Want to add a third monitor to my desktop...

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone can tell me what I'd be needing to get a third monitor up and running on my desktop?

I currently have a 19" primary monitor (resolution max set at 1440 x 900 according to my control panel) and my secondary monitor is a 42" Philips LCD (set at 1920 x 1080).


Anyway, I was playing with a measuring tape a while back and i dropped it as it was pulled out, and the tape, whilst retracting, hit my primary monitor and left a bit of a mark. It doesn't disrupt me really, but it can be a nuisance when editing photos and such as I keep thinking it's a mark on the photo.


Anyway, I'm not the most technically minded person, but at the back of my desktop there is the connection for my primary monitor (DVI i believe, though not certain) and there are two HDMI sockets. One is in use by the 42" TV and the other is covered with a plastic cap.

When I originally purchased the PC, I believe I screwed off the plastic cover and the HDMI socket did nothing. This leads me to believe that the card is only strong enough to power one HDMI monitor.

With that in mind, I assume I would need to buy a new graphics card that is capable of supporting three monitors?


Just wondering if anyone can confirm that I've gotten that right?

If I am on the right lines, would anyone here happen to know what it is I need to look for in a card that will let me know that I am going to be able to have three monitors running together?


As I say, I'm not the most knowledgeable here, so I've been googling around but haven't so far come across anything too useful and at the moment I want to get into bed, so just thought i'd throw up a thread and see if perhaps anyone on here can help.


I'm in no crazy rush to get a new monitor or anything. It'll probably be a while before I do end up getting another one, but would just like to know what I'm up against before looking into it.

I've read there's a crowd called DisplayLink that have products that allow a monitor to be connected via USB, but I've also read that they're not very good and quite expensive, so I don't think I'd bother going down that road.


Cheers in advance to anyone who can help out here.

billymitchell

I think all you will need to do is add another video card to your pc.
The operating system "should" pick that up automatically, then connect up a monitor and away you go.

What OS are you using?

Paulw

In most cases, although a video card may have 3 connections, it only supports two being active.

In that way, you would need two video cards in your machine (usually best to use two identical cards), and then you can enable that third monitor.

ED E

All you need is a cheapo GFX card to give you that third video channel. You likely only have one PCI-E so it'll have to be a PCI.

lmimmfn

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

All you need is a cheapo GFX card to give you that third video channel. You likely only have one PCI-E so it'll have to be a PCI.

This.

I had 3 screens setup with 2 cards( theres also the ATI Eyefinity cards like this one which doesnt need an active adapter for 3 screens - http://www.techpowerup.com/128506/Sapphire_Announces_HD_5770_FleX_Edition_Connect_Four_Displays_in_Eyefinity.html )

Cheers guys.

I'm using Vista home premium, by the way.

Will keep this thread bookmarked and visit it again in a few days when I get a chance to sit down and read more into having three monitors.

Will have to work out if i think it's worth the effort of going through it all (don't know anything about video or graphics cards, or messing with my pc) so may just buy a new monitor and get rid of the current one.

The greed in me still wants me to have a third monitor though.

Icyseanfitz

well it really depends on what make your current Graphics card is Nvidia or ATI if its nvidia you might be able to add another GPU to get the 3 monitors working (only if your motherboard supports two cards) or if your ATI you might have another solution called eyefinity depending on which card you actually have check this thread out for more detailed info as i was asking the same questions too

Card is Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT.

Will check out the link to the thread you posted now. Have no clue about cards and such so will do me no harm to try reading up on it.

lmimmfn

Deleted User wrote: »

Card is Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT.

Will check out the link to the thread you posted now. Have no clue about cards and such so will do me no harm to try reading up on it.

you dont want to have multiple screens working in games though do you? in which case you dont need SLI or crossfire, you only need another card.
If you arent using Windows 7 and as you have an Nvidia card already you would need another nvidia card, otherwise if you have Windows 7 you can have multiple brand gfx cards to drive a multi screen setup, i.e. you can get an ATI card to drive the 3rd screen while your 8500GT drives your current 2 screens

You can already use your 42" LCD and your 19" with that 8500GT

lmimmfn

lmimmfn wrote: »

you dont want to have multiple screens working in games though do you? in which case you dont need SLI or crossfire, you only need another card.
If you arent using Windows 7 and as you have an Nvidia card already you would need another nvidia card, otherwise if you have Windows 7 you can have multiple brand gfx cards to drive a multi screen setup, i.e. you can get an ATI card to drive the 3rd screen while your 8500GT drives your current 2 screens

You can already use your 42" LCD and your 19" with that 8500GT

Oh, I know I can use both with the cards as it is. They're both being used at the moment with this card. It's adding the third monitor that has me a little confused, as I haven't a bean about this kind of thing. I don't play games, by the way (well, GTA IV on the 360 once a month, but that's about it).


To make life easier for myself, I think I'm just going to invest in a bigger primary monitor and scrap this one. Next time I need a new PC, i'll visit the building and upgrading forum and see if i can make my own. I'd imagine DIYing it would give me a much better idea of how things work and would make me more comfortable rooting around inside my PC.


So I'll just stick with the two monitors for the time being.

So just before I look into new monitors, can anyone tell me if there's any screen size limit or anything I should stick to? or will my current card be able to handle any two monitors? (I'm not going to be getting ridiculous now with another 42" or anything, but I just want to ensure that I can go to 22"/24" and such without having any issues popping up. This monitor came with my PC, so i never purchased one on it's own before).