[Gllug] Multiple monitors

[Russell Howe]

On Thu, Jan 11, 2007 at 06:59:28PM +0000, - Tethys wrote:
> I have a need to connect multiple monitors to a Linux machine for
> displaying *lots* of status information. What's the best way to do
> this? Dual head is easy, but the requirement here is for something
> like 16 screens.
> 
> I know there are 4 way cards available. Are these supported by the
> free drivers? I'm only interested in 2D output, so ATI and Nvidia
> cards aren't a problem, so long as the multi-headed aspects of the
> cards are supported by the free drivers. Can I put multiple of those
> cards into a single machine Presumably they'd be PCIE cards, so as
> long as I have enough PCIE slots, I'd be fine, right?

If 2D is all you need, then Matrox may also be a viable option. I know
they do quad monitor cards, although how well supported they are by the
free mga driver, I don't know. Matrox cards are rather overpriced these
days though (at least that's my gut impression, based on little actual
concrete evidence) and will be beaten in performance terms by probably a
£20 ATI or (nVidia|Nvidia|NVIDIA) card.

Also, another option (although probably inappropriate here) could be
videolan's stuff. They always have a display at FOSDEM which is two
laptops with their (4:3) screens positioned side by side to display
video spread across them (giving 6:4 I guess).

It might be worth asking on the X lists. I'm assuming (as I guess you
are too) that X(org) is going to be the only realistic piece of software
with appropriate drivers & tools to achieve what you want.

Not much actual information in the above, and a fair bit of waffle.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help :)

-- 
Russell Howe       | Why be just another cog in the machine,
rhowe at siksai.co.uk | when you can be the spanner in the works?
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