Card to drive dual HDTV monitors???

nasqualee

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Nov 21, 2008
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I'd like to connect two 24" LCD monitors to my desktop PC using two HDMI cables.

My mini tower PC (BTX cabinet?) is about 6-months old. It has a 2.2 GHz Intel duo core CPU, 2 GB of RAM, and runs XP Pro. Its Intel mini ATX MoBo has an on-board GPU which will be disabled when I plug a new graphics card into its PCI Express X16 slot. My current CRT display will be assigned to other duties.

After looking at ATI, Nvidia, and Matrox graphics cards, other than realizing that my 300W power supply will probably be inadequate, I'm confused. There are a LOT of graphics cards out there, not to mention the third-party companies that use parts from the aforementioned three. Every one of them has like fifty cards!

The new 24" monitors will go side-by-side on my desk. I'd like for both to serve as either PC monitors or TVs, so they will have internal ATSC tuners. Two monitors, two TVs, or one of each. Right now I'm leaning towards Samsung.

Using the PC as a TV video recorder would be nice, but not mandatory. I'm not much of a gamer. Office applications, web surfing, and occasional graphics editing are my main apps. I don't have cable or satellite service so the TV's will display overair broadcasts and movie DVD's, hopefully in 1080p HDTV.

So I began seeking a graphics card with two HDMI outputs, and maybe a TV tuner. No such luck. I can't even find a card with two HDMI outputs. There are cards with outputs that seem to convert to double DVI or HDMI, with an adapter. Wish I could find one with two HDMI outputs. And of course I want the card to be whisper quiet (no loud fan noise).

If I can't get a graphics card with an ATSC TV tuner and dual HDMI outputs, then maybe I'll add a TV tuner card later, or not.

Can anyone recommend a graphics card with DVI or HDMI outputs to drive two 24" monitors? Thank you so much for your help.

 

San Pedro

Distinguished
Jul 16, 2007
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An ATI 4670 might work well. If you can find one that comes with an HDMI out and a DVI to HDMI converter, or one with two DVI to HDMI connectors you'd be all set.  
 

masteryoda34

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Feb 9, 2006
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Just use 2 DVI - HDMI cables. I use one for my 24" LG.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186025

There's probably cheaper ones out there, I just posted the first link I found. Then just get a card with 2 DVI outputs (which is virtually all of them).

You won't find a video card with a built in TV tuner. You'll need a separate device. There are PCI, PCIe, and USB tuners available. (BTW: Windows Media Center in Vista works very well for watching TV on the PC if you have a tuner.)
 

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