Need graphics card recommendation - Two monitors connected to one PC

[DaveJohnson12]

It's a Small Form Factor computer so it needs a narrow card. I'll be connecting two 17"
CRTs so I probably also need a way to connect at least one of them (maybe both) to a DVI
output. The computer has a PCI Express slot.

I want a Dual Head card, not a second card with one monitor connected to each card.

I'd like to keep the cost down, under $150 if possible. I need it mainly for text so I
assume it doesn't have to be a powerful graphics card. It just has to be fast enough to
display text on two monitors without making me wait for anything to appear on the screen.

Clear text is important.

The OS is Windows XP Pro.

Thank you.

 

[Ian East]

It's a Small Form Factor computer so it needs a narrow card. I'll be connecting two 17"
CRTs so I probably also need a way to connect at least one of them (maybe both) to a DVI
output. The computer has a PCI Express slot.

I want a Dual Head card, not a second card with one monitor connected to each card.

I'd like to keep the cost down, under $150 if possible. I need it mainly for text so I
assume it doesn't have to be a powerful graphics card. It just has to be fast enough to
display text on two monitors without making me wait for anything to appear on the screen.

Clear text is important.

The OS is Windows XP Pro.

Thank you.

The size of your CRT's isn't important... It's the resolution and
refresh rate you wish to run them at that matters. That and the
quality of your CRT will also determine the clarity of text. Nearly
all modern video cards are indistinguishable in 2D performance. It's
3D performance that people pay for in a high quality video card.
Since your system is PCI Express, that kind of limits you to the next
generation of cards which are mostly high performance gaming oriented
cards with external fans and such. The Dual DVI outputs are usually
only on full size cards. I've seen slimline versions of the ATI X300
SE with one DVI and one DB15 (VGA) connector. You're probably not
going to have a lot of selection though.

 

[Tom Scales]

Just search one of the big online sites like buy.com. Lots of nvidia and
ati based choices. If you're connecting CRT monitors, not LCD, than I would
be surprised if you wanted DVI. I've never seen a CRT that supports DVI.
Doesn't even make sense as CRTs are not digital.

Tom

 

[davejohnson12]

X-No-Archive: Yes

I was trying to say that I just want to connect two CRT's to the card.
I assumed
that with a recent model card that uses a PCI Express slot, at least
one of the
outputs from the card would be DVI so I wouldn't have any choice other
than
to plug something into the DVI port. I don't know much about these
dual-head cards.

From what little I've seen of them, the newer ones have one or more DVI

outputs.
Someone told me you can get an adapter of some kind that lets you plug
a CRT into one of these.

Thanks.

__________________________________________________________________________

From: "Tom Scales" <[email protected]>
Local: Wed, Nov 9 2005 6:43 am

Just search one of the big online sites like buy.com. Lots of nvidia
and
ati based choices. If you're connecting CRT monitors, not LCD, than I
would
be surprised if you wanted DVI. I've never seen a CRT that supports
DVI.
Doesn't even make sense as CRTs are not digital.


Tom






- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

 

[Tom Scales]

Gotcha. What I'd look for is a card with a DVI and a VGA and an adapter to
convert the DVI to VGA.

Tom

 

[DaveJohnson12]

Gotcha. What I'd look for is a card with a DVI and a VGA and an adapter to
convert the DVI to VGA.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I was hoping someone with knowledge of a good card would
recommend it since they aren't all created equal. For example I read a review of an Asus,
which I thought I understood was a decent brand, using the ATI X300 chip. He said the text
was blurry. That's the kind of thing I'd like to avoid since I'll be using it at work all
day. Thanks.

 

[DaveJohnson12]

The size of your CRT's isn't important... It's the resolution and
refresh rate you wish to run them at that matters. That and the
quality of your CRT will also determine the clarity of text. Nearly
all modern video cards are indistinguishable in 2D performance.

I don't really know much about it but I did see someone saying his Asus
ATI X300 didn't display text clearly.

