Dual Monitor Setup Q's

[AadosX]

Ok I've wanted to do this for a while and used to know some about computers but have kinda dropped off the 'scene'. Basically my questions are

1) What is a good graphics card that is at least on-par with my current one as far as picture, processing, etc (GForce4 128mb or so... came stock with my Dell a little over two years ago), but is a good price etc. I don't need anything too fancy, the most complex thing I do on my PC is play CS Source.

2) Will I be able to set up the display so that I can be playing CS on one of the monitors and doing other things on the other (such as web surfing and AOL IM). I know that CS is kinda weird about alt+tabbing out of it, takes a little while to kick back in once I reopen the game after doing something... I'm assuming that's just the game itself... so I'm wondering if I'll be able to seemlessly switch back and forth between AIM and CS during game play without any lagging on my computer/software etc.

I'm pretty much a noob to computers so thanks for the help! BTW I've only even used a dual monitor computer once and barely messed around with it... I do know that when I maximized a window it would only maximize in the right screen, and the taskbar for Windows only filled the bottom of the left screen... with the system tray being at the end of the left screen (basically the entire right was blank until you opened a program.

Thanks! :cheers:

[WiggiE]

Eh, anything on the market now will be on par with your current graphics card. BTW, you are going to have to get a PCI card unless you are running some crazy mobo with a dual AGP setup or a PCI-X board. Another option would be to dump the current card, and go with a dual-headed AGP card.

Dual monitor setups are really only meant for 2D, which means you can run just about anything for a graphics card.

You can't do web browsing and such while you are playing CS. Games are setup to grab all the computer resources, which leaves you with the same dilemna as the ALT-Tab situation.

Depending on the utility you use for a dual headed setup, you can either have the taskbar in one or both windows. Basically, you setup one monitor as the main, and anything else you would like to see in the 2nd monitor, just drag over. Maximizing a window will only maximize in that monitor, not across both.

[AadosX]

Hrmm ok thanks. I didn't even know you could physically have two graphics cards... I thought they both had to be coming out of one. Well, if I can't run CS and other things at once then I guess I have no real use for it anyways... oh well. Thanks for the help.

BTW I'm using Philly's new monitor right now, its really wierd since it's not a flat screen CRT, maybe it will just take some getting used to. Also, I just played CS and it's really dark compared to my last monitor... the quality doesn't seem to be as good either, who knows maybe it's just me. If this makes sense, if you were moving and looking at a detailed wall or something, as you moved the lines would kinda 'go crazy'. Ok that sounds extreme and it wasn't that bad but I can't think of a word to describe it..... the lines would kind of get fuzzy as you move but be more static when standing still. I messed with the refresh rate of the monitor but really don't know what I'm doing there... so I put it back on 75 hz.

[Grider]

I just moved yesterday from two independent video cards (Geforce 440 mx & Radeon 9250...ick) to on duel head (actually trihead if you count the tv output) Geforce 6800 AGP. The nvidia drivers let you do a couple of different monitor spanning options. Also a duel head card will let you run 3d accelerated stuff on both monitors if you want IF THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS IT (rare); something my other setup had issues with. I would strongly recommend a card with duel outputs.

I loath ATI Drivers. I have never had good luck with them. Maybe something in the GeForce 6600GT line? <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Manufactory=&PropertyCodeValue=679%3A10550&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A9639&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&PropertyCodeValue=0&description=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&SubCategory=48&Submit=Property">Newegg 6600GT AGP cards</a>

Most of the 6800GT and the 7800 series cards are PCI-Express only.

[WiggiE]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150086

Good buy, but only lasts today until 5:30pm PST.

[phillyd]

Hrmm ok thanks. I didn't even know you could physically have two graphics cards... I thought they both had to be coming out of one. Well, if I can't run CS and other things at once then I guess I have no real use for it anyways... oh well. Thanks for the help.

BTW I'm using Philly's new monitor right now, its really wierd since it's not a flat screen CRT, maybe it will just take some getting used to. Also, I just played CS and it's really dark compared to my last monitor... the quality doesn't seem to be as good either, who knows maybe it's just me. If this makes sense, if you were moving and looking at a detailed wall or something, as you moved the lines would kinda 'go crazy'. Ok that sounds extreme and it wasn't that bad but I can't think of a word to describe it..... the lines would kind of get fuzzy as you move but be more static when standing still. I messed with the refresh rate of the monitor but really don't know what I'm doing there... so I put it back on 75 hz.


IT is VERY possible that the quality(sharpness) and color are not the best with that monitor...if you don't like it throw it away or give it away, don't fell obligated to keep it...I don't play CS but most 1st person shooter have a "brightness" option and you could prolly turn it up...just my .02. pez-out

[phillyd]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150086

Good buy, but only lasts today until 5:30pm PST.


I'll second that with a..."good buy!"

[AadosX]

IT is VERY possible that the quality(sharpness) and color are not the best with that monitor...if you don't like it throw it away or give it away, don't fell obligated to keep it...I don't play CS but most 1st person shooter have a "brightness" option and you could prolly turn it up...just my .02. pez-out

Hey man I'm still very grateful! don't get me wrong... It will be nice to have it around, I can use it to mess with my other frankenstien computers. And yeah I can turn up the brightness with CS but it was weird that with that monitor with its brightness all the way up, it was so dark... in windows too, where I don't have the option to turn up brightness. Either way, thanks again! :cripple:

[Obike]

You can have the brightness boosted by the video card... just go to the Control Panel -> Display -> Settings Tab -> Click Advanced. There should be options for full-screen game brightness and desktop brightness (at least ATI drivers do, I hate nVidia [despite my wearing their shirts, a free shirt is a free shirt]) somewhere in there. Also, make sure you have the latest drivers from your manufacturer.

And also let me add, I find it _VERY_ hard to believe a nVidia card is a "good" or "great" buy. I could go into a huge ol' speel about it, but I won't :D You'd be better off going with a ATI Radeon X800 Pro (AGP interface). There is a reason why nVidia's are cheap.

[Grider]

Adobe Gamma works well for boosting the brightness. If you have photoshop on your pc, you most likely have Adobe Gamma on there. I had to change the gamma on my old 19" CRT monitor.

ATI Drivers are the reason I do not like ATI. It might be preconceived from my days building computers and having ATI drivers crash brand fucking new Windows installs. The new drivers might be better, but I could care less. For 100 bucks more for an X800 AGP, it better give me a blowjob. The 6600 is perfectly fine video card.

The ATI cards are ok. The nVidia cards are ok. Feh it is like arguing about cars. Different strokes for different folks.

<a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814133125">Buy this one!</a>

[AadosX]

That's another thing... whenever I open CS Source to play a game it tells me to update my drivers but I tried once and I had some weird errors... I'll try again I guess.