Adding a second video card for dual monitor + TV

[amorpheus]

I currently have a 4870 and will get a new TV soon... a good amount of my media library is on my PC, so I want to be able to use it seamlessly. Here's the problem: I already have a dual monitor setup, and would have to sacrifice one DVI output for the HDMI connection. The other option may be the video-out, but I don't like the idea because I want the TV to use 1920x1080, proper HDTV.

So I'm thinking I'll add a 4830, maybe 4850, this will give me plenty of outputs and also a bit of a performance boost thanks to Crossfire. (Could get more if I bought a "bigger" card, but I don't play games much so it's not a big deal...) The main concerns are silence and power consumption, but those are usually not a problem with that range of video cards anyway.

Anybody have experience with this matter? Specific recommendations?

 

[Whisperfang]

I could be wrong here but i don't think you can XF two cards that are doing output to different monitors.

 

[amorpheus]

It seems that you're right, I just did some searching on this. Only outputs on one card can be used with crossfire, which means two. Foils my plan quite nicely, although it might still be possible if I switch back and forth depending on what I need at the time. Hmm.

Nah, not really looking forward to that. I guess that frees me up to go for any card. :/

Edit: a HD 4350 seems to go for about 25€. At least that's quite a bit cheaper then.

 

[orubap]

why not swap out the mobo to one with onboard graphics which would give you (presumably) one more vga and one more dvi.

or build a small media center again with onboard to stream the content off of your main machine (they can handle 1080p fine). admittedly costs a bit more but the benefits are there.

 

[vjcsmoke]

Buying a new motherboard would cost more than a second video card, and besides most onboard video solutions are crappy. The 4350 is quite likely to outperform it.

I'm wondering why the TV even needs a video card signal though. You can connect any console games directly to it as well as your cable.
Hmm you want to stream it to your tv?
Actually if you have wifi, you can buy certain things that will stream content directly to the tv, obviating the need for another video card.

Here's a good deal at Best Buy. Selling a wireless streamer for half the original retail price.
http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/110314/hava-titanium-hd-wi-fi-tv-streamer/

 

[obobski]

It seems that you're right, I just did some searching on this. Only outputs on one card can be used with crossfire, which means two. Foils my plan quite nicely, although it might still be possible if I switch back and forth depending on what I need at the time. Hmm.

Nah, not really looking forward to that. I guess that frees me up to go for any card. :/

Edit: a HD 4350 seems to go for about 25€. At least that's quite a bit cheaper then.

you should be able to have CF-X enabled and output to more than two monitors/using multiple cards with CF-X, but not game across multiple monitors in fullscreen, windowed is even screwier


although really for what you're doing, I agree, the 4350 is a good solution

why not swap out the mobo to one with onboard graphics which would give you (presumably) one more vga and one more dvi.

or build a small media center again with onboard to stream the content off of your main machine (they can handle 1080p fine). admittedly costs a bit more but the benefits are there.

good ideas, generally onboard solutions are single output though (even with multiple connectors, it will likely just clone across multiple monitors), if this were an nVidia box, this would be an obvious choice with Hybrid SLI, not sure how well it would workout with an AMD card (haven't read much about their discrete/onboard combination abilities)

Buying a new motherboard would cost more than a second video card, and besides most onboard video solutions are crappy. The 4350 is quite likely to outperform it.

I'm wondering why the TV even needs a video card signal though. You can connect any console games directly to it as well as your cable.
Hmm you want to stream it to your tv?
Actually if you have wifi, you can buy certain things that will stream content directly to the tv, obviating the need for another video card.

Here's a good deal at Best Buy. Selling a wireless streamer for half the original retail price.
http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/110314/hava-titanium-hd-wi-fi-tv-streamer/

so in a situation where performance doesn't matter, performance is important
and in a situation where the cheapest solution is ideal, you're suggesting something nearly as expensive as a new motherboard

alrighty then.