Dan 2003-06-24 10:43
I'm new to this multi-display desktop/gaming setup thing. For the past week I've been researching for what cards to get and if I should change OS/motherboard. I've call 3D Labs, Nvidia, Pny, 9xMedia, Panorama, and Matrox. They all had something different to say.
I'm a web developer and gamer, also play around with video production and 3d animation. I'm not sure whether I want my desktop strecth or independent. but I offer the following experience:::
I bought the PNY Geforce FX 5200 AGP 128MB dual VGA and tv/out. and A MadDog Geforce4 MX400 64MB PCI.
I'm running Win2k Server, 384Mb Ram, PIII 1.2Ghz, Intel 815 Chipset mainboard.
I also have a 15" MicroScan, 17" dell and a 21" Optiquest monitors.
The card allowed me to stretch the desktop across 2 monitors, and the 3rd monitor was standalone. The applications maximized across both monitors unless you had the "show full desktop maximize option on title bar" then you would be able to click on that button and would only maximize to that monitor only. Which created problems with child windows being on 2 different monitors. A bigger problem when putting windows on the 3rd monitor.
Having a number of windows/apps opened, slowed the system down to almost a halt. And applications "failed to initializ". For some reason under the Adapter tab in display properties the card showed to have 64mb of ram..
In dualmode only 1 monitor was active on each card. switching between dualmode and not, required reboots.
I tried one game out - nascar racing 2003 - upon using the configuration tool for display, i could not use D3D (directX) only OpenGL. I set the game at a resolution of 1600x600. the game span across 2 monitors but ran slow at times.
I used the 40.33 drivers from nvidia just to let you know...
I returned the cards based on the fact that I am leaving tomorrow and wasn't sure if these cards/combination was good to keep before my 15 days return policy expired.
I have alot more to say and this post may seem unorganized. I'm rushing to finish up on packing.. so I'll be revisiting when I get to boston...
If anyone has any suggestion in running a 3 monitor display please let me know.. should i upgrade to XP?? and what cards should I get?? Nvidia, ATI, Matrox, looking for something not too expensive. and what setup. 2 dual cards?, a dual and 1 single, 3 singles, a quad or the parhiela.. which 9xMedia and Parnorama suggested.
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