CRT Emudriver multiple monitors

[dth930]

Sorry for the newb question, but I'm trying to plan my cab update and want to make sure I have the correct video card(s).  I don't have the hardware setup yet to put the software through its paces and figure this out.

Using Emudriver, can I simultaneously run a 15khz CRT and an LCD, like for a digital marquee?  Or do I need separate video cards for each of those feeds?

Right now I have a Radeon 6670, which has VGA, DVI and Displayport outputs.
 - Dave

[Calamity]

Hi dth930,

To answer your question: Yes, you can run a 15khz CRT and an LCD simultaneously with CRT Emudriver, using the different outputs of the same video card.

BUT: the digital marquee idea might not work very well... specially if you plan to use an external program to control it (external to MAME itself I mean). I know some people do it however. I mean I wouldn't do it in my cabinet, I want nothing interferring with my video card in full exclusive mode, and definitely don't want my gpu to spend time drawing a pointless banner. Anyway you can try and tell us.

[xbrunox]

Absolutely YES
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,163833.msg1726473.html#msg1726473

[dth930]

BUT: the digital marquee idea might not work very well... specially if you plan to use an external program to control it (external to MAME itself I mean). I know some people do it however. I mean I wouldn't do it in my cabinet, I want nothing interferring with my video card in full exclusive mode, and definitely don't want my gpu to spend time drawing a pointless banner. Anyway you can try and tell us.

That's a good point I hadn't considered.  I would agree that nothing good will come of complicating what the GPU is trying to do.

Though I'm not sure I'd call the banner pointless.  It looks nice.  But certainly it doesn't help improve gameplay at all.

I guess the safe bet would be to get an additional GPU just for the marquee, though that's unnecessarily complicated too.  Or use something like the Pixelcade DIY setup to drive the LCD.  That offloads all of the image processing and just needs to trigger video and images that are already stored.
 - Dave