Adding additional display. HELP!!!

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Birdman

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I've got a a Sony 24 incher monitor coming. I'm currently using a 19" Sony G420 on my Quicksilver G4, 733 mhz, plugged into the VGA port. I'm clueless on how to add the 24" and keeping the 19" on the system as well?

I know this might (or probably?) involve changing out/or adding (?) the graphic card or is it a video card, right? My machine has the stock NVDA,NVMac GeForce2 MX.

Apple's site left me severely wanting on how to accomplish this in my present state.:(

I need someone to "hold my hand" on what I'll need to do and obtain to pull this off. Thank you for your insight!!!

Birdman
 
Wouldn't that only allow for mirroring the desktop, not making it a dual display?

I got myself a second graphics card (PCI version, the factory one in your machine is AGP, and you only have 1 AGP slot). This gives me dual display desktop. Niiccceee!:D (all the preferences for this come up automatically when you open the Display system preferences.)
 
Originally posted by uoba
Wouldn't that only allow for mirroring the desktop, not making it a dual display?

I got myself a second graphics card (PCI version, the factory one in your machine is AGP, and you only have 1 AGP slot). This gives me dual display desktop. Niiccceee!:D (all the preferences for this come up automatically when you open the Display system preferences.)
Click to expand...

No, you can drive two desktops from one video card. So spanning should be no problem.
 
First thanks to those here who helped me. But I reached a financial/semi technical "brick wall".

It came down to this in my home work-- The new GeFore4 Ti card (being an illustrator - graphics guy I was willing to buy the "latest and greatest") comes w/ a DVI connection (why???? Where is the friggin' VGA?) and an ADC port, but the card thankfully comes w/ a converter for the DVI port to a VGA...

So, that leaves me w/ an ACD port staring me in the face. My monitors are a flat screen 19" Sony and a soon arriving GDM-FW900 24" Sony, both w/ VGA's. The Apple store concludes w/ my problem and tells me to go to Gefen web site to get a VGA to ADC converter ("the only one out there", they said) .....slam.... head on into the "brick wall". The converter is $399! I intellectually can not handle paying that, equal amount to the card, for some box that should cost $25 at Radio Shack, but won't because of the supply/demand factor.

My 24" CRT Sony kicks the Cinema Apple LCD display's butt all over the place and for a $1000 less. Yet because Apple wants to sell me a monitor w/ it's ADC port on the card, I'm screwed by Apple *(and Nvidia)...for now.

You experienced folks, what's the chances that the new cards will come out w/ VGA, VGA ports (or at least one VGA port for Pete's sakes!) or the converter to come down to the appropriate $30 range, any time, SOON?

I'm not desperate for a dual head set up, but I thought I could gain some real ground w/ a new video card, and have great desktop space to boot w/ the additional monitor. Not w/ that ridiculous converter price.

So I'll have to stick w/ my 2X card for now....

...unless you know something I don't (highly likely) ;0)

Thanks,Tim

Quicksilver G4, 733 mhz
 
Okay Phat, let's see where my "wires are crossed":

The APG slot upgrade card comes w/a DVI port and an ADC port. The card also comes w/ an adapter to convert the DVI to a VGA, check?...

That lets me plug in one of my Sony's to the converted port (VGA), then now one port left and it is a ADC, check?...

That means I still have to somehow plug it into the other VGA Sony. Doesn't that mean a VGA to ADC, which is $399, check?

Where am I wrong here?. Thanks!!

Birdman
 
Originally posted by Birdman
Okay Phat, let's see where my "wires are crossed":

The APG slot upgrade card comes w/a DVI port and an ADC port. The card also comes w/ an adapter to convert the DVI to a VGA, check?...

That lets me plug in one of my Sony's to the converted port (VGA), then now one port left and it is a ADC, check?...

That means I still have to somehow plug it into the other VGA Sony. Doesn't that mean a VGA to ADC, which is $399, check?

Where am I wrong here?. Thanks!!

Birdman
Click to expand...

Let's see... The AGP card has 1 x DVI port and 1 x ADC port. The card also comes with one DVI-to-VGA connector. Both Sony monitors have VGA adaptors. So you would connect one of the Sony monitors to the DVI port using the DVI-to-VGA cord. So that leaves you with one VGA monitor and one ADC port. You can get a AGP-to-DVI connector at the Apple Store, and you can also get a DVI-to-VGA cord at the Apple store. So you can connect the second Sony monitor to the ADC port by using the ADC-to-DVI connector connected to the DVI-to-VGA connector.

Go to store.apple.com and click on "display" on the right and you'll see both connectors.
 
Hi Phat,

That's what I thought you might be proposing. A convoluted work around but one none the less, eh? ;) Will that have any performance effects, w/ all the connections?

Btw, since I rather not pay sale tax, I've had to swear off the apple store. I hope these connecters are available elsewhere.

Thanks Phat, much appreciated.

Birdman
 
There shouldn't be any performance degradations, just a lot of cables! :)

You might be able to find those cables elsewhere.

Good luck!
 
Screw all those cables. I've been redirected....

Ha! See how wet behind the ears I am about this "video card" stuff? Cheaper (yet still GOOD) card, that can go VGA,VGA w/ one single enclosed adapter, out of the box....SOLD.

Just ordered the ATI Radeon 8500, -- Thanks folks!!!

43 monitor inches of desktop is a reality, soon, I hope.

Birdman
 
is it possible to do this on an LCD iMac? not video-mirroring but having one desktops on both monitors.
 
Originally posted by xaqintosh
is it possible to do this on an LCD iMac? not video-mirroring but having one desktops on both monitors.
Click to expand...

I'd like to know this as well. A friend of mine is thinking of buying one of the new FW 800 iMacs but he wants to know if they support display spanning, not just mirroring. Does anyone know?
 
Originally posted by g3joel
I'd like to know this as well. A friend of mine is thinking of buying one of the new FW 800 iMacs but he wants to know if they support display spanning, not just mirroring. Does anyone know?
Click to expand...

Nope, only mirroring. Might be possible to run dual desktops with some firmware hacks, but I haven't read about anyone doing that yet.
 
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