PCI video card for multiple monitor setup

[Guest]

hii have two monitors at home, and i want to connect both of them up, however i currently have a Geforce 2 64meg MX400 card, i know i need another card, however does this extra video card have to be as fast as the current card i got?or can i get a cheap PCI 2 meg card and be able to watch FS2002 from say wing view with out any problems on my second monitor?thx!

[Guest Aidi]

If you shift a wing view from Fs2002 to a second monitor, even if its a high end PCI card, FS2002 will almost come to a stand still. It is having to process bow the views at the same time. What most people use the second monitor option for is things like FsNav, gps, radio stack etc. Those sort of things will run quite happily on a 4mb card (as thats one that i use) dont know how it will go on a 2mb. Hope this clears a few things uphttp://www.avsim.com/vfr_center/avsim_sig.jpg

[Guest]

thanks for your reply,ok so if i set up dual monitors will i be able to say play FS2002 on one monitor and say surf the net on the other monitor? is this possible?thx

[Guest SD Sim]

Hi Clayton,Yes you can run other applications on the second monitor, such as internet explorer. BUT, depending on how much of your available CPU/memory resources that application uses, you may again see MSFS slow down to a slide show. As already stated, the greatest utility for the second monitor is for navigational aids.

[JLedford 0]

You do not need another card in order to establish a second monitor. Your card is capable as is of supporting two monitors...you'll simply need a splitter to split the one out to two monitors. Take a look at the documentation that came with your card.A second monitor will allow you to undock windows from FS and simply drag them over to the second monitor. You can also run other apps on the second monitor...have two browsers opened...the options are infinite! Go for it, you wont regret it, and you'll never understand how you lived without it!If you go the single card route, this may tax its resources and slow things down...it wont cost much dollar wise to test it...if it proves too much on the card, get another one (PCI). Best of luck, and if you have additional questions, do a search...many have had this same question. I'm certain that you'll get lots of ideas from a search. If you have any other questions...let us know!Regards, and good luck,Jay

[Guest]

ok so i dont need another card?so whats the right name for this splitter? and will it affect frame rates?do you think i will be better performance wise to get a another pci card still?

[JLedford 0]

If you use the one card to power both monitors it may tax the card and you may end up with poor frame rates. I've never attempted this so cannot speak first hand. Yet it may work just fine. So, before you spend lots of $$ on another card needlessly...take a look and see what kind of outputs you have in your MX card, read the doco that came with it, then see what cables are required to hook up the second monitor and run a test...it may only cost you $10-15 bucks to find out. This may prove to be all you need. If it doesn't work, go buy a low end PCI card for your second monitor.Jay

[Guest]

Here two pics with a multi-monitor setup.System specs: P4-2.0Ghz; AGP videocard Geforce3-Ti-500; PCI videocard TNT2-32MB.Pics were taken using Hypersnap, without editing.Left side of each pic: 17 inch TFT monitorRight side of each pic: 19 inch monitorCommon fps: 18-20 RegardsJohan

[Guest]

that looks sweet,i think i will buy a cheap pci card 32 meg and have a go, will report the results soon