running 4 screens on one graphics card

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by michael78, Mar 13, 2008.

  1. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Guys can you run 4 monitors off a dual headed graphics card like a GT8600. Say if I used a cable splitter on each DVI input could I run 2 monitors off each point. Hope I explained that well :rolleyes:
     
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  2. twizzle

    twizzle Gigabyte Poster

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    Short answer would be nope.

    You can run 4 monitors but would see identical screens on each pair, as they recieve the same signal, using a splitter cable. The GPU card can output different siganls to each DVI ouput it has so you can run 2 screens with different resolutions, one on each output, but not 4.

    At lest thats what i think is the case.
     
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  3. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    actually that would be fine what we basically need to do is run a single monitor on one of the DVI ports and run another TFT monitor and a projector that display the same screen on the other DVI port. Can anyone else confirm that this can be done. Never had a need to setup more than a two screen setup before.
     
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  4. Stoney

    Stoney Megabyte Poster

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    I know it can be done with VGA, we used have 8 displays dotted around the building running off of a VGA splitter box connected to the pc.

    I wouldn't like say if this is possible with DVI, but I don't see why not. You could try looking for DVI splitter box and see what's about.
     
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  5. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Cheers Stoney, I suggested a VGA splitter and they said they wanted a new PC with a dual head on it to do the job. It's to the point where I'm getting sick as this job is taking a lot longer to sort out than it should of.
     
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  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    You will still need a splitter with DVI. I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe that you cannot use a simple Y-splitter with DVI.

    Harry.
     
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  7. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    You can use a Y-splitter, but the results are variable:

    http://www.provantage.com/cables-unlimited-pcm-2260~7CBUN007.htm

    I would recommend purchasing a splitter box, which ensures each device will receive a proper signal.

    Yes, you can run four monitors off a dual-headed card using Y-splitters, but it is not how I'd go about setting it up. I'd use a single DVI output and purchase a 4-way splitter box.
     
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  8. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Cheers for the feedback guys. I've told them to get a splitter so hopefully they will listen but I'm not holding my breath
     
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  9. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    A local optometrist that I support recently installed new equipment that lets patients see 3D laser maps of the inside of their eyes. They put a Y-splitter on the PC in each exam room and they found that the old Dell LCD monitors worked, whereas the new NEC ones they purchased didn't. The signal was too weak after being split. Everything worked fine after I put in splitter boxes for them.
     
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  10. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    I'd be interested to know whether these were DVI-A or DVI-D "Y cables". I'd suspect that DVI-A would work, after all it is VGA in another form. But DVI-D?

    Harry.
     
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  11. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    DVI-D. Sorry, should have included that. The cables were from Cables2Go (blech) -- that didn't help.
     
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  12. grim

    grim Gigabyte Poster

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    2 gfx cards = 4 DVI connectors + 4 splitters = 8 outputs :)

    just a heads up this wont work if you have them in SLI

    Grim
     
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