Widescreen Gaming Forum

what size displays work best? I currently have a 24" dell widescreen
what graphic card would I need? I currently have a 4870x2 do I need more then 1?
any special software or game patches?
sorry if these are dumb questions but I just want all the info I can get on what hardware I need and whatever else I should know.

I am currently using three 19" monitors connected through the TH2Go and then one 24" monitor. I did not choose three 24" monitors since 3 x 1920 x 1200 is not supported yet. The 4870 x2 is enough for the TH2Go. You can check out the supported games on http://www.matrox.com/graphics/surroundgaming/en/home/

There is some relevant info here:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/node/9293

A 4870x2 is the most powerful card now available (if the crossfire profile works, that is) so it should be enough! Anyway the crossfire scaling beyond 2 GPUs, ie 1 card, is not that good...maybe they'll improve the drivers...
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3372&p=11

Hello ... welcome to the forum ... 8)

1) Dunno what is best re screens ...
I have 3 x 24" Dells and they are FAB each running at 1680x1050.
I also have another system with 3 x 20" Dells each running 1280x1024 ... they are great but the 3 x 24" widescreens are better ... :D

2) I no nothing about ATi ... sorry ... but I would say get the best you can afford ... 5040x1024 or even 3840x1024 takes some pushing power with the latest games.

3) Some games require patches some don't, others require 3rd party fixes and some require minor changes to the game config files.
The TH2G comes with software called the Surround Gaming Utility which sets these config files for you.
Not every game can work in TripleHead.
Most of the 3rd party fixes available can be found here on the forum.

and have a read of the stickies at the top of this section of the forum ... http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=57

Ati doesn't support 3x1680x1050. (Well more like Matrox doesn't supprt it on Ati cards.)

Also, I've yet to get my 4870x2 to work with 3x1440x900.

Just thought I'd note that.

Ati doesn't support 3x1680x1050. (Well more like Matrox doesn't supprt it on Ati cards.)

Also, I've yet to get my 4870x2 to work with 3x1440x900.

Just thought I'd note that.

Eerrk not so good! I didn't know that...NV FTW ;)
I have had not probs with my cards but I have no personal experience with AMD cards

Thats a shame. I just found this site today and i already have 2x22" 1680*1050 screens, and a Radeon 4870 card. (only 1 atm, i might get a second later for crossfire).

But i guess i'll wait a bit before buying the th2g and another screen untill ATI is supported at the high resolution.

Yeah, I had got my 4870x2, my TH2go, and my 3 monitors. Big old smile on my face... ripped right off by a little thing such as that. :(

Oh well I to will wait for the day... Though I'll probably just go get some of those new nVidia cards that are coming... to bad selling an 4870x2 is like trying to sell a broken car, while telling everyone it's broken. =/

A quick question

i might sell the 4870 and buy a gtx 260 or 280 depending on my $$

If i use 1 output from the card for the th2g and 3*1680*1050 can i then use the second output on the card for a tv with 1366*768?

After reading i guess it should work, i mean if windows simply recognizes the 3 screens as 1 big screen or?

Thats a shame. I just found this site today and i already have 2x22" 1680*1050 screens, and a Radeon 4870 card. (only 1 atm, i might get a second later for crossfire).

But i guess i'll wait a bit before buying the th2g and another screen untill ATI is supported at the high resolution.

You could always get the 3rd screen and play at 3x1440x900 until you can get an NV card or ATI fixes whatever is wrong.

After reading i guess it should work, i mean if windows simply recognizes the 3 screens as 1 big screen or?

Yep, that should work.

A quick question

i might sell the 4870 and buy a gtx 260 or 280 depending on my $$

If i use 1 output from the card for the th2g and 3*1680*1050 can i then use the second output on the card for a tv with 1366*768?

After reading i guess it should work, i mean if windows simply recognizes the 3 screens as 1 big screen or?

Given the price difference between the 260 and 280, I'd just wait till the 260 refresh is done and get 2 of those. Arguements can also be made for always going for the single fastest card you can afford then adding a second one later. Really depends on your take on things. Either way is a great setup.

The current era ATI stuff is great hardware. This is praise coming from an EVGA forum mod of all places...lol. Thing is ATI AND nVidia both are behind the curve on multi-display support. ATI more-so than nVidia because of lack of resolution support. It still boggles my mind that neither manufacturer has cought on that there is a market ripe to cater to here. They've got thier SLI/Crossfire horse blinders on with the many video cards to 1 display mindset in place. There ARE other markets out there for them to cater to. The first one to catch on is going to be the winner in this gaming space. The hardware is already all there, it just needs the driver level support. :wink:

I don't understand how Matrox has gotten away with that. NVIDIA only? seriously...ATI needs to get their head in the game driver side, its not the hardware thats lacking here!

Ati doesn't support 3x1680x1050. (Well more like Matrox doesn't supprt it on Ati cards.)

Also, I've yet to get my 4870x2 to work with 3x1440x900.

Just thought I'd note that.

I think you will find it is ATi and not Matrox that is at fault ...
If Matrox could make ATi cards do the resolution they would as it makes business sense ...
Why on earth would they exclude ATi from the higher resolutions they have nothing to gain from such a move ?