i bought a new dell pc a few months ago..have yet to even turn it on...took me 2.5 months to even unpack it :doh:

a friend gave me her 17" monitor when shen upgraded to a 21" lcd.

i want to do a dual-monitor setup so i can have email or burning program open on 1 monitor & HAN whoring on the other. it is using the video built-on the mobo. do i just need to add a video card & use both or do i have to buy one of those matrox dual-head video cards?

Matrox G450 for $88.00

 

Matrox!!!! two monitors in one card. Quickest and easiest and best way to do it.

 

my ati 9600 pro (many cirrent card also) have a vga and a dvi port

i used a converter so i have two crts for my display...if you're using a built in(mobo) video card then it'll prolly have one output....so yeah, you need to buy a card

you can get a a cheaper ati card like the 9000 or 8500
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...1&Order=priceD
and get a converter and you'll be set

but 2d quality on the matrox's are better

 

but what i'm asking is can i use the mobo video + a cheap ass video card or will putting a video card in it disable the mobo video necessitating the dual-head? since it'll only be doing low res text, not video games or such & be alot cheaper than doing the dual-head video card.

 

That's a specific feature of the mobo chipset/BIOS.

You'd have to check with them to see if it's possible. Some it is, some it is not.

 

fukit....i'll just get that cheap matrox

 

Where did you get your convertor swoman?

 

My Radeon 9800 Pro has a normal monitor output and a dvi (it CAME WITH the vga converter) so it will support dual monitors. And it's also fast as hell.

 

compusa,25 dollars or something

can be had for much cheaper online but i wanted it now

 

ask rick. or was it rich:thinking:?? one of them has duallys