Matrox triple head to go to run 3 x 22" LCD's at 1680 x 1050 each ... will the 9800GTX handle such a resolution ( 5040 x 1050 ) ?

Any help would be appreciated :)

Regards

Itai
 
Basically yes you can add more graphics cards for more displays. However you'll need a motherboard with multiple PCI-express slots obviously. Or get PCI graphics which are rare and expensive.

As for the Matrox solution, sounds good, and your 9800GTX+ will handle the rez, depending on how demanding the load is of course. Another option is a 5770 (or 5850) with eyefinity support, so see what is cheaper. I don't know how much the Matrox triple head to go costs.
 
How many outputs does a 5850 have? If it has 4 outputs, may be worth looking into.
I'm not buying everything now ... don't have the case, but doing my research for towards end of the year.

My motherboard at least will handle it :) ... Striker 2 Ex.

What's eyefinity support ... been out of the game for just a few months, and already don't have a clue what's potting :P

By the way, if anyone here knows where to find USB monitors, or 8" or smaller VGA monitors, please let me know ... i'd really appreciate
it if you know where to get a 6.4" display ... I emailed a local company, but by the looks of their site, they will be super expensive :P

Regards

Itai
 
The ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 will support 6 monitors. Not sure how many the others supports.
 
But how does it support 6? Surely it doesn't have 6 outputs ... or does it require compatible monitors that have cables that connect to each other?
 
Eyefinity stretches a huge display over 3 or more screens for a more immersive gaming experience. It works for non-gaming purposes too basically Eyefinity cards have more than 2 outputs.
 
All 58xx ATI cards will support up to 3 monitors, except for the few special editions that can handle 6, though those are usually displayport only. I do recall the XFX limited edition giving you 6 active converters as well, but it costs $1000 iirc.
 
Eish ... well it's good to know :)
I've also been looking at the software I will be using (Falcon 4.0 Open version), and there
are extractors and stuff that allow me to use separate monitors for instruments, etc ... but the cool
part is it supports running over a network, so I can use a cheapy pc to run the instruments, and have
just the main graphics off the main PC :)

Will still want 3 screens though, but my guess is at the price of 3 screens and a high end card to run them,
I can get a projector and keep the current card :P ... won't be as high res ... but super cool :) ... but that's just
me dreaming, will see how my budget allows as time goes ... there are more important things needed on my list,
but it's good to know this can get done :)
 
eitai2001 said:
But how does it support 6? Surely it doesn't have 6 outputs ... or does it require compatible monitors that have cables that connect to each other?
Click to expand...

Yes it does, 6x Mini DisplayPorts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_DisplayPort
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-5870-eyefinity6,2595.html

radeon-5870-eyefinity6,I-2-243002-13.jpg
 
Sho, that's quite hectic ... never knew that ... what's the cost on this card? Or maybe don't tell me :/
 
I am running eyefinity with 3 x 24" monitors. 2 DVI and 1 Display port.

I would recommend this over trying to use multiple cards etc.
 
Just to clarify. You don't have to buy a R5000+ card to get eyefinity. You can get a 5770 for like R1600 or so and have 3 displays.
 
Synaesthesia said:
Just to clarify. You don't have to buy a R5000+ card to get eyefinity. You can get a 5770 for like R1600 or so and have 3 displays.
Click to expand...

Yeah you certainly don't. I believe any 5xxx series card supports eyefinity.

I would recommend a 5850 or 5870 though.
 
Grimspoon said:
Yeah you certainly don't. I believe any 5xxx series card supports eyefinity.

I would recommend a 5850 or 5870 though.
Click to expand...

Not the cheaper ones. I got a 5770 for my kids' machine which doesn't do eyefinity.
 
The easiest way to see if a Card supports Eyefinity, is to see if it has a DisplayPort or MiniDisplay port output...

If it doesn't have those, it doesn't support Eyefinity.
 
ponder said:
You have to be very careful when buying a card if you want eyefinity, look up the specs for that particular brand/model as not all of them implement eyefinity.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I am surprised, I was always under the impression the 5 series all had eyefinity out of the box.

I am sure the high end cards do though, the 5850. 5870 etc. I doubt you get those without eyefnity support.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X