Dual Displays, 2 Graphic chips

[MattK]

Okay so here is the deal- I want to use two displays (so I can have browser/text on one side and AIM and other stuff on the other). I have a crappy integrated graphics chip that came with my machine but I use a G-Force 3ti that is in my AGP slot... anyway I can get these two chips to work together so I can run 2 displays?

[Rafi A]

I'm pretty sure you can't. I'm 99% confident that the only way to do this would be with dual out video card

[ahecht]

I don't know what type of motherboard you have, but 99% of the time the onboard graphics are being routed through the same AGP controller that that the board's AGP slot is. Therefore, you can only use one at a time (unless your board has two AGP bus controllers).

[sanddrag]

Can't you get a PCI video card and go duals that way?

[evulish]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Can't you get a PCI video card and go duals that way?

That would probably work. I've never seen it done.. and never tried it.. since I've never had a built-in video card.

[Mike AA]

Enable both the onboard and your add-on card and see if your OS will see both separately. If you are using windows you can find this out with going through your control panel and see if it sees two display adapters.

-If this is the case then either through control panel or right click on your desktop, get to the display properties, then the Settings tab. you should then see similar to a scroll down button about mid way. click that and it'll show 2 motors. click on the second one, then at the bottom of that window there will be an empty check box saying extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor. once you click that click apply and you should see two different screens on your monitor. one with your normal desktop and the other seeming to be blank.

-If you do not see both adapters then you will need to get a board with 2 display out functions. once you get one of them (easily get one for $40 or so) follow the instructions above.

I have used this numerous times for copying FIRST video form soap's website to a VCR while still being able to see my normal desktop.

-Mike

[ajlapp]

the easiest and cheapest way to accomplish this is to buy a cheap pci video card. like it was said before plugging in your agp card disables your on-board video.

i run an ati video card and a simple and cheap nvidia pci card to run dual monitors in windows xp. unfortunately the on-board video feature is useless. good luck getting it up and running! its extra sweet when you get it working right......especially when you can run autocad on one monitor and inventor on another. perfect for robot design!

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by MattK

Okay so here is the deal- I want to use two displays (so I can have browser/text on one side and AIM and other stuff on the other). I have a crappy integrated graphics chip that came with my machine but I use a G-Force 3ti that is in my AGP slot... anyway I can get these two chips to work together so I can run 2 displays?

Since all you want to do is have another window for AIM, a cheapo PCI card will probally be your cheapest and easiest solution. Another is to build a cheapo PC and just have a second computer. Another is a program I found that allows you to turn a second computer, like a laptop, into a second monitor via software. MaxiVista lets me use my laptop as a second monitor for monitoring AIM, but can't watch video on it because it runs over the network, and I've only a 10 card in the laptop, not to mention the ATT StarLAN switch they are running through. So I havn't really used it, because durring full screen games it shuts off the second screen, but it might work for you.

In my opinion, this is the best solution.


Wetzel

[gobeavs]

Another vote for a PCI card...if your GF3 doesn't have dual outs. It should, and nVIDIA's multimonitor support is pretty good, so I don't know why you just don't use that...