Video cards and monitors help please...

[Kimchoc]

I've been building this computer since last November...eheh,AMD 3400, 512 Corsair ram, 2 Raptors in Raid 0. Now I'm considering video options and would appreciate advice and opinions.My budget at the moment is 150.00. I am looking at the 6600GT and the 6800. Both cards are available in the price range.1st Question> Which one?2nd question> I plan to use at least 2 monitors as I am now. 1 for guages and Flightkeeper type displays, the other for the main view. I think either of those two cards will do nicely in this application.But I am also building a Simpit and it cries out for 3 monitors. What is you guys opinions of adding an inexpensive PCI card for a 3rd monitor? I'd like to have the 3 view setup as looking out a bit of each side past the main view. Will this require a second computer with Wideview to achieve the 3rd view?Orrrrr...... should I save the 150.00 and put it towards one of those special cards that will display 3 views. cant remember the name at the moment.What would be the best way to spend 150.00 on video? Thanks....Elvis

[Kimchoc]

wow, no comments here. AmazingElvis

[Guest Xmech]

OK, since you REALLY want a comment, I'll give you one. I'm not a computer wiz(the reason I usually don't comment on these issues), but I'll tell you what I'm running.I have a Radeon All-in-wonder 9600 8x AGP, and a Radeon 7000 PCI. In tests getting ready for my sim, which is finally taking physical form in the garage, I have successfully run the outside view from the 9600, and a C172 panel I made with FS Panel Studio on 2 other monitors from the 7000 card. I did have to buy a DVI to VGA adapter to run the 2 monitors from the 7000, as it has 1 video, one VGA, and one DVI output. (I think it's called DVI. I guess it's for some LCDs. I thought they used VGA, but like I said, I'm no computer wiz.) Anyways, the 2 screen panel has pretty much all the default C172 gauges, and the GPS always displayed, and I drag the ATC window over the GPS as well. It's actually one main panel and one pop-up panel each displayed on their own monitor, and each made to fill the entire screen. I saw little to no frame rate loss on my first flight using this setup, and I'm pleased with the results.As for pricing, I'm not sure if the 2 cards will run over $150 together, but I would guess it's pretty close by now, as the prices keep dropping like they do.I'm happy with this setup. You could run 2 monitors from the 9600 if you only intend to have one monitor for instruments, but I'm going to run a 27" TV (with a 40" wide fresnel lense) from it, and it can't run extra monitors while outputting to a TV, or so the instructions say.Hope that helps. Good luck with your project!

[tigert]

>But I am also building a Simpit and it cries out for 3>monitors. What is you guys opinions of adding an inexpensive>PCI card for a 3rd monitor? I'd like to have the 3 view setup>as looking out a bit of each side past the main view. Will>this require a second computer with Wideview to achieve the>3rd view?For N outside views you need N computers and wideview. Or a Matrox Parhelia that stretches one view accross 3 monitors. But Parhelia is starting to show its age and is pretty slow.//T