mixing cards

[LouP]

Anyone know if mixing a GT430 with a GTX480 would cause any issues or performance problems. I am looking to add the 430 simply for the sake of adding a thrid monitor. Not wanting to SLI.

LouP :kilroy:

[SkippyBing]

Haven't mixed those two cards specifically but I've had no problems mixing other nVidia cards to do the same.
Worth checking your motherboard as most with two PCI-E slots half the data transfer rate if both are used. For SLI this doesn't matter but if it's to drive separate monitors it may cause frame rates to drop below your acceptable limits. The only way to find out is to try but if it is unacceptable it's pretty much a case of just taking the extra card out again.

[mjrhealth]

I added a different older card 8800, for second monitor. hoping it would improve things, didnt help, but it worked ok. Now I have both monitors hanging off a gtx560 ti.

[mfitch]

Ditto to Skippybing's comments. I have mixed different cards to support multiple monitors. This works well with a motherboard that support full speed on each card slot. A manual for the computer/motherboard might have that information.

[LouP]

Thanks guys, the first two PCIe slots on the MB are both 16x. So does this mean that both cards will run at full speed. I really don't want to spring for the card only to find that the fps tanks. This is the card I am looking at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162067

I would just spring for the second 480 but my understanding is that I would need to SLI them and the can't use it for a third monitor. Also, even though I have an 1100 watt PSU, I am also worried about the power consumption with the two 480s.

LouP

[LouP]

Well I ordered tha card as it was only $39 after the rebate so not much will be lost if it doesn't work out. I'll report back after I have it installed and tested to let others know that may be wondering. :173go1:

LouP

[LouP]

So I said I would post these after I got the monitor running. Unfortunatly, when I undock my gps, my frames go from low thirtys to mid teens, even if I do not drag the window anywhere. So unless I can fix that issue, my new monitor will not be used for flightsim much in that manner. I can run other programs on this monitor while FSX is running and there is no frame hit at all. So I may look for a gps program that runs out side of FSX and see if I can use that somehow. If anyone has any ideas, I am all ears.

So here is my set-up that I built utilizing some Saitek equipment. I designed and built the unit myself using scrap material lying around (yes even the trim was just lying around doing nothing lol) Let me know what you think.

[mfitch]

That's a rather extensive sim system I think you have more radios than some real airplanes I have flown. It all looks nice. I hope you find a solution for the GPS. That problem has not occurred with my system, so I don't have any suggestions.

[Naismith]

As a side issue, I was in Best Buy this very day, I was making enquiries with one of their "Geek Squad" about going Triple Monitor. Turns out he was not so much a Geek as a BSing idiot. He had never heard of TripleHead2Go, was ignorant of Eyefinity and was under the illusion that ATi and Nvidea cards could be mixed together SLI fashion. As I was leaving he muttered something about himself being "a hardcore gamer"
AAAaaarrggh.

[stansdds]

I've dealt with the Geed Squad one time, that was enough.