Vid card for 2 monitors

MS Sunshine · #1 01-03-2005, 12:08 AM

Monday or Tuesday I get my Dell 20.01 in LCD monitor(16600x1200). I have a 17 in LCD. I'm looking to get a graphics card to run both monitors. I have an older E-Machine, 550 P chip with 512 RAM(max), currently with a 3dfx voodoo3 card.

What am I looking for? What problems should I expect with my running PT, which already stresses my system, with another monitor?

Thanks for any help.

MS Sunshine

BusterStacks · #2 01-03-2005, 12:26 AM

if you spend over ~$60 on a video card, it will run dual monitors.

Heeyuck · #3 01-03-2005, 12:46 AM

To expand on MS's question, are there video cards out there people can recommend with two DVI outputs, so I could run two LCDs to their full potential?

I currently have a Dell 2001fp and an old 17" CRT running off my current video card which has one DVI and one analog output, but I've been considering getting a second 2001fp.

BusterStacks · #4 01-03-2005, 01:17 AM

Yes, I am currently running the GeForce 6600GT with Dual DVI. It cost me roughly $230.

Nightwish · #5 01-03-2005, 02:28 AM

[ QUOTE ]
To expand on MS's question, are there video cards out there people can recommend with two DVI outputs, so I could run two LCDs to their full potential?

[/ QUOTE ]
This is the card I use. It works perfectly, but it's a bit too much if all you do is play poker. If you want something cheaper that still works well in games, search for XFX PVT43AND. If you want something really basic with dual DVI, buy this card.

BusterStacks · #6 01-03-2005, 02:30 AM

XFX PVT43AND is what I run.

lunapark · #7 01-03-2005, 02:34 AM

I just hooked up dual monitors today. I put an ATI 9600 into an emachines. Wasn't too dificult. Just make sure you have an AGP slot. Your existing video card is probably on board. The installation will override it.

MS Sunshine · #8 01-05-2005, 01:01 AM

I had the G-Force 6800($305) in my hand, with my plastic out in the other, when at the last instant before buying, I had a moment of doubt about taking advice from people I have never met(also some have a strong dislike for me). I asked the BestBuy computer geek about my concerns about the older system and possible problems.

"Oh yeah, that'll blow your power supply right away, unless you get unlucky."

"Unlucky?"

"If the power supply holds together for a few moments then it'll fry your chip."

"Really?"

"Yep, then it'll blow your power supply"

It's not like some 20 something computer geek, a mininum 150 lbs overweight, and an industrial acme problem, couldn't be on some power trip to scare some computer idiot(the part of the today's computer idiot will be played by me) to death.

At this point I realized this game maybe too tough for me. I told him to roll me on the list while I went to the rail to talk with my cronies and get some courage.

Well cronies, does the BestBuy geek know what he's talking about?

MS Sunshine

kenberman · #9 01-05-2005, 09:46 AM

I think it depends on how mnay watts your Power Supply is. (disclaimer: I am building my 1st computer right now, and am just learning about this stuff).

I understand that 300W is about the minimum you want. 350W -400W and you're fine. If you have less than 300W, you may be in trouble.

If you open up your case, or read your original manual, the power supply info should be in there.

Also, IMHO, buying that card for just poker is a tad bit much. I'm spending $350 on a whole new poker computer (P4, 120GB hard drive, 512 MB ram (expandable to 4GB), DVD-burner, 64mb video card, etc, etc..)

ShadowNC · #10 01-05-2005, 10:36 AM

Yes, the Best Buy nerd knows what he's talking about...although it probably wouldn't be quite that dramatic. More than likely the motherboard in that system won't provide enough voltage to the AGP slot to keep that card stable. It's really A LOT more card than you need though. That is a high end 3d gaming card...way too much $$ to spend to just play online poker.

I did a quick search on Newegg.com and found this card

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...171&depa=1

Something like that may be all that you need. That particular card doesn't have any DVI connectors on it, so you may need to search a little bit on there to find one that has the connectors that you want. Do both your LCDs have DVI connectors? If so, you may want to look at the card that Nightwish was recommending above.