# hooking up dual monitors



## entrail (Nov 25, 2003)

Is there a splitter cable or some kind of switch box that I can buy to run two monitors at once from one pc? I know I can upgrade my video card but am looking for other options.


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## SouthParkXP101 (Jun 2, 2006)

i think you just buy a video card and put in into your expansion slots

here is one that should do it

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814164054


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

If you only have a single video output, that's all you can display. You can buy a splitter that will display the same stuff on multiple monitors.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

As said, you will need a new video card...you could get one for only about $20 if you don't care about performance...


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## Michael Wright (Dec 25, 2006)

to have the desktop split on two monitors with each monitor doing something seperate you need to buy a graphics card capable of it. However if you just want to have the same thing on the monitors then you can buy a splitter.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

This thread has turned into everyone saying the same thing in their own words (myself included).


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## SouthParkXP101 (Jun 2, 2006)

ferrija1 said:


> This thread has turned into everyone saying the same thing in their own words (myself included).


LOL


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## entrail (Nov 25, 2003)

I can't seem to find anyone around here that knows about a splitter, they all look at me like I'm asking for something really odd.The one guy who knew what I wanted said it would degrade the picture so bad it wouldn't really work. I didn't know that by upgrading my video card I could say watch a movie on one monitor and surf the net on another, sounds cool, I will look at getting a new card in the new year maybe, thanks for the input, have a happy new year everyone.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

entrail said:


> I can't seem to find anyone around here that knows about a splitter, they all look at me like I'm asking for something really odd.The one guy who knew what I wanted said it would degrade the picture so bad it wouldn't really work.


Splitters shouldn't degrade the quality of the picture.



entrail said:


> I didn't know that by upgrading my video card I could say watch a movie on one monitor and surf the net on another, sounds cool, I will look at getting a new card in the new year maybe, thanks for the input, have a happy new year everyone.


It is pretty cool, but if you're doing graphic intense things on both monitors then it will use the graphic card more so I would go with a graphic card with around 256MB.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Here's a 2:1 Video Splitter for $46. http://www.national-tech.com/specs/41h1-27602.htm


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## bigk (Jul 20, 2005)

Degrade the quality? Yeah right! I use dual monitors every day on my main PC. 

I think 99% of the video cards out there now have two monitor support. Like my ATI Readon 9550 256 meg (AGP) has a VGA port and a DVI port. I think they usually come with a DVI to VGA converter too. 

Bigk


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## tjb (Jan 1, 2007)

bigk said:


> Degrade the quality? Yeah right! I use dual monitors every day on my main PC.
> 
> I think 99% of the video cards out there now have two monitor support. Like my ATI Readon 9550 256 meg (AGP) has a VGA port and a DVI port. I think they usually come with a DVI to VGA converter too.
> 
> Bigk


 I think that he meant the the splitter would. I have dual monitors and love it:up:


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

bigk said:


> Degrade the quality? Yeah right! I use dual monitors every day on my main PC.
> 
> I think 99% of the video cards out there now have two monitor support. Like my ATI Readon 9550 256 meg (AGP) has a VGA port and a DVI port. I think they usually come with a DVI to VGA converter too.
> 
> Bigk


Yes, he was talking about splitters, not two different connection from your video card.

They don't usually come with DVI to VGA converters, at least the ones I've seen.

I have a LCD and a CRT and I love them. I use the both (mostly the LCD, though) for regular use and the CRT for graphic editing.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I have yet to see a DVI splitter, so if you have a DVI only monitor, you're probably out of luck.


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## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

JohnWill said:


> I have yet to see a DVI splitter, so if you have a DVI only monitor, you're probably out of luck.


I've seen DVI splitters.

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Google+Search&q=dvi+splitter


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Yikes!  They cost more than a monitor! :down:


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