Dual Monitor + TV on Nvidia question

[googz]

Trying to figure out the set up I plan on going with. I want to run dual monitors and also a TV at times from my computer. As I understand it Nvidia GPUs only support 2 displays. What would my options be to run the TV? I have a Z68 MoBo (full system in my link) so could I use the MoBo output for my TV? If not then would I need to get a second GPU for the TV?

I have yet to determine which monitors I plan on going with, but they will be in the 24" 1900x1080 range (Asus likely, Dell main possibly).

The 560Ti I currently have will be replaced at after the 600 series (670 likely, maybe 680) come out and will then be in my girlfriends rig so that one is out of the question. I'll decide after they've been out for a while and have seen some decent reviews.

I also plan on going with a TV tuner at sooner than later as well. (main reason for the TV)

Also as a personal preferance I will never use AMD cards so please don't bother going there.

Thanks guys.

[Tradewind]

For "triple displays" or "surround vision" etc. you need to have SLI. You could potentially use the onboard processing for the TV, seems like a lot of hassle.

[googz]

For surround, you can hook up 3 displays into an SLI array but in the OP's case, i'd imagine that's not what they want to do. So, as such, i'd say hook the monitors up to the dedicated card, and hook the TV up to the onboard port.

I'm just a bit confused as to what exactly the onboard is capable of. I'm not to worried about surround. The main reason I'm wanting to go this route is so that I can have my own TV/DVR when my girlfriend is using our main TV. Was also thinking that I could just use the video out options on the TV tuner, but would that allow me to also watch DVD/BR's through the TV?

I seem to recall reading somewhere that I could run a second GPU (non SLI) for an entirely diferent display. Is this correct?

[Djinni]

To my understanding, it is completely possible to run 2 separate cards that aren't linked in SLI and aren't even the same model or brand.

The onboard graphics output will be plenty sufficient for Movies, Videos and pre-rendered graphics, Even some light gaming... just don't be expecting to load up any modern game (World of Warcraft, Crysis2, Skyrim, SW:TOR etc..) and get more than 30fps.
You can quite comfortably extend your windows desktop to the TV and have the desktop span the 3 screens, even videos and games if you like... although not something I've personally bothered with more than once to prove it could be done, given the disproportionate size and distance of the TV)

I currently have 2 monitors connected to my Nvidia 560Ti and a TV connected via my onboard graphics (ASUS P8Z68 V-PRO, i7 2600k) and have very few issues. (only one I have right now is for some reason I am unable to play MP4's via the TV... I suspect because of some hardware acceleration setting I haven't been able to find yet) When we want to watch regular TV we just switch the input on the TV to DTV, when we want to watch movie's or DVD's etc... we switch it to HDMI (PC) no problems.

It is also possible to configure the setup with various sound output preferences (Typically I have Vent on the headset, game/windows sounds on the speakers and movies/dvd's etc.. on the TV) all of which is controlled by my onboard sound card. It is also possible to switch it round so that you have all your sound on the speakers, tv, or headset as you wish. assuming you have a "sound" connection to the TV (HDMI, optical,coax etc...)

[Nellah]

To my understanding, it is completely possible to run 2 separate cards that aren't linked in SLI and aren't even the same model or brand.

I've run (quite successfully) my XFX HD 6950, a Galaxy GTX460, and a Zotac 8400GS simultaneously in my computer just as a "can I do this" Folding@Home setup for a while. All video cards produced monitor outputs just fine.

[googz]

To my understanding, it is completely possible to run 2 separate cards that aren't linked in SLI and aren't even the same model or brand.

The onboard graphics output will be plenty sufficient for Movies, Videos and pre-rendered graphics, Even some light gaming... just don't be expecting to load up any modern game (World of Warcraft, Crysis2, Skyrim, SW:TOR etc..) and get more than 30fps.
You can quite comfortably extend your windows desktop to the TV and have the desktop span the 3 screens, even videos and games if you like... although not something I've personally bothered with more than once to prove it could be done, given the disproportionate size and distance of the TV)

I currently have 2 monitors connected to my Nvidia 560Ti and a TV connected via my onboard graphics (ASUS P8Z68 V-PRO, i7 2600k) and have very few issues. (only one I have right now is for some reason I am unable to play MP4's via the TV... I suspect because of some hardware acceleration setting I haven't been able to find yet) When we want to watch regular TV we just switch the input on the TV to DTV, when we want to watch movie's or DVD's etc... we switch it to HDMI (PC) no problems.

It is also possible to configure the setup with various sound output preferences (Typically I have Vent on the headset, game/windows sounds on the speakers and movies/dvd's etc.. on the TV) all of which is controlled by my onboard sound card. It is also possible to switch it round so that you have all your sound on the speakers, tv, or headset as you wish. assuming you have a "sound" connection to the TV (HDMI, optical,coax etc...)

Thank you for this info. Guess I'll play around with things once I get all of the equipment. Perhaps I'll run my main monitor and TV via the GPU and my second monitor from the onboard.

---------- Post added 2012-02-26 at 04:03 PM ----------

Started looking into this more and remembered that even though I have a Z68 board, it doesn't have intigrated video support ><

Guess I'm going to have to look into the second GPU options. I shouldn't need anything to impressive... Anybody have some recomendations? All I'll need is something that will give me good res for a ~40" TV with sound support.

[Djinni]

Thank you for this info. Guess I'll play around with things once I get all of the equipment. Perhaps I'll run my main monitor and TV via the GPU and my second monitor from the onboard.

---------- Post added 2012-02-26 at 04:03 PM ----------

Started looking into this more and remembered that even though I have a Z68 board, it doesn't have intigrated video support ><

Guess I'm going to have to look into the second GPU options. I shouldn't need anything to impressive... Anybody have some recomendations? All I'll need is something that will give me good res for a ~40" TV with sound support.

Err? explain?

I don't understand how you can have a Z68 chipset and not be able to take advantage of the entire reason to go with a Z68 over one of the other 2 previous chipsets....

Anyway this should get you some playable framerates if you want to put any games on it:
EVGA GeForce GT 520 1025MB GDDR3 - Price: £29.99 inc vat
Or this if you just want to watch movies etc...:
Novatech GeForce 210 512MB GDDR3 - Price: £19.99 inc vat

I would recommend using another NVIDIA card since you already have one and need to buy another... no point creating issues you don't need to create.

[googz]

Err? explain?

I don't understand how you can have a Z68 chipset and not be able to take advantage of the entire reason to go with a Z68 over one of the other 2 previous chipsets....

My MoBo doesn't.

[Djinni]

Guess that means your not in the UK :P In which case :P just about any video card made in the last 3-4 years should do :P (probably even some over 5years ago...) Basically anything more recent than the NVIDIA 8600GTS. No need to spend more than $30 on it, I'd expect closer to $10.

I'm guessing your issue there is because your board doesn't have an onboard video out? (at least as far as I can see from the specs) In which case you could possibly go down the USB -> HDMI route... but probably more expensive than simply using one of the before mentioned graphics cards.

[Djinni]

Running a 6200TC for my TV and no issues, so even older than the 8 series. I think it's around 7-8 years old now (or at least the series has been around for that long).

Want to avoid any possible issues with earlier cards not supporting DirectX10/11