Dual Monitors

[Vision6800]

I'm confused and in need of help. Did not see this info posted anywhere.

I'm trying to install dual monitors. Right now I am running a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX400 graphics card that Gateway installed for me 5 years ago. I am about to buy two lcd screens that use DVI connections. I can't see to find the right graphics card.

I believe I need one with two dvi ports that is compatible with PCI. I can't seem to find that. All see to have a dvi port and a vga port. All that offer dual dvi are in pci-express.

What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

 

[bettaa]

You are correct as far as the single DVI and VGA port. Don't bother playing with standard PCI for a video card

Basically if you want Dual DVI out you're going to need to upgrade your motherboard so that it supports PCI Express.

or think about getting two monitors that use VGA instead.....

 

[Vision6800]

Why can't I get a ATI Radeon X1300 256MB Video Card, get a vga to dvi convertor, and run two dvi monitors off of that?

 

[Vision6800]

Actually, I just opened up my computer and my current graphics card is agp. So now it should be easy to find a dual dvi card.

Thanks

 

[kjv1611]

Exacto! And you don't necessarily have to have 2 dvi ports on the video card anyway, you should be able to use a splitter off of one, or use one dvi to one monitor, and agp to dvi adapter to the other (if you end up finding a card you prefer w/o the 2 dvi ports).

 

[Vision6800]

Thanks, do you know if the image qualtiy will be the same on one screen on a direct dvi port and a vga port using a vga to dvi connector?

 

[kjv1611]

I don't think it makes much if any difference. If there is a difference, you won't be able to see it with the human eye. I've had 2 different computers at work with dual monitors. On each, they used a spliter, and that was with VGA monitors. With DVI, given that is a digital, not analog signal, it should be even less noticeable. I can't tell a difference between single and dual monitors as far as quality of picture.

 

[kmcferrin]

Also keep in mind that just about any LCD with DVI connectors will also have VGA connectors. So even if you have a video card with 1 DVI and 1 VGA you should still be OK.

In my experience, and DVI interface offers a cleaner, sharper image when compared to a VGA interface. But a very well made VGA interface using high quality cables will be almost as good.