Is there any way I can leave both of my monitors hooked up (video card has 2 DVI outputs) while also somehow connecting my tv to the computer? I have a radeon 4670.

The goal here is to NOT have to switch cables. Thanks

2/4/2011 10:52:04 AM

Monoprice has some nonpowered HDMI switchers that could make this work. I'm not sure if you can reverse them like that, but it's worth a try. A 2 way switcher and a pair of DVI-HDMI cables could make it work (if the switcher handles it).

Otherwise you'll need a matrix switcher or a scaler/switcher to make it happen.

Crap I misread what you needed - you'll be much better served to run it vga because their duplication hardware is 1/10th the cost of DVI stuff.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10104&cs_id=1010401&p_id=4903&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10416&cs_id=1041602&p_id=1191&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&cs_id=1041903&p_id=2396&seq=1&format=2

three of these
http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?keyword=vga%20cable

[Edited on February 4, 2011 at 11:25 AM. Reason : fixed]

2/4/2011 11:10:13 AM

I have a three monitor set up with my computer on Nvidia geforce GT240, which has one VGA, one DVI, and one HDMI port. Most videocards will not let you run 3 monitors simultaneously even if you have a 3 physical ports. I have two monitors hooked up to the DVI and VGA, and my tv is hooked up to HDMI. I run Ultramon to switch between monitor profiles ("single monitor" for just using my computer, "dual monitor" for photo-video editing, and "TV only" for when I use is as a HTPC). This setup works great, i have assigned the custom buttons on my keyboad that activate each of the profile.

Since you have only two ouputs, you will most likely have to split one of the signals, This will only work well if your monitor and your tv have the same native resolution (there is an abundance of cheap 1980x1020 monitors out there these days if your TV is full HD). Of course if you split a DVI out, you will have to run a separate audio cable to your tv.

Since your radeon is not a very high-end card, I suggest that you swap it for a graphics card with a third (preferably HDMI) and recoup some money back by selling your current one. This will let you use all three without using cable splitter, and use a custom resolution for each one. If you hook your tv via HDMI, you will eliminate the need for the separate audio cable.


[Edited on February 4, 2011 at 11:36 AM. Reason : .]

2/4/2011 11:31:30 AM

http://www.evga.com/uvplus/

2/4/2011 11:38:46 AM

Didn't want to create a new thread for this.

It seems over the past month or so my video card fan is running a lot more than it used to. I don't game, just general browsing and my card is idling at 50c. I thought maybe it was a little on the dusty side in there but blowing it out didn't help. I did switch from dual 19"s to a single 24" in the past few months. Windows update pushed a new driver down and it almost seems as though this was when the issues started...however I just got the latest from NVIDIA and that didn't seem to fix it.

This is an old Quadro FX 3500 card work gave me years ago so I suppose it's just wearing out somehow. But 50c idling seems a bit warm, no? Room temp is about 75F at the moment. Airflow through the case probably isn't great, but it never has been.

3/13/2011 4:37:52 PM

^ 50C is practically icy for a GPU.

3/13/2011 4:45:41 PM

.

[Edited on March 13, 2011 at 4:50 PM. Reason : .]

3/13/2011 4:49:56 PM

If it bothers you put a Fan on it. They make fans that plug into the expansion slot. I should a few lying around here.

3/13/2011 7:58:23 PM

Didn't want to start a new thread.

I have a dual monitor set-up. One monitor is also a TV, so it gets used for xbox/tv/whatever, and is not always turned to the PC screen. When new firefox windows are opened they default to the TV monitor, even though the other one is set-up in windows as the primary screen. Is there a way to make my main PC monitor the default for new browser windows?

Thanks TWW.

3/15/2011 12:47:34 PM

open up display manager and "disable this display"

Open windows should pop back to your default.

3/15/2011 1:08:53 PM

Thanks that worked.

I disabled the 2nd monitor, opened a new window, re-enabled the 2nd monitor, then tried it again and it still goes to the correct monitor.

3/15/2011 1:19:49 PM