Dual Display

[N_Jay]

I am looking for information on setting up a dual display computer.
I am getting an A-Open AX4G motherboard. It has on-board Intel Graphis as well as a 4X AGP slot.
Can anyone tell me if I can do dual display with teh on-board VGA and an AGP board, or do I need a PIC Graphis board?
Or worse yet, 2 graphics boards?
Thanks,

 

[jihiggs]

more than likely the onboard video will be disabled if you put a video card in the agp slot. you could just get a cheap radeon with dual display and put that in the agp slot. you will be a lot better off than using the onboard intel graphics. those things are awfull.

my computer is so fast, it completes an endless loop in less than 4 seconds!

 

[knowan]

You can use both the onboard and an AGP card, but alot of AGP cards come out now with dual monitor support, especially the Radeons. Your system will take less of a performance hit with a dual monitor AGP card as well.

Just make sure that you have the necessary converters. Most modern dual monitor AGP cards have one vga port (for use with a CRT) and one DVI port (for use with an LCD monitor). If you're using 2 CRT's you'll need the DVI to VGA converter. Some retail boxes include the converter, some make you buy it seperate.

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Knowan likes you. Knowan is your friend.

 

[LumberJack]

Well more to the point. Yes it is possible to run two craphics cards on one system. I use my 8500 dv along win an old pci card side by side with no problems. In general this may not work because some cards do not support dual graphics cards but most ATI cards do. Usually you have to put the ATI primary card as the primary post and then you other video card as secondary. Check the mobo specs though I don't know how the onboard video would like that arrangement...

By the way adding an old graphics card and an old 15 inch screen to your system is a great way to get increased desktop space on your computer. For example I can play a game on my regular screen and have say icq running on the other. That way i won't miss important messages. Granted you won't be running 100% fast.. but the performance hit is negligable in most games...



To err is human... to really screw things up you need a computer!

 

[N_Jay]

Just to be complete I will post what I found.
The Intel Graphics chip (Intel Extream Grapghics) uses the AGP address/port, so if you plug in an AGP card it will disable the onboard AGP.
Other than that it is just like any other Single output AGP card.
If you want a dual-display you must use a PCI card with it. They Make an AD card that provides a TV and DVI output, but these only opperate in "Mirror" mode, not as a second monitor.
So, I guess my search is now for recommendations for a good PCI Video card.

 

[LumberJack]

PCI video.. radeon 7500.. stable and cheap...



To err is human... to really screw things up you need a computer!