SPCR

My machine has two monitors feeding off of one passively cooled ATI video card (Gigabyte GV-RX80L256V Radeon X800XL). ). I want to add one or two more monitors, so I’m planning to buy another card to put into the remaining video slot. The old card is a ~4 years old and not sold anymore, so I’ll have to buy a different model anyway.

Does the second card have to be an ATI based card? I’m guessing that it would be a bad idea to add an NVidia card to an ATI card, but I thought that I would ask. My machine is running XP. The new Gigabyte passively cooled Silent Cell series look spiffy, though the ATI version doesn’t seem to be out yet.

Am I asking for trouble if I don't get a second Gigabyte card? I'm assuming that it wouldn't matter if I'm using ATI's Catalyst drivers.


Jason

you can mix and match cards that are the same chip maker (nvidia OR ati) but you should not combine the two. you can't run it that way.

if you want a second monitor, you may want to get: http://www.evga.com/uvplus/

If a graphics card has 2 dual dvi plugs, wouldn't it be possible to add 4 monitors by splitting the dual dvi signal into two single dvi signals each?

yes so long as your software has a program for it.

nvidia + ati = death in same machine

rei wrote:if you want a second monitor, you may want to get: http://www.evga.com/uvplus/

Or a good old reliable Matrox GXM. They'll give you far fewer headaches than the alternatives and you can use them with almost any conceivable setup.

I wont even install a different chip manufacturer without wiping the OS and starting from scratch.
id be surprised if running 2 diff companies cards would even POST.

Thanks for the replies so far. You've confirmed what I suspected. I need at least one dual-link DVI connector since I'm considering adding 30" (2650x1600) screen.

It may work, but I wouldn't recommend it. One crappy driver is unstable enough..

Ant6n wrote:If a graphics card has 2 dual dvi plugs, wouldn't it be possible to add 4 monitors by splitting the dual dvi signal into two single dvi signals each?

No.

id be surprised if running 2 diff companies cards would even POST.

.. I'd be very surprised it the machine failed to.

should have said i was thinking about dual sli not wanting to post with opposing companies. but since i dont have two different sli cards I cant try it.

wouldn't two dvi splitters work?-itd just give you a duplicate/clone of the original dual screen setup, instead of four individual images.

Oh, by the way, ati + matrox can work, I have made it work in moments.

ati + nvidia = yeah right buddy.

The matrox combo would black out at times randomly locking out the other card from being used to its max. It would like hobble the ati cards performance, no video acceleraton or something like that.

xan_user wrote:should have said i was thinking about dual sli not wanting to post with opposing companies. but since i dont have two different sli cards I cant try it.

Well, with broken by design nVidia chipsets that could be a problem, I admit.

wouldn't two dvi splitters work?-itd just give you a duplicate/clone of the original dual screen setup, instead of four individual images.

That would probably work, with identical screens. But you can't run two different screens off one DVI port.

xan_user wrote:I wont even install a different chip manufacturer without wiping the OS and starting from scratch.
id be surprised if running 2 diff companies cards would even POST.

I have had both drivers installed without any issues, but I haven't tested using two different cards recently (back in 2000 it didn't work well in Windows 98). I currently have an ATI IGP motherboard with nVidia cards. The motherboard requires the Catalyst drivers even if you don't use the IGP, but I've had no trouble when I take the nvidia card out using the IGP.

Am running 8800gtx and a cheap ati card on asus striker with no issues. 2 monitors on 8800 and other on ati. Slight lag dragging windows from ati to middle screen and vice versa but other than that works perfect. Even plays games across all 3 using triple soft head software. Both cards are pcie. So yes it can be done