Which AGP video card for dual 2048x1152?

blorg

I have a Shuttle SK41G with an Athlon XP2000+, Windows XP, 1gb RAM. Ideally I would like to run two 2048x1152 monitors off this, preferably through DVI but 1xDVI and 1xVGA might be an option. 3D performance is not important at all- this is just for typical desktop stuff. No games. It has a 4x AGP slot- what sort of graphics card should I be looking for? Cheap would be nice, as would low-power as I am not sure if I might run into issues with the PSU in the machine otherwise. There is also quite limited space inside so massive fans would be a no-no (ideally no fan would be nice.) Remember performance is not particularly important, as long as it can display web browser, Word, Excel, photo browser, etc. I am happy. I _think_ it is a 200W PSU (I changed it from stock though) and I have 2xIDE hard drives, a DVD-RW and a PCI TV card in there already. I would not miss junking the TV card too much though, never use it. Suggestions for what to go for and any potential pitfalls appreciated.

thestormtrooper

Hi,

I just found your post on the internet about your graphics card and a 2048x1152 monitor?

I also have a shuttle pc with a 200w power supply. I also want a 2048x1152 samsung monitor. One will do me. My graphics card is a radeon 9600 pro. This sticks out the side of my shuttle so the case is always off.

Basically I was wondering if you ever found a graphics card that would work in the shuttle that can display a 2048x1152 monitor? I don't play games its just for watching movies, internet surfing and website and photoshop use etc. I just binned the tv card from my machine so I could have a wireless pci card.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Stuart

blorg

I ended up going for dual 1920x1200- the 2048x1152s were on special but ended up selling out. As far as I know you need something that does dual-link DVI to support anything over 1920x1200.

thestormtrooper

looks like i'll need to get a 1920x1200 then... wanted a 2048x1152 but this will save me getting a new graphics card then and just leave the case off the shuttle.

thanks for your quick response.

Solitaire

Sapphire HD2400Pro going for under €45 on Komplett. Don't know about dual monitors but with a single display it goes up to 2048*1536 (VGA). No Dual-Link though (only 1900*1200 on DVI). HD3650 can go up to 2560*1600 on DVI, but its pricier (€68).

And why the hell is there so little in the way of specs for dual-monitor usage of, well, ANY non-Matrox graphics card?! :mad:

thestormtrooper

doubt that will work in my shuttle with my 200w psu.

think i'll just get a 1920x1200 display. i don't need dual monitor although may try and use my 17" crt in it as well?

hopefully my graphics card will work with 1920x1200... trying to keep the shuttle going so i don't need to buy a new pc for another year or so...

Solitaire

How much 12V power does that PSU supply? And what other kit do you have runnin off it?

Those are only basic cards, power consumption should be minimal. ~20W for the HD2400 and ~40W for the HD3650, fully loaded. They're hardly for gaming mind you.

thestormtrooper

Just had a look and... thats the exact card I had 2 weeks ago and the system worked for 5-15mins or so and would then turn off.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158994

Thats what I bought had to return as just wouldn't run. Other option I have is to buy a new PSU for the PC but thats £75 roughly... then card £30 then monitor. So basically getting nearer the cost of a new pc?!

Although I've just looked and the 1920x1200 24" monitor is £40-50 more than the 2048x1152 23" samsung so could use that for the new psu?! aarrgghh decisions. Then revert back to the HD card above.

too many options and things that might not work. No idea what route to take or whether to get a new pc... no won't do that as it's running eprfectly just now its just i want a bigger display with a graphics card that will support it.

Thats my pc there: http://eu.shuttle.com/archive/en/ss51g.htm#specificatio

and the power supply that i'm not even sure whether it will work or not is there: http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/10573?

Solitaire

Did you ever try another similar card? The HD2400Pro uses roughly the same amount of raw power as the 9600Pro (~19W vs. 18.3W) so it sounds more like you got a bum card or something... if it was a power or heat issue the current card would have caused similar havoc!

Did the HD2400 have a Molex connector or anything? Or was it properly seated? Did you get the latest drivers installed? (or maybe it was a bum card after all... )

thestormtrooper

only tried one card... had the latest drivers. I'm sure it was my PSU. Unless just incompatible with my motherboard or somein? It seemed to slot into the AGP slot no bother. Other thing is the AGP is 4x so always need to make sure I get 4x compatible card as well. So many confusing elements to my what would seem a simple problem.

Might just get the 300w one anyway found it for £60. Then get one of those cards again and should hopefully run ok... means I can get the 23" monitor that is £50 cheaper anyway.

So all equates to the same cost. Although nothing every runs smoothly, so will no doubt be more problems ahead!

Thanks again for the input.

thestormtrooper

How did you find how much power they used? I never seem to see that information displayed and they always say they require a 300w PSU. I'm just looking for one that runs on as little as possible but will do the job. I don't play games so thats not really an issue. Just internet, movie watching and photoshop etc.

thanks again.

blorg

I think basically any halfway recent graphics card with two outputs will do dual monitor.

I got a 256mb NVIDIA GeForce 6200 with DVI and VGA and that works fine although I would like to replace with one that (1) is passively cooled and (2) has dual DVI.

I don't think the power issue is as big as you might think, mind you I double checked and I actually have a 250W PSU. Planning on swapping that out for an external 200W silent PSU so hope the card will still work

Solitaire

thestormtrooper wrote:

How did you find how much power they used?

