Dual Monitors

[Oldmerlin]

So we have all seen Swordfish and their cool set up, but I have also seen many nice offices with dual monitors. So my question is what do I need to have that. Is it as simply as buying an adapter or do I need any special software or video card?

 

[sprtnbsblplya]

Any video card made in the last few years has dual monitor out.
Just build a basic desktop and toss it in, and buy 2 nice LCDs, bam, you're set.
I have dual monitors on my laptop, I have an external LCD connected to my laptop, and am running both at the same time, simple.

It would be helpful if you mention your tech specs for us.

 

[Greg]

If you have a dual head video card then the only adapter you might need would be for connecting a monitor with a VGA input to the DVI port.

You could also use two separate video cards to accomplish the same thing, but this could get more complicated. I've never tried this under Windows, has anyone else here? I assume it would still be pretty straightforward.

 

[sprtnbsblplya]

You could also use two separate video cards to accomplish the same thing, but this could get more complicated. I've never tried this under Windows, has anyone else here? I assume it would still be pretty straightforward.

Its done all the time, mostly in uber gaming rigs like the ones you find here, or in graphics workstations with $1000 Quadro cards in the PCIe slot, and a PCI basic Geforce 6200 or some crap to run a smaller monitor that will never be used for 3D rendering. This is probably above the skill level or need level of the OP, since he asked that question in the first place.

 

[Trotter]

Matrox's DualHead2Go will allow you to add another monitor if you only have one video output, but it is cheaper to buy a low end, dual output graphics card.

Here's a link to DualHead2Go:
Matrox Graphics - GXM - Products

 

[Oldmerlin]

Thanks guys I have been saving up to buy a new computer as apparently many others on here are doing also and just wanted to make sure I had the ins and outs of it before I purchased my video card and an extra monitor.

 

[Harper]

So we have all seen Swordfish and their cool set up, but I have also seen many nice offices with dual monitors. So my question is what do I need to have that. Is it as simply as buying an adapter or do I need any special software or video card?

Firstly, what they has on Swordfish was complete BS.
Secondly, most video cards these days have dual output.

The PCI Janton GeForce Cards will also allow you to add addtional displays too. But I am not sure what that is going to do for your system.