Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

halfzware · 2011-05-12 12:40:47

HI.

What i want to do is run Archlinux on my Desktop but i dont want to miss my second monitor.
I could use both monitor on my nvidia graphiccard but i want to use the energy saving features too (wich dont work with 2monitor on one card) therefore my windows setup is big monitor on nvidia and the smaller one on the intel onboard card.

They both get recognized by lspci but only the onboard cards isy being used (the onboard card is the first card on windows too).

So is it possible to get it to work? Id really want to use ARchlinux on my Desktop too but i dont want to use it with one screen or without energy saving?
Working compositing is a must, i want to use gnome3 wich is the only reason to swich to linux for the Desktop (arch is running on the laptop for ages^^) but i dont need to, Win7 is working flawlessly fine and i didnt have to pay for it (msdnaa).

Thanks in advance!

Inxsible · 2011-05-12 16:02:47

Search the forums. I have seen a couple of threads which ask the same question. You might find some useful info in there.

BurntSushi · 2011-05-12 16:47:05

You will not be able to use compositing with more than one graphics card. If you somehow manage to get two monitors working with two cards, you'll need to link them together using Xinerama---which doesn't support graphics acceleration.

halfzware · 2011-05-12 16:57:33

That means theres either 1monitor or 2monitors on the "main" card or no compositing?
Thats about what i found with random google and this forum searching, but i found no recent thread thats why i am asking here.
It would be a shame if win7 really wins in this case (shame on nvididia and amd for not being able to clock down their cards with two monitors connected, two screens on one cards would work with linux too) but i could live with it, eclipse is running with windows as well as its running with linux or on the macs i have to use from time to time:/

BurntSushi · 2011-05-12 20:05:28

halfzware wrote:

That means theres either 1monitor or 2monitors on the "main" card or no compositing?

Almost. The key is one GPU, not the "main" GPU. (The GPU is important here too, because some nvidia cards come with multiple GPUs, which will give you problems here too.) But a single GPU is not limited to two monitors, necessarily. For example, AMD's Eyefinity cards can support 3 monitors on one card---and some of the higher end cards can support 6.

halfzware wrote:

(shame on nvididia and amd for not being able to clock down their cards with two monitors connected, two screens on one cards would work with linux too)

I'm not privy to your particular circumstance, but a lot of people (including me) run dual monitors on nvidia, intel or AMD cards without any problems. Why do you need to clock down your card?

Last edited by BurntSushi (2011-05-12 20:06:31)

maciejjo · 2011-05-12 20:58:31

Can you tell which one do you run? I'm going to buy one for dual-monitor setup, and I'm looking for something that will work for shure.

halfzware · 2011-05-12 21:15:22

hy do you need to clock down your card?

Most gpu have a function that clocks down the card@idle and or desktop.
In my case thats down from 850mhz(560ti)to 200mhz while using windows and 50mhz if the gpu load is low.
Thats about 20watts less then with full clock.
The problem is, that the gpu wont clock down with 2monitors on it, it stays at 850mhz.
Theres some driver tweaks for amd cards wich "fix" thatfix this (i believe its intentionl, 2monitors equals more load but its no problem with new cards...
Thats one reason i use my onboard gpu for the second monitor, it works well with windows and also means that swiching off fullscreen (games) to the desktop works a lot better, the second monitor can play a movie while playing wich doesnt work with one gpu and fullscreen.
I really dont need that with Linux since i use it for work and multimedia only but the energy saving feature is nice if the pc is on 8hours and more wich is often the case.

Can you tell which one do you run? I'm going to buy one for dual-monitor setup, and I'm looking for something that will work for shure.

As said dual monitor on one gpu works, amd can do 3monitors while nvidia can do 2 at once, that means if u intend to use 3monitors some day with ur card u have to buy an amd card.
i took the nvidia because is can use it to render videos with cuda support (its not working with all tools yet but its getting better and if it works its a lot faster then my cpu rendering).

PS: Thats one hread about the power saviing with 2monitors:http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=197557
since my monitors dont share the same resolution it seems that theres no way to make it work .

Last edited by halfzware (2011-05-12 21:17:41)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-05-12 12:40:47

Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

#2 2011-05-12 16:02:47

Re: Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

#3 2011-05-12 16:47:05

Re: Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

#4 2011-05-12 16:57:33

Re: Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

#5 2011-05-12 20:05:28

Re: Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

#6 2011-05-12 20:58:31

Re: Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

#7 2011-05-12 21:15:22

Re: Is a dual monitor setup with 2graphic cards possible?

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