Need help from the experts - Need 4 outputs!!!

[gynthazi]

Hey guys,

 

I'm searching frantically on how best to approach my present problem. Any help would be appreciated.

 

I am working on a project coming up that will require me to send an image to a screen that will be 15' high by 75' long and will be 5429X1080. This screen will be projected by 4 high lumen digital projectors that will be blended together with a professional switching system.

 

What i'm trying to get done is have a photoshop image that will be that resolution and will be sent out 4 ways (1 to each projector) so that it will look correct and cover the entire screen.

 

The production of this image is taken care of, as is the blending between projectors, but what my concern is is what card could I use that could do 4 separate outputs to set up like desktop extensions?

 

At present I have a dfi-expert mobo and 1 Evga 7950 1 gig gfx card. If I bought a second one and put it SLI would I be able to do what i'm trying to do? Or do I need to go with a graphics-specific card like a quadro to get the 4 outputs.

 

By the way, it will be all digital so it will be 4 dvi-d's i'd need out from the computer.

 

 

This might be a tough one, i'm not sure, but any help I could get would be greatly appreciated.

 

-Dan

[Guest Kobalt]

I don't see why you couldn't use another gfx card, and use both outputs on that one to get all 4.

 

If you want another way to do it, check out Matrox. stuff, I know they make multi-head display cards. I think it is 2D only, but I can't remember.

[gynthazi]

Yeah, I have heard of matrox.

 

But I'd love a definate answer on whether 2 7950's could do 4 outputs.

[DragonTattooz]

EVGA Customer Service I'll bet they could answer your question.

[SquattingDog]

Well, if you're planning on running those 2 cards in an SLI-type setup, then no. That would leave you with only one output at max. If you are planning to use the two cards individually, then I really cant say - not even sure if the drivers would allow you to do that - I know that some people who want to run dual or tri-monitor setups have ended up using ATi Rage PCI cards along-side their nVidia SLI setups...

 

If anything, an ATi-based board with onboard graphics (x200) and a seperate graphics card (eg your 7950) would give 4 outputs, HOWEVER, one would be a VGA, which you'd need to use an adaptor on, and thus a loss in signal quality and crispness on that particular projector, I'd imagine...

 

On the other hand, possibly adding an ATi Card alongside your nVidia one would work? such as an x1300 (dual-dvi model) or above (without the need to go to ridiculous expense, solely for outputting).

 

The Matrox cards are TRIPLE head, so they can run 3 outputs at once, but not 4. Getting one of those cards would be a mistake, as a single-card solution to your problem. As far as the other workstation cards are concerned, I'm not too sure about it, best bet would be to jump onto nVidia's forums and have an ask around there.

 

Hopefully this helps somewhat...

[CrackJiver]

Matrox do a couple of products that might help

Their Dual Head2Go box splits the image over two screens so with a second Video card and two Dual Head2Go boxes you could spread the image over the four projectors. You might have to get creative with the screen resolutions in windows though.

The othe option is to go and buy specific hardware to do the job, again matrox have a quad video card.

http://www.matrox.com/mga/workstation/3dws...qid/qid_pro.cfm