Anyone else thinks TH2G Digital Edition is too expensive?

howdid · Post by **howdid** » 07 Dec 2008, 05:13

I dunno
It might be just me
but i have 3 samsung 22inch Screens
each costs for around $225
and i have 2 HD 4870s each costs around $300

now all i need is a TH2GO
and Bam
the thing costs a whopping $350!?
i mean cmon
thats gotta be the simplest part of the computer
its basically just 3 DVI to 1DVI adaptor

anyone else with me?

Furthermore, Windows XP supported dual screen and triple screen gaming natively without any hardware mods.
With that said, Windows 7 is just around the corner, and with Microsoft's current efforts to try to imitate the success of XP and shun the failure of VIsta, it is looking probable that Windows 7 might support multiscreen again

And lastly
How come TH2G doesnt support ATi cards?? :(:(
that is a big big bummer

anyways

IF you agree with me please let me and the community know and maybe Matrox can have a glimpse at the other side of their perspective. There are those of us serious gamers who REALLY wants to play in Triple widescreens and is standing on the side of the pool with bathing suits already put on, watching, ready to dive in anymoment, but with barreirs such as mentioned above stopping us from that close.

And if you don't agree with me
please really try to convince me, and those alike
to purchase a TH2G

P.S.
does anyone know if CS:source works with this game?
by working i mean, we can play online without being seen as hacking etc?

Mystic5hadow · Post by **Mystic5hadow** » 07 Dec 2008, 06:13

To put it simply, if you run SLI and want more than one monitor, your only option is TH2G unless you want to bother with changing your SLI setting and re-booting your comp every time you want to switch from single and dual/triple monitors.

All-in-all, TH2G is worth the money if you must have 2 or 3 screens and run SLI.

As for not supporting ATI, I'd imagine that has more to do with ATI than Matrox.

Makes me happy I'm a diehard nVidia Fanboy.

Post by **GeneralAdmission** » 07 Dec 2008, 06:22

A TH2Go isn't cheap, for sure, but you should be able to get one for around $300:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=triplehead2go&btnG=Search+Products&cid=3059127492681558920#ps-sellers

Being a niche product, I expect higher prices. If they became as commonly used as mice, the price would drop significantly. With my current gaming budget there is no way I would have one had I not won it in a contest.

TH2Go does support ATI cards. AFAIK, the only major limitation is a lack of 5040x1050 @ 57Hz, otherwise ATI cards are good-to-go. (ATI owners please correct me if I'm wrong).

Windows XP does have multi-monitor support, but does it have the ability to treat 3 screens as a single display? I thought it lacked that feature.

I don't play CS:Source, but this thread seems to indicate that TH2Go is allowed.

It sounds like you have all the right hardware for SoftTH. Have you tried it? That would give you a good taste of Triplehead gaming.

Bottom line--if I had the money to spend, I would have grabbed a TH2Go right after I learned about it. Now that I have one...I refuse to go back to single-screen gaming. :D

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 07 Dec 2008, 10:35

Three things.

1.) Windows XP does not support triple-screen gaming out of the box. As far as I know, XP only outputs DirectX enabled games onto one monitor. Nvidia's drivers allow you to use its spanning mode to output onto two, but you need other software to output onto three or more (for gaming, that is). Windows XP does not support this natively.

2.) ATI cards aren't support due to no fault of Matrox. ATI drivers simply don't support the resolutions needed to run a TH2Go. So lobby ATI, don't blame Matrox.

3.) The TH2Go is so much more than a 3 DVI to 1 DVI adapter. It's much more complex than that. Besides, if you have 3 monitors (~>=200) and a computer + graphics card capable to run at such high resolutions (GPU ~>=200-300), I think $300 is a justifiable cost if you want the best performance possible from your setup.

The TH2Go is a specialty product, not only made for gaming. Matrox caters to a lot of specific applications (including academic and medical), not just to the gaming enthusiasts.

Post by **Downtown1** » 07 Dec 2008, 10:54

I agree it's expensive, but it's a very niche product.. I doubt they are selling more than a few thousand every year. Still, for all that money, I wish they would release updated hardware/firmware more often.

neosin · Post by **neosin** » 07 Dec 2008, 11:22

i bought mine thinking it was a rip BUT BOY WAS I WRONG!

Now i can't live without it!

I don't even play games that support 1 screen no more LOL!

oNCE U EXPERIENCE TH2G + trackir omg u'll never go back

Post by **Mach1.9pants** » 07 Dec 2008, 12:11

nope best investment I ever made, tech wise. Your money is p1$$ed down the drain if you want to keep up with PC tech. But my TH unit has done me proud. Still works and still makes the games I play (admittedly with community help) much better than the games writers intended!
Edit: I have changed everything on my PC (case, mobo, ram, gpu etc etc) at least 3 times since I got the TH, and the monitors once. But now the TH and the mons should last me another 5 or so years. nothing else on my PC will!

