Radeon graphic card drive 3 displays

[young707]

We are seeking graphic cards for all new systems for offices use. All systems are i7 LGA1155 Intel motherboard running Windows 7 x 64bits.

We seek graphic cards to drive three 1080p HD LCD displays. Boss prefer no fans.

So far we found Sapphire FleX 100322FLEX Radeon HD6540 1GB PCIe x16, no fan.
Output ports: 1xHDMI, 2xDVI (1 single link, 1 dual link)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102960&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=4176827&SID=4w3dtwp49qo0

Our concern is this card requires two side by side back slots. Any experiences you can share using this card?

Is there any other graphic cards out there similar to this design? Thank you.

 

[BlueCat57]

I'm interested in the answer to this as well.

It is interesting that companies tout features such as Eyefinity, Crossfire (multiple cards), etc. but you seldom see cards that really take advantage of these features since so few uses actually need or want them.

In the case of multiple cards the reviews you see often say "if you can afford two of these just buy one of those."

In the case of monitors, businesses that would benefit from multiple monitors can seldom afford to do the upgrade since you can't "eat just one" meaning that you generally have to upgrade many workstations if you think it will benefit and while the cost can be recovered over a few years you have to come up with the cash upfront.

And not many home users are going to set up multi-screen environments.

I'm interested in the answer here for mostly academic reasons though I have a 32" TV and two 17" monitors in the house that I might be able to set up together if I get this card. I would need to replace the 17" monitors so it would probably be less expensive to do something else, but it might be cool to have three monitors set up in the living room for show.

 

[BlueCat57]

We are seeking graphic cards for all new systems for offices use. All systems are i7 LGA1155 Intel motherboard running Windows 7 x 64bits.

We seek graphic cards to drive three 1080p HD LCD displays. Boss prefer no fans.

So far we found Sapphire FleX 100322FLEX Radeon HD6540 1GB PCIe x16, no fan.
Output ports: 1xHDMI, 2xDVI (1 single link, 1 dual link)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102960&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=4176827&SID=4w3dtwp49qo0

Our concern is this card requires two side by side back slots. Any experiences you can share using this card?

Is there any other graphic cards out there similar to this design? Thank you.

While my knowledge is not exhaustive I was just reading about this product on the Sapphire Tech site and it sounds like the "FleX" feature is something exclusive to Sapphire. It looks like they have other models with this feature but they probably have fans.

Note my comment below about the limited market for such features. If you have time to wait maybe someone else will come out with a similar card. On the other hand Sapphire might discontinue the card if it doesn't sell well.

As for taking up two slots, do you have them available? If you do, what is the likelyhood that you'll need that second slot for something else? Sounds like you might have one of those "cascading" situations starting up. You need more monitor space so you'll get a video card to use it. You got the card and the monitors, now you need this other component but the card is taking up the slot you need for the other component so you need to find a motherboard with more slots but the motherboard is bigger so you need bigger cases, the cases are bigger so you need a bigger something else, etc. etc.

If you are buying a good number of these cards you might want to call Newegg and try and negoitate a better price especially if you are going to be buying additional monitors along with this card.

 

[young707]

thanks for response.

Many users in different floors and different departments in several office buildings want multiple screen displays. We are trying to support 3 displays. We want to narrow supporting DVI and HDMI connectors and cables, not those specialized "display port adapters". All displays are now 1080p HD LCD monitors.

Quite a few floor standing systems have, but not necessarily all have "dual slot bracket", particularly those mini and slim desktop boxes. Most systems have no use of other slots.

 

[BlueCat57]

thanks for response.

Many users in different floors and different departments in several office buildings want multiple screen displays. We are trying to support 3 displays. We want to narrow supporting DVI and HDMI connectors and cables, not those specialized "display port adapters". All displays are now 1080p HD LCD monitors.

Quite a few floor standing systems have, but not necessarily all have "dual slot bracket", particularly those mini and slim desktop boxes. Most systems have no use of other slots.

You may want to take a look at the systems that don't have enough space for the "dual slot bracket." Maybe you could find a way to trim some of the case off to make room for it. Although it may not be too much trouble or expense to find new cases for the systems that don't have the extra space.

Like I said, this sounds like a "cascading" upgrade.

The system I'm thinking about adding this card to is an HTPC. I plan to reconfigure the storage I have in it and am thinking as long as I've got the case open I may as well add a video card and if I'm going to do that I should go ahead and put in a BlueRay drive. And of course that means a TV upgrade is not far behind.

 

[BlueCat57]

I sent the following inquiry to Sapphire Tech support and received a reply within a couple of hours.


BlueCat57: "Can I use 2 VGA input only monitors with this card if I use 2 DVI to VGA adapters?
I plan to use a 3rd monitor with HDMI input."

Sapphire: "No one of the DVI port is a single link DVI adapter, it does not work with DVI to VGA adapter."

I assume that means that a single link DVI can only be used with a monitor with a DVI connection.

I'll probably still buy one of these cards since it seems to meet my needs and offer some future possibilities. I was also looking at a more expensive HD6670 card but that is probably overkill for me.

 

[young707]

We are told to use DVI & HDMI cables for the support shop, and avoid different type of "Display Port". Techs can go to different buildings and office floors with minimal standard gears (or in the trucks) and get stations up and running quickly. We are timed and rated for service calls.

Trying to convince bosses on dual slot bracket for standard stations systems. Not agree to so far.

 

[BlueCat57]

We are told to use DVI & HDMI cables for the support shop, and avoid different type of "Display Port". Techs can go to different buildings and office floors with minimal standard gears (or in the trucks) and get stations up and running quickly. We are timed and rated for service calls.

Trying to convince bosses on dual slot bracket for standard stations systems. Not agree to so far.

Do this and spend hundreds of dollars in your time trying to find a single bracket solution even after you tell us one does not exist! Been there, done that! I don't envy you.

As I said my knowledge is not exhaustive, but I've been looking for passively cooled cards for some time and there are very few.

You many want to look at the HIS IceQ cards which supposedly are very quite. Sapphire also has some cards with fans that they note as being quite. Maybe one of those will work for you.

As a side note, one of the reasons that you aren't getting more responses to your question is that the HD6450 isn't a gaming solution and therefore not as exciting to the tech types here at Tom's.

Good luck.

 

[young707]

thank you. We think the 512MB card without fan is quite adequate for basic office graphic. But we understand it would be best for uniform hardware to support thousands of systems from efficient tech shop.

 

[young707]

Best answer selected by young707.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey