2 monitors and 2 graphics cards

[Pereragary]

Hello guys just looking for some advise I've currently got a gaming with sli graphics and 2 monitors connected via hdmi.
My question is what's the best way to connect the monitors should I have both connected to the same card or should I put one on each card?

My graphics cards are gtx 550ti and monitors are 22" wide screens running at 1080p

Many thanks in advance

 

[alrobichaud]

I am pretty sure you need to connect both monitors to the same card or it won't work. At least that is the way it was with my last sli setup anyway.

 

[Pereragary]

Thanks for the reply. I currently have my monitors connected one on each card working fine I just wondered if there is any effect on performance when connecting both to one card?

 

[alrobichaud]

Are you sure you have sli enabled? Check nvidia's FAQ http://www.slizone.com/object/sli_multi_monitor.html#confoptions

I was sure that with sli enables on my old gtx 460's the monitor ouput did not work on the second card. Eitherway, both monitors should be plugged into the same card.

 

[4745454b]

alrobichaud, they changed how SLI works so they can enable "eyefinity" for their cards. I do know you need to use the same type of connector, meaning you can't use 2 DVI and one VGA. (need to be all analog or all digital.) DMI is still a digital connection so you should be able to use two DMIs just fine.

OP, do your 550TIs have more then one DMI? Most I've seen is two DVI along with some other connector. If you have both the screens working and SLI enabled I'd just leave it alone. Don't go messing with what works.

 

[alrobichaud]

3d surround is a little different than 2 monitors in sli mode. I understand that in 3d surround use of the second gpu is nescessary for a digital output. I don't beleive we are talking about the same thing. Did you have a look at the previous link I provided?

http://www.nvidia.com/object/3d-vision-surround-system-requirements.html

I don't beleive the 550 supports 3dvision anyway.

 

[4745454b]

Yes, I've linked that page before myself.

The OP says its working so I'm sure the page is wrong/incomplete. He's not even talking about 3D surround or even 2D surround. Just two screens. As I told him, if its working just leave it alone.

 

[Pereragary]

Many thanks guys for all the replys As its working I'll leave it alone btw my cards have 1 x VGA 1 x dvi 1 x hdmi thanks again

 

[alrobichaud]

Yes, I've linked that page before myself.

The OP says its working so I'm sure the page is wrong/incomplete. He's not even talking about 3D surround or even 2D surround. Just two screens. As I told him, if its working just leave it alone.

Agreed. If it works don't mess with it. Though, I am still wondering why Nvidia has not updated their sli setup faq on the website if you are able to use the output of both cards for 2 monitors when in sli.

 

[blacksci]

Its there, i dont remember where i read it, might be in the hardware requirements for 3d surround, but i have read it before, and then considered getting 3x570's so each monitor had a card of its own, lol.

 

[alrobichaud]

Yes we know in 3d surround it will allow you to use outputs from mulitple gpu's at the same time. The issue is sli with two monitors

'2-way SLI® on all NVIDIA® GeForce® GPUs
Plug two monitors into the connectors on one of the GPUs. Users can choose either GPU to use, but both monitors must be plugged into the same GPU.'

I just copied and pasted that from http://www.slizone.com/object/sli_multi_monitor.html#confoptions