Multiple Monitors

[Buzzyonthelake]

I should be able to keep this simple,  since I am.  I have a Frankenstein computer.  Runs well.  For my monitor port, it came with AGP 2.0,  which I don't use.  From a previous computer, I had installed in this a Nvidia ge-force 5200 128Mb  Dual port set-up in a PC slot.  I run 2 monitors, easily.  I was told that when I expanded to the use of 3 monitors, which I will for stock trading,  to make sure the video card that I added was COMPATIBLE.

 On the back of the computer there appears to be 5 PCI slots (?) . . .none are PCIe,  with only the second one from the top being used, for the dual port display.  My question is,  in WHAT respects must the new card be compatible.  The one I have is not offered ( at retail) anymore,  actually it is,  but at 256Mb. Can I simply plug in one more monitor to the AGP port that is not used,  and will the comp idenify it  (Windows XP Pro) and allow me to control all 3 monitors with one keyboard & mouse,  or is there something more to do. ?   OR, will 1 AGP hook-up work with the other 2 screens thru the Dual PCI card ?  Does what ever I use have to be 128Mb.?  or if its higher rated, will it just underclock to 128Mb.  Or,  do I just add  1 PCI single display to one of the slots in the back ?  Is it Plug & Play,  or is there more to do to make it all work ?   I realize these are a lot of smallish questions,  but the main answer should be for the big picture , . . .What do I do/need to add one more monitor,  and where/how  should it get 'hooked up' with the computer.  If you need more "specs", let me know.   Always appreciate the answers here.... by all.

[Dmitri]

you talk to deadly reckon. he has 4 monitors and some one said some in his car too. hes so smart and know all these things.maybe he teach u too.

[Dead_reckon]

i have a dual monitor setup, i use onboard, and my cheap nvidia PCI card, all you need for anoother monitor is a cheap PCI card, you dont need a 256 unless your going to be gaming on another monitor, which i doubt you will be doing, a 64mb or 128mb card will do you fine. heres a good card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102447

i intend to put two of these in the PC i am going to build for several reasons; cheap price, can have 2 monitors and a TV hooked up to it, its black, it matches my motherboard i am going to buy, with two of these cards, and the 512mb pci-e X16, i can have up to 6 monitors, and four TV's hooked into my computer, although i doubt i will ever have 4 TV's, i will have 6 monitors, i multitask like crazy. you dont need to buy a new monitor either, unless you want to blow cash, you can get old CRT monitors for cheap, like 10 to 50 bucks, depending on where and what you buy... just make sure it works completly before buying it. my primary monitor is from 96, and my secondary is from 97, they both work fine.. the only bad thing i can state about old monitors that they put off alot of heat, and they weigh alot more than some newer model ones...

[Buzzyonthelake]

Yes,... I have 2  19" CRT's which I paid $20 each for . . . and I have the room for another.   So I just need a Single port PCI  128Mb video card, . . and it should just Plug & Play.?   Will any Mobo take two video cards ?   How do I know if mine will ? . .and which slot to use ?  just by 'eyeballin' it.   Don't know what to look for ?   Are they as easy as Memory stick slots ?

[panboy]

I think i heard some where that you can not have AGP and PCI Graphic Cards at the Same Time.

Im going to go do some Googleing and Get back to you.

[panboy]

Heres a link to a site where a guy has gone mad with monitors and GFX cards

http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/reviews/3mon_gf4/

It looks to me From this web site , that you can put in as many cards as you like and wont have to many problems

note that all the Cards this guy uses are Geforces. It would probably be a good idea to stick with the same chip-set for your own set up as well

[soybean]

Buzzyonthelake, if I understand your original post correctly, you have onboard video (not an AGP card), which is rated AGP 2.0.  Is that right?  In other words, that video connector does not use one of the wide slots on back of your computer, like the PCI slots; instead, it's located among the other connectors (mouse, keyboard, speaker, etc.) coming off the motherboard.  Right?  

You may be able to use that AGP port to set up your 3-monitor configuration.  Why not try it, before buying another card?  Have you ever used that port?  You may need to change a setting in your BIOS?  If you used the AGP port at one time, did you have to change a BIOS setting when you stopped using it and installed the PCI card?

