3 Monitors

not sure if this is in the right place..

about to explore into the world of tri monitoring,
currently got dual monitors using 2/2 outputs (svga is available)

whats better a vga splitter box thingy
or
a vga splitter cable
or
is there a better way?

3rd monitor is a TV
(will only be used when i want to watch a film)

Hello,
i might be wrong, but i think that if you use the splitter cable you will see the same image on both screens.
If you wanted to display different things on your TV than on the other monitor, then i think you would need a splitter box, which provides "the equivalent" of one graphic card for each screen. In fact, i think it "lies" to the computer and tells it that these two screens are just one big screen.

* * *
Myself, i'm going for 3 monitors too, but i'm just building my computer now so i'm trying to choose the right components to do that, without needing a splitter box.

I'm planning to use the HD4000 onboard graphics of a i5-3570K processor, with a Z77X-UD5H motherboard which had 3 digital outputs : DVI, HDMI, and DP (DisplayPort).
=> QUESTION : Would it work if i simply plugged each monitor on each of these 3 outputs ?
(or, i guess i could use a DP to DVI adapter, if i didn't want to try and find a screen with DP input)

I'm not playing any games, so i don't need the power of a particularly good GPU.

Another question : is it uncomfortable in your experience, to not have exactly the same three screen ? That would enable me to have one with a DP input (probably more expensive), with two cheaper ones.

PS : there is another thread on the same subject here, in the "CPU" board : http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18402239

mascip said:

I'm planning to use the HD4000 onboard graphics of a i5-3570K processor, with a Z77X-UD5H motherboard which had 3 digital outputs : DVI, HDMI, and DP (DisplayPort).
=> QUESTION : Would it work if i simply plugged each monitor on each of these 3 outputs ?
(or, i guess i could use a DP to DVI adapter, if i didn't want to try and find a screen with DP input)

Click to expand...

Perhaps someone can tell you for certain but a bit of Googling suggests not.

One other interesting addition to Intel HD 4000 Graphics is the ability to drive triple monitors. Unfortunately some limitations exist and only motherboards supporting two DisplayPort outputs and one other output would allow you to use three monitors.

Click to expand...

The motherboard has:

1 x D-Sub port
1 x DVI-D port, supporting a maximum resolution of 1920x1200
* The DVI-D port does not support D-Sub connection by adapter.
1 x HDMI port, supporting a maximum resolution of 1920x1200
1 x DisplayPort, supporting a maximum resolution of 2560x1600p

Thank you

This makes me think that if i don't find such a motherboard in my price range, i should probably get a graphic card just for the additional monitor. One more component to choose. ARG (^c^)

VGA is hardly ever the recommended connection and yes the splitter cable will just give you a cloned display.
Two monitors is never a problem a third however (besides NVIDIA's latest videocards) has some strings attached.

@Craiig
Do you want a cloned image, or do you want to display something different on it? What videocard are you using with which displays and what input options do those displays have.

@mascip
The intel HD4000 videocard can apparently do a triple setup but it seems to require a motherboard with two displayport connections although I can't find any confirmation on that anywhere else. If your motherboard supports lucid virtu the cheapest videocard will do to get more outputs. If it doesn't than the Sapphire HD 6750 + active displayport->dvi adapter seems to be the cheapest option.

Thank you Axeia !

There are no motherboards with 2 DP outputs in the OvUK shop. So, i'll have to go with Lucid Virtu and an additional GPU.

If i understool well, i just have to take the cheapest GPU
(for example GeForce 210 http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-272-AS&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=)
, put it in a PCIe slot, maybe "activate" Lucid Virtu, and i'm ready to go.
I'm guessing that with this configuration, the monitor which would be plugged to that graphic card would be less enclined to play videos, so i would just have to avoid doing that.

Am i right ?

I only want this 3rd monitor for when im watching a movie from my sofa, so the other monitors will be turned off anyway. so i suppose it doesnt matter?

however i think with the clone, resolution and picture quality may cause issues (no doubt solvable)

i have a 9800GT (N) with 2 dvi out puts and an svga output
my crt uses vga and so does my tft.