XBit-Labs are your friend They have special testbench setups for measuring component power usage rather than the very ambiguous "total system power" measurements other sites give (which are usually 15-40% higher than normal to boot as the meter is attached to the wall socket and includes the PSU's losses as well!)

And I doubt the older Shuttle PSUs would have much problem with basic AGP cards - such older PSUs have high 3.3/5V output and mediocre 12V performance, but AGP is an older standard that focuses on the former and uses very little 12V power (unlike PCIe which is 99% derived from the 12V rail) so unless the entire system is gobbling up more than the 200W you should be in the clear

Now that I think about it, who's Shuttle's OEM anyways...

thestormtrooper

ah good to know thanks...

Think I've decided to either go down the road of:

1) New power supply £80, Samsung 23" Widescreen £170, Memory upgrade to 2gb (from 1gb) £70. Total £320.. ouch. Can sell my card and replace with one that will work for 2048x1152. Cost I get back should be same as cost spent. Without memory total: £250

or

2) Get a Geforce 6200 if it does the 2048x1152 and the Samsung monitor. total £180ish after sale of present card?

or

3) Keep present setup with the case off due to heatsink being too big and get a 24" monitor which is £220. Total £220.

Not sure what option to go for... First one might make more sense for making the PC last longer.

I have 2 internal hard drives, DVDRW, PCI Wireless card, Graphics card, External Soundblaster Extigy, External Firewire Hard Drive Wireless USB mouse and a couple of other small external hard drives that I plug in now and again. Just bought a powered USB hub though for that power.


Blorg.. could you do me a favour? Could you go to your desktop settings, then advanced, then monitor and uncheck the box for hide modes this monitor cannot display... then tell me if your screen resolution has 2048x1152 as an option? Trying to see if the geforce has the ability to run 2048x1152 at its native resolution. My Radeon 9600 doesn't seem to list that resolution and I have the latest drivers. So I think that means it wouldn't display it if it's not listed?

Your help is greatly appreciated again... Looks like I'm finally approaching a decision about what to do. Just wish I could afford any of my options!

Cheers
Stuart

blorg

IIRC it does not have 2048x1152 as a defined resolution but goes up to a max of 2048x1536 on the VGA port- you can put in a custom resolution either. Do you want DVI? I am pretty sure it will not do 2048x1152 on DVI but I can double-check.

In your situation I would suspect just getting a 24" would make the most sense, they are more standard... Only reason you might want the 23" is if you are planning on watching a lot of DVDs on it as the aspect ratio matches exactly (16:9 rather than 16:10 on the 24".) 1920x1200 is a lot more standard, and only needs the single link DVI. Screen real estate is for me probably more useful with the 1200 height, I wouldn't see it being useful to chop off that and add to the sides.

When I was looking myself the 23" 2048x1152 was really cheap, that is the main reason I was considering it.

I am not sure why you are looking at a new PSU and more memory, I don't think that is likely to help matters. Having said that I will probably have a 250W SilentX Shuttle PSU for sale in a few weeks once I get my external 200W one in

thestormtrooper

PSU and memory was just for upgrading all at once to save me doing more upgrades in the future. Well PSU was also to make sure the graphics card worked.

Reason I was thinking of the 2048x1152 was because it would be good for watching movies and divx films etc and also allows me to have 2 documents side by side on my screen easily. The 1920x1200 seems the more standard resolution but just means slightly more at the top? well... 48 pixels? but width 128 less than the 23" one.

I've no idea what decision to make now. option one I was considering but would prob get the memory later if at all. My radeon doesn't seem to let me put in my own resolution unless i'm looking in the wrong place. I suppose my main decision is which monitor to get and take it from there...

thanks again.

Should also have said the 23" is £170 and the comparable 24" is £220.

Another point although is maybe the 2048x1152 is too high a resolution? as it's higher than full HD? So the 1920x1200 would show full HD anyway? just with the black bands so not sure of exact width of each picture or what that means about quality of divx etc if stretched too far? Internet, movie watching and photoshop use are my main requirements.

blorg

16:9 would be a bit better for DVDs although the slightly letterboxed image on the 24" would probably be as big as the monitor is bigger. You can do two documents side by side on 1920 no problem. One thing to bear in mind, you will probably not get very much for your current video card (presuming it is AGP?) if you can shift it at all so I wouldn't really factor that into the equation. Does the 23" have a DVI input? I would certainly recommend DVI, it is not noticable for movies etc. but text is a lot sharper (I have DVI and VGA side by side, same model monitor.)

thestormtrooper

Can get around £20 on ebay for the graphics cards as people still require the old AGP onse... just like I do.

The 23" does have DVI so I'd be using it through that. Now reckon I might go for a 24" on your recommendation if it's big enough for two documents and movies. Better to have the black bars than not have that space at all... if it wasn't black bars it would be the white wall instead?

Also means I can just leave my PC as is with the cover off and not bother with graphics card changing or PSU upgrading etc. I also could still use my 17" CRT monitor at the side as a second display on the VGA port?

blorg

thestormtrooper wrote: »

Also means I can just leave my PC as is with the cover off and not bother with graphics card changing or PSU upgrading etc. I also could still use my 17" CRT monitor at the side as a second display on the VGA port?

Yes, you should be able to no problem. Does the 24" have DVI? If so €220 is a good price.

thestormtrooper

thinking of getting this... seems to have it all. No HDMI but I don't need games, dvd or freeview etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-SM2433BW-24-inch-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/tech-data/B001F05ZQI/ref=de_a_smtd

and they seem to love it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbaMoClZYUo