True DVI+VGA not possible? Post your setup

[ricren]

Hi all,

 

For my new computer I was thinking about use a multimonitor setup with a combination of DVI and VGA.

DVI for a Dell 24" panel

VGA for a 19" Samsung

 

After reading many posts, I can not get confirmation of a true DVI+VGA setup.

 

For example, a couple a folks that wrote here about using DVI+VGA, were very kind when I contacted asking about details. They described their setup, but as far as I see they end up using just VGA really. How's that? They use the DVI connector but use a DVI to VGA adapter. Althought you can think you're using DVI, they are just using VGA, because a tipical DVI connector of the DVI-I variety have both: DVI pins AND also VGA pins. DVI-D conectors have only DVI signals and not VGA.

Most modern video boards have DVI-I conectors (DVI and VGA pins).

So when you connect a DVI to VGA adaptor there's no conversions done, you just connect to the VGA portion of the card.

 

So unless anybody tells me something different, the situation looks like:

 

If you have a card with DVI-I and VGA, you can get dual head with an adaptor. But make no mistake, you are using just VGA signals. That works ok, but in big displays, like the a 24" and up, you notice the difference if you use DVI. It simply looks better.

 

This is my setup:

 

Mother;Asrock Conroe 945-DVI. In bios: PCIe video selected.

CPU: 6300

2 gigs ram

Asus 7300GT silent

 

Soft:

 

Natit 01 or Natit 02 or NVinject

 

OS: Jas 10.4.8 clean (8.8.1 kernel)

or

OS: Jas 10.4.8 + Jas upgrade 10.4.9 (8.9.1 kernel)

or

OS: Uphup 10.4.9 1.4 rev 3

 

Results: natit 01, 02 and NVinject work apparently the same in my setup giving me this:

 

If I connect to the DVI only: Ok

If I connect to the VGA: only: Ok

true DVI+VGA: only the VGA works. DVI monitor remains black and undetected

DVI thru VGA adaptor+VGA: Dual head working, QE+CI, multiresolution, rotation.

 

Any comments?

 

Ric

 

PD: If you have true DVI+VGA working, please chime in and describe your setup.

 

Thanks!

[ninetto]

Ok, check my sig in the "big" rig: this may not be the most modern system around but it is rock solid and EVERYthing works including real DVI and VGA. So there you go.

 

i gots no complaints...

 

greetinz, ninetto

[ricren]

Hey ninetto,

good to hear that is working for you. Perhaps is very specific to certain cards. My Asus 7300 GT will not do it ,no matter what displays I hook up to it.

For the time being there"s a band aid solution: to add another similar card and run it pure DVI and let the original 7300 run two VGAs. That way I could get pure DVI+VGA+VGA. There's a guy that claims this setup works, so I'll give it a try.

 

Ric