Video Card Recommendations?

[Soultrader 12]

Hi guys,

 

Anyone have any video card recommendation for 4 monitors? Im currently using two Nvidia Geforce cards and they are not good at all. Im looking for something that can boost up my graphics speed. I dont mind using 2 cards as well.

[Knyyt 10]

Graphics Cards for Multi screen solutions by Quadvision

 

Reviews of Cards-

Graphics & Displays | Tom's Hardware

 

Top 10? From About.com

Top Graphics Cards for PC Gaming

 

Price comparisons for quad cards-

Quad Video Card - Graphic Cards - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at NexTag - Price - Review

 

I myself am looking at the Matrox Monitor Series G450 X4 -GRAPHICS Card -MGA G450 -PCI -128 MB DDR SDRAM for about $400USD.

 

Hope it helps, Knyyt

[Soultrader 12]

Decided to go with ATI Radeon 9800 PRO, 128mb with 256bit. I looked around but was more concerned with the amount of bit. I prefer absolutely no lag on my monitors. This is a AGP version so I still need to shop around for a PCI card. At first the ATI Radeon All In One Wonder 2006 looked nice with 256mb and 256bit but unfortunately I can not find one here in Japan. Tried to get them off ebay but wont ship overseas.

 

Its either another PCI card or the Matrix TripleHead2Go but they dont run cheap.

[dalby 10]

I am kind of in the same boat.

 

Right now, I am running a PC with 2 20" monitors, and two laptops.

 

I am debating getting two more monitors and a PCI card for my primary desktop (I am currently running the two monitors off a PCI-E card), or just getting a second computer with two monitors.

[wsam29 10]

ha, looks like we're in the same boat, but I've got my eyes on the ATI FireMV 2400 PCI BUS Quad 128MB Display Adapter.

 

please don't outbid me. :p

 

I lost out by $0.87 from my first attempt.

[wsam29 10]

eBay.ca: ATI FireMV 2400 PCI 128M QUAD bulk 100-505131 (item 320084430201 end time 21-Mar-07 10:22:59 EDT)

 

anyone interested if one of these?

 

bulk order of 5 ATI FireMV 2400 PCI quad output video card.

 

works out to be $85.50 USD per card before shipping.

[wsam29 10]

lost out on my second attempt by $1.00 at the last second, bidding "bot" I assume.

[wsam29 10]

eBay.ca: NEW 100505131 FireMV 2400 PCI 128M QUAD bulk 100-505131 (item 110093152009 end time 18-Mar-07 16:34:16 EDT)

 

even cheaper.

 

the way I was thinking on making this transaction if anyone else is interested in getting a quad output card for cheap was relist it on ebay with "buy it now", but send an email or arrange a predetermined time for interested buyers to scoop it up at "cost" when it gets listed.

 

that way no one has to be afraid of fraud and money may be sent via paypal or some other sort.

[Soultrader 12]

I would be very interested wsam, since I am in need of a PCI card. Just went to the local PC store earlier and didnt find what I want. The only problem with the link you posted is the 32 bit. (if im correct) The only reason I went with the ATI Ratheon 1800 PRO is cuz of the 256 bit. Im not looking for graphics but speed. Maybe if I find something myself, I'll post it up here.

[wsam29 10]

bit what???

 

please explain, I'm not very techno inclined

 

so the bit rate is what?

 

128 mb DDR is for what purpose?

 

thanks

 

I figure ATI designed the card in mind for traders so they have their reasons for using 32 bit or what ever that number was compared to larger amount.

[Soultrader 12]

Ok Im not that techie myself. But I asked some few tech guys earlier and they told me that their is two types of memory. DDR and DDR2. Apparently DDR2 is a newer version and is faster. 128mb is the storage room for your video card. If this is too low, the video card forces your CPU to run (no idea how or what this means) and apparently slows down your PC. The bit rate is how fast information is processed. So lower the bit the slower data is processed. I was told a 128mb with 252 bit is superior than a 256mb with 126bit.

 

Im more concerned about how fast data can be processed because right now I use a 128mb with 64bit and it is creating some lag on tape at times. I want this running smoothly especially when I record it.

 

Are you familiar with paltalk? There is a room called "PC Tech" which is a free PC help room. Its quite amazing and its free. I use it from time to time for some tech related stuff.

[wsam29 10]

I see, I was about to say 256 bit is more for watching stuff or games because we only need so much speed but you are also recording.

 

well we all have our own reasons to get this and that, but keep us informed.

 

You said you currently use a 64 bit card and the tape action is "choppy"?

