Help with Dual Monitor

[MattG.]

I agree.

If you do NOT have dual outputs then your vga out can only be split and put on multiple monitors, but it will be the same image. Meanwhile, back at the hall of justice using a video card with TWO outputs will get you the dual monitor setup you want. Depending on what kind of computer it is, you can get a simple $40 card prolly or you might have to spend a few dollars more.

Exactly, for work purposes you can easily find a $35-40 card that will more than meet your need.

[Oshiat]

You may be using the wrong splitter cable. I'm running dual monitors on my work PC with a single d-sub output. My splitter cable outputs are marked 1 (mon 1) and 2 (mon 2). It may be as easy as making sure you have the proper cable.

[Peter.Steele]

You may be using the wrong splitter cable. I'm running dual monitors on my work PC with a single d-sub output. My splitter cable outputs are marked 1 (mon 1) and 2 (mon 2). It may be as easy as making sure you have the proper cable.

Sorry, nope. If you've got a single standard D-sub 15 pin VGA port, you're not running dual monitors off it, no matter what cable you've got. You have something different.

[Eddy's Shooting Sports]

He probably has a DVI with a splitter cable. I forget the exact terminology, but there are video cards that have DVI ports that have both digital and analog output combined and can be used for dual monitors.....

[Merc1138]

dual monitors(and not just splitting the signal to display the same thing on 2 screens) = "dual head". Triple monitor = "triple head".

Then of course there are the more recent company specific makreting terms... "nvsurround" "eyefinity" and so on.

There are external devices you can get that don't require an internal card. The Matrox DualHead2Go and TripleHead2go come to mind. However they aren't cheap. Finding an empty expansion slot and getting a 2nd card altogether will be cheaper(if that's possible, otherwise you're going to be paying more).

Fortunately since dual monitor setups have been mainstream for so long, all you need is a free PCI(doesn't even have to be PCI-e) slot and a card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130466

It doesn't matter if the video chipset doesn't match your onboard or already installed video(it needs to some for advanced gaming related stuff, but then again this question wouldn't be getting asked and I wouldn't be recommending a $40 card if that were the case). Install the card, connect the monitor, install the driver, and just set it up in your display properties. Takes 2 minutes.

[JackRydden224]

There is the update on this. My boss decided that it's better for everybody in the office (there are only 5 employees) to have dual monitors since we look at so many different documents. He also wants to go paperless so he is buying a PCI card for me to test it out.

If the PCI card with two heads work then he'll buy new 24" monitors and get everybody setup that way. Awesome

[Peter.Steele]

Merc- that's not entirely true. You could run nvidia and ATI together under XP, but as of Vista - and I don't think it's changed in 7 - you can't have bot driver models coexisting.

[Merc1138]

Merc- that's not entirely true. You could run nvidia and ATI together under XP, but as of Vista - and I don't think it's changed in 7 - you can't have bot driver models coexisting.

Yes it does, there's just some very specific combinations of GPUs that don't work together(due to drivers being outdated due to architecture, or GPUs and interfaces no longer supported).

That being said, the guy has Intel integrated video, and I know for a fact that current Radeon and Nvidia drivers will work just fine when installed along side the Intel drivers(I'm doing it on the system I'm typing this post from at work, and my gaming system at home).

[the86d]

Some lower end PCI cards (sub $50-$60) might not have drivers for 64bit OSs (but are still being sold).
Check the specs and make sure they are included, if you are running a 64bit OS... BUT I have only run into this 2x.

[Merc1138]

The card I linked to on newegg has 64bit drivers and support for windows 8. You'd have to go back to the Geforce 4 Ti series and earlier to start running into driver support issues.

[Peter.Steele]

Yes it does, there's just some very specific combinations of GPUs that don't work together(due to drivers being outdated due to architecture, or GPUs and interfaces no longer supported).

That being said, the guy has Intel integrated video, and I know for a fact that current Radeon and Nvidia drivers will work just fine when installed along side the Intel drivers(I'm doing it on the system I'm typing this post from at work, and my gaming system at home).

Hm.

Looks like WDDM 1.1 removed the restriction on using nVidia and ATI alongside each other. In Windows 7 it will work. Still won't work in Vista, though. BUT ... if anyone's still using Vista, they've got problems.

[JackRydden224]

Okay guys. I got two monitors working now. I just gotta train my brain to the two monitors because switching back and forth is giving me a headache

[Merc1138]

Okay guys. I got two monitors working now. I just gotta train my brain to the two monitors because switching back and forth is giving me a headache

Noob

3+ monitors is where it's at these days

[pdq_wizzard]

Hm.

Looks like WDDM 1.1 removed the restriction on using nVidia and ATI alongside each other. In Windows 7 it will work. Still won't work in Vista, though. BUT ... if anyone's still using ever Vista, they've got problems.

FIFY

[yellowsulphur]

[QUOTE=Merc1138;9135621]Noob

3+ monitors is where it's at these days




Those are a calibration nightmare.