How to test the use of 3 monitors connected to the same computer

[FAIRFAX]

I want to test the use of 3 monitors connected to the same computer, but directly the problem of lack of awareness to screen. I am currently using two monitors connected to my 4850. I want to know if adding a new graphics card is not likely to cause problems, because my motherboard (a P5K) has another good PCI-E but does not allow the use of Crossfire. I plan to add a PCI graphics card which really begins after an ATI Radeon 9200 PCI.

I have already tested this card in another PC that I use as a server, and has an integrated graphics chipset on the motherboard. So it lets me use the three screens with 2 VGA and 1 DVI. I also tested this config with another graphics card in an ATI Radeon 9250 in AGP. Oddly adding this graphics card has not allowed the connection of an additional screen although it has a VGA and DVI. So with these two graphics cards integrated chipset I could reach the number 4 screens.

I would like to know if this would work with a 4850 plus 9200? The driver problem was not with the 9200 and 9250 because they used the same driver and the same version of Catalyst Control Center. So how do when not using the same versions on one PC?

[MATSU]

I think you confuse multiGPU technology such as SLI and Crossfire, which is to use graphics cards as additional units of calculation. after having an ATI graphics card already installed on your system, I advise you rather another ATI graphics, history of using the same drivers (and applications), rather than opt for nVidia, which will require a new driver, and possible inconsistencies.

[SuB-Zero]

since you already have 2 PCI-E G, I also advise you to take a graphics card PCI-E G, but "low end" (just enough to display Windows). you could not accumulate (IGP + dedicated) but use the power of dedicated use in 3D (games / apps) and the IGP for 2D (Windows). this technology, while interesting from an energy consumption is more developed than on laptops, with mixed results (because the card remains dedicated power ...).

[FAIRFAX]

So I checked my motherboard allowed Crossfire and so on the first PCI-E support a 16x card and the second at the maximum 4x.

[Bradan]

Good is still far from Tripple Head 2GB Matrox, but here is a free software solution that will allow you to enjoy some games DX8 / 9 with three screens (one card entry level sufficient for the second PCI express).