video card output - what goes to what?

[Ripcord]

Ok, this isn't really a TB question, but I want to know what I can run on the S-video out slot on my video card -- well maybe it is a TB question if it means I can add a second touchscreen.

I got a GeForce 5900XT video card and it looks like this.



The VGA out goes to my monitor. The DVI goes to a VGA adapter to my TM-868 touchscreen. The S-video out is free -- what the heck is it for?

This might be a better image here -- the round one is in the middle on mine, and it's the that is still open for use.



Can I grab an adapter for it and run another touchscreen or something on it? Or will it only allow me to run some kind of TV on it only?

Can somebody give me some 'good gouge' on this?

Ripcord

[SytRep]

Hey Ripcord

Unfortunately the s-video output on a video card is an either/or option. The video card will only support two outputs, vga and dvi, dvi and s-video, vga and s-video.
S-video is normally a composite TV signal, which gives a fuzzy image on most computer monitors coupled with a low resolution. It is mostly used to link video cameras to TVs to allow viewing of the video on a bigger screen.

The best way to get a third output is to purchase another graphics card. As your current one is an AGP card I would suggest a PCI GeForce card such as FX5200. They are fairly cheap and very capable, they will allow you to add a third and fourth screen to your setup, so you could have three touch screens as well as your main display.

Hope this helps

'Rep

[Ripcord]

Sysrep, good gouge, thanks.

Before getting that PCI Geforce FX 5200 card, is there anything inside the box that I also need to check, eg, will my motherboard support it?

Ripcord

[mike240se]

unfortunately i dont think your card will allow 3 displays at once. plus the svga out is pretty bad looking on mAny cards.


err, i waited too long to hit send, what he said....

[SytRep]

Rip

As long as you have a free PCI slot on your motherboard and you're running Win 2000 or XP it will work fine. You won't even have to install new drivers thanks to Nvidia's forceware architecture.

I would recommend you place the PCI graphics card as far away from the AGP card as possible to prevent any heat issues, although I have sucessfully run them side by side, they can get a little toastie.

Once you have re-started your PC after installing the card you will have to enable the displays using Display Properties - Settings, simply tick the box that says 'extend my windows desktop onto this monitor'. Then rearrange the display icons to match your setup.

Finally if you have 3 touch screens you can run 3 seperate instances of TouchBuddy and they will work quite happily together. Gotta hand it to Zorlac, he writes great code.

L8r Avi8r

'Rep

[ruggbutt]

Ripcord, I'm running an AGP 5200 in my client machine and it cost me $50. I may add a PCI if I choose to run a third monitor. Make sure that you know there's a difference between PCI and PCI-E.

[dr650]

Ok, Lets see if I understand this. I never tried to run multiple video cards in an XP machine. This will work? How many video cards can you use at once? Any conflict issues? Also, Would it be ok to use my faster computer to run the game and main display and have a slower client running 3 displays?
Client is AMD 2.1 GHZ.

[ruggbutt]

Originally Posted by dr650

This will work?

It's supposed to work.

How many video cards can you use at once? Any conflict issues?

As far as I know, no one has done this here yet.

Also, Would it be ok to use my faster computer to run the game and main display and have a slower client running 3 displays?
Client is AMD 2.1 GHZ.

That's what I'm doing. Client machine is an 1800 Athlon.