help setting up a 3rd monitor

Hi -

I'm using an HP-Pavilion with an AMD64 processor running WindowsXP (about 3 years old).

I used to use only one monitor, through the on-board port. Then I bought an extra lcd and a video card: G-Force 6600 NVIDIA, Video BIOS version 5.43.02.69.51, IRQ 18, Bus PCI Express x16, Memory 256 MB, ForceWare version 77.77

Now I've acquired a 3rd lcd and want to run it also. I've got 2 plugged in to the G-Force card and they work great, but when I plug the 3rd into the onboard port it doesn't get a signal.

Any suggestion? Will I need to buy another video card? I don't see any cards out there with 3 ports on them.

thanks for anyone's help

 

For a three screen setup you will indeed need another graphics card - the only single cards on the common market capable of outputting to three screens are the 'two cards in one' dealies like the nvidia gtx 295 - and even then SLI has to be disabled.

Now it may be the case that you can run the third monitor on the on-board GPU of your motherboard but your graphics card has disabled it - you will need to check the BIOS to see if there is a setting you can utilise.

If you run into difficulties do let us know your motherboard model number and revision.

Welcome to HWF

 

Hi - thanks for your help.

I checked the BIOS and it's currently set at "PCI" for the Video Port. The only other choices are "PCI-E" and "Onboard". (I don't see an option to run both, but I'm not sure what the "PCI-E" setting means).

If I set it to onboard, will it also see the PCI card and power all three outputs?

Thanks for your help!!!
-J

 

Hmm, I'm not sure as Ive only ever set up tri-monitors on proper graphics cards - give all the options a go and see if you get anywhere