I got a quick question for anybody out there who may have this kind of setup. I'm looking at maybe switching to a mATX of fATX form factor mobo, specifically one of those little cube PCs. Most of them include some sort of onboard AGP video adapter along with an AGP port. AGP is a point to point bus so obviously you can only have one AGP card in a system at a time, unless extra hardware to allow 2 cards is included.

Is this the case with onboard video systems? Is it possible to run both the onboard controller and an external one on the AGP slot, at the same time?

Let me start by confessing my ignorance, but I know that my Dell 8400 lets you do just that, I'm going to run the PJ of the PCI-E DVI plug, and my desktop monitor off the on-board Video. I tested them out and they both work. It allows you to do the uber-huge monitor if you so choose... at least that is how they are marketing it.

So for what it is worth your question re: AGP, I figure it ought to be about the same.

absolutely not possible. IGP and AGP can't operate simultaneously.
You could go el cheapo and run some PCI cards for multiple vid out.

<edit>:
If you're only in need of 2 seperate displays... a single AGP ard can do that... most AGP cards have dual VGA outputs now. ...if you need a 3rd or more... an additional PCI card can work... or go PCI-e SLI and you can have up to 4 VGA outputs.
</edit>
if you're really interested in going this way you should go with a PCI-e solution. This is one of the reasons they're offering dual PCI-e slots now.

Via has done a lot of work in this field:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/dual-gfx/

It would be nice if they just made some small form factor cases for ATX.

SJetski71 had a pimp lead on a Foxconn SFF mobo with PCI-e and possibly SLI. ..you may wanna PM him about it. I couldn't seem to dig up the thread ...it was from quite a while ago.

That board made me want to go SFF though.

In this PC I have a Matrox G550 with dual VGA output (well, VGA & DVI with a VGA adaptor plugged onto it), as well as an old Matrox Mystique PCI, you can configure windows to use all 3 outputs to get an extra wide desktop if you want.

If you're limited on the cards/card slots and you want dual identical outputs, why not get a VGA splitter? e.g. the first site Google shows up has a 2 monitor output splitter for $55 http://www.kvm-switches-online.com/vs92a.html
But if you do get a splitter make sure it can handle the resolutions/refresh rates you're intending on using (with LL projectors it's usually 1024x768 75hz max for 15" monitors)

I have an AIW 9800 and it has 1 vdieo out....unless I plug the composite video out into my vdigi...I was just wondering about the dual monitor with onboard card was possible because I was thinking of getting some sort of cube pc for size and aesthetic puposses.

Then I came to realize, if I buy a new mobo (or cube pc), then it's time for a full upgrade...switch to PCI-Express, faster memory, probably switch to a cheep Athlon64 for an easy conversion to dual core down the road...basically it would be time for a whole new system.

But since I'm perfectly happy wih how my current systems performs...and I can easily pick up a cheepo PCI video card, I'll just continue looking for a small desktop/minitower case that will support a full ATX mobo.

Any way to tell if an onboard graphics adapter is AGP or PCI? I was doing a quick browse and ran into the Abit IS-10. It has an onboard intel extreme graphics 2 adapter, but dosn't say what kind bus it's ported for...tried a quick search of the intel site but I didn't see anything on the spec sheet.

Short term memory loss, what mobo was that i was talking about lol

I do know foxconn has an nforce4 mobo that everybody was interested in, until it proved to be a bit lacking in features, maybe i mentioned some other brand? Madcraiz, i'd venture to guess all modern igp mobo's run off the agp bus internally, i've yet to hear of one strictly on the pci bus (note: this answer doesn't apply to the newest pci-e mobo's with igp! :Edit)


Idea: How about a videocard with both vga and dvi onboard? Slap a vga adapter onto the dvi port and voila! dual monitors become possible. Most video cards >$45 have both dvi and vga onboard already so that parts easy enough. The onboard video would disable itself automatically OR you may have to disable onboard vga via the bios.

Not sure of your budget, but in the low-midrange i'd recommend a radeon 9600 128meg/128bit. Otherwise if you have slightly more to spend i'd recommend an nvidia 6600 or nvidia 6200 "non Turbo-Cache" model (TC model is junk imho).


Edit: oh yea, check this thread for info about newer Matx motherboards: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=900405

I 'may' sell a couple of my shuttle mn31n mobos. They're Matx, socket A, Nforce2 mcp-t chipset, soundstorm capable and dual vga, i even have some barton and t-bred cpu's but i'm still not sure what i'm willing to sell. If anyones interested they're welcome to PM me until i decide.

Madcraiz, post away if i've missed something

Heh, I'm not missing anything...I'm just looking to maximize my options if I buy another MoBo. I'm not dieing for dual monitor. It would just be one of those nice little extras.

I'm suprised that intel hasn't poped out some onboard PCI-Express chipset yet.

oops, wrong thread

Dual monitors is the only way to go.

6800U dual DVI output. Effective resolution 3200x1200pixels

...another

normal desktop w/ itsy bitsy icons and start menu.

As for that FoxConn, I recall you guys referring to it as a Deer... I guess that's bad.

Don't think I'd be watching 2 video split screen. Don't feel like dropping $$$ on another 19" LCD. OH! I KNOW! Maybe I'll get 2 17" dells and use my viewsonic as a desktop/control pannel...talk about being able to multitask with 3 monitors. I hate being a technology whore.

I don't actually use them to watch movies... if I watch anything from them I use the PIP feature on the right monitor from my ReplayTV. It works out pretty well.

When I'm gaming, I use one screen for IRC type communications and temperature monitoring, and stuff like that.

Those pics were more of a tech demo than anything. heh
'

dual monitors on the same compy, screen on tha far left is the lappy running SuSE 9.2 Pro

If I had a semi permanent place, I'd think about dual 19" crts...or even a pair of 21"s...mmmmmm...and pair of thise 3d shutter glasses. I just havn't had a chance to play games like I use to. But school is finally out and my internship will be 8-4. No stupid papers, and tests to study for. I have to finish KoToR2 befor anything else, and that looks fine on my 36" Sony tube for now, especially now since I got new glasses.