Dual Monitors

[kcm1582]

I got a lcd tv a few months ago and now I want to hook it up to my computer to run it as a second monitor. What would I need to do to hook it up? The computer is a gateway gt5220 if that helps any.
thanks

 

[mjonesjr]

If your video card supports dual monitors, then you just have to change the settings on the card.

 

[kcm1582]

i cant find anything that would support that.

 

[Nhaz]

Any Double head nvidia card will support dual monitors. So will their software that runs the nvidia card.

Take note though. Any time you run a second monitor you are going to split the available video processing power in half almost exactly.

Or if you run 2 independent cards your computer will split the bus in half to support each card. (which does almost the same thing in terms of speed)

example: If you have a 2 slot SLI slot motherboard and a SLI bus of 16, each card will take 8.

That only way around this seems to be to have 2 different generation cards but then you run into the problem that the older generation card can't keep up with the newer card. Assuming the machine even has the slots to run 2 different generation cards.

That is about as simple as I can say it.

This IS Not all doom and gloom. When you start trying to run double monitors the best solution is to get high quality card(s). So the drop in power for each monitor is noticed alot less.

 

[Jaymz9350]

Any Double head nvidia card will support dual monitors. So will their software that runs the nvidia card.

Take note though. Any time you run a second monitor you are going to split the available video processing power in half almost exactly.

Or if you run 2 independent cards your computer will split the bus in half to support each card. (which does almost the same thing in terms of speed)

example: If you have a 2 slot SLI slot motherboard and a SLI bus of 16, each card will take 8.

That only way around this seems to be to have 2 different generation cards but then you run into the problem that the older generation card can't keep up with the newer card. Assuming the machine even has the slots to run 2 different generation cards.

That is about as simple as I can say it.

This IS Not all doom and gloom. When you start trying to run double monitors the best solution is to get high quality card(s). So the drop in power for each monitor is noticed alot less.

Most of this is false.

First of all almost any recent video card (that has dual out puts which most do) from the lowest to the highest will support dual monitors whether it's from Nvidia or ATI. For 2d apps, which i'm guessing the OP uses most as he doesn't already have a dedicated card you won't notice any performance issues with 2 monitors over 1.

Whether the bus speed gets cut using dual cards is dependent on the chipset of your motherboard. And even if you run at 8x and 8x you won't see much if any loss of power as very few cards (ie only the very top of the line) come anywhere near using the available bandwidth.

And with 2 cards for 2 monitors it makes no difference if they are the same generation. In fact in xp (vista won't allow it though) you can even run an nvidia and an ati together. The only time the type of cards mixed together matter is if you are running dual cards for 1 monitor (as in SLI or Crossfire).

If you need a card for basic 2d apps it would be an utter waste to but a highend or even midrange card just for 2 monitors.


To the OP,

Something like this would do fine for you http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121259.

It has VGA, DVI and HDMI out to hook up you monitor and tv to. It does have a passive heatsink so no extra noise in the case as well but if your case doesn't have decent air flow you may need one with a fan on it.

 

[Nhaz]

Im not sure where i posted false information there please point that out for me

 

[rboyer]

My employer just purchases a pair of USB video cards for day trading in the office with his laptop. They aren't meant for anything too intense like gaming but get the job done for normal desktop applications/videos. Just remember that if you go with multiple video cards you may run into an arrangement problem. Like for instance if you have onboard AGP video and stick in an older PCI card it may take precedence over the AGP until Windows loaded the driver. In other words if your tv is far away from the computer you wouldn't want to hook it to the monitor that shows nothing while booting because if you ever have a problem you would have to switch cables. Then again getting a dual head video card would solve all of your problems anyway.

 

[1stHand]

looks like your MB will support a PCI Express x16 card.

 

[Jaymz9350]

Im not sure where i posted false information there please point that out for me

Or if you run 2 independent cards your computer will split the bus in half to support each card. (which does almost the same thing in terms of speed)

As I said in my earlier post (which has nothing to do with the OP really as he has a single pci-e16x slot) whether the bus gets cut depends on the chipset you have. I have an older nvidia based motherboard that will split to 8x and 8x with dual graphics cards and my current mobo will split it 16x and 4x but there are chipsets that will give you a full 16x on all 16x pcie slots. And just because the bus gets spit down to 8x and 8x doesn't mean you will lose any performance.

