Want to run 4 monitors...what are the options?

[myrockfight]

Someone told me that I could run two SLI graphics cards on four monitors. Is this possible?

I read that the drivers for the SLI cards do not support two monitors. Did I read that correctly?

I know they make individual cards that will support four monitors, but they are rather pricey. (Not that two SLIs are not).

[UglyChild]

In SLI you can run 3 monitors; SLI-1 monitor - DVI, PCI VGA - 2 monitors - Analog RGB.

And with additional PCI VGA card, you can run more monitors.


Now with new mobos that have 3 PCI-E lanes, you can use an additional PCI-E VGA card to have 2x DVI out puts.

With new cards and mobos today, that have 3 PCI-E lanes, you can use 3 PCI-E cards, that will give you SLI, plus 3 monitors. Add another PCI card and you should have 4 monitors.
Now in none SLI you can have 6 -8 monitors. or perhaps more using additional PCI cards. ( yet to be tested).



http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2869&p=3



Example, none SLI.
And if a mobo has 4-PCI-E lanes, well, you can only imagine what can be done.


http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3608/monitorsam2.jpg

[SuperFarStucker]

I believe SLI can be disabled/enabled without a restart now so you still have multi-monitor support when you're not playing games. i.e. 8 monitors should be possible with a quad card SLI solution as the operating system is capable of having multiple display adapters in a system with no problems that I am aware of.

[UglyChild]

And if you can find one of these cards... hehe.. its a PCI... old school

Support 4 ports independent VGA displays, 32-bit PCI bus, 1/2 MB graphics memory per channel.

So yeah, anything is possible.

http://www.kiosktouch.co.kr/english/img/photo_72.jpg

[ChinStrap]

And if you can find one of these cards... hehe.. its a PCI... old school

Support 4 ports independent VGA displays, 32-bit PCI bus, 1/2 MB graphics memory per channel.

So yeah, anything is possible.

http://www.kiosktouch.co.kr/english/img/photo_72.jpg


holy old school batman

[myrockfight]

Okay...So I am going to run:

C13-2030 :: Corsair Dual Channel TWINX PRO 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz E.P.P. Memory (2 x 1024MB)

A455-1089 :: Asus P5W DH-Deluxe WiFi Intel Socket 775 ATX Motherboard / Audio / PCI Express / WiFi / Dual Gigabit LAN / S/PDIF / USB 2.0 & Firewire / Serial ATA / RAID / CrossFire Ready

CP2-DUO-E6600 :: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.40GHz / 4MB Cache / 1066MHz FSB

and I changed my PSU you to a

O261-2005 :: OCZ / GameXStream / 700-Watt / ATX / 120mm Fan / SATA Ready / SLI Ready / EPS / Active PFC / Power Supply



Which two video cards would be ideal to run with this setup. I don't really want to spend almost $500 for the new directx 10 cards. But I wouldn't mind spending around $300 or so on the main card and maybe $150 on the second (if I can run two different cards). The guy up at Circuit City (who knows how credible/knowledgeable he really is) said that I would have to run two identical cards. However, I read that I must use two cards with the same parameters, but not necessarily the exact same card.

Is that true? Or can I run two completely different cards?


If you haven't noticed by now, I am a little green with this stuff. I took an assembly class a few years ago. So I am not a complete idiot (contrary to what my posts would indicate :) )

[myrockfight]

holy old school batman

LOL. Actually....I am pretty sure that is what my Dad used on a set-up a few years ago. It crapped out. Those things weren't cheap either. It was right around $500 too.

[UglyChild]

A card with same parameters is the same card, except for same manufacturor. But even then it can be different.

So then, to avoid any kind of speed bumps, it would be best to use same exact cards, of the same brand, same everything, as in; exact copy to run in SLI.

[d94]

get a beffy primary card if you plan to game, then a dual dvi 6600gt or something as a secondary

really, any two nvidia cards with dual outputs a peace will work peachy

[myrockfight]

Ok. Thanks for the advice guys. I am going to start a new thread for my next question.