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Nite 2002-04-19 21:58
Hiya all,
I've done an article about the best money can buy at the moment, conserning multi-monitor gaming. I'ts not a review or anything, I don't, sadly, own any of the hardware. It's just a dream. My intention is to keep that updated to reflect the latest and greatest on the edge.
Stay tuned for more.
(The article can be found click the link below and using eyes :)
\Nite - "can't rain all the time"
Multi-Monitor Gaming Web
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Nite 2002-04-21 08:18
Em. If you got any criticism/praise/additions/suggestions/anything. Please, tell me. right here at forums, or straight to me at nite@iki.fi.
All comments are appreciated.
Thanks,
\Nite - "can't rain all the time"
Multi-Monitor Gaming Web
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HReiss 2002-04-21 18:01
Great article, thanks for providing ideas for future system.
May I suggest a look at Western Digital 1200JB Special Editions(SE) 120GB? Normal cache is 2MB and the SE have 8MB. For a look at benchmarks for dual SE 120GB in RAID 0 head over to www.icronticforums.com and look in the hardware forum. Incredible improvement over standard cache drives. They are on my wish list.
Also, I agree that Gainward makes good dual-head cards but what about drivers? My Gainward GF2MX dual-head would not run with Nvidia reference drivers in dual out mode as GWs implementation of the dual out required their proprietary driver. It worked with Nvidia driver but only in single CRT mode. In almost 2 years of trying, I never successfully got a driver update downloaded from GW which meant I lived w/ second monitor occasionally turning to garbage for no good reason. Tech support emailed me their solution last week: Try download again. Too late. Card is already replaced.
So before springing for another Gainward I would like to find some confirmation that they can handle dual out with Nvidia's drivers.
Anyway, I'm glad you are publishing your articles as tehy are a valuable resource to us and hope you find these comments helpful.
HR
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Nite 2002-04-21 20:00
Hmm? What Gainward card did you have? I mean, I've never bumped into that kind of a problem. And I've certainly had my share of GW cards, during my time at one computer store :)
(btw, my friend owns a GW GeForce4 card, and is running it with reference drivers, with dual output support.)
\Nite - "can't rain all the time"
Multi-Monitor Gaming Web
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HReiss 2002-04-22 20:30
Geforce 2 MX - Dual VGA + RCA TV out. They don't make it anymore (I think) and I would avoid it unless you can confirm that a certain version of the nvidia drivers can handle it. I have to admit that I only tried generic drivers once or twice but there was definitely no Twinview tab in the properties and I recall that a reviewer documented it briefly with no solution. Maybe it was only a certain batch.
Glad to hear the 4600s nview dual mode works on reference drivers. The 4600 is obviously the AGP card to have now. But why the Gainward over the others? Better performance or features?
What really irritated me with my card was the poor performance of the driver download site. I occasionaly could get the download finished from the Asian servers (no server in the Americas or Europe?) only to find the Zip empty and unextractable. They need to upgrade if they haven't already. Great products, crummy support.
I replaced it w/ an AGP Voodoo 5 and a PCI Voodoo 5 which are very happy together. Trying to get another Voodoo 5 PCI in but it crashes WinME. User headspace problem I suspect - I messed w/ device mgr too much in safe mode trying to clean out old drivers:) I think deleted some basic Windows drivers and/or I crippled the ability to change DMI or get PCI's recognized.
Although I did not get 3 V5s working together yet I am VERY pleased. Got em on ebay and www.voodoofiles.com has plenty of driver support. The V5s have to use updated drivers to be happy together (I use x3dfx 1.08.04). They are COMPLETELY stable. My system runs torture tests, benchmarks and S/W apps w/ ease now for hours and days on end but obviously does not have the video performance of a sys w/ a 4600.
The GW GF2MX would fritz the second monitor every half hour to 2 hours or so and I had to momentarily change properties color depths (16 bit vs 32 bit) to force a recovery. I lived with it OK but...
Anyway Gainward (combined w/ a Voodoo 3) allowed me to have a 3 monitor system for cheap and for that I am grateful. But times have changed for me. I want rock solid stability from system as a priority now. Am building another system and putting in more used V5s. I'll see if I can get three or four working in one machine :)
I'll snag used 4600s when they are two years old or so. LOL.
HR
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Nite 2002-04-22 22:02
"User headspace problem", LOL :D
not that you mention it, I do remeber someone complaining about gainwards GF2MX cards a while ago... I suppose that problem was there only with the original MX-series and the "new" MX200/MX400 series of cards work fine. though, not many use the dualview capabilities of the card, I've not heard anyone complain about them lately. I myself always use the reference drivers on my ELSA card, 'cause well.. ELSA's driver support is probably even worse than Gainward's. Newest drivers that support the VideoIn/Out module on my card and Stereo3D glasses from ELSA are based on detonator core 5.30... :)
Is it possible that your case with the gainward times around the Detonator driver versions 12.xx - 14.xx? 'cause that's the series that have had most trouble with anything, though also the most stable drivers for some. *shurg*
I regret that I'm of no help conserning your V5 problems... but. is there any jumpers on the V5 boards? I remember some (old) Matrox Millennium cards refuse to work together, unless certain jumper onboard is set to "disabled" position. something to do with sharing the same VGA address or something.
I mean no offense to anyone (else but Microsoft) but most of your problems probably originate from WinME :) It's the most buggiest OS I've ever seen.
If you can't upgrade and you still want to have all the V5s in, you probably have to reinstall ME.
\Nite - "can't rain all the time"
Multi-Monitor Gaming Web
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HReiss 2002-04-23 11:45
MX200/400s are interesting and will probably try a dual head again later on.
I haven't really tested V5s w/ games yet except that they do work w/ FS2002 but ref other threads and posts for slow frame rates probs on 2nd and 3rd, etc. monitors. Prob created by M$ being slow to enable certain multi-mon capabilities.
Old detonators? probably.
My next system should be ready for 3 V5s in a week or two so I can wait till then to confirm/refute the ability for 3 V5s to work. Actually somebody in the database has 5 or 6 working together but don't which drivers. Like I said I'm pretty sure the failure to get the third V5 in is self-induced. A known good PCI-USB adapter won't go in either and I once had it working in that same machine so looks like I killed the OS ability to recognize new PCIs.
The next rig will dual or triple boot anyway so I can compare different OSs :)
Anyway, very good to see you guys up and running with the articles and forums. Very much appreciate a place where like minded ppl can hang out and pass the tribal knowledge around.
How about those WD 120 GB drives w/ 8MB cache onboard? Pricey but smokin' benchmarks, huh? Unfortunately I "settled" for an 80GB 7200RPM Maxtor 740DX w/ normal cache onboard for just over $100:) Couldn't cough up $225 for a drive now and the Maxtors are pretty smokin' fast themselves.
HR
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