Adding a second video card?

[SnakeAes]

The video card in my work PC currently supports up to two monitors. It's great, but because I'm always running reports and doing sales analysis and stuff I do feel like I need a third monitor.

I've never built or even really taken apart a PC before so I don't know what to expect going in. I have some pretty basic knowledge of computer specs, but as far as hardware goes I'm clueless.

How easy would it be to just add a second video card (even one that only supports one display) so that I could add a screen? Do I just open it up, slot it into a PCIe and go, or is there more setup involved than that?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[carnageX]

What is the brand/model of your computer?

 

[SnakeAes]

Board: Dell Inc. 0TP412
Serial Number: ..CN7082189AB0FK.
Bus Clock: 800 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Inc. A08 08/14/2008

Is this the information you're looking for?

 

[pyromania]

well from what i heard is that you need a video card same brand as yours you got in your pc like radeon or other gpu makers (i am absolutely not sure about this) i think you need to set up cross fire to so that the graphics cards can work together with a cross fire bridge (mainly on like 3D games) and you just add another monitor and good to go. please don't take my word for it because im somewhat a tech newb (i wait that what rank i am xD)

 

[iFargle]

Doesn't support a second card. You might be able to use one of these though... I know my high school used them.

Tripp Lite 1 ft VGA splitter 2 x 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) - female - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) - male - PC

 

[carnageX]

Doesn't support a second card. You might be able to use one of these though... I know my high school used them.

Tripp Lite 1 ft VGA splitter 2 x 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) - female - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) - male - PC

That will just duplicate his existing signal and not gain him anywhere.

Board: Dell Inc. 0TP412
Serial Number: ..CN7082189AB0FK.
Bus Clock: 800 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Inc. A08 08/14/2008

Is this the information you're looking for?

Post the model of your actual computer, too. That way we can see if you have support for a second PCI-E card, or if just a regular PCI video card will work.

 

[patonb]

Get one of theses UV Plus from Evga EVGA | Products | Product List

Plug into your usb and youre golden.

 

[iFargle]

@CarnageX really? Well my school used something similar... It was able to split it to two different outputs, one for the main monitor and another for the projector.. It's been so long since I've seen it though.

 

[carnageX]

Well yeah, but it's going to duplicate the screen, not give separate usable desktops. He wants to have additional workspace for different things, not just duplicate his existing screen.

 

[iFargle]

Oh no, it split it to two outputs.. I always remember having to drag windows over to the other screen... I'll look more into this..