6 monitor setup

[LoStMaTt]

I need to build a system for a stock trader.

He needs a setup that can support up to 6 monitors at 1920x1080 or higher.

Would a pair of ATI HD5xxx series do the job?

 

[JayteeBates]

You could get the 5870 Eyefinity edition it has 6 mini-display port outputs. Link to one: Da Egg

 

[cooter]

I would go with the card that is referenced above and just make sure to buy monitors that support displayport natively to make life easier.

 

[LoStMaTt]

Monitors from existing setup are being used (none have display port, only DVI, HDMI if lucky)

 

[JayteeBates]

You can get displayport to DVI adapters but decent (active dual link) ones are like $70+ each. Regardless of which way you go NV or ATI you will have to buy adapters as NV SLI has 4 DVI outputs, AMD (5xxx) only has 2. The rest will have to be displayport.

 

[SirMaster]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just put in 3 low-end video cards? It's all just 2D desktop work so even the cheap cards can drive 2 high resolution displays with no problem.

 

[Tamlin_WSGF]

You can get displayport to DVI adapters but decent (active dual link) ones are like $70+ each. Regardless of which way you go NV or ATI you will have to buy adapters as NV SLI has 4 DVI outputs, AMD (5xxx) only has 2. The rest will have to be displayport.

For 1920x1080, you only need the $27 single link DVI adapters. Those are actually better then most of the dual link dvi adapters.

This one for 5000 series:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ..._re=powercolor_adapter-_-14-999-032-_-Product

This one for 6000 series:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ..._re=powercolor_adapter-_-15-309-008-_-Product

 

[sirmonkey1985]

the 6 DP 5870's come with the DP to DVI adapters but i think they are the single link version(1920x1200 and lower resolution)

otherwise your best option if your not a gamer is a pair of these cards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102870

 

[Tamlin_WSGF]

the 6 DP 5870's come with the DP to DVI adapters but i think they are the single link version(1920x1200 and lower resolution)

otherwise your best option if your not a gamer is a pair of these cards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102870

The Eyefinity6 had passive adapters if I remember correctly. Works if you only use two screens, but you need active for more then two.

 

[rtangwai]

What resolutions are the monitors? If they are 1920x1200 or less you can get away with the active single-link adapters if you are going Eyefinity.

Another possibility is to get a motherboard that supports 3 or more PCI-E x16 slots and slap in 3 cards (I personally been doing that since 2005). This is doubly important if you will be using XP because XP doesn't support Eyefinity. Is your client planning on using any special software that requires XP?

You could always look at the Matrox quad solutions, but they are a bit pricey - don't know your budget so I can't judge if it is a viable solution.

 

[paperwastage]

solutions

1) Matrox quad solution
2) USB VGA solution
3) Eyefinity
- a) Eyefinity 6 1-card double slot $330, buy a bunch of singlelink DP->DVI $30 adapters listed above
- b) buy 2 PCIe x16 cards singe slot, bunch of singlelink DP->DVI $30 adapters

if you want cheap for option 3b, get some $70 single slot 5570 cards, all digital connection, will require DP->DVI or HDMI->DVI connectors

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150511&cm_re=5570-_-14-150-511-_-Product

 

[samuelmorris]

6 of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824260019
1 of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102888

Done. No adapters, no fuss.

 

[omniscence]

You could just get 3 standard cheap (even passively cooled) cards that have 2 DVI-D ports. Those start at 30$.
There are even cards with a x1 PCIe connector, which could be added to almost every mainboard. E.g. the PNY Quadro NVS 295, which has 2 DP connectors, so you would need two passive adapter cables for each card (5-10$)
What has been suggested in this thread may work but is way oversized for office use.

 

[three4seven]

Many prop traders I know use quadro NVS cards:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_quadro_nvs_450_us.html
Not particularly cheap - but low power and passively cooled and can power 4 displays a piece.

You can also do the 5870 eyefinity, or if your mobo has 3 pci-e x16 slots - just get three low powered passively cooled cards.

The two most important factors in a trading workstation for me are low power consumption and quietness.

You'd have to ask your trader what's important to him/her.

 

[samuelmorris]

The unified display space from displayport is very valuable, but you're quite right, it may not be necessary. In which case, just two HD5450s would be sufficient.