Multi Monitor Advice - 17" + 23" + 17"

msa_1710

Honorable
Mar 25, 2012
2
0
10,510
Hi there,

My PC Spec:
Intel i7 2600k overclocked to 4.2
Asus P8Z68 Pro
Noctuah NH D14
Corsair AX 850
Mushkin Redline Ridgeback 8GB
Dell 2311h
MSI Gtx 560 ti
1Tb Western Digital Caviar Black
Samsung Blu-Ray Drive
Corsair 600t

I am an Aria customer but not joined to any forums but was hoping you can help.

I have found myself donated with two Dell 1710 (17”) monitors (max resolution at 1280 x 1024) that I am hoping to add to my main U2311h display to make a multi monitor setup of (all in landscape) of:

Dell 1707 [ 17”] + Dell U2311h [23”] + Dell 1707 [ 17”]
(1280x1024) (1920x1080) (1280x1024)

My aim of this setup is to have more 2D screen room. I had managed to connect one of the Dell 17” monitors as a left side monitor through my MSI Gtx 560ti but I want to use the 3rd monitor also to add space on the right. I would ideally like to have the 3 monitors connected seamlessly by having the Windows start icon in the left most Dell1707 but don’t want an application to be spread across all three screens if maximised. However, I would like to drag application windows across screens seamlessly. So I don’t want to drag an application from the left Dell 17” and it then jumps to the right sided Dell 17” without going through the U2311h for example. I don’t want to play games across all three screens but if it fits in to my original needs then great but it’s not essential.

My budget for any addition hardware would be around £170 i.e. extra MSI 560 ti but hope there is a simpler way.

I believe the 560ti will not accommodate 3 monitors through one card, and attaching the additional 17” monitor to the Z68 motherboard DVi output doesn’t work as it seems to be deactivated if a discrete video card is being used? I do realise that the native resolution is not the same throughout so may have an effect.

I’m not sure if buying an additional MSI 560ti will fulfil my objective by somehow being able to run all three monitors in 2D surround? Would that need to be done through SLI or will they have to be separate? Can I just buy a cheaper Nvidia video card and run the two 17” monitors off that one - and will that allow me to use all the three monitors as one space? Can I just buy a ATI eyefinity card and run all three monitors off one card for that purpose using Display Port? I’m totally confused as to what the best way would be to get this done.

My question is then what would be the best way to add the extra 17” monitor in order to achieve my objective of having more 2D screen space without having to spend too much and the most efficient way (i.e. not having to use SLI, run more 6-pin powers)?

Thank you in anticipation.
 
as far as I know you should be able to enable the onboard GPU and run two monitors off the 560Ti and one off the onboard. Probably a setting in the BIOS to not disable it when a dedicated card is in. This would be the free and efficient way.

Running all off an eyefinity card and ditching the 560Ti, getting a second 560Ti if you wanted SLI performance, or buying a cheap nvidia card to run the 3rd monitor are all also options.

As far as setting it up you would use extended desktop mode and specify the monitor order. The start menu/task bar only shows on the primary monitor and program open on the last monitor they were used on.
 

msa_1710

Honorable
Mar 25, 2012
2
0
10,510


Unksol! Thank you!

You're absolutely right. The iGPU multi-monitor setting on Asus P8Z68Pro BIOS was diasbled. Switched it on, attached 3rd monitor to the motherboard output and it works exactly how I wanted. Brilliant!

Thanks for saving me some bucks!

Just a note though; I wasn't able to use the HDMI output from the motherboard and connect it to the monitor using DVI-D end as it disabled one of the monitors comming out of the GTX 560ti for some reason? Reverted the VGA cable using the VGA port from the motherboard and connected it to VGA on the monitor and works fine. All three monitors running this way. No complaints though, just needed more screen space.

Inadversely, I think this may have enabled QuickSync so mayhelp in some of my video transcoding work. Not using LucidLogic Virtu (unless motherboard has it intergrated) in case others are wondering.

Thanks again!

 
yes I have heard quicksync come on if you enable the onboard gpu like this. Not sure on it disabling with the HDMI. might have something to do with LucidLogic Virtu or maybe another BIOS setting trying to switch the GPU out through the motherboard? just a though. never played with LucidLogic Virtu
 

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