Dual monitor, second video card?

[dlrh]

I usually am able to sort through hardware and expansion issues, but this one really has me hornswoggled!

What I want to do: use 2 monitors.
What I have: Dual Processor G5 (2.0 G, I think that means the "Early 2005" model) that has the DVI and ADC connectors, a 23" Cinema Display with DVI and the "octopus box" and an older Dell 19" FP with DVI and VGA switchable inputs.

Ideally, I can connect the 23" directly to G5 using the DVI. Then, I can use either the VGA or the DVI input to to 19" Dell to get the second monitor (I want to use the unused Dell input for my RHEL box)

Where I'm TOTALLY bamboozled: This is not easy! Do I get a second video card? I thought that made sense, but now... Do I have PCI-X or PCI Express slots in this G5? (Several sources say they are not the same) Does that 3.3 versus 5 volt apply to this? Are there any PCI cards that I can use?

A good source suggested I not try and use the ADC to VGA adaptor cable as these were not reliable.

So - has ANYONE really done this? If so, please send specific recommendations for hardware. I am open to pretty much anything as long as a) I can actually obtain the hardware and b) it will fit and c) it will work. Nothing fancy, just a larger display area!

Thanks.

 

[Dreadnought]

A few questions:
What are you going to use the two screens for (what apps)?
What is your videocard?

You can hook up both displays on the same videocard, been doing it for years on my dual 1.8 with a 9600 with 64 MB. So, unless you do a lot of graphics design in 3d, you'll need a second or a more powerful vidcard. When you are going to game, unhook the second monitor. It will still take up power from the vidcard.

 

[dlrh]

Re: Dual monitor, second video card?

A few questions:
What are you going to use the two screens for (what apps)?
What is your videocard?

You can hook up both displays on the same videocard, been doing it for years on my dual 1.8 with a 9600 with 64 MB. So, unless you do a lot of graphics design in 3d, you'll need a second or a more powerful vidcard. When you are going to game, unhook the second monitor. It will still take up power from the vidcard.

Second display is all work related - no games at all. It's a matter of practical and more efficient work flow.

Video card in the machine is the stock one that came with it:
GeForce FX 5200
Dual ports - 1 DVI (currently in use for the Dell 19"); 1 ADC (not used)

I know it is easy to add a second IF you have a second that use ADC. I do not have that, so I either must adapt it or add a second video card.

 

[WRXHokie]

You can get an adapter to do the dual monitors on one video card... check your local CompUSA

 

[mkubal]

I'm not sure about the adapter WRXHokie is talking about, but I'm fairly certain that the FX5200 can't do an extended desktop, just mirroring. I know this is certainly the case with the FX5200 in the iMac I'm using.

As far as upgrades I guess your options are replace the FX5200, which I believe is AGP, with a card that supports dual monitors in extended desktop (assuming my previous assumption was correct), or get another card to put in the PCI-X slots.

Sorry, I can't really give you recommendations as I've never purchased a PCI-X card in my life and I don't know the difference between PCI-X and PCI Express.

OWC has some video card options for sale (expensive). You might call them to see what your options are, but I'd imagine that a MR member could give you a specific recommendation.

 

[26139]

Nope

It's the iMac that's limiting you, not your video card. My 12" powerbook has a gforce 5200 and I can run up to a 23" display while still working on my laptop screen.

As to the OP...all you need are the correct adapters, you DON'T need an additional video card.

Would I be correct is assuming you have an adc connector AND a DVI connector on your video card?

 

[mkubal]

It's the iMac that's limiting you, not your video card. My 12" powerbook has a gforce 5200 and I can run up to a 23" display while still working on my laptop screen.

Ah, my bad. Sorry for adding confusion, dlrh. An adapter of some sort should get things running.

 

[bigbossbmb]

yup its just an adapter... I have one.

you can order it from apple.

 

[Dreadnought]

You can hook up two displays without problems on your stock 5200. You only need a adapter cable for the ADC to DVI, for example from Dr. Bott. They are about 30 USD. You can also replace the videocard, but then your cheapest option is probably the Ati X800 AGP for the G5, and that's about 300 USD. A PCI-X card is available, but they are very hard to get and is a crappy videocard. Apple made them for the xserve.

 

[dlrh]

Re: Dual monitor, second video card?

It's the iMac that's limiting you, not your video card. My 12" powerbook has a gforce 5200 and I can run up to a 23" display while still working on my laptop screen.

As to the OP...all you need are the correct adapters, you DON'T need an additional video card.

Would I be correct is assuming you have an adc connector AND a DVI connector on your video card?

Yes, as I noted. The stock card has both DVI and ADC.

 

[dlrh]

I'm not sure about the adapter WRXHokie is talking about, but I'm fairly certain that the FX5200 can't do an extended desktop, just mirroring. I know this is certainly the case with the FX5200 in the iMac I'm using.

As far as upgrades I guess your options are replace the FX5200, which I believe is AGP, with a card that supports dual monitors in extended desktop (assuming my previous assumption was correct), or get another card to put in the PCI-X slots.

Sorry, I can't really give you recommendations as I've never purchased a PCI-X card in my life and I don't know the difference between PCI-X and PCI Express.

OWC has some video card options for sale (expensive). You might call them to see what your options are, but I'd imagine that a MR member could give you a specific recommendation.

Interesting. I did a brief test a while back, and borrowed an older Apple Display that has ADC connector. Plugged that in to the ADC port on the G5 and seemed to get what I want. I just find I often need to have multiple large docs open at once, and with mirroring off, that seemed to let me do that. I may not appreciate the idea of "extended desktop" the way it is used here.

 

[dlrh]

yup its just an adapter... I have one.

you can order it from apple.

I don't find an ADC to DVI adaptor from Apple. They do list a DVI to ADC (which allows you to connect an ADC Monitor to a DVI port), but not the opposite.

I have not had great luck hunting down an ADC to DVI adaptor. There are a few, but many places say "out of stock".

 

[dlrh]

Re: Dual monitor, second video card?

You can hook up two displays without problems on your stock 5200. You only need a adapter cable for the ADC to DVI, for example from Dr. Bott. They are about 30 USD. You can also replace the videocard, but then your cheapest option is probably the Ati X800 AGP for the G5, and that's about 300 USD. A PCI-X card is available, but they are very hard to get and is a crappy videocard. Apple made them for the xserve.

Thanks for the Dr Bott ref - never heard of em.

The whole PCI-X thing is a swamp! Man, you'd think that Apple would have had this one nailed! Looks like the adaptor route is the way I will have to go here.

 

[Dreadnought]

The product of Dr. Bott is called "Dr. Bott DVI Extractor II". The DVI extractor is about 50 USD. I got the ADC to VGA adapter for 30 Euro (is about 30 USD) three years back for a dual display setup on my dual 1.8 with an Ati 9600. There isn't much difference in power between the Ati 9600 and the Geforce 5200, so it should handle dual displays very easy with an extended desktop.

Furthermore, PCI-X is a standard that should have been the next generation PCI with backwards compatability with PCI version 2.0 and higher (3.3 volts). It was/is mostly used in servers from HP and Sun where there was demand for more bandwith over the normal PCI slot. Unfortunaley PCI-E came very fast and the pc consumer world didn't adopt PCI-X but PCI-E. So there aren't a lot of cards that are PCI-X, and if you do find them, they are very expensive because it is server quality.

 

[rYeGuY]

trying for dual vga monitors on G5 ADC and DVI ports

The product of Dr. Bott is called "Dr. Bott DVI Extractor II". The DVI extractor is about 50 USD. I got the ADC to VGA adapter for 30 Euro (is about 30 USD) three years back for a dual display setup on my dual 1.8 with an Ati 9600. There isn't much difference in power between the Ati 9600 and the Geforce 5200, so it should handle dual displays very easy with an extended desktop.
----------------------------

I too am trying to hook up another VGA monitor (I have a VGA plugged into the DVI, I want to plug another VGA into the ADC so I'll have extended desktop) to my G5 Dual 2.0Ghz GEFORCE FX 5200 64mb AGP card that it shipped with (ADC and DVI ports).

I'm a video editor, I do some basic graphic designing and animation on After Effects, but mostly I need the desktop space for editing with multiple windows.

It seems that buying an ADC to DVI adapter, then plugging a DVI to VGA adapter into that would work... but the Dr. Bott's site says "Keep in mind it (the ADC to DVI) cannot be used in conjunction with a DVI to VGA adapter to convert a DVI video signal to VGA."

I've tried this, the long way around. I bought an ADC to DVI-D, then a DVI-D to VGA (ebay, from China), plugged them both into each other and into the ADC, booted, but no luck. The DVI-port monitor came on, in extended desktop format (it was the second monitor - nothing was visible to click on, just a desktop image; it wouldn't work at all the other way) but the monitor plugged into the ADC remained black.

So I too have been looking into a new video card, but it seems that a lot of the Radeon's (the x800xt is apparently the best for this system) have the same problem: one ADC and one DVI port.

I'm at a total loss... I've had this second monitor on my desk, sitting black, for weeks now.

Someone please help! (and reply to my email as well)
Thanks!