How Do I setup a Multiple Monitor Computer?

[ironmaster]

I would like to setup three or four monitors on my computer. I want the screens to have individual properties but also be connected in a panoramic fashion. Can I add more video cards or should I get a ready made unit that supports several monitors? If so, where's a good place to look for one?

 

[_-..zKiLLA..-_]

I believe all it takes is either SLI or Crossfire and just hook up the monitors and then riht click desktop>properties and then just make sure it knows that you have 3/4 monitors connected

 

[isaiahk]

Most video cards have multiple inputs in the card, maybe two VGA ports if it is an older card, or 2 DVI ports; or in whatever order. Some may have HDMI as well. You just need to plug in more than one monitor. If you want more monitors than the number of ports your video card has, you must buy another video card. You can buy a cheap video card to support these additional monitors. Just add that new video card in an open slot on your motherboard.

If you don't have an open slot, you may be out of luck. You could look at USB Video input dongles. They go for around 80-100 bucks each on various sites. However, most of them cannot support that high of a resolution.

 

[berry120]

I believe all it takes is either SLI or Crossfire and just hook up the monitors and then riht click desktop>properties and then just make sure it knows that you have 3/4 monitors connected

You don't need SLI or Crossfire for multiple monitor support - you can mix and match any cards you like. I've been known to throw an S3 virge (yeah, the 15 year old one!) into a PC with single onboard graphics to get a basic second display up and running - works fine for text / basic graphical display, though I wouldn't put compiz through it!

 

[_-..zKiLLA..-_]

edit

 

[berry120]

edit

Have we now realised said "noobs" saying you don't need crossfire or SLI for a multi-monitor setup (including when more than 2 monitors are in use) were in fact correct despite your claims?

 

[_-..zKiLLA..-_]

Well i would recommend sli or crossfie but ur correct you dont NEED it

 

[berry120]

Well i would recommend sli or crossfie but ur correct you dont NEED it

It depends, if you want the best performance or you're going to be doing pretty graphical intensive stuff across all four monitors, then yes - this may well be the best way to go. If I remember correctly there are some specialised cards out there with 4 or so outputs, but I've never actually seen one in real life and they'll probably be rather expensive for what they are.

If however you just want a couple of extra monitors for displaying extra consoles or having more windows of code / text open (which is what I use my setup for) then SLI / crossfire would just be a waste of money, pick up any old PCI card that might be lying around and slot it in for a basic extra monitor.

 

[_-..zKiLLA..-_]

Exactly. Like something that would be practical for 4 monitors is like video editing or picture editing which SLI or CF would help in that area

 

[J03]

Well i would recommend sli or crossfie but ur correct you dont NEED it

I was under the impression that if you SLI'd two cards, you'd only be able to use the DVI/VGA sockets of one of the cards...?

Edit: That was a while ago. It's OK now. http://www.slizone.com/object/sli_multi_monitor.html