How easy to get 3 monitors in extended desktop with XP ?

[tfboy]

Hi All

I've lost touch recently with how it all works, but looking to build a new system for my old man. It will be in a normal sized case, emphasising on upgradability and silence.

He has two Dell 20" TFT (2001 model I think) so they accept DVI as well as VGA at 1600x1200
He also has an 19" Iiyama monitor, quite old but again, both DVI and VGA (1280x1024).

What's the best way of getting all three hooked up at the same time? I presume SLI-enabled motherboards only work in SLI, i.e. driving a max of two monitors even if 4 outputs are physically present?

Does that mean getting a PCI card is the only way of getting a third monitor running? *shudder*

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

[arthurleung]

You don't have to enable SLI even if the card and board are SLI capable.

Its optional in the driver in SLI configuration.

[FatalSaviour]

As arthur says, so if your graphics cards have 4 outputs, and you don't enable SLI, you can use all 4 outputs

[tfboy]

Aha, so get an SLI motherboard

Get a couple of PCI-e GPUs (preferably the same, but not necessarily unlike SLI?)

Keep the SLI selector stick on motherboard in "non-SLI" configuration

With the above, I can have four independant DVI outputs compatible with extended desktop (assuming I have 2 identical cards each with 2 DVI connectors)?

Sounds good

[dancingmatt]

Glad to know that is possible - I intend to run 2 or 3 monitors and my projector when I fill an SLI rig. Even if I don't use them all at once, it'll be nice not to have to unplug one monitor to plug in the projector.

If you only have one screen, I can SO recommend buying a second as a really useful upgrade...

[chuckskull]

Or just get a QuadroFX card from nvidia. Four outputs on one card.

Not great for games, but i doubt your old man is a closest FPS freak

[Funkstar]

Matrox cards are the kings of multi monitor setups. I haven't played with ATI or nvidia multi head setups, but the Matrox drivers were by far the best at managing the different resolutions and general window management for a long long time.

A TrippleHead2Go might do everything you need too
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=407353

[chuckskull]

Triplehead2go, downsamples all your DVI and you lose the 'nice' driver features like snapping to one monitor etc.

then again it is slightly cheaper than a 4 port quadroFX