graphics cards to run 3 screens

[PSChild]

Really incredible, with only one Card

[psuturtle Lenovo Staff]

Oh no....4 cards actually.  2 NVS450 cards with 4 DP each,  and 2 NVS420 (PCIe x1) I think.  The 420 cards use a unique dongle with 4 head capability. 

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

is that a HP LCD (white/silvery coloured one) in the lab picture?

[AMA]

Couple of different ways I'm looking at on a W700(should work on W701, too) for running lots of monitors(all WUXGA/1920x1200):

* Start w/four monitors hanging off of the DVI & DP ports, using Matrox TripleHead2go DVI & DualHead2go DP splitter boxes. Not officially supported by Matrox, but I've been running these for a year and it works. The W700 built in video card supports resolution for 4 x WUXGA(1920x1200), so not a problem.

* Then, use a ViDock box with one of the new ATI 4-way video cards adds four more monitors into the mix. This requires an ExpressCard port.

* If one has the two ExpressCard config option on a W700, then just repeat the Vidock + ATI 4-way and you're now up to twelve monitors. Not bad...

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* Other approach that REALLY jacks up the monitor count is to do the following:

* Start with DVI/DP ports, as above; gets four monitors going.

* ViDock box with the following Matrox monster in it:

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/graphics_cards/m_series/m9188pciex16/

This baby will drive EIGHT monitors, each of which can be 2560x1600; ala, the 30" monitors

* Double up on the Matrox card via 2nd ExpressCard port + ViDock + Matrox and you're now up to:

4(DVI/DP) + 8(Matrox #1) + 8(Matrox #2) = 20 monitors, of which 16 can be 30" 2560x1600 screens. If one wanted all 30" monitors, then drop the 4-way splitter setup off of the DVI/DP ports and just hook up a 30" to each of these and you'd be at 2 + 8 + 8 = 18 x 30" monitors.

Unfortunately, the Matrox 8-way card goes for ~$2000, so you'd be looking at $4000 for two, plus buying the zillion monitors. Very expensive to pull this one off.

Not cheap, but either of the two above approaches -should- be doable.

I'm up to seven WUXGA(1920x1200) monitors now, and will probably go to twelve monitors in a few months. Growing it as I need it, and for now, I have enough. I buy cheap/mildly defective 24" WUXGA monitors when I find 'em to keep the cost down somewhat.

Unfortunately, the word I've gotten is that Lenovo is dropping the W70x line, so no more 17" laptops. These are handy cuz they can be outfitted with TWO ExpressCard slots, allowing for two ViDock type setups. Also, going forward, most(all?) laptop makers are dropping the ExpressCard slot, so we'll have to wait for the ViDock folks to cobble together a setup that'll work hanging off of a USB 3.0 port. Probably doable, with separate power(USB is somewhat limited), but we'll still have to wait for the next generation of hardware to make all of this work on the newest, latest, greatest laptops.

For my usage, I think I can get by with overclocked W700/W701 boxes...for the near term...

[psuturtle Lenovo Staff]

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lead_org wrote:
is that a HP LCD (white/silvery coloured one) in the lab picture?

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No Comment

It is indeed.  An unfortunate part of compatibility testing is that you end up buying competitors products from time to time.  I've actually got a 24" HP LP2475w LCD in my lab.  Other than the copious number of connections available (given it was purchased several years ago), one of the worst LCDs I have.

[PSChild]

.... HP LP2475w .... one of the worst LCDs I have .....

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

My experience with HP display is that the quality is not consistent. I usually prefer the Dell's Ultrasharp IPS screen (Lenovo don't have any IPS models). Obviously, one could also get a NEC or Eizo professional series.

[PSChild]

I would like to get NEC LCD2490WUXi2-BK or NEC LCD2690WUXi2-BK, but reading test I see both models havent DisplayPort and I need to use ATI Eyefinity, so I have bought 3 Dell IPS.