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Which motherboard would fit ThEsE requirements?!?!?!?!? :)

Forum Homebuilt Systems : New System Build - Which motherboard would fit ThEsE requirements?!?!?!?!? :)

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Hi all,
I have a very specific requirement that I have been trying to Google and have not found any answers - can anybody here help?
The thing is that I want 1 PC supplying all 3 of my rooms. In Room 1 I have a projector + 19 inch Dell monitor. In room 2 I have a 40 inch LCD. And in room 3 I have a 30 inch LCD and a 37 inch Samsung. I can only be in 1 room at one time. The idea is to have the PC always on (for downloading etc)
The thing is that I would like a MB that would support up to 4 graphics cards. In an ideal world I would like to be able to set the resolution on each one independently (cos although the projector is Full HD the LCD displays are only HD ready and not full HD. IN addition I may want up to 12 or 15 hard drives connected to the motherboard - so as many SATA ports as possible , and also as many PCI slots as possible to add SATA controllers? Also if the MB supports 5.1 channel sound out over the SPDIF/optical out that would be magic.

The thing is I will not be using the PC for gaming so the graphics cards dont have to be top notch at all. IN fact if they dont have to have a fan cos they dont get that hot then that would be great..can anybody help with a recommendation or at least point me in the right direction?

I am grateful to any helpful replies..

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Hi Imranx, have you looked at newegg.com? there are a handfull of motherboards that have 4 pcie slots to support 4 graphics cards.

Your situation with the multiple monitors in multiple rooms is a difficult one, but i think i have come up with a slight alternitive...
My plan is that you get 3 montiors, idealy the same resolution but they dont have to be, this monitor will be run in mirror mode where all 3 will display the desktop in each room for you to use.
And secondly set your other 3 monitors (which i assume you will use to watch movies with) to extended mode. Set these montiors to their native resolution, they dont have to be the same as the 3 mirrored montiors resolution. Set one so that it is on the right, left and top of the desktop.
So to sum it up you should be able to walk into room 1 see one screen with the desktop, scroll the mouse right and now it should be on the projector.
In room 2 you will also see a screen with the desktop, this time scroll left and the mouse should be on the 40 inch LCD.
And in room 3 one monitor with the desktop and scroll up, to see the mouse on the 37 inch samsung.
Each room would also have its own keyboard and mouse.

From what i can see you want to hook up a total of 5 monitors/tvs correct? if so you will only need 3 graphics cards, as any card today can support displaying 2 monitors at one time. Additionally since you only need 3 cards you now only have to get a motherboard with 3 pcie x16 slots to fit the cards, opening your options alittle.
I am going to reccomend against going with an hd 5000 series card, which can support 3/6 monitors at once, because they are:
1) very expensive compaired to 3 cheap cards.
2) you dont game as you say.
3) the 3rd monitor on a 5000 series needs to have a displayport input, if not you have to buy an active displayport to dvi/hdmi adapter which will cost another $100 or so.
Getting 3 hd 4550's looks to be the best option for you, they dont need any extra power cables and they are fanless.

Since you did not specify which CPU you wanted it will be tough to pick a motherboard out of all the options there are so i will post a few options. Additonaly for the sata slots you want, it will depend on the motherboard wheather to use pci or pcie sata expantion cards. Becase you want so many sata slots i might point out for you to get a raid card as they can support dozens of sata ports all for just one pci(e) slot.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 967&name=3
This is a list of LGA 1356 motherboards each with 3 pcie x16 slots, 1-2 pci slots, and some 1x pcie slots.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 640&name=4
And this is a list of LGA 1366 motherboards. each have 4 pcie x16 slots and 1-3 pci slots, which is what you originally wanted.

Hope this helps you out :)

Reply to paperfox

^that's plain stupid buying more monitors when he has a project + 19" dell + 40inch lcd + 37" samsung+ 30inch lcd. thats 5 displays. so ur suggestions above will not be able to work. since you misread his his post as "3 monitors" when he has 5 displays actually.

 

to OP, how long are your cables..how you gonna run the cables from computer to diff rooms.

 

also how is your mouse and keyboard going to work? bringing it with you? wireless? rooms FAR from computer? wireless won't reach.


Message edited by overshocks on 10-12-2009 at 06:08:10 AM
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Reply to overshocks

overshock, i dident say he HAD to get 3 NEW monitors, just that youd need 3 monitors IDEALY with the same resolution or anything that is bigger than the smallest would display a streached screen and thus be waisted.

additionally you do bring up a good question about the mouse and keyboard, i think it is possible to hook up 3 keyboards and mice to one computer provided he has long enough usb cables...

quick edit, when i mean monitors i mean anything that can be used as a display. (including TVs projectors and such)

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by paperfox on 10-12-2009 at 06:04:53 AM
Reply to paperfox

paperfox wrote :

overshock, i dident say he HAD to get 3 NEW monitors, just that youd need 3 monitors IDEALY with the same resolution or anything that is bigger than the smallest would display a streached screen and thus be waisted.

additionally you do bring up a good question about the mouse and keyboard, i think it is possible to hook up 3 keyboards and mice to one computer provided he has long enough usb cables...

quick edit, when i mean monitors i mean anything that can be used as a display. (including TVs projectors and such)



i see..

his situation is very unique..we should wait for him to come back and specify more details like what ports are on the projector..how far are the rooms..wireless keyboard and mouse?

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Reply to overshocks
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