MPE on GTX480 via Triple Head2Go

John Hewat · June 2nd, 2010, 07:42 AM

Hello all,

I have just bought my GTX480. CS5 should be here by the end of next week and I'll have moved my computer into my new house... soon... so eventually I'll get to test it.

But my question is about this:

Until recently, I have been running the Matrox Triple Head2Go out of my 9800GX2 to spread the display across three 22" monitors (1680X1050x3) because, as well as being a video editor, I am a serious Flight Simulator fiend. And using the Triple Head2Go allows the three monitors to be seen as one, which is super cool for any uber nerds like me. (I have the Flight Sim installed on a separate system drive - my system drives are in Vantec removable bays - so the flight sim isn't on the same system as PPro.)

Now, when it comes to CS5 and Mercury Playback... will it work just as well with the Triple Head2Go still connected?

On the system with PPro on it, I can just disable the screen-spreading on the Triple Head2Go, but the drivers and software will still be installed on the system, because the monitors have to plug into it, which plugs into the GPU.

My question is ultimately: will those drivers/software conflict/interfere/be a problem for PPro in general, and specifically, for the Mercury Playback engine of CS5?

If it will be, I might have to start problem solving...

I'd ideally like to use the triple head thing for PPro as well, spreading the workspace over two windows, and having the third monitor connect straight to the HDMI output from the card, for full screen preview.

An alternative is to leave an old 7800GTX in there with the 480GTX, with the 480 powering the two workspace monitors and the 7800 connected to the fullscreen display. Is that a better or worse idea?

I often hear both positives and negatives about running dual GPUs that are not the same model.

I'd love to hear opinions about all this.

Thanks a million for your help.

Regards,
-- John.

Nik Skjoth · June 2nd, 2010, 08:05 AM

Cant you just attach those 3 monitors to the GTX480 ?

It has 3 outputs right? 2 x DVI and one HDMI

Nik Skjoth · June 3rd, 2010, 11:50 AM

Cant you just use the HDMI output from your GTX480 as your third "head".

John Hewat · June 5th, 2010, 08:11 PM

No, it's still a dual head card. One head is shared between one DVI and the HDMI.

I'm running CS4 + 480 + Triple Head and it's fine, but I worry that the MPE effects of CS5 won't work as they should with the Triple Head attached. I just don't know.

June 2nd, 2010, 07:42 AM	#1
John Hewat Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Posts: 735	MPE on GTX480 via Triple Head2Go - Will it work? Hello all, I have just bought my GTX480. CS5 should be here by the end of next week and I'll have moved my computer into my new house... soon... so eventually I'll get to test it. But my question is about this: Until recently, I have been running the Matrox Triple Head2Go out of my 9800GX2 to spread the display across three 22" monitors (1680X1050x3) because, as well as being a video editor, I am a serious Flight Simulator fiend. And using the Triple Head2Go allows the three monitors to be seen as one, which is super cool for any uber nerds like me. (I have the Flight Sim installed on a separate system drive - my system drives are in Vantec removable bays - so the flight sim isn't on the same system as PPro.) Now, when it comes to CS5 and Mercury Playback... will it work just as well with the Triple Head2Go still connected? On the system with PPro on it, I can just disable the screen-spreading on the Triple Head2Go, but the drivers and software will still be installed on the system, because the monitors have to plug into it, which plugs into the GPU. My question is ultimately: will those drivers/software conflict/interfere/be a problem for PPro in general, and specifically, for the Mercury Playback engine of CS5? If it will be, I might have to start problem solving... I'd ideally like to use the triple head thing for PPro as well, spreading the workspace over two windows, and having the third monitor connect straight to the HDMI output from the card, for full screen preview. An alternative is to leave an old 7800GTX in there with the 480GTX, with the 480 powering the two workspace monitors and the 7800 connected to the fullscreen display. Is that a better or worse idea? I often hear both positives and negatives about running dual GPUs that are not the same model. I'd love to hear opinions about all this. Thanks a million for your help. Regards, -- John. __________________ John Hewat Mammoth Media Productions Last edited by John Hewat; June 2nd, 2010 at 09:16 AM.

June 5th, 2010, 08:11 PM	#4
John Hewat Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Posts: 735	No, it's still a dual head card. One head is shared between one DVI and the HDMI. I'm running CS4 + 480 + Triple Head and it's fine, but I worry that the MPE effects of CS5 won't work as they should with the Triple Head attached. I just don't know. __________________ John Hewat Mammoth Media Productions

June 2nd, 2010, 08:05 AM	#2
Nik Skjoth Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cph Denmark Posts: 136	Cant you just attach those 3 monitors to the GTX480 ? It has 3 outputs right? 2 x DVI and one HDMI

June 3rd, 2010, 11:50 AM	#3
Nik Skjoth Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cph Denmark Posts: 136	Cant you just use the HDMI output from your GTX480 as your third "head".