TH2Go with 3 +1 monitor - possible ?

[borgbjerg]

Hi,

Today I have one monitor (main view) to the graphic cards one DVI and the other DVI to a secondary monitor where I have instruments etc.

I now intend to run FSX on Vista via Matrox TH2Go digital at 5040x1050
(3 monitors at 1680x1050) which then should be the main view. Is it then possible to have a 4´th monitor connected to the graphic card so I can have instruments, FS Commander etc. on this?

As I undertsand the TH2Go needs both DVI output on the graphic card to run the 5040x1050 resolution so there will be no extra DVI output for a secondary monitor ?

[brynjames]

I'd be interested to hear from someone who has the Digital TH2GO who has been able to try.

The user guide from www.matrox.com/graphics/en/support/manuals talks about the need for the graphics card to support dual link DVI for anything better than 2048x768. I had assumed that dual link DVI meant that both outputs from a dual head card had to be used - but there is only one DVI input port on the TH2GO so that can't be right. So, do both "links" flow through the same cable, and if so, can the graphics card still provide an output on the unused output port? And that, I think, is where we came in :)

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Bryn

[warvet]

Just a question guys without getting into a bunch of electronic jargon, who can explain what the difference is between analog and digital th2go units.

thanx Tim

[brynjames]

The most obvious difference is that the analogue version has 3 VGA outputs, while the digital has 3 DVI outputs. And now, the digital version seems to be capable of a greater range of output resolutions on widescreens.

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Bryn

[Rodney]

The digital also has alignments. I don't know if its possible But I will try another monitor tonight. Probably create an FSX slideshow! Ha!

[AndyT]

One of the biggest differences is that the Digital version allows you to make the bezels between screens act like it is a pillar of your window. Instead of everything instantly coming from one screen to the next, it spaces it out. Check the Matrox website for some pics that explain this as its a very cool and needed feature for added realism.

[XOrionFE]

I have run a 4th monitor off the 2nd DVI output on my card without any issues but not at that resolution. I think it only allows up to 3840x1024 with my 3 22" widescreen LCDs. I have them on the TripleHead2go and have used an addition 17" off other DVI output for panels, etc without any issues at all. In fact, I then put a second card in and ran 6 monitors! Performance went south but that is another issue.

[andarlite]

I have run a 4th monitor off the 2nd DVI output on my card without any issues but not at that resolution. I think it only allows up to 3840x1024 with my 3 22" widescreen LCDs.

Matrox has a firmware update that adds 3 more resolutions (4098x768, 4320x900, 5040x1050). Note that this is only for the Digital TH2G. Most 22" LCD have a native resolution of 1680x1050 so you should have no problems with 5040x1050.

Regards,
Henry

[borgbjerg]

I know I can run 3 x 22" monitors at 1680x105 resulting in 5040x1050

But the question was if I at the same time will be able to connect a 4'th monitor to the graphic cards second DVI out or if Matrox need both DVI outputs of the graphic card to run the 5040 resolution ?

[Petex1]

The matrox TH2go needs only 1 of the outputs from your graphics card. You can use the other output for instruments or another outside view if you prefer.

Pete

[yoss]

But the question was if I at the same time will be able to connect a 4'th monitor to the graphic cards second DVI out or if Matrox need both DVI outputs of the graphic card to run the 5040 resolution ?

Yes , you able to do that

Regards

[brynjames]

The matrox TH2go needs only 1 of the outputs from your graphics card. You can use the other output for instruments or another outside view if you prefer.

Pete
Then what does the Matrox statement that these new superwide resolutions required "dual link DVI" mean?

Can any graphics experts explain simply? :)

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Bryn

[andarlite]

Then what does the Matrox statement that these new superwide resolutions required "dual link DVI" mean?

Can any graphics experts explain simply? :)

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Bryn


The term "dual link" is in reference to the type of DVI that the video card supports. A single link DVI can only support a max resolution of 1920 × 1200 @ 60 Hz and a bandwidth of 3.96 Gbit/s. A dual link DVI uses extra pins to double up the video information to support a max resolution of 2560 × 1600 @ 60 Hz and a bandwidth of 7.92 Gbit/s.

So, you need to check whether the DVI connectors on your video card are single or dual link (most high end video cards are dual link). You should also keep in mind that the DVI video cables also need to be compatible since you can't use a single link cable for dual link.

So, to summarize, if your video card has 2 DVI connectors then you can connect 3 monitors to the TH2G and obviously the TH2G connects to one of the DVI on the video card. You can then connect a 4th monitor to the 2nd DVI of the video card. If your video card supports "dual link", and you have monitors that can support the resolutions, then you can also display the new superwide resolutions on the TH2G monitors.

Regards,
Henry

[Matt Olieman]

Henry, thank you. That explains why some people had a problem with the TH2GO not working, when they used a cable other then the one supplied with the TH2GO unit.

Matt Olieman

[borgbjerg]

Great Henry, that was just what I was asking for :D

[brynjames]

Great Henry, that was just what I was asking for :D

Yes, that has cleared things up nicely. Now you can go ahead with your huge monitor spread!

Please come back here and tell us how the performance is when you get your new setup in place.

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Bryn

[borgbjerg]

Today (Sunday 5 Oct 2008) I just orderede 2 additional 22" monitors (Asus VW222U), a new graphic card (Leadtek GTX260) and the Matrox TH2Go Digital, so now I'm just waiting for the things to arrive :rolleyes: :cool:

I'll be back ;)

[XOrionFE]

Youre going to love it!!

[brynjames]

Found a drawing of the 5 different flavours of DVI connector at
http://biggerthanbigben.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/dvi2.jpg

Also found lots of discussion of which monitors work with the superwide TH2GO and which don't at the Widescreen Gaming forums www.widescreengamingforum.com/

Hope this helps.

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Bryn