Dual Head video card

[sebastienm]

Hi,
I am looking for a new video card with the following requirements:
- AGP x4/x8
- output: 1 vga + 1 dvi
- dual head in mode vga+vga or vga+dvi (and not just vga+tv as many
cards do it seems like)
I need the dual head to be able to display 2 different applications'
windows on each screen, and not just the second monitor being a copy of
the first one.
- less than $100 ; around $75 if possible.

I am not playing video games; i am just playing movies and using office
applications. That is, is 64mb/128mb enough?

I currently have a Dual-Head Matrox G400 32mb on my old computer and it
works perfectly. But when i insert it into my new computer, the
computer doesn't even start. My new computer supports x4/x8 (from
motherboard manual) and the G400 is x1, or maybe x2. Could it be the
problem?

I have read tens of posts and product reviews but i have a hard time
determining what kind of dual head poeple are talking about and if it
is what i need.
Any card comes up to your mind?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Sebastien

 

[Jan Arkesteijn]

Hi Sebastien
There exist 2 flavours of G 400 cards
To explain I copied the following from the Matrox forum
Our G-400 and later graphics cards, be it AGP4x or AGP2x, are compatible
with virtually all motherboards.
However, if the motherboard calls for a 1.5V card ONLY to be installed, the
2x versions of our G400 card may not work properly.
We've identified the G400 boards that support AGP 4x transfer rates with an
additional '4A' in the part number: G4+MDH4A32GB/40.
G400 boards without the '4A' in the part number will be the models that may
not work with 1.5V only motherboards.


If you have the older one it won't work on a new motherboard

I think a G550 would be fine in your case

See you, Jan Arkesteijn

 

[Geoff]

I currently have a Dual-Head Matrox G400 32mb on my old
computer and it works perfectly. But when i insert it
into my new computer, the computer doesn't even start. My
new computer supports x4/x8 (from motherboard manual) and
the G400 is x1, or maybe x2. Could it be the problem?

as the other poster said, your card is prob an AGP v1.0 card
your motherboard has an AGP v3.0 slot
so you need either agp 2.0 or 3.0 agp card (that means any card that does
agp x4 or x8)

get a new agp card, any nvidia or ati card will do, they are cheap enough

 

[sebastienm]

Jan, Geoff, thank you both for your replies. I am on my way to get a
new video card.
Sebastien