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Triple Headed Desktop Display for Fast 3D Apps?
Once Was SGI Customer asks: "My group was once a big SGI user. We run a Powerwall display center with 3 large screens, currently driven by an SGI Onyx Infinite Reality (IR) to provide a single desktop with 3D acceleration across all screens. The Onyx is now old and very slow compared to our Nvidia cards, that do a great job at TwinView display, but not 'TripleView'. I'd like to know if there are any PC manufacturers who make a card that can do what the IR can do (in terms of a single desktop across 3D displays with fast 3D acceleration), but for Windows and Red Hat (now Fedora Core) Linux?"
Two widescreen monitors would provide the same amount of screen real estate as three normal monitors.
Simple, get one of the newer motherboards that supports SLI Nvidia cards and plop in a pair of AGP GeForce 6600's or 6800's, instant support for up to 4 monitors if you run in non-SLI mode.
actually http://www.matrox.com/mga/multidisplay/product_cha rt.cfm
this shows a breakdown of all their multidisplay cards.
If I knew what I was talking about, there would prolly be more text.
but just add another graphics card.
You can put in as many NVIDIA 6600 PCI cards as you have slots. Each of those can drive two panels. I've got clients with 6 panel desktops.
You can mix AGP and PCI, but depending on BIOS/MB you may have issues. I've seen mix mode work and not work. Seemed to work fine on Dells.
Often time, the built in MB GPU can not be enabled if you're also using an AGP card (because the mboard on-board GPU is using the AGP bus). So be mindfull of that if you go down that path.
-Malakai
A Dragon Lives in my Garage
you may want to look at the Parahelia line from Matrox
They do triple-head out of the box, nice cards.
Sometimes people just have to learn and adapt to change, it is one of the requirements of being a living thing.
No, they don't support 3D in Linux.
I haven't checked in a while, but it was a horrible situation the last time I checked their user forums.
Also, the Parhelia is dog slow at 3D compared to any basic Nvidia or ATI card.
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SGI machines are built to last. They are built to perform. Even if they aren't the fastest or most powerful computers out there, they are amongst the most reliable and industructable systems built. You might get minor performance boosts from an nVidia-based PC, but don't be surprised if that PC overheats and dies within a year. SGI has military-grade strength and quality. PC hardware does not.
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If your currently using SGI, then I would assume that your not looking for a gaming card. If your doing 3D design work, then you might look into The Wildcat Multiview Card. It only works in conjunction with the Wildcat Realizm cards. Not cheap, at $825 for a midrange card, and nearly $3,000 for the top-of-the-line card and another $420 for the multiview card, but then they are professional cards, not intended for hobbiest or gaming machines.
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