Three Monitor Options for Optiplex 780?

I have a 780 supporting three monitors. I am using a Matrox P650 Low Profile (small case) PCI card to support the additional two monitors. Works fine under Windows XP, but thanks to Matrox, (grrrrr...) this card is NOT supported unter Windows 7.

Hope that helps.

Wizard Prang - Your reply is interesting.  I thought that as soon as an add-on video card is installed in a 780, the onboard video is disabled, no?  Or are you not using a PCIE card?  Thanks.

That was a couple of years ago.IIRC I was using a PCI card (which unlike PCI-E does NOT disable onboard)

I am now using a PCI card and a PCI-E card for a total of FOUR monitors.

You have my permission to be jealous :)

Which cards are you using if I might ask?

Hi Wizard,

I have the optiplex 780 and would like to have a configuration like you with 3 or 4 monitors.

I see the PCI card does not disable the on board card, but the PCI-E card is supposed to disable it?

Is it not the case with yours?

You have the on board card activated, plus the PCI card.  And in addition you added a PCI-E card with 2 monitor outputs and it all works?

Would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks.

You need Low profile Dual DVI -A and 2 Dell X2026 Cables

http://www.amazon.com/Epic-Service-profile-bracket-adapter/dp/B00N83SQ0M

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-X2026-DVI-I-Splitter-Female/dp/B002UG8S42

When you attach the 2 cables to the DUAL DMS59 DVI - A ports you get 4 monitors.

DOES NOT WORK With DVI-D

You can have 2 DVI and 2 VGA.

I have two cards - one PCI express, one standard PCI, both have DMS-59 outputs, NOT DVI.

Each supports two monitors via a splitter cable, hence four monitors.

Works fine under Windows 7 Enterprise.

Both cards are made by ATI.

Thank you Speedstep.

Yet I don't understand.  This card only has 1 DVI out.  So if we put a splitter we get 2 monitors.

How do we get 4 monitors with this 1 card?

Or do you mean we have to have 2 of these cards installed to get 4 monitors?  

If so, unfortunatley I only have 1 PCI-e slot available.

Its not 1 DVI out. it has a DMS59 which is Dual DVI-A

DMS 59 has 59 pins its not DVI.

Each DVI -A can support 1 Digital DVI and 1 Analog VGA via the Dell X2026 cable.  These cables are incorrectly labeled as splitters as are the dms59 cables.  They are not splitters no such thing as passive splitter cable that gives you 2 seperate monitors. 2 X 2 = 4

Can you tell me do you have an optiplex 780 also?

I can easily find a card for pci-ebut I have a hard time finding the other card you mention?

which card do you have (the PCI card)

Can you tell me where I can find an affordable one so I too can have 4 monitor setup?

Aren't the PCI only cards very rare and hard to find now ?

Thanks

Dell Specific  PCO-E X16 Low Profile DMS 59 to Dual DVI-A cards are not rare.

They Use cable H9361  DMS 59 TO DUAL DVI  You then add the other  X2026 cable to split one of the DVI-A into DVI -D AND VGA.

You need Low profile Dual DVI -A and 2 Dell X2026 Cables

The card below comes with the dual dvi and the x2026 is linked below that.

I have no other comments this is my final post on the matter. 

http://www.amazon.com/Epic-Service-profile-bracket-adapter/dp/B00N83SQ0M

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-X2026-DVI-I-Splitter-Female/dp/B002UG8S42

There are more expensive cards that do the same thing.

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-PCI-Express-Profile-Bracket-Computer/dp/B005EVAMNA

Thanks for the clarification.  But I only see one DMS-59 on the card giving you dual monitor support, so to have 4 monitors you'd need 2 of these cards installed right?

I only have one PCI-e slot on the optiplex 780.  Forgive me, but I still don't understand how I could get 4 monitors from only one of these cards? 

Please clarify.

Thanks

You are not looking at the whole picture.   DMS 59 to Dual DVI has 2 outputs.  Each DVI output is DUAL LINK meaning it has a DVI-D and DVI-A so it can do 1 digital monitor and 1 VGA monitor with the 2nd Dell cable.     If you use 2 of the cables with 2 DVI-A outputs you get 4 monitors.

The other more expensive card that I linked has 4 DVI connections.

Does not appear that you are looking at the links however making me wonder if you are just a bot posting endless questions.

Hi Speedstep,

Thank you for your clarification.  I really appreciate it. I'm sorry but rather than buying it, I just wanted to make sure it actually supported 4 monitors, but your last posts completely clarified how it did that for me.

I can assure you I am not a bot, just a little slow on this one.  Forgive me.

1 last question: If my monitors are all VGA, can I just add simple DVI to VGA adapter for those connections so all 4 have monitors will work.  Or do I have to have 2 VGA monitors and 2 monitors with DVI input.  

My logic tells me the simple DVI to VGA adapters will work, but I just wanted to double check with you if both the Quadro NVS 420 would work with 4 DVI to VGA adapters and if the other card would work for the 2 DVI connections.

Also it looks like the more expensive card is cheaper overall.  $68.99 and incluedes the 4HDCI to 4 DVI adapter.  The other one is $48 with shipping + 2 cables  17x2 = $34 total $82.

Thanks you for all your detailed help. It's much appreciated.