Looking to build a NOC Display - eyefinity?

[Berg0]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to build a NOC display at work. I run a small datacenter and I'd like to throw a few cacti graphs, and red/green monitors up on the wall. I've got a pile (about 14 or so?) 17-19" LCD (all vga/dvi).
I'd like to use at least 5 of them for the NOC display, and was wondering what the cheapest method is to go about doing so?
Are the 6 port eyefinity cards the way to go? or should I pick up a pair of pci-e low end cards and a pci dual port graphics card and go that route?
Nothing 3D going on here, will litterally all be in browser windows.

 

[risqu3]

IIRC there is a 5770 eyefinity 5 card being sold by visiontek or diamond. That would be your best bet.

 

[Yakk]

Here is the 5770 5 display port edition.

Not the cheapest card, but it is a specialty card.

For $100 more you get the 2gig Eyefinity 5870 card, but just to browse & graphs, you're fine with the cheaper card.

Wow the prices on the 5870 are really dropping though, even specialty cards...

COOL!

Y.

 

[Killroy]

IIRC there is a 5770 eyefinity 5 card being sold by visiontek or diamond. That would be your best bet.

The downside to that is that it is a more expensive card and would require 5 mini display port to VGA/DVI adapters. You could go with two 5450s for ~$100 which would get you 6 monitors with the need for only two adapters.

Summary of options if you only have two PCIe slots available:
5 Monitors: One 5770 eyefinity 5 and 5 mini DP adapters
6 Monitors: Two 5450s and two DP adapters
6 Monitors: One eyefinity 6 card (expensive) & 6 mini DP adapters
8 Monitors: One 5450, one 5770ef5, 1 DP & 5 mini DP adapters
9 Monitors: One EF 6, one 5450, 6 mini DP & 1 DP adapters
10 Monitors: Two 5770ef5 and 6 mini DP adapters
11 Monitors: One EF6, one EF5 & 11 mini DP adapters
12 Monitors: Two EF6 cards and 12 mini DP adapters

The bold options would be the best options in my opinion because the Eyefinity 5 & 6 cards are significantly more expensive and require adapters for every monitor.