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Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: unclet on November 05, 2004, 02:51:10 pm

Title: Dual Video cards for Dual Monitors?
Post by: unclet on November 05, 2004, 02:51:10 pm
In order to utilize a dual monitor confirguation for a jukebox setup, I would need to get two video cards, but:

1) Do the video cards need to be of the same type/manufacturer ...... If not, would it be easier somehow (ie: configuration, interaction, etc..) ifthey were?

2) Since computers (or at least the ones I have seen) only come with one AGP port, then I guess one video card would be AGP and the other PCI  or must they both be PCI video cards?   Or do I need to find a computer with two AGP slots ...if that even exists.

3) Any other stuff I should be thinking about for configuring for dual monitors?

Title: Re:Dual Video cards for Dual Monitors?
Post by: Hiub1 on November 05, 2004, 09:17:09 pm
Er... For dual monitor support, you would not need 2 video cards at all if you are outputting to a vga monitor. There are plenty of Video cards with either dual out, or you can buy an adapter to use the DVI out as a regular VGA out. For instance, My radeon 9200 can be used as dual monitor with the regular VGA cable and an adapter for DVI to VGA cable. Is this what you mean?

Hope this helps, Fred.
Title: Re:Dual Video cards for Dual Monitors?
Post by: unclet on November 06, 2004, 12:19:02 am
I would like the dual display to be split between one PC monitor and one TV(via S-Video).

I would also like to have the option to simply connect two PC monitors instead as well.
Title: Re:Dual Video cards for Dual Monitors?
Post by: Matt, GoC on November 06, 2004, 02:17:59 am
Some video cards can use a TV as a second monitor.  My friend's laptop can, and it has a moble radeon in it.  I haven't tried it with my radeon 9250 but I'd assume it can.  Just select the second monitor (your TV) in Windows' Display Properties' Settings tab, choose "Extend My Desktop Onto This Monitor" and it should work.  As far as 2 cards go, I believe that PC's will choose a PCI video card over an AGP one... >:(.
Title: Re:Dual Video cards for Dual Monitors?
Post by: daywane on November 09, 2004, 12:26:00 pm
both my radion cards can do this very EZ
my radion 9000 ($40.00) ( www.tigerdirect.com ) cand handle 2 vga's and 1 svid

my ati radion 7000 can do 1 svid and 1 vga  also on this set up I just lucked into, My svid TV has also a TV out (RCA) so I have had 3 monitors also on this set up as wellI think I paid $100.00 for the card and $200.00 for the TV at WalMart 3yrs ago
 I realy never need 3 monitors but 2 was handy when I was buiding my vertical cab

I had the S-Video TV set up as horizontal and PC monitor as vertical. All this was kooked up to 1 PC, Limeted to 1 or the other but cost efective. I could play a Horizontal game and just side step over to my Vertical games and only needed 1 set up. After a year of this I was ready to pay out and build a dedicated vertical system
I cloned my desktop for this I have never found a reason to extend desktop
Title: Re:Dual Video cards for Dual Monitors?
Post by: Lilwolf on November 10, 2004, 03:44:42 pm
I wouldn't normally push this way...because I've had great luck with ATI cards recently...  And my geforce just died a few weeks ago

but geforce dual monitor can be (I hear... mine died before I could test it) setup to think of both monitors as one big wide monitor.  With a quick change in mames aspect ratio, you can get dual monitor games to run in dual monitors...

Wish it was still working... I would have loved to try this.