Triple screens - Cheap office use

[RichIbizaSport]

Hi guys.

I'm looking for the cheapest way to use 3 monitors in an office environment.

Non of the machines have 2 x pci-e slots, so dual cards isn't an option.

This is purely office use, so eyefinity/surround isn't need. Just extended desktop. No graphic intense applications at all.

We're already running dual screens on Nvidia 210/310's
Non of our monitor have display ports. Only VGA and DVI.

From what I've seen so far, the best bet is the AMD HD 5450 with an active display port adapter.

Any other options?

 

[Hagar]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-034-KF&groupid=701&catid=1914&subcat=2298

Four monitors

 

[OptimaLnrg]

Afaik the kfa2 csrd is fermi and so they use their 'mdt' software to do beyond 2 screens on one card. I'm sure that's how it worked on the 570/580 mdt.

Correct me if I'm wrong..

Worth buying one to see how good the software is if that's the case. Then dsring it if not suitable.

 

[andybird123]

the MDT is a hardware solution - e.g. you couldn't buy any old fermi card and try to load the MDT software and expect it to work

 

[OptimaLnrg]

Oh I know there's a hardware difference too, just had a thought that the need for extra software might cause issues.

The kfa2 site seems to take about 500 years to load but I have got this on this card:

Ideal for heavy multi-tasking business and home users.

« New 1080p driver release update driver

« 1 card = 4 displays

« Powered by IDT ViewXpand VMM1402

« 2x2 display stacking

« Comes with x2 DMS59 cables

« Each cable supports two single link DVI

« Only supports DVI displays (VGA Converters are not compatible)

and it *looks* like you also need "Winsplit revolution" software (although can't see)..

 

[andybird123]

hmm... not mentioned in any of the reviews of MDT cards that I can find - poor show if it is

 

[OptimaLnrg]

might just be me chatting ****. But I'm *sure* I watched a video about the 570 mdt that mentioned the software.

No vga support might be an issue too thinking on it, some offices have olllld monitors.

 

[andybird123]

from the google cached version of the KFA website - the 610 MDT page does indeed have a link to the winsplit software so you are right

 

[RichIbizaSport]

Ok thanks for the suggestion. But that still more expensive than other option (cheap is the main objective!)

Spotted we can purchase a PCI x1 GT 610 at £45 (we have a pci-x1 slot spare). So we can run the existing 210 with it.

 

[RichIbizaSport]

If anyone else comes across the thread, it would seem Dell motherboards don't like running graphics card in the pci-e x1 slot. So I've stuck the card in a HP, which works fine.

Now purchasing a batch of:

Sapphire 11190-12-20G HD6450 1GB Flex

At £47, these will do three screens without DP adapters. Cheapest solution