3 monitor setup (Please help)

[kman1981]

I just bought a Gateway DX4860 - UB21P. It's an Intel i5 processor, Windows 7, w/ a 300w power supply, has a built in Intel HD Graphics 2000. I have 3 monitors with VGA cables (two Asus VH197 LED monitors and 1 AOC, dont know model number). Unfortunitly I only have 1 PCI Express 2.0 slot on my mobo. Does anyone know what kind of graphics card I need to run 3 monitors? I'm only doing business programs like Quickbooks, this isn't for gaming. I noticed that most graphics cards have DVI slots and I'm not sure if the 2 Asus monitors can use DVI cables. If I need adaptors I need to know if I need passive or active.

I've tried ATI Radeon HD 5450 that has DVI, VGA, and Disploy port but I could not get all three monitors to work, only 2 at a time.

On my previous pc I had an Intel PIII w/ Windows XP, a built in graphics chip and I used an AGP graphics card from Galaxy with 2 VGA ports. I was able to use the built in graphics chip and the video card at the same time with all 3 monitors and it worked fine.

 

[kman1981]

This is only being used for business purposes, examples: quickbooks, web surfing, Excel files, word programs, etc. I don't plan on doing any high games or designing.

When I bought the ATI Radeon 5450, I was told that you can't convert an analog signal to digital so the display port wouldn't work for me. I did look up the ASUS monitors that I have and I can not run DVI cables for them so I'm obviously going to have to use adaptors. Unless there is a video card that has 3 VGA ports for triple monitor support or a video card that is compatable to work with the Intel HD Graphics 2000 and has 2 VGA ports.

 

[badtaylorx]

here you go kman

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102938

this card will do 3 monitors really well for your apps....and here is a displayport adapter

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999030

after hooking all this up......activate them in your control panel using the "extend this desktop" option in the display options......

good luck

 

[kman1981]

badtaylor: I checked out the video card you posted, I like it but a couple questions. Since the 3 monitors that I have are VGA how would I hook 1 of them up to the display port? When I bought the ATI Radeon 5450 (returned it of course) I used a VGA to DVI adaptor and piggy backed that into the DVI to Active Display port adaptor and It didnt work. Is it possible to hook up a monitor w/ a VGA connection into a display port? If it is possible then I would need an adaptor for each port on that card and by using an adaptor for each port could it still operate all 3 monitors?

greghome: here is a link for the Asus monitors http://www.asus.com/Display/LCD_Monitors/VH197D/#specifications or http://www.all-monitors.com/monitors/manufacturers/pos/asus_vh197d

From reading the specifications, they are VGA only..... None of the monitors that I have are DVI or Display Port. They are VGA only. I know theres a VGA to DVI adaptor but what about the display port adaptor?


If it helps the link below is the PC that I bought. In the specs under Available Expansion slots shows 2 PCI Express x1, 1 PCI Express x16. I was pretty upset when I realized that theres only 1 PCI Express x16 slot on the mobo. I've seen video cards for PCI Express x1 but the variety is extremely slim. There are only 5 on Newegg.com and I dont know if 2 or 3 can work at the same time.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Gateway+-+Desktop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i5+Processor+/+8GB+Memory+/+1TB+Hard+Drive/2632043.p?id=1218341072045&skuId=2632043

 

[Supermuncher85]

What?

 

[kman1981]

Whats an average flex card and what makes it different so that would work? I've been out of the PC scene for awhile so I'm a little behind of the new stuff. What kind of adaptors should I use?

 

[kman1981]

Here's a display port to VGA adaptor:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812340010

Thanks for posting that vid card, that's the one I'll probably get. I'll let ya know how it works out.

 

[Supermuncher85]

I'm surprised they don't have dvi connectors. My 2004 LCD has both dvi and VGA. I've never done this myself but apparently for lower resolution some passive adapters work, but I've never tried sine all my monitors use dvi. Some feedback how it turns Out will be greatly appreciated.

 

[kman1981]

I was surprised that these monitors don't have a DVI port also. Being that they're only a year old and have a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

 

[RichieC10306]

Hey can i use the Sapphire Flex 5670 With a DVI / VGA and HDMI. I already have the HDMI wires ran thru the wall, and really don't want to untie and re-run wires. I have 3 Monitors i am using for work. Nothing fancy, One display need to what serquirty camera via internet, the other screen will be for emailing, third for internet browsing.

So I goes my question is, Can I use this card for what I need ? and do I need to buy any adapters. I would like to use HDMI and either 2 DVI or 1 DVI/1 VGA thanks

 

[kman1981]

Ok so I have the Sapphire Flex 5670 HD installed, but I think I have a problem. I was planning on using both of the DVI ports and the Display Port for my 3 VGA monitors. One of the DVI ports is a DVI-D Dual Link and the other is a DVI-I Dual link. I can plug one monitors into the DVI-I using a DVI to VGA adaptor and another monitor into the Display Port using a Display Port to VGA adaptor, but I can not plug the last VGA monitor into the DVI-D port because DVI-D is Digital only, and thus can not drive an analog (VGA) monitor. I haven't tried a DVI-D to VGA adaptor because all of the reviews (see link below) from people that have tried said it doesn't work. Since my last option is the HDMI port, is there an HDMI to VGA adaptor? I'll post the links below for the adaptors I was looking at using.


