Tripple monitor setup

jozi

Anyone know can this be done easily? I'm a good bit out of touch and in the past I don't think it was but things might have come along since. Quick google tells me yes but only kinda

What I'm thinking is 3 monitors, one main and 2 additional. The 2 additional could even have a stretched (landscape) resolution. Probably different resolutions between the main and 2 others because of different sizes.

It's a carpc project I'm starting to think about and hopefully maybe get started on next year. The screens would be fairly small, maybe 1024 res or what ever is the max for the screen sizes I'm after (another thing I need to look into).

Random

my graphics card has 2x dvi outputs and i also have onboard gfx on my motherboard. i have 3 monitors running without too much effort on windows 7 (which has done a lot of the work for me)

jozi

I didn't know you could run a gfx card and on-board gfx side by side! I'll need to have a look, I'll be going with as small a mobo as is possible to keep it all nice and compact, initially intended on not using a gfx card but then again I had only really though of 1 monitor up until recently.

Skatedude

you can also get some small monitors that run from the usb only. no graphics card required for them

jozi

I'd rather run them off of the gfx card or mobo gfx, I could end up with a lot of gadgets hooked up to the mobo via usb

msg11

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Port-D-Sub-VGA-Monitor-1-3-Splitter-/390461275237?pt=US_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item5ae94e3c65

Any good ?

jozi

How do they work? Do they have the same image on all 3 monitors?

What I'd ideally need is 3 seperate displays with their own desktop and own resolution.

I could live with a main desktop and then 2 monitors with a stretched desktop between them

srsly78

Just buy a cheap amd graphics card, most have had 3+ ports for years. Anything from 5xxx series or up should be fine. You might need to get some adapters as well, depending on what your monitors support. Cards often have 1xdvi, 1xhdmi and 2xdisplayport but ports available may vary.

Modern nvidia cards also support 3+ but only the latest ones I think.

RUCKING FETARD

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=77419821&postcount=70

msg11

jozi wrote: »

How do they work? Do they have the same image on all 3 monitors?

What I'd ideally need is 3 seperate displays with their own desktop and own resolution.

I could live with a main desktop and then 2 monitors with a stretched desktop between them

Would be just a mimic of the input display, just buy three GFX cards and tell windows what you want each one to do.

sbran

hi

what machine are you running i run an imac with a 2 other screens using a mini dvi adapter for one screen and then a high quality usb to dvi adapter


windows :

i had gotten a graphics card with 2 dvi out puts and then if you have the space i would put another graphics card in or if you can invest in a good usb adapter

hope this helps a bit

PrzemoF

OP, just make sure that graphics card can drive 3 monitors at the same time. I have an nvidia with 2 x display port and 1 x hdmi (dvi? dont remember), but It CAN'T drive 3 displays at the same time. At least it can't with windows 7.

srsly78

Your nvidia won't work for 3 because the hdmi port is a shared output (so it replaces one of the dvis when active).

If you want 3 monitors buy an amd card. Make sure one of your monitors supports displayport, otherwise lots of fun with adapters will ensue.

jozi

Does anyone know if there's a way to stretch the output from one video port/feed across 2 monitor?

I don't have a system built yet, it's all going to have to be as small as possible for it to be hidden somewhere in the car, even a gfx card might make things harder because of added bulk and heat. I'm only just thinking about things now and seeing what can/can't be done.

marco_polo

jozi wrote: »

Does anyone know if there's a way to stretch the output from one video port/feed across 2 monitor?

I don't have a system built yet, it's all going to have to be as small as possible for it to be hidden somewhere in the car, even a gfx card might make things harder because of added bulk and heat. I'm only just thinking about things now and seeing what can/can't be done.

Any AMD card that supports eyefinity can support practically any arrangement of monitors that you could possibly concieve of. (Although the lower priced ranges are limited to 3 rather than 6 displays)

http://www.amd.com/uk/products/technologies/eyefinity/Pages/eyefinity.aspx

The only limitation on stretching the desktop across two screens (in an eyefinity group) is that both monitors must use the same resolution.

jozi

Does that mean if both monitors have a resolution of say 1000x500 then their shared desktop would be 2000x500? I could work with that and a 3rd monitor at a different resolution. I'll need to do some googling over the weekend if I get a chance.

marco_polo

jozi wrote: »

Does that mean if both monitors have a resolution of say 1000x500 then their shared desktop would be 2000x500? I could work with that and a 3rd monitor at a different resolution. I'll need to do some googling over the weekend if I get a chance.

Yep, essentially all it does is trick you computer into thinking that the monitors contained within an eyefinity group one single large monitor (2000X500 in your example). Other connected montiors that are not configured to be in the eyefinity group can have any orientation or resolution you like.

james12waugh

I run by the help of Ge-Force graphics card with 2 out puts and then if you have the space i would put another graphics card in or if you can invest in a good usb adapter

jozi

marco_polo wrote: »

Yep, essentially all it does is trick you computer into thinking that the monitors contained within an eyefinity group one single large monitor (2000X500 in your example). Other connected montiors that are not configured to be in the eyefinity group can have any orientation or resolution you like.

That sounds like it might work for me! Don't suppose this is something available with onboard gfx?

james12waugh wrote: »

I run by the help of Ge-Force graphics card with 2 out puts and then if you have the space i would put another graphics card in or if you can invest in a good usb adapter

I don't think I'd have the room for another card. I'm only just looking into this at the minute, I haven't even measure up what sort of space I'll have in/around the car to hide a pc in a case.

marco_polo

jozi wrote: »

That sounds like it might work for me! Don't suppose this is something available with onboard gfx?

I don't think I'd have the room for another card. I'm only just looking into this at the minute, I haven't even measure up what sort of space I'll have in/around the car to hide a pc in a case.

As it so happens AMD will soon launch their desktop Trinity APUs, which will allow FM2 motherboards to support eyefinity. It will likely be a while before these can actually appear in stores though. Apart from that though I don't think what you are looking for can be done without a discrete graphics card.

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/processors/1294933/amd-trinity-desktop-processors-launched

Presuming it is not for anything graphically intensive the cheapest card that supports eyefinity would be a HD6450. Something like the Sapphire flex would be ideal as there is no need for fiddling around with display port adapters as it can support 2X DVI and a HDMI monitor out of the box. It is a small bit dearer than a standard HD6450 but you won't need to get Displayport adapters etc.

jozi

By the time I'm ready to start a system these will hopefully be easy to buy. Looks good though and just what might work for me! I wonder will they also be low power!

The new chipset has also allowed AMD add Eyefinity support to many FM2 motherboards. With a Trinity APU, you’ll be able to drive three monitors simultaneously using a combination of DVI, HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort video outputs, all without the need for a dedicated graphics card.

marco_polo

jozi wrote: »

By the time I'm ready to start a system these will hopefully be easy to buy. Looks good though and just what might work for me! I wonder will they also be low power!

The A-10s and A-8s ranges will have a TDP of 100W but the A-6 and lower units will have a TDP of just 65W. Of course the actual full load power usage will likely be much lower than the TDP, but the full reviews won't be out for another few days (the media non disclosure period runs up to the 2nd of October I think).