It's
3D performance that people pay for in a high quality video card.
Since your system is PCI Express, that kind of limits you to the next
generation of cards which are mostly high performance gaming oriented
cards with external fans and such. The Dual DVI outputs are usually
only on full size cards. I've seen slimline versions of the ATI X300
SE with one DVI and one DB15 (VGA) connector. You're probably not
going to have a lot of selection though.

Thanks. Do you think the X300 is fast enough for two monitors at 1024 x 768 and 70 Hz?

 

[S.Heenan]

I don't really know much about it but I did see someone saying his
Asus
ATI X300 didn't display text clearly.


Thanks. Do you think the X300 is fast enough for two monitors at 1024
x 768 and 70 Hz?

Take a look at the Matrox P650 for excellent 2D.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814106153

 

[DCA]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I was hoping someone with knowledge of a
good card would
recommend it since they aren't all created equal. For example I read a
review of an Asus,
which I thought I understood was a decent brand, using the ATI X300 chip.
He said the text
was blurry. That's the kind of thing I'd like to avoid since I'll be using
it at work all
day. Thanks.

I somewhat doubtr that the burry is the card!
Far more likely to be the CRT - eith being pushed too high on reoslution or
out of focus. I have never ever known a card go blurry.
I have used a 4Mb MAtrox with 2 CRTs and they now look exactly the same with
a Radeon 9800 - (but a quicker response on gruelling games!)
For text use, you relly don't need to spend alot at all!
Thats my opinion nyway
David

 

[DaveJohnson12]

Take a look at the Matrox P650 for excellent 2D.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814106153

Thanks. I have a PCI Express slot and it needs a slimline/small form factor card. AGP
won't work.

 

[DaveJohnson12]

I somewhat doubtr that the burry is the card!
Far more likely to be the CRT - eith being pushed too high on reoslution or
out of focus. I have never ever known a card go blurry.

I guess it could be that. Do monitors have a focus?

I have used a 4Mb MAtrox with 2 CRTs and they now look exactly the same with
a Radeon 9800 - (but a quicker response on gruelling games!)
For text use, you relly don't need to spend alot at all!
Thats my opinion nyway
David

Thank you. I didn't think it should cost much to display text clearly.

 

[kony]

I somewhat doubtr that the burry is the card!
Far more likely to be the CRT - eith being pushed too high on reoslution or
out of focus. I have never ever known a card go blurry.
I have used a 4Mb MAtrox with 2 CRTs and they now look exactly the same with
a Radeon 9800 - (but a quicker response on gruelling games!)
For text use, you relly don't need to spend alot at all!

It is sometimes the case that (particularly lower-end) cards
have blurrier output. Might be due to poor tolerance
components on the output filter though that is just a
speculation.

It does not dimininsh the possibility of it being the
monitor instead, though.

Part of the reason your Radeon 9800 looks like the Matrox
could be that maxtrox had atypically good 2D output, easily
better than anyone else in that era. Even 4 years ago the
others were just beginning to catch up in 2D quality.

 

[DCA]

It is sometimes the case that (particularly lower-end) cards
have blurrier output. Might be due to poor tolerance
components on the output filter though that is just a
speculation.

It does not dimininsh the possibility of it being the
monitor instead, though.

Part of the reason your Radeon 9800 looks like the Matrox
could be that maxtrox had atypically good 2D output, easily
better than anyone else in that era. Even 4 years ago the
others were just beginning to catch up in 2D quality.

Fair comment. Perhaps the matrox of yester-year is the answer to the OP. The
still use them at work!

 

[DCA]

It is sometimes the case that (particularly lower-end) cards
have blurrier output. Might be due to poor tolerance
components on the output filter though that is just a
speculation.

It does not dimininsh the possibility of it being the
monitor instead, though.

Part of the reason your Radeon 9800 looks like the Matrox
could be that maxtrox had atypically good 2D output, easily
better than anyone else in that era. Even 4 years ago the
others were just beginning to catch up in 2D quality.

Fair comment. Perhaps the matrox of yester-year is the answer to the OP. The
still use them at work!