How many monitors does a 4870x2 support. And 4870s?

If you're going strictly by the number of DVI/VGA ports on the back of the cards, I'd say then yes the 4870x2 can support a max of 2 (and crossfire configs support 4/6/8, etc), but there are other ways to get multiple monitors working. There's hardware that basically acts like a three-way DVI/VGA cable, but uses only one slot on your graphics card. I don't know the specifics, I just know there's hardware that can accomplish this. Two or three monitors with one graphics port can be done without getting multiple graphics cards. And I think there's also some companies that specifically sell multiple monitor arrays, but I'm not sure how those work.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

says it has 4 dvi ports?
with 2 i can support 8 monitors?

My friends build is
Motherboard Combo w/ AMD Phenom (Quad Core) 9850 (2.5GHz) (Socket AM2)
6 Monitor Array with 20" LG L206WTY-BS-Black Widescreen Monitors
(2) ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
300GB 10,000RPM WD HD SATA 3gb/s
8GB PC2 6400 SDRAM DDR2 (4X2GB)
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value SB0400 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card
Wireless N Network Card (Trendnet)
Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe Socket AM2+ AMD 790FX CrossFireX A&GbE ATX Motherboard
Whisper-Cool Fan / Heatsink
(Quiet Design - 90mm Fan - Aluminum)
Artic Silver Alumina 1.75g Multi-use Tube
20X Lightscribe DVD+/-RW
(Adds Image Burning On Top Of Disc)
Okia 680 Watt Power Supply (Quad Core Certified)
Vantec SF12025L 12CM Quiet Case Fan
680w Black Gamer Case & Barebones Install & Setup
1 Year Manufacturers Defect Repair / Replacement Warranty

Total Cost with tax and delivered: $4,202

Actually I was talking about something external like a cable with 3 connections on one end and the single DVI connector on the other or boxes that do the same thing. I'm sure someone around here knows more than that. Sorry I can't be of much help.

Oh and I'm not entirely sure of that card you listed can run 4 monitors, but it does have 4 ports so I guess it could.

Guys, Crossfire can only run ONE monitor, even three cards in Crossfire X will only allow ONE monitor to be attached and working. I'm not sure about the 4870X2, MAYBE two monitors can be used at the same time in Crossfire mode. I'm not sure. To run multiple monitors under gaming you need to run a single card only, except for the few games that can support multiple cards separately.

The external multiple monitor adaptor is made by Matrox. http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/press/releases/2008/finent/extio1240/

i dont understand. what do you mean crossfire can only run 1 monitor?

the 3870x2 has 4 dvi ports. Is it not capable of running 4 monitors?

It can support 4 at a time, just don't expect it to do it super quickly (as 3 20'' can be stressing depending on what he'll do with it), I suggest waiting for the 4870X2 to come out as there will probly be a 4 DVI model out within a month. Also I don't think you can crossfire a multi screen array, but since he won't be gaming they don't need to be CF-ed

^^ *edit* to run several monitor all you need to do is not CF them

He needs to run 6 20 inch monitors from one system.
Will 2 3870x2 in crossfire for a total of 8 dvi ports not be able to do this?

Thanks

It seems like this might be an appropriate choice, your friend could just use 2 of them... http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/th2go/

So you mean i can have two 3870x2s in the same system but without the crossfire bridge. And that way i can plug 3 monitors into each card. ?

Without crossfire you can use all the buffered ports on each card, that's usually two per card, three cards gives six monitors. On each card you can't use the Y/C out and DVI or VGA at the same time, that is, you can have one DVI OR VGA and one TV out, the second DVI port would be disabled since it's shared with the TV output.

^^ That may be true but then why would there be 4 DVI ports on the cards if at least three of those couldn't be used at the same time?

*edit* the custumer reviews seem to point out that 4 monitors indeed work on this card: (taken from newegg)

With 2 of the Triple head boxes a single HD4870x2 or HD4870 would connect just fine, use the two DVI outputs on the card.

But pushing 6 20inch monitors I would think you would at least want a X2 card of some type. Even though the triple head input for Matrox takes care of most of the hassle, its still going to take a really nasty card to run at the high resolution you probably want if stretching it across 6 monitors. (8160 x 768) = (6 x 1360 x 768) = OMG Video Card Purgatory.

My customer did research on his own and demands
2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
How can i get 6 monitors to work on this sytem? Will 6 monitors work on crossfire? or will i have to buy something extra?

Any way i can make the system work around 2 of those

Yes, the scaling is taken from ONE card, so it has to run the final resolution of the four monitors. That's why the best idea is to use crossfire, then take that one output through the Matrox solution.

If the 4870X2 has four DVI (or HDMI) outputs then indeed all can be used at once - but not in Crossfire I'm guessing.

Get the two cards, don't put the crossfire bridge, plug in three monitors in each card. End of story as the Matrox cannot scale to 6 20'' monitors (even with CF).

(the highest the matrox can go (no matter the card) is: 4080 x 768 (3 x 1360 x 768) 60Hz which definitly isn't a 20'' native resolution

BustedSony this is my main question. 2 3870x2 cards in crossfire have 8 dvi outputs. Will they all be useable or do i need another external solution?

My question still is does a crossfired 3870x2 have enough "umph" to push 6 monitors.

But as BustedSony stated it would work though the Matox triple head feeds with crossfire. Otherwise you would have to use them as sperate dvi outputs and disable crossfire.

Ok thanks jonyb!! thats what i was thinking originally. Just have the two cards in there without the crossfire bridge and plug 3 monitors into each

Any problems running them as seperate dvi outputs?

There should be no problems, other than the occasional performance hiccup (it is after all running 6 monitors)

If you link the cards in Xfire, the outputs on the 2nd card will be redundant.

2 cards without crossfire, you will be able to use all of the outputs.
2 cards WITH crossfire, you will be able to use outputs on ONE CARD.

k thanks for all ur helps. seems so weird to have 2 3870x2 cards and not use that crossfire bridge   but what gotta be done gotta be done hehe

I would think he'd be using a quad core with A LOT of RAM to manipulate a desktop that big. Its not all offloaded to the video cards. I found that out when I was using 4 monitors.

That's gonna be one HUGE desktop.

Yes im using a specialised vertical rack to mount the 6 20 inch monitors.
Im actually only spending 2k $ on the pc and 2.5 k on the monitor setup

So how is this all oriented? A single column? A single row? 3 x 2?

I suggest use a video splitter it can help. 4870 x three = 6 or 2 4870x2 = 4 then use video splitter cable to make more perhaps 8 max.

Did you think about buying four 24" monitors instead?
If my math is right 6x 20" gives you 10,584,000 pixels, and 4x24" gives you 9,216,000 pixels. So you lose 10% usable space but you can use 2 cards with 2 ports each.

Just a thought