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 07 Dec 2008, 19:45

I agree it's expensive, but it's a very niche product.. I doubt they are selling more than a few thousand every year. Still, for all that money, I wish they would release updated hardware/firmware more often.

But then again, if they only sell a few thousand every year why would they bother putting so much energy into updating the firmware?

The only possible hardware update I could seem them doing would be for DisplayPort, and that still has a ways to go before it's mainstream.

Yui · Post by **Yui** » 07 Dec 2008, 21:36

You need a triplehead2go or softTH to run games on 3 monitors. The built in multi monitor support of windows doesn't allow you to do that.

The triplehead2go is expensive. That's the price you have to pay. It's not just a converter from a single dvi to triple dvi. It's not like an audio cable adapter. The triplehead2go will triple the resolution and not stretch it.

howdid · Post by **howdid** » 07 Dec 2008, 21:55

im currently using SOft TH to emulate triple screen gaming

but its very clumsy and doesnt seem to support the games i play the most

and XP does support Multiscreen
thats why nVIdia was able to do the span mode in their driver (treat 2 monitors as one) where as Vista deos not allow it

I used to play COD2 on my previous XP comp that had 3 15 inches monitors btw
and i needed no extra hardware

ithrial · Post by **ithrial** » 07 Dec 2008, 22:59

I bought mine brand new on ebay for $250 and it was worth every penny...havent spent the money to upgrade my lcds from 19" to 22" yet. ive got one gateway FPD2275w and they dont make that one anymore so I have to either find that one two seperate times on ebay or buy three more...plus a new GPU to push 5040x1050...might be getting a 9800GT 1gb card...should push wow just fine

PapaLes · Post by **PapaLes** » 07 Dec 2008, 23:21

These days, nobody wants to spend more than they have too. Yes, TH2Go is expensive but I can remember when a new car was only a couple thousand dollars, and I'm sure that many can remember it even less. I remember gas at 28 cents a gallon. I suppose that what I'm saying is, if you want it then it will cost. If you can live without it then fine. But you are missing something. It doesn't do anything much to complain about the price (can we bring down the price of corn, gas, or taxes?) Maybe. but the thing is, the more that use it, the more economical it will become.

geniv2 · Post by **geniv2** » 08 Dec 2008, 04:10

if you get it off ebay with the microsoft live cash back it should be around $250 (I got mine around $230)

considering people drop like $400 for a nice gfx card and a year or two later you get the same power for around $150 or less.

anyway. the Th2g is pretty good for what u get. I likened it to something like a monitor that you get and will use for years to come even if you do major PC hardware upgrade/overhaul. it's not like it will become obsolete in 2 years.
(unless ATI/NVdia comes out with a triple output Videocard that works with triplehead like the Matrox Pharhelia)

also you have to realize that staying at the edge of gaming bliss is not cheap.

skeeder · Post by **skeeder** » 08 Dec 2008, 05:45

I might be one of the few with you. Mostly because I don't have it.

I cannot imagine being surrounded in screens like that...it must be awesome. I just can't justify it. Not to myself.

Post by **MobsterOO7** » 08 Dec 2008, 07:31

While I certainly would love to have gotten my TH2GO-DE for cheap (new of course), I really wasn't surprised at the price when I first saw it, and I don't think that the price is unfair either.

PapaLes · Post by **PapaLes** » 08 Dec 2008, 08:07

Not meaning to get off topic but my next venture will be a projector and semi dome (DIY most likely). The point being that some people buy hot tubs and pools or other such things that cost too much, and some of us buy TH2go or other geeky type things. The price is nearly meaningless if it's what you want. Too much is a matter of perspective.

Post by **Mach1.9pants** » 08 Dec 2008, 08:16

Not meaning to get off topic but my next venture will be a projector and semi dome (DIY most likely). The point being that some people buy hot tubs and pools or other such things that cost too much, and some of us buy TH2go or other geeky type things. The price is nearly meaningless if it's what you want. Too much is a matter of perspective.

How about a proj and dome set up....around a hot tub!

PapaLes · Post by **PapaLes** » 08 Dec 2008, 08:34

[quote]Not meaning to get off topic but my next venture will be a projector and semi dome (DIY most likely). The point being that some people buy hot tubs and pools or other such things that cost too much, and some of us buy TH2go or other geeky type things. The price is nearly meaningless if it's what you want. Too much is a matter of perspective.

How about a proj and dome set up....around a hot tub!

Waterproof keyboard?lol, now you got me thinking.

Post by **Mach1.9pants** » 08 Dec 2008, 12:35

It is a great idea, immerse the pc in the tub (it would have to be oil but that sounds even better :twisted: ) and it would help heat it.

The only problem would be getting a laser mouse to track on a wet surface..... :wink:

tricky · Post by **tricky** » 08 Dec 2008, 15:06

Keeping off topic:

I have a hot tub with a 22" Widescreen connected to a laptop that streams tv shows and movies from my office pc over WiFi, use it all the time! But, now you got me thinking, triplewide at the hot tub??!!??

Widescreen Gaming Forum