Old computer, graphics card for third monitor

[fallbayuk]

I've got a fairly old computer that I'm running dual monitors with and I'd like to add a third.

Motherboard is an Asus P7P55D-E LX and current graphics card is an AMD Radeon HD 5800.

It's not used for gaming (unfortunately) so I'm not looking to break the bank on the additional graphics card I need to run the third monitor.

Can anyone recommend an additional graphics card I could use that's up to the job?

 

[fallbayuk]

The AMD 5xxx series was the first one that supported three monitors from a single GPU, so you should be able to run all three from your current card. However, there are limitations due to the GPU design - it can only run two on VGA/DVI/HDMI, the third card must use the DisplayPort (or MiniDisplayPort) output from the card. If one of the monitors you're connecting has a DisplayPort input - yay! If not, then you're looking at an Active DisplayPort adapter, a Passive one won't work.

What monitors are you using, and what inputs and resolutions/refresh rate do they all have, and what outputs do you have on your current card, we'll come up with a plan for connecting them all and see how it compares price-wise to changing your current card?

You're absolutely right, I'm an idiot! You've also explained why I cant get the third monitor to be detected via the HDMI port as monitors 1 + 2 are using DVI.

The card has 2 DVI outputs, 1 HDMI and 1 DisplayPort.

1 DVI is outputting at 1920 x 1200 to the main middle monitor, the other to the second monitor at at 1280 x 1024.

I've been trying to get the third (1280 x 1024) detected via hdmi (using a hdmi > vga adapter) but no joy. I'm guessing I'll just need an active displayport adapter like you mentioned?

Thanks for everyones help btw