 

here's my arguement, there will always be some lag from what you see, execute and get filled. Unless you get a direct connection to the exchanges server and have a broker that has some connection as well, there will be a lag.

 

heck, have you ever traded anything with a pit involved? getting a reported fill under 1 minute was considered fast, namely SP500. fast market, you're looking upwards of 10-20 minutes and you have to bug the broker to get your fill.

 

Oh I remember those days.

[Soultrader 12]

Im the ignorant new generation trader who know nothing but direct access trading The tape freezes for a few seconds at times when the market becomes extremely fast. Which freezes my workspace. I use a seperate workspace for my matrix so it doesnt affect this. I think its mainly because of my recording tools and chart snapshots. I decided to upgrade to 3gigs ram and just purchased the new video card so I should be good to go. I still need a PCI card.. unfortunately the ATI Ratheon 1800 PRO does not have a PCI version so I will need to find another card for my PC.

[wsam29 10]

hehe, forgiven.

 

have you thought about using dual channel ram, only thing is your motherboard must be able to support it, other wise you putting in premium fuel in a 4 cyclinder econo car.

 

what you have here is a "bottleneck" affect. The tough part is figuring out which component is causing the back log. there are programs out there for diagnostic.

 

I had to stop and think for a moment when I was sending an email to brother-in-law who has a friend that works at ATI. It just might be your ram since video editing is almost like a game, you want that dual channel ram to work for you. just a thought.

 

I think one is called cpu-z, but I figure that techy site would have more knowledgable people then us traders. :p

[Soultrader 12]

I highly doubt it if its new. My motherboard is an 3 year old ASUS (or ASUCKS). I do not even have a PCI express slot. I heard the ATI All In One Wonder 2006 or Geforce 7600GS is a good choice for video cards. Both of them are a AGP version.

[wsam29 10]

PCIe is the new replacement for APG so you won't see any new AGP cards.

 

What are the benefits, I have no clue.

 

I happen to like Asus. :p Any idea which motherboard you have? you can check Asus site for product info to see if it will support dual channel, but if I can recall, dual channel only came out these past couple of years, still new technology.

 

Sounds like you need a complete upgrade.

 

If you've never built a computer from scratch before, its not that hard, just remember to ground yourself and make sure no static electricity transmit to your components. I think I fried a motherboard like that ignorantly.

[Soultrader 12]

Oh man.. now I have to reveal my motherboard! lol I run a ASUS P4S800-MX. Extremely old... but it wasnt that bad 3 years ago. But suprisingly I still have a Pentium 3.4ghz.

[wsam29 10]

Sorting out differences in video cards

 

found it online from google search.

 

yeah, there is lots to putting together a computer system for your specific task. I mean, what you are doing, an off the shelf, upgrade some parts will not do, in my opinion, but for best performance, it is best to just build a system to meet your requirements.

 

I am doing alot more research this time round for my trading computer system, do it once and thats it for another 10 years or so.

[wsam29 10]

ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

 

your board does support dual channel, but not DDR2.

 

I use something similar, its a p4p800 something.

[Soultrader 12]

Okay cool.. because I wasnt aware of the DDR2 specifications. Luckily the video card I bought is a DDR. What are dual channels?

[wsam29 10]

dual channel ram is like a 2 lane road where traffic may flow both directions, information processing is speed up, and it will process as fast as your CPU permits.

 

regular ram is like a 1 lane road, traffic needs to clear before the other way may move forward, so a system running on regular ram will be slower.

 

ram is your computers short term memory, all will be lost once the power is turned off.

 

Tradestation does not us the CPU once the program is running, just are start up, I think all the indicator crunching and what not is done through the ram.

 

btw, how are you running the 2 video card setup? in the past I tried to run an AGP and a PCI video card without success and have not even bothered trying that again. If you are doing that and working fine, I just might get the FireMV 2400 PCI and upgrade my ram to 2 GB.

[Soultrader 12]

So basically the lag with TS is not caused by the video card but by the ram?

 

Im having no issues using both an AGP and PCI card. I'm using some kind of converter for 2 monitors. (looks like a plug to attach the main cord of the monitor and then gets plugged into the graphics card) This was required. Im not sure what they are called since the tech guys did this stuff for me. But I believe they are like $3 a piece.

 

That FireMV 2400 PCI looks sweet. Is that for a PCI Express?

[wsam29 10]

FireMV comes in both bus formats, PCI and PCIe.

 

that adapter sounds to me like a digital to analog adpater.

 

all depends on your monitors and their input format and which output from your video card. they have ones are are analog to digital.

 

this is why it may be so intimidating shopping for a computer.

 

funny how a video card question has turned into a computer component topic. :p