Monitor 1 (middle)
Display Port to VGA Adaptor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270279

Monitor 2 (left) <--- Monitor and Adaptor in question.
DVI-D to VGA Adaptor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119261

Monitor 3 (right)
I used the adaptor that came with the video card. Link below is what it looks like.
DVI-I to VGA Adaptor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119041

Information on DVI Connectors:
http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html#Page03

RichieC - I have read that this video card is capable of running 4 monitors. What kind of connection cables do your 3 monitors have? If your monitors are all VGA then we're in the same boat but if they are DVI, HDMI, and VGA then your ok. If you do have that configuration then I would connect them up by using the HDMI port, DVI port, then purchase the Display Port to VGA Adaptor listed above and your good to go.

 

[benski]

I wish I had seen this thread earlier. For non gaming buisiness purposes a Jaton Quad is your best bet for running more than 2 screens on a single card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139037R

 

[kman1981]

Is that PCI express?

 

[benski]

No, just regular old PCI.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139055

That one is PCI-E.

I wonder though, is it not possible to use your integrated graphics and the PCI-E card at the same time? Can you enable them both from bios and have the card you got (5670) run 2 monitors and the integrated graphics run the other one?

 

[kman1981]

I've actually tried that when I bought a ATI Radeon 5450. When I checked the bios I found that there isn't an option to enable it.

 

[Supermuncher85]

It works with some, while not with others. On my AMD board for exmaple I can use my integrated with a dedicated GPU. Not much need for it though since I already own an eyefinity ready card. So point being, it will depend on your motherboard.

 

[easyA314]

I just bought a Gateway DX4860 - UB21P...

Hi kman- assuming you got your three monitor setup working, can you provide the parts used and the setup? I have the same computer currently using two DELL VGA monitors and I would LOVE to add a third.

I too use this machine for work (not gaming).

So, what did you end up doing? Which card? Which cables? What settings.

I would like to mirror your set up

Thanks,

easyA314

 

[kman1981]

Hi kman- assuming you got your three monitor setup working, can you provide the parts used and the setup? I have the same computer currently using two DELL VGA monitors and I would LOVE to add a third.

I too use this machine for work (not gaming).

So, what did you end up doing? Which card? Which cables? What settings.

I would like to mirror your set up

Thanks,

easyA314

I've actually been MIA from the whole setup for a while because it's my brothers pc that I was setting up and he ran out of money. Anyway I haven't set up the third monitor yet but it is possible and I'll tell you how. The only problem I ran into is that there aren't any HDMI to VGA adapters (just converters and they aren't cheap), BUT I did find several solutions and I posted the link below under Monitor 2. The settings are easy to configure since the software that came with the vid card is pretty user friendly.

I still have the Sapphire Flex 5670 HD installed and used:

Monitor 1 (middle)
Display Port to VGA Adapter:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812270279

Monitor 2 (left) <---below is a link that show's 4 adapters that'll probably work, but I haven't tested one yet. I plan on picking up one of those and setting it up this week. I'll post the results.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/52342203/adaptors.jpg


Monitor 3 (right)
I used the adapter that came with the video card. Link below is what it looks like.
DVI-I to VGA Adaptor:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6812119041

 

[kman1981]

If you haven't purchased a 3rd monitor yet, then I highly recommend getting a monitor that uses a DVI connection since most vid cards are using that now.

 

[easyA314]

If you haven't purchased a 3rd monitor yet, then I highly recommend getting a monitor that uses a DVI connection since most vid cards are using that now.

Awesome, thanks kman...I will review the above post today

And I have not procured my third monitor.

I currently have two DELL 2007FP 20" and a NVIDIA GeForce GT 520 Display Adapter.

The monitors I have are Dell™ UltraSharp™ 2007FP 20.1-inch Flat Panel LCD Monitor - Dell site says "digital (DVI-D) capabilities" and Video Input = DVI which I connect both to a single Y-cable into my video card.

*** CORRECTION *** That was my old Dell system setup...with my Gateway, I have one monitor connected via DVI (white) and the other VGA (blue).

What would you recommend...and can I have a larger middle monitor with the two 20"'s on the sides? Or is it a distraction? I am sure another 20"-er is fine, but perhaps a larger central viewing area would be nice...as long as it is not a distraction moving from one to the other.

Thanks for your advice...it is much appreciated.

easyA

 

[kman1981]

You can have a larger monitor in the middle. My middle monitor is slightly larger with a normal display, my side monitors are slightly smaller (by an inch) and they have a widescreen display.

Does your current set up expand the desktop view or are you just splitting the video so you have the same thing on both monitors?

 

[easyA314]

You can have a larger monitor in the middle. My middle monitor is slightly larger with a normal display, my side monitors are slightly smaller (by an inch) and they have a widescreen display.

Does your current set up expand the desktop view or are you just splitting the video so you have the same thing on both monitors?

I have the desktop expanded