Log in

View Full Version : Need Advice on 4 display PC


Stillwater
08-29-2004, 10:20 PM
I am putting together a presentation system (ie high end PC, Twin LCDs and two independant projectors) for our new church building. :D And was wondering if anybody has experience/recommendations with a four display system.

I was thinking I may have to use two pci-express dual output graphics card. However I would like to wait until pci-express is a little more established, and reasonable in price.

Is there a viable AGP/PCI solution? I have had mixed results with my 3 Display System. When I add the PCI(TNT2 16MB) card I lose access to the control panel of the AGP card(Geforce4ti) :x . So I have to set everything before I add the PCI card. I don't want to have this problem on the new machine.

Which cards would you suggest. I like nvidia's method of twin view over ATI's (it seems a little clumbsy to me).

Thanks in advance :wink:

Suhit Gupta
08-30-2004, 02:37 AM
I would seriously recommend a Matrox Parhelia - http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/parhelia/home.cfm . I have never used one myself but have heard so many good things about them.

They are basically meant for exactly the kind of scenario you are looking for.

Suhit

Kursplat
09-29-2004, 01:20 AM
I was just looking at the screenshots for the parhelia and it appears that it presents the 2/3 monitors as one single long desktop (the taskbar stretches across all three monitors). This means if you maximize a window, it will stretch across all 3 monitors. Any dialog box designed to center itself on the screen will appear in the middle monitor on a 3 display system even if the app is in the left or right display or cut in half between both monitors in a 2 display system.

This is why my dual-monitor systems have used 2 graphics cards. When I maximize an app, it maximized into the monitor that contains the majority of the window. When a centered dialog is displayed, it centers itself in the display where the parent window is located. I can also have the different screens running at different resolutions. With web development, it helps to be able to adjust a 2nd monitor's resolution for testing without screwing up the main display with your editor, etc.

Of course, I don't know if these issues apply in this situation.

Don't get me wrong. The card looks awesome and I wish I had the money to set up a triple head system with 20" LCDs (with this card or otherwise).