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Video Card for Dual Monitor Support


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I'm working on putting together a computer that should run OSX86, so far I've got the Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L and Dual Core Pentium Processor, along with 2GB of Crucial Ballistix RAM on the way.

 

What I'm getting stuck on is a video card that will run my dual 22" widescreen monitors at 1680x1050 resolution. Preferably with dual DVI support.

 

If there are no good dual DVI video cards, I'd be willing to do DVI & VGA outputs. It's what I have now on my windows PC. I can tell the difference between the two monitors, but barely.

 

Further down the list of preference - I'd be willing to run a PCI express card to run one monitor, and a PCI card outputting to the other (if such a thing is possible).

 

I searched around, but I couldn't find anyone trying to run my particular display setup. I'd like to stay in around the $100 area, but if there's a proven solution I'd be willing to spend a little more.

 

This is the last hangup before I can comfortably install Leopard. I'd appreciate any input you can give me.

 

Thanks

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Cool, at least I know that dual DVI output is possible with an 8x00 series nvidia card.

 

I'm curious as to how the 8600gt would perform. A lot of them have dual DVI outputs, and it's right around my price point.

 

Is anyone else running dual monitors successfully under leopard?

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OK, now we're getting closer to my budget ;)

 

Is there any real difference (in dual DVI performance) between the gts with 512mb and the 256mb version? Or perhaps the 8600gt.

 

Or maybe I'm just being entirely too tight with my wallet and I should just bite the bullet on the gts...

 

The difference is ~ $40-$50, and I really won't be needing that much performance. Just trying to find the minimum price I can get the outputs and resolution I need.

 

Thanks for your replies!

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i have an 8600gt (a gigabyte) 2x dvi waiting to go into a new system. i can update when i get everything put together...

Please do, the 8600gt is one of the models I was looking at buying. If it works with my system, that would be great.

 

evga7950 512MB (nvject) works great dual with leo.

Now we're getting to the 7 series which I have been keeping an eye on eBay for. This has me curious as to whether I can get a lower end card - I'm thinking a 7600gt 256mb - that will output dual dvi at my resolution. I'll have to check out nvject and see if anyone has tried a similar setup.

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On my 7600GT 256MB, which was $75, I have one 20" DVI widescreen monitor, and one 17" DVI -> VGA CRT monitor.

 

It works great, out of box with brazilmac (so just natit).

 

system profiler:

 

GeForce 7600 GT:

 Chipset Model:	GeForce 7600 GT
 Type:	Display
 Bus:	PCIe
 PCIe Lane Width:	x16
 VRAM (Total):	256 MB
 Vendor:	NVIDIA (0x10de)
 Device ID:	0x0391
 Revision ID:	0x00a1
 Displays:
AL2016W:
 Resolution:	1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz
 Depth:	32-bit Color
 Core Image:	Hardware Accelerated
 Main Display:	Yes
 Mirror:	Off
 Online:	Yes
 Quartz Extreme:	Supported
 Rotation:	Supported
DELL P793:
 Resolution:	1600 x 1200 @ 75 Hz
 Depth:	32-bit Color
 Core Image:	Hardware Accelerated
 Mirror:	Off
 Online:	Yes
 Quartz Extreme:	Supported
 Rotation:	Supported

 

Its very nice. :( I've never tried another DVI monitor, cause I don't have one. But it should definitely work.

post-122578-1203120252_thumb.jpg

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On my 7600GT 256MB, which was $75...

Ding Ding Ding!

 

I think we have a winner :D

 

Right price and works right out of the box. Now to see if they are still sold anywhere or if I need to start bidding on eBay.

 

Thanks for all of your replies, this is a really helpful forum.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just thought I'd bring this thread to a conclusion, should anyone come across it looking for the same information. I hate reading through a thread to find that it ends abruptly without any sort of conclusion.

 

I picked up a evga 7600gt on ebay for $52, and it works perfectly. Leopard recognized the 1680x1050 resolution on both monitors over DVI and everything is working great.

 

I'm still working out some things and migrate from windows XP, but as far as getting both monitors setup, this was easier than XP

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So far most people (including myself) can't get the 8600GT to work. I have run dual displays w/ all of the cards in my sig though. Go to newegg.com and you can get a good deal on a dual DVI 8600GTS. You can also find an 8800GT for about $170 now, which is significantly faster than a 8600 series.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am looking for a card with dual dvi support as well, so this is really useful.

 

Can folks also add if any of the cards mentioned support QE/CI while

connecting to dual monitors?

 

The evga 7600gt sounds promising. How bad is the fan noise?

 

Vic

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  • 2 months later...

I notice a few folks on here have mentioned they have the 8600GTS going with dual DVI?

 

Can anyone point a newb in the direction of some install guidance working from the Kalyway 10.5.2 install. So far my Hackintosh experience has been a positive one - only outsanding items are networking (which I think I have a fix for), and getting dual dvi and native resolution on my MSI NVidia 8600GTS.

 

The MSI 8600GTS is a great card and completely silent with the passive heatsink - highly recommended if you want a very quiet machine :D .

 

It sounds as if the support may already be in the Kalyway 10.5.2 distro via one of the nvject options?

 

Any info / links greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

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Just a follow up to my post above really in case anyone else is trying to use an MSI 8600GTS 256MB card with passive heatsink.

 

I redid the Kalyway 10.5.2 install with the nvinject for 256MB cards only selected, rebooted and it just works :lol: . I now have dual DVI with 2 Samsung Syncmaster 226BW's. Kudos to Kalyway and all the others who got this up and running. My Hackintosh seems to now be pretty much fully working (perhaps aside from ability to mount USB thumb drive)

 

This should tide me over hopefully until I can afford a Mac Pro in a year or so (only just built this machine 6 months ago as a linux box so can't afford to upgrade again for at least another 18 months).

 

Chris

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