Triple Monitors

S

sparks

2[H]4U
Joined
Jun 19, 2004
Messages
3,206
Yep My boss decided that NOW instead of 2 21 inch dells its time to go to 3 lcd's
20-21in each..
I know nothing about how to do this.
Triple head matrox or 2 video cards...
this is a work computer so it will have to play games lol
Ok maybe some small stuff during lunch I guess but nothing like quake4

what is best setup from dell for triple head display

this will be ordered with a new desktop system
something like an xps I guess...core duo 6600, 2-4 gigs memory etc

thanks for any and all info on this

sparks
 
You could just get a mobo that can take two PCIe cards and then just pop in two cards. One good one for gaming and then a super cheap one for the 3rd monitor is what i would do.

I guess you could find a PCI card that can handle one card too....


With that money your boss is throwing around teaming up some 7900GT's in SLI would be great gaming, and you can do 3 monitors easily.
 
The triplehead2go won't be able to drive the 20 inch displays at native resolution, so your better off going with either two PCI-E cards or a PCI card if the mobo only can take on PCI-E 16x card. You won't be able to play games across all three monitors though, but that doesn't seem to be the primary goal of this setup.
 
yes the games was a joke....sorry it didn't come out right.
The only games would be some card games or something during lunch.
NO big time graphics games.

The main thing is to get a setup that will drive 3 20in monitors at default
resolution....I can't see it being 3 wide screens just 3 std monitors.

the more I think about this I don't think a single card can run this but maybe I am wrong.
So we need to find a dell (sorry thats all we can buy) that will take 2 cards and drive these at native resolution. Might try calling them tomorrow and see what they recommend....of course I always get the one that just got in from his job at ratshack LOL
Yea just like my last call....I got a guy with a serious Indian accent, and he told me his name was Whan....I laughed sooooo hard I could not even tell him what I wanted.

Sparks
 
OK people I need some help..and am not going to get it from dell.
The guy I talked to suggested getting 2 computers.
WTF

so I guess I need to order a xps with 2 cards and drive the 3 monitors.
Does this sound like the best way?


thanks for any help

sparks
 
why not just get 1 computer with an insane extended desktop?

3x 20"

2x on the main graphics card and 1x on the other.

The 7900 GT has 2 DVI's, and get a 5200 PCI card or something.
 
you only need 1 computer. Under XP, you can drive I believe 12-16 screens. Personally, I have 5 LCD's on 1 desktop computer (4 19" and 1 24" all LCD all via DVI).

The easiest way, and also the best way, is to use conventional cards. Don't go for quad DVI cards (I've gone through them all) which cost a bundle and run slow on non gaming apps!. If the desktop you're going to buy has 2 PCIe x16 slots, then get 2 dual DVI cards which will net you 4 DVI ports for 4 monitors total. If the desktop you want only has one PCIe x16 slot, then you can buy one dual DVI card for that (2 monitors) and another card that will fit in the remaining slot. That slot(s) is usually a PCI or PCIe x1 slots. You can find DVI video cards for them (choose PCIe x1 slots over old school PCI for the remaining slots option).

Note: You only need dual DVI per card, and one (at least) DVI on the next one (assuming you want to drive your monitors via DVI, which is the best choice). You do not need dual link DVI, they are a different beast altogether, are more expensive, and does nothing for your case.
 
thanks big time exe....no I could not believe when that guy said you need 2 computers...I was laughing my arse sooo loud.
I tried then to say ok I need maybe a matrox card or 2 video cards and he again said you would need 2 computers...I said how would I use 2 computers to do this and he stuttered and then said some other stuff and then tried to change the subject...I said thanks and hung up.

I have not seen the new dells yet, the ones that have 2 16x pci-e but I know that their game machines have them. I am thinking that we will have to get an xps to get what we need and thats ok I think.

again thanks for replying...I was not to keen on the matrox triple head card since I knew nothing about it.

Just got off the phone with our dell rep.
XPS series with 2 pci-e cards and 3 2007 monitors E6600 and 4 gig memory....$5017
WOW
maybe 2 22in wides would make the boss happy...that was only $4495
lol


sparks
 
$5000?!! :eek:

how is that even possible?

3x dell monitors are like $1400 after tax and shipping

3600 for the system only? HOW? lol.
 
If all you're doing is office-type work, you have no need for a computer with 2 PCIe-x16 slots. Just throw a regular PCI card in an expansion slot (or a PCIe-x1, if you've got it), and you'll be good to go.
 
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