Three Monitors to a 2 monitor card?

grimm33184

Reputable
Sep 19, 2015
3
0
4,510
Hello All,
I have a Dell XPS 8100 with an integrated DVI port. I recently installed a ATI Radeon HD 6450 card. I have three monitors that I want to connect to. Reading the blogs, I cannot use all three ports on the 6450 card for each of the monitors I have. Also, I cannot use the integrated at the same time I am using the Video card. SO what are my options?

I have on open PCI-E express port available. Can I just add in another card or are there any other options?

Thank for your time.
 
Solution


You can use a USB video adapter to run add'l monitors (up to 6 per machine)...around $50...
I have used 4 of them to extend my desktop to 6 monitors...

They are plug-and-play and don't require any particular video card to operate - they can be used
even if the only video port on your machine is the one on the motherboard...
Link to the ones I use - Sabrent USB DH88
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3921559&CatId=11734

sharpshorts

Reputable
Aug 9, 2015
23
0
4,520


You can use a USB video adapter to run add'l monitors (up to 6 per machine)...around $50...
I have used 4 of them to extend my desktop to 6 monitors...

They are plug-and-play and don't require any particular video card to operate - they can be used
even if the only video port on your machine is the one on the motherboard...
Link to the ones I use - Sabrent USB DH88
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3921559&CatId=11734
 
Solution

grimm33184

Reputable
Sep 19, 2015
3
0
4,510
Wow! I never heard of this. So its as simple as inserting to USB port on the computer and bam! Will I be able to use the same Radeon software for the three monitors?
 

sharpshorts

Reputable
Aug 9, 2015
23
0
4,520


Yes - any USB port (2.0 or 3.0) and even into USB multi-port adapters...
You will have to right click the desktop and open Screen Resolution - click the Detect & Identify buttons, arrange the monitor pictures to match your layout, adjust each monitor's resolution (they can have different resolutions) and select the main display....that's where the Task bar will be...

All monitors will work as if you had multiple graphics cards. The mouse pointer will move seamlessly across all monitors. Windows will maximize to fit just the monitor that most of that window occupies but you can restore down and then stretch it across any or all screens (any stretched windows will revert back to a single screen after shutting down/restarting). Dependent on your Control Panel/Folder Options/View settings folders will re-open wherever you last closed them...
I'm not a gamer so I don't know how 'powerful' the video adapters are compared to regular video cards but I have not seen any problems and have used them for many years