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Running 3 monitors - problem with using NVIDIA PCIE & ATI PCI?

Andelusion

Andelusion

Andelusion

Soldato
Joined
1 Oct 2003
Posts
14,341
Location
Huddersfield
Hi guys, I've just bought a third monitor and am now shopping for a cheap PCI card to power one of the 3 screens.

My current card is an 8800GT, I can't afford (nor want) to get another for SLI for thought I'd be best getting another PCI card to run.

Does anyone see any problems in runing a PCI ATi card alongside my 8800GT?

Thanks
 
I setup a 4 monitor system for a mate with an nvidia pci-e graphics card and an ati pci graphics card and although I eventually got it running there are still problems with it. The main problem is moving apps from the nvidia screen to the ati screen can causes the system to blue screen or just freeze and also video is sometimes upside down and to fix it it needs to be dragged from one screen to another and back again which of course often crashes the system.

I'd recommend to buy an nvidia PCI or PCI-E card that'll work alongside the 8800GT and use it's drivers if at all possible.

I also tried an X1800XT with the ati pci card (it's a 9250) and because the 9250 uses pre-r300 drivers I had to have the latest X1800XT drivers installed and the pre-r300 drivers installed and it caused major problems too.

My mate is about to change over to two bigger widescreen monitors instead because of the problems.
 
if you're using vista, then forget it. it wont work. if you just want a 3rd monitor and arent really interested in 3d performance, then any nvidia pci-e card will do. i used an 8800gtx and a 7300gs to do exactly that:)
 
Oh no definately not using Vista :) On XP.

I'm not interested in 3D performance across all 3 screens, I will only be using one of the screens.

james would a 7300GS affect the performance of the 8800 in any way? Thanks

8igdave said:
Should be as they use Gforce 8 drivers but what do you awnt to run on it? That thing wont do games.
Click to expand...

I use ultramon and will disable 2 of the monitors when I want to game, the monitor I will leave running will be powered by the 8800GT, again, you don't think running a lesser card at the same time will affect the performance of the 8800 in any way do you?
 
Great :) Thanks chaps! Now all I need to do is check if the 3 monitors will fit on my desk, and buy some speaker stands :D

Edit: Got a 7200GS.
 
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Youve got one? As in just bought? I would wait to make sure someone else also comfirms they are ok or to make suer there arn't any bugs for any reason with nvida cards doing this which i dont know bout before you buy.
 
Aye just got one from the auction site, james.miller seems to be ok with similar hardware, if it doesn't work then I'll shake my fist at him.

There's a 7 day return limit anyway :)
 
8igdave said:
Should be as they use Gforce 8 drivers but what do you awnt to run on it? That thing wont do games.

:EDIT:

why do youi say tht james?
Click to expand...


say what? that it wont work? because vista only allows one set of graphics card drivers. you cant (still, afaik) run an ati card and an nvidia card in the same vista setup.

james would a 7300GS affect the performance of the 8800 in any way? Thanks
Click to expand...

possibly make it run in x8 pci-e instead of x16, but the difference is tiny really. you can install two sets of nvidia drivers at once on an xp setup, but YMMV, it can be unpredicable. if you stick to WHQL drivers, they should support virtually every nvidia card you are likely to use, and hence you'll only need one set of drivers. simplifying things a great deal:)
 
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