Dean 2003-07-05 08:12
Hi all:
Great site and one of the reasons I picked up another (refurb, matching) Sony M81 18" LCD so I can run these two as dual AMD XP 1.6, 512 soon to be 1 gig.
Current card is AGP Geforce3/VGA. Looking to figure out which of the many ATI (or other) cards to use instead of (or with) the Geforce.
[All: Note that ATI has a trade-up rebate if you send any old card in. Not sure it its still cheaper than buying discount].
Issues: Prefer easy install, proven performance, XP/AMD. What what I've read the various AIW/Radeon/other ATI's are all over the place in compatability, matrox isn't 100% with AMD, etc.
ATI clerly has the leading %Mkt Shr but which ones? And....looks like I will have to down shift 1 of the LCD from DVI to VGA......unless I run two DVI cards?
Any help or sugestions much appreciated.
Thank you.
-Dean
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ecarlson 2003-07-05 08:49
There was a recent thread discussing many of the availabe options for dual-DVI cards. There's not much available with an ATI chipset, but there are some nice NVidia based dual-DVI cards. Check out the other thread.
- Eric www.InvisibleRobot.com
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Dean 2003-07-06 09:19
Thank you. I'm enjoying going through the threads. I also looked up the Matrox P750. Sounds like it might be just the thing (after the experts put it through the paces). I looked at the database of sys configs and it does look like the Matrox Parhelia would work for us non-gamers. Prices have come down some. And, unlike the P750, I found it at a number of places on the net and its been proven for the past year or so. The P750 looks like it hasn't been released just yet.
The joys and pain of having DVI.
Speaking of which does any one recommend particluar cable places/brands as I think I'll need to p/u DVI-I M-M (?) or similar and there are allot of places on the net to purch.
Dean
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GregD 2003-07-06 19:43
www.lindy.com
or www.lindy.co.uk if you are in the uk.
They have DVI cables at very good prices...
Got my DVI-D dual link 24pin DVI M-M cable this week and the quality is great.
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Barton 2003-07-09 10:29
Good Greif! Lindy's prices are high! Check out eBay! Search for "DVI Cables."
I just bought 3 Belkin, Gold Plated, 10' DVI-D cables for $11.49 each including free shipping.
eBay rocks for this kind of stuff.
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GregD 2003-07-09 19:30
Everywhere else I have seen sells them for 40-60£ for 5m DVI-D DVI-D dual link so no their prices are not high for DVI cables.
Ebay is preowned so obviously it will be cheaper but then if it stops working you can't return it.
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Barton 2003-07-10 08:43
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.
The cables I bought were brand new, purchased from a "Power Seller" who offered a 30 day money back garantee and for a 10' (3.04 m) cable, was only $11.49 (7.03 GBP)
Comparably, a 3M cable from lindy.com currently shows 17.70 GBP ($28.91 USD).
Obviously, prices are gong to be higher in the UK, but I bet if you shopped, you could save considerably.
By the way, I have never had a monitor cable go bad. If it works, it works. Cables don't usually go bad.
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ecarlson 2003-07-10 09:32
There is lots of new stuff available in E-bay. It's not just for used stuff anymore.
- Eric www.InvisibleRobot.com
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Dean 2003-07-12 07:55
Just closed out and added sys to the db.
All is working great!!
Card: Matrox Parhelia 128
($350 from googlegear perfect service.)
Monitor 2:
Sony 18" LCD M81 (black)
($485 overstock.com perfect service incl phone call question on model number v. color)
Cables:
Cables to go 2x dual dvi-i m:m, 2 meters $23 each (black). Also great service incl ph call to confirm really in stock).
Install:
EASY except for long boot up time for machine to see the video card.
Thanks everyone, Dean
Memory:
Micron's manufacture (at have the price ___)
Dean
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