Secondary card or adapter?
I've got this really old ATi video card that's been collecting dust for AGES!! I don't know exactly what it is, it belonged to a friend. The biggest chips near the middle of this monster (PCI video card larger than my 9700 pro 
) says 3D Rage II+DVD. It's and All-In-Wonder card. 
I have an old monitor around here probably from around the same era as this video card. 
15", from some company I never heard of. (Olympia) So, I'm asking should I stick this thing in and plug this spare monitor in it, or should I go get a DVI->VGA adapter to use with my 9700 pro? I don't think I'd ever really use this card's extra features. (TV tuner, S-Video in AND out.) Actually, I really don't know if this old thing even works anymore.
And one more thing. I was thinking about using a DVI->VGA adapter to use with my 9700, and my friend says that if I do that, I should plug my MAIN monitor into the DVI port via the adapter. I said no because I heard somewhere that DVI is a pretty slow connection compared to VGA, and, though it has better quality, you end up with lower quality from a monitor hooked up to a DVI port by an adapter than with a monitor hooked up to a regular VGA port. My friend disagrees. Who's right??
And do I need different drivers to run this 3D Rage than my 9700 pro?
) says 3D Rage II+DVD. It's and All-In-Wonder card. I have an old monitor around here probably from around the same era as this video card. 15", from some company I never heard of. (Olympia) So, I'm asking should I stick this thing in and plug this spare monitor in it, or should I go get a DVI->VGA adapter to use with my 9700 pro? I don't think I'd ever really use this card's extra features. (TV tuner, S-Video in AND out.) Actually, I really don't know if this old thing even works anymore.And one more thing. I was thinking about using a DVI->VGA adapter to use with my 9700, and my friend says that if I do that, I should plug my MAIN monitor into the DVI port via the adapter. I said no because I heard somewhere that DVI is a pretty slow connection compared to VGA, and, though it has better quality, you end up with lower quality from a monitor hooked up to a DVI port by an adapter than with a monitor hooked up to a regular VGA port. My friend disagrees. Who's right??
And do I need different drivers to run this 3D Rage than my 9700 pro?
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Comments
Adapter. The Rage II will lag quite a bit behind the 9700 in processing video.... So, if you spread your desktop, half will be very slow. That is, IF there are no resource confliscts, which with an All-in-Wonder I would expect when you have a fast ATI card already.
As to major port being DVI, some card drivers actually favor using the DVI as first monitor in XP when it is hooked up. Try both ways, but be prepared to do what your friend says. If that port is truely directly inline adaptable from DVI->SVGA, it will function both ways depending on what wires in connector are live. Just try to get an adapter meant for THAT SPECIFIC card.
John D.