mjt4283

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mjt4283

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May 24th, 2021 10:00

Video card for two monitors

I'm looking for a video card that can support two monitors. A dvi connection to a Dell U2410 monitor, and a HDMI connection (including audio) to a smart TV. The two screens should have the same display simultaneously.

Will this card do the job?

https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-Graphics-Dell-Profile-Renewed/dp/B07VLWTYKQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

  • jphughan

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    Posted May 24th, 2021 20:00

    @mjt4283 Any card you can buy these days will run dual displays even in Extend mode, i.e. independently with different content on each display, and certainly will run in Mirror/Duplicate mode if you want to run them that way.  However, given that the U2410 has a resolution of 1920x1200 (16:10 aspect ratio) whereas most TVs have a resolution of 1920x1080 or some other 16:9 aspect ratio, if you choose to run them in Mirror/Duplicate mode, you'll end up with either stretching or black bars on one display or the other, because the displays simply aren't the same proportional shape.

    In terms of that specific card, it has DVI and DisplayPort outputs, not an HDMI output.  There are DisplayPort to HDMI adapters, and since DisplayPort is also capable of carrying audio, you should still be able to send audio to an HDMI display/TV that way, but I don't have direct experience with that card.  But honestly given that DVI is obsolete and there are also DisplayPort to DVI adapters/cables, you might want to look at a video card that has a more modern and convenient port setup just for futureproofing, like one that has DisplayPort and HDMI outputs.  They might cost a bit more, though.  If you do go that route, you can use a DP to DVI adapter for your U2410 and a regular HDMI cable for the TV.

    Lastly, it's impossible to give an answer as to whether a card will work when you're not even specifying what system you plan to install it into, although the fact that the card is half-height, single-width, and can be run purely on PCIe slot power rather than requiring auxiliary power admittedly makes its compatibility pretty high.

  • jphughan

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    Posted May 25th, 2021 13:00

    @mjt4283  That card looks like a better and simpler fit for your purposes.  Just be aware that with that card's port setup, you may be limited to 1920x1200 on your displays in case that poses a concern around future upgradeability for you.  Technically the DVI output might support dual-link DVI, which can run 2560x1600, but that's not clear from the specs, and you won't find any modern displays that support dual-link DVI inputs anyway.  The HDMI output may also go higher, but again it's not clear from the specs what revision of HDMI it supports, and if you'll be permanently allocating it to your TV, then that might be a moot point anyway.  If you think you might want to get a higher resolution display at some point, you might still want to look for GPUs that have DisplayPort and HDMI outputs instead, but otherwise that card looks fine for your current purposes.  A 40-foot HDMI run is quite long though, even for 1080p, and long runs like that are one of the few cases where it can actually be sensible rather than a waste of money to spend a bit more for a quality cable in order to get a reliable signal.  You might also want to look into "active" HDMI cables, which have built-in circuitry to amplify the signal, like Redmere HDMI cables.  They cost more, but the active circuitry means they can reliably achieve longer runs while remaining much slimmer than a regular passive cable would need to be in order to maintain signal integrity over that distance.  Also be aware that active HDMI cables are often directional, meaning that it matters which end you connect to the source vs. the TV, so be careful about that, otherwise the cable won't work at all.

  • mjt4283

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    Posted May 25th, 2021 12:00

    Thanks for the response. I should be more clear about my setup and intent.

    My Optiplex 7010 MT has a full height GPU with a single DVI port connected to the U2410. I would like to connect the PC to a TV for stream*ng videos (1080P). The TV is in a different room, <40ft cable length away.

    Per your suggestion, I'll be looking for a card with a HDMI port like this one.

    https://www.amazon.com/VisionTek-Radeon-5450-DVI-I-Graphics/dp/B01BWLMWJM/ref=pd_di_sccai_4/130-5345851-2580966?pd_rd_w=qMBUP&pf_rd_p=c9443270-b914-4430-a90b-72e3e7e784e0&pf_rd_r=0KJVNPMM5DKYBVNSNNAC&pd_rd_r=a04c07b8-c8aa-4f08-b6e7-7a35be9d93cb&pd_rd_wg=WlPiM&pd_rd_i=B01CN1F1ZM&th=1

  • jphughan

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    Posted May 27th, 2021 11:00

    @mjt4283  I admit I haven't shopped for very long HDMI cables in a while, so my knowledge on current brands and brand names may well be outdated.  But if you know the type of solution you need, then hopefully you'll be good to go!

  • mjt4283

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    Posted May 28th, 2021 12:00

    A seemingly simple tech question can turn out to be not so simple. I always learn something new along the way, more than I want to. LOL.

    Thanks for your help.

  • jphughan

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    Posted May 28th, 2021 13:00

    @mjt4283  Yes indeed!  Happy to help though.

  • mjt4283

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    Posted August 26th, 2021 10:00

    A belated update. And may help OP of a related current thread.

    Purchases:

    Video card with VGA, DVI and HDMI outputs
    https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-DirectX-Express-01G-P3-1302-LR/dp/B0049MPQA4


    Powered 40ft HDMI cable
    https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Cabernet-Ultra-Active-Speed/dp/B015121JYC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=monoprice+40ft&qid=1622135056&s=electronics&sr=1-1

    HDMI splitter
    https://www.amazon.com/HD-102-Powered-Splitter-Certified-Support/dp/B005HXFARS/ref=pd_bxgy_2/144-4509659-2829068?pd_rd_w=DpeFP&pf_rd_p=c64372fa-c41c-422e-990d-9e034f73989b&pf_rd_r=D7D6PYW000B5MTNYVSMA&pd_rd_r=31abe833-1309-48f9-bcc0-259a0351624b&pd_rd_wg=VTLqj&pd_rd_i=B005HXFARS&psc=1

    Setup:

    After trying different permutations of video card outputs to the monitor and TV, I ended up with the following setup.

    Video card HDMI output to HDMI splitter. One HDMI splitter output to monitor, and the other output to TV with the powered HDMI cable.

    This is the only setup that can get rid of the black bars due to the resolution difference between the monitor and the TV. (Yes, you did caution me about this!) The 40ft powered HDMI cable works fine.

    Windows 10's Sound setting has to be chosen either for the monitor (from the audio driver), or for the TV (from the video card). Since I don't view the monitor and the TV at the same time, it works for me.

    The U2410 meets my need for Photoshop editing. But I'm keeping an eye out for a higher resolution 27" monitor to mirror on the TV.

    Thanks for your help again.