New Video card recomendation

[wkulecz]

I'm getting a pair of Dell 20" LCD screens and am looking for a video card update along with the rest of my system next month.

Will the Matrox P750 or other card support two DVI monitors at 1600x1200 *and* do analog video out for editing?

I'll also likely be upgrading to MSP7 (from 6.52).

I'd prefer a single card, but am open to dual card recommendations.

--wally.

[lecter]

As far as I can see, you can't have dual DVI and composite/S-Video output because of the way the cables are organized. One of the DVI ports is split into either a couple of VGAs or one VGA and video out. Of course, you could just connect the LCDs to a regular VGA output, image quality should be fine and you will also be able to use the TV.

[KuroNeko]

I think it's cheaper to buy ATI 9200 or similar cards with DVI outputs (most will handle 1600x1200 on the DVI output).

One AGP and one PCI. You'll then have the 2xDVI plus Svideo that you require.

Neko

[Hulk]

Wally,

Matrox does have a triple head P750 but it appears it will only do 1280x1024 in the triple head mode. If you're going to get the 2001FP you'll need native 1600x1200.

It looks like the best option would be to go with a dual head P650 and possibly an additional DVI PCI video adapter.

I have a 2001FP and it's great. I would definitely go with DVI.

- Mark

[Dr Mordrid]

Originally posted by Hulk
Wally,

Matrox does have a triple head P750 but it appears it will only do 1280x1024 in the triple head mode. If you're going to get the 2001FP you'll need native 1600x1200.
>
>
- Mark

Mark;

Yes, for both the P-750 and Parhelia max rez in triplehead is 1280x1024 PER SCREEN...but across 3 of screens the total contiguous resolution is 3840x1024.

I use this mode every day and it's simply incredible to have a timeline that long. Just ask Elie

For DVI the max normal display mode for both is 1600x1200 but the Parhelia can do 1920 x 1200 with reduced blanking.

For VGA the max display mode for P-750 is 1920x1440 and for Parhelia 2048x1536.

This does NOT take into account the new Parhelia 256 MB PCI-X that can drive 9.2 megapixel panel displays at up to 3840 x 2400;

http://www.matrox.com/mga/workstation/video/news/press_rel/2004/parhelia_pci.cfm

The 256 MB even has a Y-C/composite video input as well as the usual outputs.

Dr. Mordrid

[wkulecz]

Thanks for the info!

I'll see how 1600x1200 looks with my G450 analog inputs and then decide.

If analog inputs look good enough sounds like the G750 will be what I need.

Not sure I'm willing to jump into PCI-X, although if dual 1600x1200 looks ggod with my G450 I might wait a bit longer to upgrade and see how the PCI-X dust settles.

--wally.

[Dr Mordrid]

Fair warning: lots of upcoming video products will do things that will pretty much require PCI-X systems & graphics cards.

Dr. Mordrid

[Hulk]

Doc,

Interesting you mention PCI-X. I'm just now getting a new P4 based system with the 925X motherboard using DDR2. I'm going to try and get NCQ working as well.

Of course I'll do some benchmarking and report the results back to everyone here ASAP.

Although my 3.06 isn't "slow" by any means, when the upgrade bug hits me I can't shake it. Even my wife realizes it now. When I start talking about upgrading she says, "go for it!" because she know I just end up agonizing longer rather than just buying and getting it over with.

- Mark

[Belwarrior]

when the upgrade bug hits me I can't shake it. Even my wife realizes it now. When I start talking about upgrading she says, "go for it!" because she know I just end up agonizing longer rather than just buying and getting it over with.

- Mark [/B]

i hope my wife (if i ever get around to getting married) will be as understanding as your missus

[shanebrooks]

Originally posted by Dr Mordrid
Fair warning: lots of upcoming video products will do things that will pretty much require PCI-X systems & graphics cards.

Dr. Mordrid

Do you mean PCI-Express? PCI-X is a different animal.

[Dr Mordrid]

It's PCI-X;

http://www.matrox.com/mga/workstation/video/news/press_rel/2004/parhelia_pci.cfm

Many, if not most, board makers are looking at using a PCI-X to PCI-Express bridge. This would make both slots available while using the faster PCI-Express underpinnings;



For those interested here are the differences;

PCI-X supports 66MHz, 133MHz, 266MHz, and 533MHz clock speeds and is 64-bits wide. PCI-X 66MHz, 133MHz, 266MHz and 533MHz clock speeds provide the following throughput respectively: 4Gbit/sec, 8Gbit/sec, 17Gbit/sec, 34Gbit/sec. PCI-X cards are backward compatible to the "old regular" PCI-based systems. PCI-X supports only 3.3 volt signaling. Due to this, PCI-X adapter cards are only backward compatible with previous generation 3.3V PCI systems.

PCI Express is a serial interconnect, point-to-point link, not a parallel
multidrop bus as is PCI/PCI-X. PCI Express can run on many lanes: x1,x2,
x4,x8, and x16. Each lane gives 250Mbit/sec in single direction and 500Mbit/sec in duplex mode. The x16 lane gives 16Gbyte/sec(128Gbit/sec) throughput. PCI express is similar to Infiniband; they both have serial interconnects and can be used for interconnecting servers and clustering.

Dr. Mordrid

[shanebrooks]

That's interesting as I thought most people were waiting on PCIe solutions. My reading was that many PCIe boards seem to be aiming to have at least one single PCIe 16x slot for video and not a bridge to PCI-X. I even read that Tyan have a dual processor solution with dual nForce4 chips on it so they can provide two PCIe 16x slots giving maximum bandwidth (16x) to dual video cards (4 monitor DVI support) or for dual cards in SLI mode as being pushed by nVidia. With the single PCIe chip boards you can have one 16x slot or dual 8x slots. Perhaps my reading on this is specific only to the nForce4 boards - which being an nVidia soluition would make sense.