Adding a third monitor

Monday, March 19, 2007 by Philly0381 | Discussion: Personal Computing

I’m looking for some input or more correctly the pros and cons of using a USB 2.0 adapter to allow the connection of a third monitor.

I recently upgraded my graphics card to a PNY NVIDIA GeForce FX5200 AGP with 256MB DDR with 2 VGA and one S Video outputs.(the original card had the some graphics engine but only 1 VGA and half the memory). I know it wasn’t a giant leap of an upgrade but since the original card worked with the products here I wanted to play it safe.

The system is a three year old Gateway with a P4 2.6GHz processor with HTT and 800MHz FSB. I’ve increased memory from 512Mb up to 2GB. There are 3 PCI and 1 AGP slots which are being used. I have a Win TV card in one of the PCI slots which I could remove, and lose that function or swap it out for a USB version.

I currently have a 17in LCD computer monitor and a 37in LCD TV with VGA inputs. The third monitor would be another 17in LCD.

I don’t do any of the graphics intensive gaming, just normal computing and running Stardock products. The only video intensive program I run is MLB.com TV. It gives live video streaming of all Baseball games. So, I’m 58 and retired, you want me to watch soap operas!

If anyone has both a PCI and AGP graphics card in their computer I would be interested on how easy that was to do. I searched the web and apparently it’s an option but you have to get into the BIOS. Not something that I really want to play with.

I’ve found three USB devices which are below. They all seem about the same. I did send an email to the tech support people at Viewport with a description of my system and asked them questions of compatibility and whether their device had memory, you know normal questions. The reply was that they knew of no problems. That’s it, no info about what was inside the device or anything that might convince to buy their product. I wonder if they thought I was a spy!

(I haven’t done a link before but I give it a shot)

Port Authority2 USB 2.0 to SVGA Adapter
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=113&sku=30

Tritton SEE2 2.0 to SVGA Adapter
http://www.trittontechnologies.com/products/TRIUV100.htm

Viewport Computer Video Adapter for USB
http://www.ymouse.com/viewport/vpuserguide.php

WWW Link

WWW Link

WWW Link

EDIT: Well the links worked except the first adapter is no longer available on that site.
21 Reply 18 Referrals
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Philly0381
Reply #1 Monday, March 19, 2007 7:56 PM
Okay, what did i do wrong that I got an add on the bottom of my post?

PoSmedley
Reply #2 Monday, March 19, 2007 7:58 PM


I wouldn't mess with the bios.

If you can, I'd get one good widescreen monitor and run the TV through a secondary or vice versa and keep it at two monitors.

Just my humble opinion, sir.

Philly0381
Reply #3 Monday, March 19, 2007 8:06 PM
Po' Smedley, what's the fun in that. The set up is in the bedroom, the 37in LCD TV is at the foot of the bed (well not right at the foot), one 17in monitor would go by the side of the bed and the other by a recliner. Did I say bedroom, I think I meant War Room! Retired from the military with 28 yrs.

PoSmedley
Reply #4 Monday, March 19, 2007 8:11 PM
lol.

It's just me. You couldn't pay me enough to go mucking around in the BIOS.

Philly0381
Reply #5 Monday, March 19, 2007 8:16 PM
I'm with you on that Po'. I only added that option since it was availble, but everything I read led me to belive that was something a tech person should do. It even pointed out that some BIOS didn't allow for the option. Gee wiz how do some of these people get six and ten monitors working?

Philly0381
Reply #6 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:25 AM
I hope I get some more replies to this post. I do want to run three monitors, for no other reason than just to be able to do it. I'm the type of person that doesn't take "it can't be done" as an answer.  

There is a simple way to solve the problem and I did it with the original graphics card, but that would make one of the three monitors a clone. That's not what I want to do this time. Expanding the desktop over the three monitors is what I want.  

If someone out there knows of a way to run multiple monitors (more than 2 and not have to clone) I would really be interested.   

c242
Reply #7 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:18 AM
kol updated to Triple display some time ago : kol's da journal maybe he can help if You ask him.

Loki
Reply #8 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:35 AM
One way would be to use 2 graphics cards which have two outputs in Sli. That way u can have up to four. It would be a good idea as it would take a considerable amount of power to run 3 screens, GPU consuming. Another way is by using multiplicity?

I wouldn't mind having a set up like that of Mr. Universe off Serenity or like the operators in the Matrix. lol!!!

Philly0381
Reply #9 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 9:10 AM
c242 - Thanks for the reply. If kol doesn't stop by I may have to contact him.  

