Connecting a Third Monitor

By Kloud77
in Hardware Hangout

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Kloud77

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Hey guys, I have the XFX GeForce 7800GT as my video card. It only has 2 output display plugs at the back. Right now I have a Samsung monitor and my Sony HDTV connected to them. I'm planning to get 2 ASUS monitors for my desktop. But when I get them, how do I connect my HDTV again? The 2 ASUS monitors will occupy the 2 plugs at the back of my video card, so where do I plug my HDTV? Thanks

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Kloud77

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I 'm confused. You have 1 video card with 2 DVI outputs and you want to connect 3 monitors to it? If i'm correct, you can't do that.

I'm not saying I want to plug all 3 into that video card.. I'm just saying that's what I have. So I want to know what I have to do or what I need to purchase so that I can plug another monitor(HDTV) into my computer.

@nub DVI splitters will allow to plug in all 3 monitors?

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Kloud77

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Yea another board member recommended that to me. But I don't want another box taking up space. I'm thinking about the Splitter or getting another video card at the moment.

What video card do you guys think will work well with my XFX GeForce 7800GT 256MB. By the way, since I'm getting another video card I might as well get something that will allow me to watch 1080p movies smoothly. Right now my card can only play 720p smoothly. 1080p is really choppy for me.

Thanks.

Grand Master

Knife Party

Posted
Posted

Yea another board member recommended that to me. But I don't want another box taking up space. I'm thinking about the Splitter or getting another video card at the moment.

What video card do you guys think will work well with my XFX GeForce 7800GT 256MB. By the way, since I'm getting another video card I might as well get something that will allow me to watch 1080p movies smoothly. Right now my card can only play 720p smoothly. 1080p is really choppy for me.

Thanks.

a new card, or just SLI?

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Kloud77

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With a splitter you your monitor and tv would share an one output. They would be cloned.

Ohh... I definitely don't want it to be cloned.. so I guess my only option is to get another video card.

I'm still a bit confused about what Kaboose said. I can just buy the SLI and I can connect another monitor?

Grand Master

TAZMINATOR

Posted
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To run 1080p movies smoothly, you will need the lastest/fastest computer with powerful videocard(s) and probably more powerful power supply if needed. You don't need 1080p for movies on computer. You can watch movies on your DVD player via your HDTV that can run 1080p no problem.

Check your computer for empty slots and see what slot type is available for your video card such as PCI or PCI express... so you will buy the right video card for that slot.

Check my photo.

Community Regular

Kloud77

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To run 1080p movies smoothly, you will need the lastest/fastest computer with powerful videocard(s) and probably more powerful power supply if needed. You don't need 1080p for movies on computer. You can watch movies on your DVD player via your HDTV that can run 1080p no problem.

Check your computer for empty slots and see what slot type is available for your video card such as PCI or PCI express... so you will buy the right video card for that slot.

Check my photo.

That's a pretty cool setup man.. similar to what I'm going for, minus one of the monitors on the desktop.

So I checked my motherboard and I'm pretty sure it's the PCI express slot. I found a picture of it here: http://www.tbreak.com/reviews/fullimage.php?image=9185

Since I'm hooking up my HDTV to my computer I don't use my DVD player. All my movies are on my computer. Also I would like to watch some vids on Youtube in 1080p.

What's the requirement for 1080p anyways? My video card has 256MB, so if I get another one that's like 1GB wouldn't that help?

Anyways, what PCI-express video card do you think will work well with my card?

Thanks guys

you will need 2 identical video cards for 3 monitors hooked up to your pc.

it might be hard to find a new 7800 or even used.

it might be time to upgrade your whole pc.

It has to be identical??

Grand Master

MR_Candyman

Posted
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I already told you what you need.

Having said that though, apparently if you do get a second of the same video card and run them NON-SLI, then you can use the nvidia software to make use of one of the outputs on the second card. If you wanted SLI, then you would need 3 of the same video card, a motherboard supporting 3 way SLI, a 3 way SLI bridge, and a pretty beefy power supply. Of you could go for the dual head 2 go or triple head 2 go devices (which work VERY well) and is probably the cheapest solution.

Rising Star

homeboyrocketshoulders

Posted
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If you're ruling out a splitter (which I agree with), you have 2 major options. The best choice is to go buy another 7800GT and run SLI. It'll increase your performance along with letting you have up to 4 monitors. If you dont have a free PCI-E slot or cant run SLI for some reason, your other option is to buy a PCI video card. You can use any card that uses the same drivers as your 7800GT, it does not have to be the same video card itself. Doing it this way will NOT increase performance though, so it would be a much wiser choice to get a matched card and do SLI, but it really comes down to what slots you have available.

Grand Master

treemonster

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Incorrect. You can just get any PCI card to drive the 3rd monitor, but ideally you will want the same brand (NVidia/ATI) so it uses the same driver.

nope getting a non identical video card you will have to choose video output of one or the other.

believe me i have 2 non identical video cards in my system currently, and putting the video in the lower version one produces no video, though it detects the monitor.

ati cards are a little different though. but for nvidia they have to be the same model.

Grand Master

Knife Party

Posted
Posted

Ohh... I definitely don't want it to be cloned.. so I guess my only option is to get another video card.

I'm still a bit confused about what Kaboose said. I can just buy the SLI and I can connect another monitor?

by that i meant, 2 identical cards in SLI or getting a new single gfx upgrade?

Mentor

cybertimber2008

Posted
Posted

If you're ruling out a splitter (which I agree with), you have 2 major options. The best choice is to go buy another 7800GT and run SLI. It'll increase your performance along with letting you have up to 4 monitors.

If you put it into SLI mode, it disables the slave card's video out ports. No need to even be worried about SLI.
Grand Master

TAZMINATOR

Posted
Posted

That's a pretty cool setup man.. similar to what I'm going for, minus one of the monitors on the desktop.

So I checked my motherboard and I'm pretty sure it's the PCI express slot. I found a picture of it here: http://www.tbreak.com/reviews/fullimage.php?image=9185

Since I'm hooking up my HDTV to my computer I don't use my DVD player. All my movies are on my computer. Also I would like to watch some vids on Youtube in 1080p.

What's the requirement for 1080p anyways? My video card has 256MB, so if I get another one that's like 1GB wouldn't that help?

Anyways, what PCI-express video card do you think will work well with my card?

Thanks guys

It has to be identical??

Thanks.

The pic you showed me, that is ram slots... I am talking about the slots where your current video card is at. You can put another card and place it under your current video card.

Understand what I am saying?

How much ram you have? I am not talking out that comes from your video card. If you have 1 gb ram or less, then you might need to upgrade to about 4gb or higher ram so it might work that you can run 1080p movies smoothly... see if it helps.

You don't have to get the identical, you can get same brand or different brand... mine has different brands on it... no plm.

I have no idea how much you pay for... it's up to you to get a video card of your choice depends on how much you want to pay for and what you use it for... Like I said before, if you want to run 1080p movies, you will need to upgrade some parts or whole system.

Community Regular

Kloud77

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Wow a lot of different answers here. So I'm guessing I need an identical card in order to run 3 monitors?

Also Mr Candyman said I need 3 identical cards to run SLI, but homeboy rocketshoulders said I only need 2 to run SLI. So is it 2 or 3?

But anyways whats the big difference between running SLI and not running SLI?

Thanks

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