PCI-E and PCI

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Hyuukai

Limp Gawd
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Jun 29, 2007
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Ok can some people help me here. I am wanting to setup a triple monitor setup but unsure exactly how to. I have a BFG 7800 GTX PCI-E card with two dvi outputs but to get the third monitor would require me getting another graphics card. Since this grahpic card has been discontinued i cannot really buy another one to have SLI. So i was wondering is it possible to run two pci-e cards at the same time if they are different cards? not in SLI but independently. Or is it possible to run a PCI graphics card along with my PCI-E card?
 
You can run a PCI graphics card with a PCI-E one. I would search for a used 7800 GTX so you have the option of running SLI when playing games.
 
Hyuukai said:
Ok can some people help me here. I am wanting to setup a triple monitor setup but unsure exactly how to. I have a BFG 7800 GTX PCI-E card with two dvi outputs but to get the third monitor would require me getting another graphics card. Since this grahpic card has been discontinued i cannot really buy another one to have SLI. So i was wondering is it possible to run two pci-e cards at the same time if they are different cards? not in SLI but independently. Or is it possible to run a PCI graphics card along with my PCI-E card?
Click to expand...

http://www.mediachance.com/free/multimon.htm

He talks about having both PCI and AGP cards to run his 3 monitors, so it looks like you don't need to keep them the same.
 
Yeah but i dont have AGP i have PCI AND 2x 16x PCI-E i was thinking i could get a 8800 and run it along with my 7800 in the pci-e slots
 
Hyuukai said:
Yeah but i dont have AGP i have PCI AND 2x 16x PCI-E i was thinking i could get a 8800 and run it along with my 7800 in the pci-e slots
Click to expand...

Yes. They won't run in SLI and you'll only really be able to game on one monitor in most cases, but they'll "play nice together" if that's what you mean.
 
OK.

For one thing, correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't even do dual monitors if SLI is enabled. So what you'll need to do is:

1. Get a graphics card. It doesn't matter which one. Even an ATI card would work (although I wouldn't try it for fear of driver conflicts, although it has been done before). It can be PCI-E or PCI. It doesn't matter.

2. Wipe your old drivers.

3. Install new card.

4. Install drivers.

And you should be good to go.
 
PWMK2 said:
OK.

For one thing, correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't even do dual monitors if SLI is enabled. So what you'll need to do is:

1. Get a graphics card. It doesn't matter which one. Even an ATI card would work (although I wouldn't try it for fear of driver conflicts, although it has been done before). It can be PCI-E or PCI. It doesn't matter.

2. Wipe your old drivers.

3. Install new card.

4. Install drivers.

And you should be good to go.
Click to expand...

I believe dual monitors (off the same card) will work fine with SLI enabled. Not /certain/. I know that the second card will not output video in SLI mode, though.
 
So i can use two PCI-E graphic cards that are different models like 7800 and 8800 at the same time and output to 3 monitors that way? But then i couldnt put a game over the 3 screens only two of them right? Is there any cards with 3 monitor outputs about?
 
Dual monitors will NOT work when SLi is enabled, at least, not off of the cards that are SLi'd. You COULD, however, add a third card (if you did want SLi) to power an additional 2 monitors. This is possible on the 680i and other boards, with 3 PCI-E slots or more (if you wanted to keep them all PCI-E). If you're not needing to keep them all PCI-E, and just need another card for 2D functions such as web browsing, etc... then you could just add an additional PCI card, something low end would be fine. For example, you could do your 7800GTX with dual DVI, pumping out to your 2 monitors, and then add, say a 7300LE or some other PCI or PCI-E card for $50 off of Newegg. Here's a long list of cheap cards on Newegg, PCI and PCI-E that would "play well" (as someone else put it) with your current 7800GTX drivers.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...40000048&Description=7300&bop=And&Order=PRICE

Hope it helps.

To answer your most recent post...I know of no current generation gaming cards that do triple monitor output.

For gaming on 3 monitors, this is your best bet, aside from a very expensive graphics setup (that additionally, will not be supported by many games). This unit has it's own flaws and drawbacks, and I researched it extensively when it came out. Limited resolutions, limited game support (not all can use it), and limited refresh rates. Also, it's VGA only, so all your monitors must be the same resolution (max is 3 screens at 1280x1024), and all have VGA input. It's also pretty expensive, but here it is, nonetheless:

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/products/th2go/

Sorry, I was updating this post as you were posting. Please re-read if you have time, more info included!
 
Hyuukai said:
So i can use two PCI-E graphic cards that are different models like 7800 and 8800 at the same time and output to 3 monitors that way? But then i couldnt put a game over the 3 screens only two of them right? Is there any cards with 3 monitor outputs about?
Click to expand...

You could run 2 in game off the 8800, but I don't think you could use all 3, no. I've not heard of anyone gaming on a 3-display system.
 
Ah ok so your certain i can run my 7800 and a 8800 next to it? Cause i probably could do with upgrading to a dx10 card really
 
Think its actually worth getting a 8800 or for now just a crap pci card cause wont 8900s be out soon?
 
While the 8800 and 7800 will work together...you realize that the 7800 will be doing basically nothing at all, right?

You can only ever game on one monitor, period. (Well, basically period, with a number of exceptions, but...for sake of this argument, period. Certainly not three, not without the Matrox device linked above. And the 2 in use would have to be off the same card, so, again, the 7800 does nothing but power a monitor.)

Anyway, it's still using all the massive amounts of power it would otherwise draw...just not doing anything with it.

It seems kinda wasteful to me.

I'd see if you could eBay the 7800, or put it on the FS/T forums, here, or find a coworker or classmate or something who would buy it. Use the money from that to buy a cheap, low-power card (PCI or PCI-E) that you can use for the extra monitor, and the difference to help defray some of the cost from the 8800.
 
Yeah i see what you mean i will just wait to upgrade graphic card as i also need to upgrade to core 2 duo or am2 which is quite costly since i have a top of the range socket 939 system. Ok on PCI what is the best card to go for the geforce 5500? or the geforce 6200? I know there is better ati cards around the same price but these could cause problems with my nvidia?
 
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