Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video..

Can't answer the question without knowing WHICH Dell computers. Depends on
what card slots they have. Let us know more. You cannot run two monitors
off a single port in the existing machines, but a cheap card will work.

Tom
"Z Man" <z1z.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:rnK1g.454$kR4.194@trndny06...
>I have three or four Dell systems I need to convert from single monitor to
>dual monitors. These are standard businesses systems running Excel and Word
>in an financial office environment, so we don't need a high performance
>solution. All the systems currently are running 17" CRT monitors, and I
>plan on purchasing 19" LCD monitors, which I can get in the mid-$200's.
>
> Management is very sensitive to computer expenditures. What is my least
> expense method of enabling dual LCD monitors? Should I replace the onboard
> video with a video card that supports two monitors? Should I add a second
> video card? Or, is there an adapter that will let me use two monitors with
> my current video card? I expect to purchase LCD monitors should have both
> analog and DVI inputs. Thanks for any advise or thoughts on this issue.
>
 >> Stay informed about: Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video.. 

ok for what you want/need its easy to answer.

disable the built in videa card and go with pci or agp matrox card like the
G450 or any of the other matrox cards with 2 or 4 display suport.

you cant use the built in video and a agp card at same time so to make it
easy on your self and avoid problems just disable it.

like you said you dont need a high end card just something to use for office
app's so pick a card like a G450 with 32meg or more ram, they will have the
best looking 2d display.

"Z Man" <z1z.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:rnK1g.454$kR4.194@trndny06...
>I have three or four Dell systems I need to convert from single monitor to
>dual monitors. These are standard businesses systems running Excel and Word
>in an financial office environment, so we don't need a high performance
>solution. All the systems currently are running 17" CRT monitors, and I
>plan on purchasing 19" LCD monitors, which I can get in the mid-$200's.
>
> Management is very sensitive to computer expenditures. What is my least
> expense method of enabling dual LCD monitors? Should I replace the onboard
> video with a video card that supports two monitors? Should I add a second
> video card? Or, is there an adapter that will let me use two monitors with
> my current video card? I expect to purchase LCD monitors should have both
> analog and DVI inputs. Thanks for any advise or thoughts on this issue.
>
 >> Stay informed about: Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video.. 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video.. 

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:45:38 -0400, "Mangyrat" <rat.RemoveThis@mangyrat.com>
wrote:

>ok for what you want/need its easy to answer.
>
>disable the built in videa card and go with pci or agp matrox card like the
>G450 or any of the other matrox cards with 2 or 4 display suport.
>
>you cant use the built in video and a agp card at same time so to make it
>easy on your self and avoid problems just disable it.
>
>like you said you dont need a high end card just something to use for office
>app's so pick a card like a G450 with 32meg or more ram, they will have the
>best looking 2d display.
>
I'll second that.
I use two systems with dual monitors, and I tried a number of dualhead
cards - but nothing beats the Matrox for simplicity and reliability in
the office.

I'd consider the 450 to be the bottom line - I've had problem with the
400 under XP.
It's also a passively cooled card, so there's no extra fan noise to
consider.

I doubt you'll need anything more for 2d work.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk
 >> Stay informed about: Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video.. 

"Stephen Howard" <seesigfor.RemoveThis@email.uk> wrote in message
news:m17h42tiem6g9n6nrh0c50safa9haaa550@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:45:38 -0400, "Mangyrat" <rat.RemoveThis@mangyrat.com>
> wrote:
>
>>ok for what you want/need its easy to answer.
>>
>>disable the built in videa card and go with pci or agp matrox card like
>>the
>>G450 or any of the other matrox cards with 2 or 4 display suport.
>>
>>you cant use the built in video and a agp card at same time so to make it
>>easy on your self and avoid problems just disable it.
>>
>>like you said you dont need a high end card just something to use for
>>office
>>app's so pick a card like a G450 with 32meg or more ram, they will have
>>the
>>best looking 2d display.
>>
> I'll second that.
> I use two systems with dual monitors, and I tried a number of dualhead
> cards - but nothing beats the Matrox for simplicity and reliability in
> the office.
>
> I'd consider the 450 to be the bottom line - I've had problem with the
> 400 under XP.
> It's also a passively cooled card, so there's no extra fan noise to
> consider.
>
> I doubt you'll need anything more for 2d work.


I'm sure the G450 is suitable for my purposes, and I checked on Ebay and
found that it is inexpensive. It is also available in both PCI and AGP
versions. My Dell systems probably don't have AGP. However, the Matrox cards
seem to have just VGA, and not DVI. Would I be better of getting a card with
VGA and DVI, or perhaps dual DVI?
 >> Stay informed about: Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video.. 

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 12:21:54 GMT, "Z Man" <z1z.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>"Stephen Howard" <seesigfor.RemoveThis@email.uk> wrote in message
>news:m17h42tiem6g9n6nrh0c50safa9haaa550@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:45:38 -0400, "Mangyrat" <rat.RemoveThis@mangyrat.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>ok for what you want/need its easy to answer.
>>>
>>>disable the built in videa card and go with pci or agp matrox card like
>>>the
>>>G450 or any of the other matrox cards with 2 or 4 display suport.
>>>
>>>you cant use the built in video and a agp card at same time so to make it
>>>easy on your self and avoid problems just disable it.
>>>
>>>like you said you dont need a high end card just something to use for
>>>office
>>>app's so pick a card like a G450 with 32meg or more ram, they will have
>>>the
>>>best looking 2d display.
>>>
>> I'll second that.
>> I use two systems with dual monitors, and I tried a number of dualhead
>> cards - but nothing beats the Matrox for simplicity and reliability in
>> the office.
>>
>> I'd consider the 450 to be the bottom line - I've had problem with the
>> 400 under XP.
>> It's also a passively cooled card, so there's no extra fan noise to
>> consider.
>>
>> I doubt you'll need anything more for 2d work.
>
>
>I'm sure the G450 is suitable for my purposes, and I checked on Ebay and
>found that it is inexpensive. It is also available in both PCI and AGP
>versions. My Dell systems probably don't have AGP. However, the Matrox cards
>seem to have just VGA, and not DVI. Would I be better of getting a card with
>VGA and DVI, or perhaps dual DVI?
>

DVI outputs might be the best bet - more likely to remain compatible
in the long term, and you can buy adapters that convert a DVI out into
a VGA out ( I don't know that you can convert a VGA out to a DVI ).
That said, plenty of monitors still come with a vga input as well as a
DVI - and as you mentioned the monitors you were thinking of buying
have dual inputs you could save a few bob in the short-term by
sticking with VGA.

I think later versions of the G550 have DVI outputs - if you check out
the Matrox site there's a useful comparison chart that lists each
card's features.

I should point out that, for best results, it's as well to use
monitors that run at the same ( or very close ) screen resolutions.
The Matrox card allows scaling ( where two monitors use different
screen resolutions ) or zooming ( where the mouse cursor controls what
part of the cloned screen you see ), but in practice I find this to be
a less than satisfactory arrangement.

Regards,




--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk
 >> Stay informed about: Dual monitor: converting from single monitor - which video..