If you can not get the onboard video to work with your PCI card, then you'll have to buy another PCI card.  Note that I'm assuming you do not have, in addition to onboard video, a separate AGP slot.  I would stick with nVidia; this will reduce the possibility of conflict.  I have had multiple monitors attached to my computer in 3 different configurations.  I currently have two monitors attached to an AGP nVidia GeForce4 Ti4200 card.  But, I have also used the two monitors with one attached to this same AGP card and one attached to a nVidia GeForce2 MX/400 PCI card.  And, for a brief test, I had a second PCI card, a nVidia GeForce4 MX440, installed and a third monitor attached to it.  No problem under any of these configurations.

You can choose a card with almost any nVidia chip and it should be compatible with your current card.  A card with 64MB of memory should be quite adequate.  

If you, in fact, have an empty AGP slot, and since you said your motherboard is rated at AGP 2.0, and you have the option of buying an AGP card, I suggest you not get an 8x card.  Most likely, any 4x card would work in a 2x slot, but assuming that an 8x card will be backward compatible to 2x might not be a safe assumption.

[Buzzyonthelake]

To Previous, SOYBEAN:
'
First Paragraph . . .everything true.

Second . . AGP port never used.   Have never changed BIOS,  wouldn't know how.  PCI dual card was installed upon taking possession of comp.  Nothing was 'tweaked' to make it work.

Third . . . no AGP slot that I am aware of.   Sounds like if you stick anything in anything, it will work . . . . except for  "my thing".    

Happy Fourth . . . If I install a 2nd PCI card with lower Mb than the 128 I have,  will that diminish its 'usefulness' , . . . like a memory stick ?  Does the Mobo take an add'l  PCI video card in ANY of the 5 slots I have ? Plug & Play ?

Thanks.  Sounds like this could all be done quite easily & cheaply. .. .maybe just a $20 monitor   . . . and Maybe a $35 card (or not).


ps.  The PCI card that was reccommended in a previous post says its 'best used' in the first slot (?) which is open.  Some slots better than others ?   I won't touch that !

[panboy]

The Slots Closer to your CPU are Better because it take's less time for the data to get there

if the closet slot to the CPU is in a slightly Different Place than the others , its AGP (Generally Brown)

and yes All your PCI slots should work for a new card

And The Nvidia Software for Multi monitor Display is pretty good and easy to use , so i would stick with nvidia As Well

Also the memory availbe on the Card only Affects that Card , If you Try to play a 3D game on the worst Card it will play bad , but if you playit on the Best card it will play fine, but if you try to play it on both my  brain would explode

[Rob Pomeroy]

The Slots Closer to your CPU are Better because it take's less time for the data to get there

How many fractions of a nanosecond are we talking here?!  

[soybean]

"Third . . . no AGP slot that I am aware of.   Sounds like if you stick anything in anything, it will work . . . ."  Uh, depends on what you mean.  No, you can't put an AGP card in a PCI slot, or vice versa.  Trying to force a card into the wrong type of slot will damage the slot and/or card.  

I'll take exception to one of panboy's comments, where he said, "and yes All your PCI slots should work for a new card".  I would say this is true for the majority of motherboards but it is not true for all motherboards.  Indeed, some motherboards will not recognize a PCI video card unless it is in the top PCI slot.  I encountered this with a Sony VAIO that I installed a PCI video card for a second monitor.  It had an AGP card for the primary monitor.  I initially installed the card in the second PCI slot.  The computer would not recognize it; actually, the card did appear in Device Manager but it would not work properly.  I had read somewhere that some motherboards are slot-sensitive for PCI video cards.  So, I moved the card to the top PCI slot and, voila!, problem solved.

In such case as the Sony mentioned above, what I would like to know is whether a second PCI video card coud be installed in that computer and work properly.  I have some doubt.

So, I suggest you test your current PCI card in one or two slots besides the top one before you go out and buy another one.

"Sounds like this could all be done quite easily & cheaply. .. .maybe just a $20 monitor   . . . and Maybe a $35 card (or not)."  Yes, if you can find a $20 monitor.  You can definitely get a video card for $35 that will serve your purpose.  This could be a new one from an online seller such as TigerDirect.com or newegg.com; a used card on ebay is another option.

[panboy]

Quote from panboy on Yesterday at 5:09pm:
The Slots Closer to your CPU are Better because it take's less time for the data to get there
How many fractions of a nanosecond are we talking here?!  

Very Small ones rob indeed, none the less its true