Which card do I need for dual display?

[RiverGuy]

I'm an analyst, so I don't know what I need. I need a video card that will display on 2 screens, I being a TV. They will be running an app that I make, but the TV will show one form, while the monitor will show the meat of the app.

I dont think the regular NVidia and possible ATI cards can do this. I probably need a Matrox, right?

If so, any specific models I should look at?

Thanks.

 

[FireWired1G]

Any ATI card with TV-Out or a GeForce with the MX GPU will be able to do this. The MX can do it because the MX uses TwinView technology that the other GeForce2/3/4-Ti cards cannot do. I currently have a Radeon 8500LE using dual displays with a 15" CRT and a TV using the S-Video.

 

[gargouille]

Note: I'm not a hardware shill, BUT that just isn't so...the geForce4 (for sure, and I believe even the 3) Ti comes that way...here's just the 1st one I found...

http://www.barebonecomputers.co.uk/acatalog/Geforce_Ti_4200__4400__4600_.html

 

[gargouille]

Hi Riverguy:

http://www.matrox.com/mga/home.htm

is a link to the Matrox site...and yes it would be a good one to consider...it's a high-quality card that I see lots of Computer Aided Design and graphics ppl using...but they are quite pricey.

For any card you're contemplating, type the name of it in quotation marks with a space and then +review...as in
"matrox parhelia" +review and it'll return hits to follow.

When it comes to shopping for the card you select...pricewatch.com is a good pricing guide...

 

[RiverGuy]

Thanks everyone. I emailed Matrox to see what they recommend too. We have an NVidia card, a GF4. I'm not sure exactly what chipset. Then we also have a GF2 or 3 I think. The older one only allows you to clone or expand the view across 2 devices, not do multiple windows. The GF4 doesn't even allow you to use both outputs at the same time.

 

[gargouille]

The gf4 fails when you try that?

I have an older gf3 without the video out...but do know ppl who use dual displays with geForce4 cards successfully.
For your purposes, tho, Matrox IMHO is the 1 for you.
Second choice would be an Appian...they have some quad monitor setups...have seen one on a friend's system...

If you REALLY wanta' drop some money there are cards out there that cost as much as most systems.

 

[RiverGuy]

No, the GF4 has OPTION buttons. You select Monitor, it goes to the monitor, you select TV it goes to the TV and unchecks monitor.

 

[FireWired1G]

Then you have a Ti, not an MX. K7S5A 3.1 / Duron 1 @ 1.2 / 512MB PC133 / Radeon 8500LE

 

[RiverGuy]

OK. I wasn't even concerned with trying to get it to work because its a card that can be used elsewhere. Anyways, I'm under the impression that these cards come with software that remember which display to dock a window or app to.

 

[maxwelljr]

Your impression is true. I have the Compro Personal Cinema card with Nvidia GeForce 4 mx440. When you right click on a program on the taskbar you can choose which monitor to send the program to. Send to Monitor 1, 2, Desktop Default or 2 etc. I can also drag programs between monitors. Also which ever monitor the program was last on, that's the one it will load on the next time you run it.