How to drive 3 monitors with 2 SLI-ed PCI-X cards?

[PjotrVan]

For a <A HREF="http://www.vstep.nl/p_s_dsim.htm" target="_new">driving simulator</A>, we want to drive 3 monitors (projectors, actually) with 1 PCs using 2 SLI-ed graphics cards.
The idea is to configure the 2 SLI-ed 3D cards to give one ultra-wide desktop of 3x1024=3072 pixels by 768.
Then using a kind of VGA signal splitter, this signal gets split into 3 standard 1024x768 XGA signals, of the left, middle and right part of the desktop.
Does anybody know of such a device?

 

[PjotrVan]

Thanks wusy for this reply.
Yes, I was meaning PCI-E (it's sometimes referred to as PCI-X here).
The Matrox Parhelia is not suitable for our simulator, the 3D performance is about 10% of what we need and what a FX 6800 GT for example offers.
Pity that the resoultion of SLI is limited.... I wonder why they did that. Two good 3D cards can easily handle that type of combined resolution, performance-wise. I guess is there's no monitor of that resolution, and no signal splitter like the one I am after, nobody could use that high resolution anyway...

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Yes, I was meaning PCI-E (it's sometimes referred to as PCI-X here).

Nope, when people make that mistake it gets pointed out as was the case here, just admit you made a mistake don't malign the forum. PCIe =/= PCI-X.

I guess is there's no monitor of that resolution,

Of course there are resolution that high, and far higher (even as a single monitor let alone a SIM setup), Viewsonic and IBM both make the QUXGA and QUWXGA panels (IBM will drop them with the move to Lenovo accordng to the <A HREF="http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=23851" target="_new">InQ</A>, but they were the first).

and no signal splitter like the one I am after,

Not that I've seen but that would be the 'easy' part, and it wouldn't surprise me if there's something similar out there, that does it at a different resolution.

nobody could use that high resolution anyway...

Now that's just ignorant. Lots of people can make use of ever higher resolutions (especially SIM, CAD and medical professionals), the biggest problem is that it's far more complicated than just throwing together 2+ cards to achieve such high resolution output. For the IBM and Viewsonic monitors you need very specialized setups to drive the monitor properly at a good refresh rate.

Two good 3D cards can easily handle that type of combined resolution, performance-wise.

Depends on the applcation and the workload. It wouldn't be able to handle D3, FartCry, HL2, Riddick and a bunch of other games at that resolution. However low complexity / polygon count apps with low AA would be fine.

If you're serious about doing this (as in not throwing something together for the drunken buddies) then you should look into true array cards. SLI not only doesn't have good support for this it's drivers are likely to cause great issues for something that is a non-mainstream, especially since there is no PR benchmark for it. The best solution would either be to go for a professional array solution or to wait for CrossFire and SLi2 to fully launch and see if they can improve on the current SLi limitations.

For now if you're serious about this the best answer is to drive the monitors independantly and stitch the output across your displays/projectors rather than trying to push a big single resolution. To do that though you will definitely need alot more work than thrown together a PC at NewEgg and hoping it'll work, the software will likely be your biggest hurdle.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com/" target="_new"><font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[PjotrVan]

Sorry, when I wrote "I was meaning PCI-E (it's sometimes referred to as PCI-X here)." I meant here as in the local PC shops in Rotterdam, not here as on this forum.

Thanks for all the great advice! We're back to where we were before we had this SLI / signal splitter idea: changing the 3D app to handle multiple 3D cards. That's indeed a bit more work but oh well, it's part of the job I guess.

 

[RichPLS]

If your local shop technicians call PCI-e = PCI-X, you should find a different shop!
PCI-X is a 64-bit PCI slot for RAID controllers and such and is the big brother to PCI.
Your tech shop should know this.

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>