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Second Monitor

M

mc77

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 7, 2009
26
0
Hello Everyone,

I'm hoping to get some advice/suggestions on purchasing a second monitor for my mac pro (2009 2.26 octo using radeon 4870 connected to apple 24" LED cinema display). What I'm really after is another display to expand my desktop so that I can have certain apps open and visible all the time. I won't be using the monitor for any kind of graphics work etc. and I'm not looking to spend more than $500 if possible. Can someone suggest a monitor that is compatible with this system and works well? Also, if the monitor uses DVI, would I need any kind of adaptor or would I be able to simply plug it in and have it work? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance:)
 
Are you looking for monitor with IPS panel (same as Apple's) or is TN fine? This seems to be good if you're looking for high quality one
 
mc77 said:
Hello Everyone,

I'm hoping to get some advice/suggestions on purchasing a second monitor for my mac pro (2009 2.26 octo using radeon 4870 connected to apple 24" LED cinema display). What I'm really after is another display to expand my desktop so that I can have certain apps open and visible all the time. I won't be using the monitor for any kind of graphics work etc. and I'm not looking to spend more than $500 if possible. Can someone suggest a monitor that is compatible with this system and works well? Also, if the monitor uses DVI, would I need any kind of adaptor or would I be able to simply plug it in and have it work? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance:)
Click to expand...

I would (did) get a second 24" LED display and get a GT120 to drive it.
 
On the sorta-same subject, don't some graphic applications have problems on two screens over different video cards?
 
I have a samsung lx2370 and it is an EXCELLENT monitor. The black level is superb and dynamic contrast mode is brilliant.
 
bob5820 said:
I just picked up a pair of Dell U3211H 23" IPS panels. I'm pretty impressed with them so far. Smaller color gamut (82% AdobeRGB vs 110% Adobe RGB) then the U2410 but it doesn't sound like you are really looking for a wide gamut anyway. At $299 the U2311 is about half the cost of the U2410.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=320-9270
Click to expand...

+1
these monitors are great for the price, especially considering the IPS panel.
 
bob5820 said:
Out of curiosity why did you need a second card to drive a second monitor?
Click to expand...

Apple cards only come with a single MDP. To run n 24" LED displays, you need n graphics cards. As Techie points out, you can alternatively use an adapter from HDMI to MDP, but that wasn't the route I wanted to go given a GT120 was only marginally more $.

EDIT: Not sure what I was thinking when I said "use an adapter from HDMI to MDP"... should have said "DVI to MDP" :eek:
 
VirtualRain said:
Apple cards only come with a single MDP. To run n 24" LED displays, you need n graphics cards. As Techie points out, you can alternatively use an adapter from HDMI to MDP, but that wasn't the route I wanted to go given a GT120 was only marginally more $.
Click to expand...
Makes sense. I guess I've just never has a card with less then 2 DVI outputs. Then again if I think back a bit further there were one or two dvi/vga cards in the mix.
 
Techhie said:
Probably because he didn't want to fiddle with MiniDP. I had to buy another GPU because the mDP-Dual-link DVI adapters are $100 a piece.
Click to expand...
Well actually, he did want to fiddle with DP, since he bought a DisplayPort monitor and the need for a second DP output was what led him to a second video card.

You don't need the dual link adapter unless you're running two 30" displays. All you need is the standard one ($10-30) for any other DVI monitors (assuming you're already using the DVI output for your first monitor). You can't run a DisplayPort-only monitor off a DVI port, period, so the adapter is of no use for current 24" Cinema Displays.

As the OP has one 24" Cinema Display, all he needs is for the second monitor to be DVI. No adapter of any kind will be required.
VirtualRain said:
Apple cards only come with a single MDP. To run n 24" LED displays, you need n graphics cards. As Techie points out, you can alternatively use an adapter from HDMI to MDP, but that wasn't the route I wanted to go given a GT120 was only marginally more $.
Click to expand...
You can't use the adapter. The dual-link adapter is for converting a DisplayPort output on a machine with DVI support (e.g., one of the MacBooks) to DVI/HDMI, not the other way around.

It can't turn DVI into DisplayPort.
 
