PCI E 2.0 x 16 (x4 mode black)

[ROA44]

Is this slot a shared connection that runs at the same speed as X16 & or is it a backwards compatible connection to cater for older technology.

Can I run a PCI E graphics card off this slot, as well as off the Standard PCI E 2.0 slot if I wanted to. Currently looking at an M5A97-R2 or M5A97-EVO R2 with FX CPU,

Sadly I don't think it's happening soon, better start counting me bottles.

Also how would running dual monitors through a splitter cable affect colour calibration eg running 4 monitors off 2 DVI connections.

Thank you for any feed back

[arthurking83]

......

Also how would running dual monitors through a splitter cable affect colour calibration eg running 4 monitors off 2 DVI connections.

.....

I wouldn't do that.

I'm assuming that your monitor(s) (or future monitor setup) may not be of the $1K plus varieties?
(that's more of a euphemism rather than a strictly accurate comment)

If your monitors are of the hardware calibration type, where the screen's calibration is embedded into the monitor itself then you won't(or shouldn't) have any issues.

BUT! if the monitors are the usual(read: cheaper) type where the calibration settings(LUT) are graphics card based, the there is a possibility that the software involved in the initialisation of the calibration settings may act up, and not set the calibration points correctly.

Not that this situation IS going to happen, and in an ideal world it won't .. but we don't live in an ideal world.

Can be done, and if the graphics card is capable of driving twin monitors then for sure you'd want to do it(I did for a while) .. but make sure you don't want a dual monitor setup via a splitter cable, and the graphics card should have dual outputs(either dual DVI or HDMI or whatever). A splitter cable will just replicate the image on both screens.

FWIW: on my initial startup of my (current) PC a few years ago, I made sure when I purchased the motherboard, it had to have an onboard graphics processing unit .. but I also purchased a dedicated graphics card as well.
My original plan was to run a dual screen setup, with the second monitor used for non photo purposes and the new monitor used as the image display screen.
It sort of worked for a while, until I realised I much preferred the new screen for my general purpose PCing(browsing/spreadsheet-ing/etcetera-ing ) and as the older screen(smaller) was pretty useless for any image displaying, it just became redundant!
.. and it still sits under my desk

[ROA44]

Thank you for your feed back it has helped clarify some details I was not up to speed with.

At this stage I was Looking to go for the Lg IPS 23'' which yes is the low end of the market. I am currently running 3 old HP 1706's non calibrated but not to concerned about that at the moment but wasn't sure if it would work very well so looking for thoughts on this issue.
I'm not sure I'd go that way, but was looking at 2 for use when working on photos & 1 open for eg. when following training vidoes, reading documents or just following what's happening on AP, as I am quite often doing, but from 2 computers. Yes I'm mad I have three computers on will be returned to the church this week after wiping the HDD & 3 monitors on my desk. 2 comps. connected to 1 monitor via KVM switch, 2 monitors on my comp.

Hopefully if I can install the HDD off my sons comp to work in mine then that will keep me going a bit longer if not I'll keep the status quo and just wait a bit longer. getting a later edition of windows and being able now to load LR 4 will go a long way to helping ease the pain of waiting 4 a while.

[fess67]

Read up on your motherboard documentation and have a scout around the internet for some more precise advice.

Yes, you can run 2 cards on the motherboard if you have 2 cards installed. However it will be throttled back to x4, i.e. you are not going to get the x16 capability. Check your motherboard documentation, often it will throttle both cards back to x4 unless otherwise specified.

Most modern cards will run 3 monitors on their own so maybe look at that as an option. I run 2 multi monitor setups on single cards with no dramas at all.

[ricktas]

Also read up the chosen graphics card. Some cards have the ability to have two monitors connected..but only one calibration. With the calibration applied to the card and automatically given to both monitors. You need a card that allows both video ports to be calibrated separately. So if you intend calibrating your monitors make sure the graphics card can support 2 calibrations.

[ROA44]

Thank you Rick that was an issue I had wondered about.

Is there a listing in the specifications that indicates this or do I need to read through the manufacturers right up. I haven't started looking at cards specifically yet. currently just running an ASUS EAH2400PRO 512 MEG card plus an En8400GS both old cheapo but might look at upgrade of card & monitors over M/B & CPU just to stretch things out a bit longer.

My new job since redundancy only gives me 15 hours P/W but may increase more but only lasts till Christmas. Yah to our Gov.

[ROA44]

Well LR 4 has started loading so at least I've moved a little further along the road to progress even thou it may be a compromise.

- - - Updated - - -

788 MB of downloads. I can handle that.