Can my system support a 3rd monitor?

skinnybloke · 2 Dec 2010 at 20:45

Hi - I currently have 2 Philips 190S monitors connected to this graphics card:

PowerColor ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO SCS3 SILENT 256MB DDR2 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)

installed on this motherboard

Abit IP35 Pro (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2

The system is running Windows 7 Home Premium and is only used for business applications.

Can this system support a 3rd monitor? If so what would I need to purchase?

angela · 2 Dec 2010 at 21:24

Hi, you mean 120mhz monitor, for that you need NVIDIA CARD Starting from 8800 series, however for better result in gaming performance you should look at GTX280/GTX285/GTX470! and plus you'll need 120mhz monitor and NVidia 3Dvision glasses!

Phoenixdancer · 2 Dec 2010 at 21:28

angela said:
Hi, you mean 120mhz monitor, for that you need NVIDIA CARD Starting from 8800 series, however for better result in gaming performance you should look at GTX280/GTX285/GTX470! and plus you'll need 120mhz monitor and NVidia 3Dvision glasses!

Huh?

Where does the OP say 3D??

On topic...

You will need a second graphics card or an ATI 6850 or any 6000 series AMD card.

They can output to 3+ monitors but you will need a Displayport to VGA adapter for one monitor.

chris_uk333 · 2 Dec 2010 at 21:30

angela said:
Hi, you mean 120mhz monitor, for that you need NVIDIA CARD Starting from 8800 series, however for better result in gaming performance you should look at GTX280/GTX285/GTX470! and plus you'll need 120mhz monitor and NVidia 3Dvision glasses!

LOL i thought he said 3d too, your not alone.

angela · 2 Dec 2010 at 21:32

chris_uk333 said:
LOL i thought he said 3d too, your not alone.

^^^
You are not alone, I am here with you,
know u far away, I am here to stay !!!

Sorry, really thought 3D monitor

Admetos · 2 Dec 2010 at 23:25

To the OP.

Your system can currently support only 2 monitors.

To support 3 monitors easiest option would be to source another ATI graphics card. Any of the cheap ATI cards will be ok.

angela · 2 Dec 2010 at 23:30

There's couple HD5xxx series "3monitor edition" to support 3 monitors!

skinnybloke · 3 Dec 2010 at 11:53

Thanks for the replies everyone - and sorry for the confusion. Wneh I read the first reply I was thinking myself 'What is this lady babbling on about?"

One last question regarding:

Displayport to VGA adapter

Would this also be needed for a HD5xxx series "3monitor edition" card.

PhillyDee · 3 Dec 2010 at 11:54

Yes. You can connect 2 DVI monitors, and 1 displayport monitor.

Orcvader · 3 Dec 2010 at 12:52

You can also use this adapter: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-250-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1502
Just make sure the card has Displayport and not Mini Displayport.

Paul11 · 3 Dec 2010 at 12:59

just add another cheap graphics card

Boozebeard · 3 Dec 2010 at 13:03

Paul11 said:
just add another cheap graphics card

This, assuming the board can take 2.

EniGmA1981 · 3 Dec 2010 at 13:13

Boozebeard said:
This, assuming the board can take 2.

It can

http://www.3dnews.ru/_imgdata/img/2007/10/05/61771.jpg

So I'm giving another +1 for a 2nd ATi card

Kalith · 3 Dec 2010 at 14:23

Last I was aware for three monitors they all had to come from the same GPU, so you can't just attach one monitor with DVI cable to a second card, you would need to use the adapter.

Has that changed now?

Orcvader · 3 Dec 2010 at 14:31

Kalith said:
Last I was aware for three monitors they all had to come from the same GPU, so you can't just attach one monitor with DVI cable to a second card, you would need to use the adapter.

Has that changed now?

Many PCs have had a 3rd or more monitors running off a second card for a few years now, just running more than two off one card is very recent. So it's fine to just add a second card (or more, if you want to

).

Seeing as you have a spare PCI-E slot on your motherboard OP, just add a cheap second card.

PhillyDee · 3 Dec 2010 at 18:48

Orcvader said:
Many PCs have had a 3rd or more monitors running off a second card for a few years now, just running more than two off one card is very recent. So it's fine to just add a second card (or more, if you want to ).

Seeing as you have a spare PCI-E slot on your motherboard OP, just add a cheap second card.

Essentially this.