As I stated above it will only hurt performance if your card needs more than 8x speeds which few and far between do.

That only way around this seems to be to have 2 different generation cards but then you run into the problem that the older generation card can't keep up with the newer card. Assuming the machine even has the slots to run 2 different generation cards.

Don't know where this came from but what generation card you run together only matters if you want SLI or crossfire. If you run 2 cards together for multi monitor support it doesn't matter if one is from 1998 and on is brand new, they will not hinder each others performance, just the slower card will be slower but in 2d apps you won't notice. I can run dual monitors on my laptop (laptop screen and 22" LCD) on a 4 yr old integrated chip (ATI 200M)with no performance issues at all in 2d apps.

This IS Not all doom and gloom. When you start trying to run double monitors the best solution is to get high quality card(s). So the drop in power for each monitor is noticed alot less.

For most peoples use, and I'd assume the OP's as he is currently running the integrated graphics on his pc, there is no reason to buy an expensive card just for dual monitors. Unless your gaming or other 3d intensive work, any dedicated card made in the last 5 yrs has enough power to run 2 monitors with no performance issues at all.

 

[kcm1582]

Wow. Lots of good information. I like that video card just wondering if my stock power supply will run it? For the most part I will be using it just to have 2 screens. If I play games, its usually WOW or NFSU2 so nothing to heavy in the graphics.

 

[Jaymz9350]

Wow. Lots of good information. I like that video card just wondering if my stock power supply will run it? For the most part I will be using it just to have 2 screens. If I play games, its usually WOW or NFSU2 so nothing to heavy in the graphics.

That card uses hardly any power you should have no issues running it on the PSU you pc came with. As a side note those ATI cards have a bould in sound processor as well so if you run HDMI to your TV you will get sound as well as video.

 

[Nhaz]

As I said in my earlier post (which has nothing to do with the OP really as he has a single pci-e16x slot) whether the bus gets cut depends on the chipset you have. I have an older nvidia based motherboard that will split to 8x and 8x with dual graphics cards and my current mobo will split it 16x and 4x but there are chipsets that will give you a full 16x on all 16x pcie slots. And just because the bus gets spit down to 8x and 8x doesn't mean you will lose any performance.

As I stated above it will only hurt performance if your card needs more than 8x speeds which few and far between do.


Don't know where this came from but what generation card you run together only matters if you want SLI or crossfire. If you run 2 cards together for multi monitor support it doesn't matter if one is from 1998 and on is brand new, they will not hinder each others performance, just the slower card will be slower but in 2d apps you won't notice. I can run dual monitors on my laptop (laptop screen and 22" LCD) on a 4 yr old integrated chip (ATI 200M)with no performance issues at all in 2d apps.


For most peoples use, and I'd assume the OP's as he is currently running the integrated graphics on his pc, there is no reason to buy an expensive card just for dual monitors. Unless your gaming or other 3d intensive work, any dedicated card made in the last 5 yrs has enough power to run 2 monitors with no performance issues at all.

None of the information I posted was false. Even according to you. saying that a split bus for independent apps is somehow as fast as a unsplit bus for independent apps is beyond me.

Ive been running dual monitors for about 10 years now over different systems and different generation cards. You will Always lose power somewhere when running independent apps.

For different generation cards the power is lost in the Cpu instead of the bus.

Can you pay attention to two things at once? Just because the CPU is fast does not mean it doesn't have to split off some clock cycles to pay attention to that older card.

Just saying someone will not notice is Not the same as the facts. I notice. if I notice other people may notice.

For the OP. 2d aps. you will barely notice anything. 3d aps your going to see the power available halved when you used 2 cards or a dual header card for independent things. I really should have posted that first.

 

[kcm1582]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125251

What do you guys think of this card? Seems like it is a little more capable, plus I like the fact that it has its own fan.

 

[Jaymz9350]

That should do just fine.

 

[kcm1582]

Alright I think that's the one Ill order.