Thanks very much to everyone who offered some advice here! After doing more research, I initially really wanted to go with another 24" LED but it is very expensive and I also didn't realize that I would need to purchase another card to run it. My latest idea is to try and get a decent used 23" ACD which I could run off the DVI port of the 4870 - this would work right? Does anyone else have this setup or know of any problems? I know the monitor is a bit older I just like the look of the apple monitors. Please let me know if you think there are any problems with this plan. Thanks again:)
 
mc77 said:
My latest idea is to try and get a decent used 23" ACD which I could run off the DVI port of the 4870 - this would work right?
Click to expand...
Absolutely, that would work fine.
Does anyone else have this setup or know of any problems?
Click to expand...
The only problem is aesthetic. They won't quite match in style or finish, but I regularly use my MBP with a 23" ACD as an external monitor and am not bothered in the least. It's certainly a better match than with a black plastic-enclosed monitor.

The only pitfall is that you're buying used, and so that means there's a certain amount of risk inherent in that choice. For the price, you can get a brand new 23" IPS display. For example, the Dell U2311H (~$300) or the NEC EA231 (~$400) are both new monitors in the same basic price range as a used 23" ACD. I'd highly recommend the NEC, though it's not particularly attractive.
 
VirtualRain said:
For the record, there are 3rd party DVI-MDP adapters, but they are expensive and not elegant. http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=8913
Click to expand...
Yes, but the only dual-link adapter (as mentioned in the thread) works only in the opposite direction, and the Gefen product does not support dual-link DVI.

In other words, should Apple release a 27" or new 30" display using DisplayPort, the Gefen adapter would still not work. And of course, as already stated, the existing dual-link adapter cannot turn DVI output into DisplayPort.

There is really no reason to purchase the Gefen adapter. If you have a non-DP graphics card that is more valuable than one available at $150, chances are that the added latency of the signal conversion would be bothersome and you'd just buy a DVI monitor. An old Mac looking for a new monitor can do better than the Apple display for the combined $1050. If you just need a second DP output in a Mac Pro, there are video cards available around that price to do it that will bring additional GPU power and a DVI output. The Gefen adapter was useful for a brief period when the 24" display was brand new and DP video cards were much more expensive, but that time has passed.
 
Yeah, I hear ya, that's why I went with a second GT120... I just mentioned the existence of these adapters because you seemed to imply they didn't exist... at least that's how I read it. No biggie though... I think we all agree, adapters are ****!
 
VirtualRain said:
Yeah, I hear ya, that's why I went with a second GT120... I just mentioned the existence of these adapters because you seemed to imply they didn't exist... at least that's how I read it. No biggie though... I think we all agree, adapters are ****!
Click to expand...
Ah, yeah, I didn't mean to make that implication.

Active signal adapters are indeed a pain. The only ones that aren't obnoxious are the simple electrical dongles (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI/DVI/VGA) and the old ADC adapters, where even the big one was essentially just a breakout box and power supply, since ADC was already electrically compatible with DVI.

I wish Apple had gone with dual mDP outputs on the Mac Pros, though, and tossed in a DP-DVI dongle. That way, you'd have flexibility on both outputs. But I guess people would have complained, even though they would have lost nothing.
 
Purchase Second Monitor

If you want to purchase second monitor than i suggest that first of all, you may concern on your systems configurations than you decide for second monitor.
Your budget is $500 and i think this is enough for purchase any good condition monitor.:)
 
NEC Multisynch P221W a steal at $199.00

NEC MultiSync P221W, a widescreen LCD display ideal for graphics/photography applications. The P221W, which touts a wide color gamut and high brightness, offers users working in color-critical environments the opportunity to take advantage of professional-grade desktop display benefits without breaking their budgets:eek::D

Still on sale new for $459.00

* 96% coverage of AdobeRGB color space
* Superior screen performance (1000:1 contrast ratio, 1680 x 1050 native resolution, 300cd/m2 brightness)
* Supports internal programmable 10-bit lookup tables (LUTs) for calibration
* AmbiBrightTM ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the display’s brightness based on lighting conditions
* XtraView+TM technology provides for the widest viewing angles available with minimal off-angle color shift
* Four-way ergonomic stand boasts pivot, swivel, tilt and height-adjust up to 150mm to maximize viewing comfort


http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/Product/?product=cf1263c3-01ca-4cbf-868c-711fc4f210b5
 
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