Loki - Multiplicity is more like a KVM switch, controlling multiply computers with one keyboard and mouse. I'm only working with one computer. Two graphics cards would work except I have no available slots. Not familar with Sli cards, what slots do they use?  

Lantec
Reply #10 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 9:21 AM
The setup would depend on how you want to use your screens. If you want 3 screens all showing the same thing you could just buy a vga splitter cable (one vga port to two monitors)

However, if you want to expand your desktop across all three you'll need the additional video card.

You could probably set it up so the the 2 monitors on the splitter are your #1 desktop and still have the third monitor as an expanded (#2) desktop.

511b
Reply #11 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:01 AM
The push to SLI would be expensive it would require the purchase of a new mother board as SLI will only run through the newer PCI-E 16x slots the good news is that you could almost positively take your old CPU and RAM and slap it onto the new board. Also it would require the bridge(usually comes with the new mother board)and two videocards something like a 7600GT would not be to bad(about 120 a card plus shipping) you would want a good motherboard 80-120). But this route will get expensive quickly
I have two 17-inchers right now and was looking attaching my TV I was having problems with more than 2 outputs from the same video card (I only have one)

Good luck.

Philly0381
Reply #12 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:14 AM
Lantec - I used the splitter cable with the original video card that had only 1 vga and 1 s-video output. Worked okay but as you said didn't give me the expanded desktop. I may just do that again while trying to find a solution. Did you check out the USB devices?  

511b - SLI doesn't seem to be as you point out an inexpensive way to go. If I was buying or building a new computer it might be another story. Did you check out the USB devices?  

Randahl
Reply #13 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:09 PM
Have you tried ultramon?
or checked out multimon?

Ultramon has been known to not play nicely with WindowBlinds, but I use it and haven't had issues other than you cannot change the text colour on the additional monitor(s).

There's some good info in the forums there as well!

Hope this helps!
Randahl

Philly0381
Reply #14 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:22 PM
Randahl - Looked at Ultramon, and correct me if I'm wrong, it looks like software for people not running XP to allow them control over a multiple monitor set up (I'm running XP Home). Since you also point out it doesn't play well with Windowblinds I not to sure I would want to try it.

I am going to go back and visit the forums there to see if I can get a little smarter about mulitple monitors.

Thanks for the reply.  

Philly0381
Reply #15 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:07 PM
I appreciate the replies from everyone, gave me a few things to look at. I'm still a bit away from making a decision though.  

What do you think about the USB devices as an option? There has to be a down side to using one of them.   


Lantec
Reply #16 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 1:29 PM
Did you check out the USB devices?


The only ones I ever looked at (several months back) had limits on resolution and color depth. With only a 256mb card (wow, when did 256mb become "only"....) I think you'd have a bit of a performance hit

Excalpius
Reply #17 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 2:05 PM
Your main card (fastest, highest on board memory) would be AGP and have two monitor outs, connected to two monitors. You'd add a PCI card (preferably the same brand and similar chipset rev to the other card) to cover the third monitor. Windows XP will handle enabling the rest. Software that comes with the video card drivers will give you more control over how you use them together. It's really not that hard, so give it a shot.

Philly0381
Reply #18 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 2:47 PM
Excalpius - Now that's information that get's me a little excited! The card that I have in the system now is AGP with two VGA outputs. They make a similar card for PCI. From what you're saying I don't have to go into the BIOS that Windows XP takes care of that. Did I understand you correctly?   

If that is the case the price of the PCI card is a little less than the USB device, and I get the comfort of compatibility.   

Are you running this on a system? Did you experience any problems?   

I appreciate your reply, thank you.   

Philly0381
Reply #19 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:56 PM
I did a little more searching on the web after Excalpius reply and have decided to free up one of the PCI slots by taking out my Win TV card. If I really miss it I'll replace it with a USB version.

Circuit City and Tiger Direct have a PCI version of the AGP graphics card that I now have installed for under $70(US), which is what I paid for the AGP card. That will allow me to go up to four monitors or more if I use splitter cables. YIPEE!!!!

Maybe I should hold off the celebrations until I get the card and have it working. One slight drawback, the card in only available online from Circuit City. So regardless from where I order it will take atleast 7 days to get it. Isn't that how it always is.

Now what could be my next project......security cameras so I watch the grass grow on one of my many monitors! Maybe I need to worry about my power supply, what do you think?   




cplair
Reply #20 Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:18 AM
My eyeballs would look something like this with three monitors!

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