3 monitor mode limitations?

[Pace]

Yeah, I saw the PowerDesk-HF shot too - but still curious if anyone knows better

Come on you Parhelia people, let us know this little tidbit

We basically knew the chip specs anyway, the driver/card config stuff we can still only guess.

P.

[Wombat]

Of course, you're judging screen shots of driver apps for a card that hasn't even been announced yet, let alone available.

[blacklotus]

Sorry I misunderstood. My preference is usually to crank up to the max. resolution of my LCD or video card, whichever is lower.

I haven't actually use dual heads yet. Only have 1 monitor so far...

(p.s. I was going to get a R8500. But because it seemed to have conflicts running my Samsung 240T using DVI-D connection running at 1920x1200 as per 3drage forum posts, I didn't get it. I'm glad. )

Originally posted by Arsa
blacklotus
yes, but Matrox calls number 1/3 and 2 different names (Dual Head HF and Triple Head)

Basicaly, we already had similar problem up to half a year ago, when you couldn't have normal dual-head on G400 in W2K - only streched desktop.
They finally fixed that, so we can have normal dual-head plus separate resolutions on both heads.

By analogy, if 1/3 and 2 will differ the same way you won't be able to set monitors to different resolutions.
And we won't have normal dualhead.
Actualy, if you look at this picture:

you see that taskbar is stretched.

[mattsteg]

I would really like to be able to run three screens in true tri-display (independent) mode, but from what I can see, this in not possible. Hopefully this will not be the case. Even if it takes a special, more expensive model to accomplish this, if I can afford it I would probably buy it.

[cosmoOo]

Haig has just replied over at the tech support forum

The chip supports upto 1280x1024 when in triple head and it will be in spanned mode only. No plans on looking into getting true triple head yet.

so no true triplehead (yet) no support for 1600x1200 on the third monitor. and in an other thread he mentioned that 3x dvi is also not possible.

so what is this for kind of triplehead ? just some little extra no one will ever use. I think the people that have the cash and space for 3 monitors are the people that don't like these limatations.

[DC]

It is just ONE big screen on THREE monitors.
The card do not have to render 3 parts of a picture, only one.

For Gaming its OK.

DC

[Arsa]

Well, it's OK for me, i'll just have to get hold of another 19" monitor and get some protective clothes and helmet against radiation ;-)

The real problem is how it will work.
I am talking about hardware overlays (so I could move my video playback to second or third monitor). As I can see 3D games do work on multiplie monitors, that's good to hear

[Pace]

Will Parhelia be available in PCI? I see it supports PCI2.2 on some PDF, so lets see...6 PCI slots and an AGP = 7 Parhelias, times 3 monitors = 21 screens. Mmm, 7 wide and 3 high display sound good?

P.

[blacklotus]

Well, Matrox will probably have plans for a PCI version to support those expensive 9xmedia solutions for business presentations.

(Much as I would love to own one of those beauties, it's definitely way beyond my budget...gonna stick to my Korean friend - Samsung...)

PCI 2.2, huh? It's about time they upgraded the specs since my Obsidian X24 PCI 2.1 days...

Originally posted by Pace
Will Parhelia be available in PCI? I see it supports PCI2.2 on some PDF, so lets see...6 PCI slots and an AGP = 7 Parhelias, times 3 monitors = 21 screens. Mmm, 7 wide and 3 high display sound good?

P.

[MrGaribaldi]

I think the people that have the cash and space for 3 monitors are the people that don't like these limatations.

Well, that depends... I've got 3 monitors, due to the fact that I've bought them cheap from companies changing hardware... If you know where to look, buying one or two monitors aren't that expensive... So for me, the chance of using them all in JK2...! And I guess I'm not the only one...

And there are plenty of rich ppl out there, who like to show off what they've got (both of cash and hardware)... These guys buy stuff without even knowing a thing about them...
(You've probably seen them in a local computer store, asking help from an employee, and ending up buying all the stuff the employee recommended...)

.02$
(If this message doesn't make any sense....

[a13antichrist]

I'm almost ashamed of Matrox for not taking the time and attention to produce true TripleHead. It was precisely TRUE independant DualHead (not only in W2K) that separated Matrox from the rest of the TwinView etc wannabes.. to then produce a "TripleHead" card that isnt' any more capable than DualHead is almost degraceful - at best, no more an improvement over DualHead than the weak offerings by Nvidia & ATi are over Single Head.

[Pace]

As for the weak TripleView, it appears that TripleHead is largely orientated towards SurroundGaming. If they had true independent TripleHead then it might affect their MMS sales.

However, stay tuned for the G450/G550 version of the Parhelia - it might have 3 integrated RAMDACs

Here's hoping that they do fix the TripleHead for the initial Parhelia release!

P.

[a13antichrist]

Thing is, I'm not a big gamer; I like the odd bash every now and again but the need for more than simple framerates is the reason I've never touched anything other than Matrox. Therefore I'm not about to buy a product solely on its gaming advantages - and it looks like the third monitor I would have to pick up wouldn't be used for anything but gaming which is kind of a big waste of money.. DualHead improved my enjoyment by such a large degree that it's simply unbelievable - I don't pretend to believe that TripleHead would be as big a step up but I can see an extended desktop being more of a hinderance than a benefit.

Therefore a third monitor would be wasted on me.. and I'd feel kinda cheated if I spent all that money on a new Parhelia only to not use its primary feature. Funny thing is that if the feature didn't exist I'd buy the card in a second..

So it seems to me that I won't be picking up one of these kiddies anytile soon..

[MrGaribaldi]

You won't pick up the Parhelia, as it has a major feature that isn't interesting for you?

Following that same logic, you wouldn't buy the G550 due to the fact it had headcasting? You wouldn't buy a Quaddro because it got high framerates in games?

I just can't see your reason... Espescially since you'd buy the Parhelia if it didn't have surround gaming...

Why not just ignore that feature, and buy the card because of all the other features it has? It's not like there's many other cards out there with the same features (in the same price segment)....

.02$

[rugger]

Originally posted by a13antichrist
Thing is, I'm not a big gamer; I like the odd bash every now and again but the need for more than simple framerates is the reason I've never touched anything other than Matrox. Therefore I'm not about to buy a product solely on its gaming advantages - and it looks like the third monitor I would have to pick up wouldn't be used for anything but gaming which is kind of a big waste of money.. DualHead improved my enjoyment by such a large degree that it's simply unbelievable - I don't pretend to believe that TripleHead would be as big a step up but I can see an extended desktop being more of a hinderance than a benefit.

Therefore a third monitor would be wasted on me.. and I'd feel kinda cheated if I spent all that money on a new Parhelia only to not use its primary feature. Funny thing is that if the feature didn't exist I'd buy the card in a second..

So it seems to me that I won't be picking up one of these kiddies anytile soon..

Well, well, well.

You know now, and don't have to feel cheated. Keep using your current card

So the parhellia isn't for everyone (but it is for me though )