Thinking of going to Dual Display

CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
edited July 2003 in Hardware
I was thinking of getting a Dual Display graphics card for my final year at Uni. My big question is which one to get??

I don't want to spend too much money but I want something that will be of good quality. Gaming is not an issue.

Suggestions/advice??

Comments

  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    If gaming is not an issue, and you maily work in 2D, then i recommend Matrox cards. Excellent cards for 2D workstations, and THE best multi monitor silution in the buisness.

    Ive owned a G400MAX, and my main rig currently has a Parhelia 128MB.

    I only use 2 displays, but theres a tv connected aswell.

    Only snag with this card is 3D performance which you said doesent matter.

    Another option is to use a normal card that can do multi monitors.

    Multi monitor setups really do yeild considerable increases in productivity.


    mD
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Or, a cheap option is, just put a second card in the machine, same as a 2 output card (sort of) though you may get conflict isssues, but you will know stright away, and modern cards may be better than old ones in regard to that.

    NS
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    Ye thats true.

    Grab a cheap and nasty GeForce 2 MX or something in PCI form and sling it in. Saved you having to replace your grapgics card.

    mD
  • CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    So I can have 2 seperate cards in there and work duel screen no probs?
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    Depends if the cards like each other as some insist on being the primary or just refuse to play nice, but I have tried it with 3 cards before and it worked fine, so yeah, 2 cards SHOULD work.

    NS
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited June 2003
    Out the primary card in the agp slot, and the second in a pci. Set the primary in the bios and you shouldn't have a problem, unless your running win98.
  • CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    And doing it with 2 video cards, will I be able to just move my mouse between the two screen at will? I know it sounds stupid but I've never seen twin display before.
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    Yes.

    You configure how you want it to behave in the display control panel.

    You configure the resolutions, bit depths, and refresh rates independently, then drag the monitors to put them in the same order as they physically are on your desk.

    You can then drag windows from one monitor to the other.


    mD
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    Looks like this:
  • SlackerSlacker CA, USA
    edited June 2003
    Which OS are you using? I've heard win2k isn't very forgiving when working with AGP and PCI video cards concurrently.
  • CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I'm using Win XP Pro. So it should be ok with that?
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited June 2003
    Yes you should be fine with xp.
  • GJUKGJUK
    edited June 2003
    Originally posted by Slacker
    Which OS are you using? I've heard win2k isn't very forgiving when working with AGP and PCI video cards concurrently.

    where have you heard that? i know many people still using good old windows 2k, running 2 monitors. 1 AGP, 1 PCI.

    No trouble whatsoever

    Jono
  • nenetnenet Home on the Range or Lakeside in Ozarks
    edited June 2003
    If I recall call, w2k had trouble running 2 different resolutions...both monitors had to run same resolution or one had to "fool it" by doubling the width (ie. 1024 = 2048) to get it to work. Maybe some updates fixed the problem, but that is one reason I never went to w2k personally. Currently running 4 dual Matrox rigs...2x Parahelia and 2x G400's. All fine under XPpro.
    Appianway makes dual+++ cards too, but best for business apps., like stock trading (as I do), but I have never tried one yet.
    nenet
  • CCWCCW Suffolk, UK
    edited July 2003
    Why do Dual-Display when you can do this:
    Dsc00065.jpg
  • skidrowrocksskidrowrocks New
    edited July 2003
    Sh*t he could have bought a real jet with the money for all that hardware. It probably sounds like one too in that room with all the fans he must have running.
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