# 9 Monitors, 1 computer?



## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

My wife is working on a project: she wants to display her photography work on a series of 9 monitors, and I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to do this. I know there are splitters, but I'm pretty sure you can't just keep putting splitters together and expect the monitors to work. I know that they make these adapters, and they say you can hook up 6 to one windows PC. These lead me to believe that I could buy 9 of them and use two computers. Anyone have any experience with them?


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## lyndonguitar (Jan 29, 2013)

what are you gonna do exactly? display different outputs?, display one big pic across 9 screens?, or just mirror the same output to all 9 monitors?


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## PLSG08 (Jan 29, 2013)

I'm not quite sure but aren't cards nowadays can only accommodate up to 6 monitors? (Oh sorry, kinda late in reading that)

Does it really have to be 9 monitors?


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## Jetster (Jan 29, 2013)

same image on all 9?
no you can display more then 6


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

9 monitors, each switching between two pictures each


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## Mathragh (Jan 29, 2013)

Should be doable with two amd cards(non-crossfired) which both support 6 screens?

It'll be quite expensive though, you will either need a displayport splitter, or displays which support daisy chaining.


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## Jetster (Jan 29, 2013)

Does it have to be from a Laptop?


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## Xenturion (Jan 29, 2013)

An intriguing problem. I suspect it'll end up being fairly expensive. Maybe three of these?

Saphire Flex HD 6450
SAPPHIRE FleX 100322FLEX Radeon HD 6450 1GB 64-bit...

These allow you to do 3 display EyeFinity without the need for a Active Display Port adapter. But honestly, having never tried making an array larger than 4 monitors, I'm not sure if AMD's drivers will allow you to create a 3x3 display array.

An Eyefinity 6 edition card would at least give you 6 displays, but not without either 4 native display port monitors, or 4 active display port adapters.

That's a tough one.


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

Jetster said:


> Does it have to be from a Laptop?



It would be nice if we could do it from our laptops, yes.



Xenturion said:


> An intriguing problem. I suspect it'll end up being fairly expensive. Maybe three of these?
> 
> Saphire Flex HD 6450
> SAPPHIRE FleX 100322FLEX Radeon HD 6450 1GB 64-bit...
> ...



Sapphire Flex tech looks good...but that would mean a whole new machine.


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## lyndonguitar (Jan 29, 2013)

if you're gonna do it for the purpose of displaying pictures only, I think the cheapest and easiest way, at least for me, is to use three PCs, 

put in each one the cheapest AMD eyefinity card like the 6450 above and connect 3 monitors per PC.


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## Mathragh (Jan 29, 2013)

lyndonguitar said:


> if you're gonna do it for the purpose of displaying pictures only, I think the cheapest and easiest way, at least for me, is to use three PCs,
> 
> put in each one the cheapest AMD eyefinity card like the 6450 above and connect 3 monitors per PC.



Why wouldnt you put those 3 cards in one PC if you're gonna do that? Just curious.


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## Jetster (Jan 29, 2013)

How about this 

http://www.startech.com/AV/USB-Video-Adapters


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

Mathragh said:


> Why wouldnt you put those 3 cards in one PC if you're gonna do that? Just curious.



That's what I was thinking...



Jetster said:


> How about this
> 
> http://www.startech.com/AV/USB-Video-Adapters



That's what I was thinking...


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## Jetster (Jan 29, 2013)

I couldnt find what the limit was though. As far as how far you can expand your desktop


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

Jetster said:


> I couldnt find what the limit was though. As far as how far you can expand your desktop



I've found 6 to be the max on all of the ones that I've seen.


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## 3870x2 (Jan 29, 2013)

Monitors: http://www.multiplexpc.com/nine-monitor-display-s/95.htm

You said that 2 will display the same thing, so that means you only need four unique displays, what about the final 1? (9/4= 4 and 1)

A laptop will not be able to do this however, you will need a desktop.  I'm not sure if one desktop can have two eyefinity (2x3) displays, but if it does, you only need one computer with two low-end (6450) eyefinity cards, and splitters at the end of those (it is possible that you might need powered splitters).

Your budget for what I posted would be about $3500-$3700.  From what I understand, it would be better to purchase the stand separately from the monitors, thereby reducing the cost significantly.


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

3870x2 said:


> Monitors: http://www.multiplexpc.com/nine-monitor-display-s/95.htm



She would display them on the wall, hanging.



3870x2 said:


> You said that 2 will display the same thing, so that means you only need four unique displays, what about the final 1? (9/4= 4 and 1)



She wants each of the 9 monitors to display two images switching back and forth.



3870x2 said:


> A laptop will not be able to do this however, you will need a desktop.  I'm not sure if one desktop can have two eyefinity (2x3) displays, but if it does, you only need one computer with two low-end (6450) eyefinity cards, and splitters at the end of those (it is possible that you might need powered splitters).



That's not what I was hoping to hear...I wonder where I could find out if I computer can support 2xeyefinity.



3870x2 said:


> Your budget for what I posted would be about $3500-$3700.  From what I understand, it would be better to purchase the stand separately from the monitors, thereby reducing the cost significantly.



I think the budget would change (for the better) once you took that huge display off and replaced it with 9 regular monitors.


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## Norton (Jan 29, 2013)

This splitter will run 16 displays (VGA output) from a single source:

http://www.startech.com/AV/Splitter...deo-Splitter-Distribution-Amplifier~ST1216PRO

Not sure if this is what you need?


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

Norton said:


> This splitter will run 16 displays (VGA output) from a single source:
> 
> http://www.startech.com/AV/Splitter...deo-Splitter-Distribution-Amplifier~ST1216PRO
> 
> Not sure if this is what you need?



I believe that only mirrors...I would need more of an extended desktop.


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## zsolt_93 (Jan 29, 2013)

Just an idea.. Does it have to be a pc or laptop? Probably would be easier setting up some monitors with HDMI in with some little media players that can play the pictures, one for each. I have no idea about the costs though. Probably cheap solutions will do it just as fine as the android based mini pcs, but i think android would be more flexible for the future. And you could manage them through network. Basically some large photo frames.


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## MT Alex (Jan 29, 2013)

How large do the monitors have to be, and do you already have them?  They make digital frames that maybe the same cost and size of a monitor.


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## de.das.dude (Jan 29, 2013)

Mathragh said:


> Why wouldnt you put those 3 cards in one PC if you're gonna do that? Just curious.



because a tri crossfire mobo will cost almost more than the cards put together


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## Franklinwallbrown (Jan 29, 2013)

zsolt_93 said:


> Just an idea.. Does it have to be a pc or laptop? Probably would be easier setting up some monitors with HDMI in with some little media players that can play the pictures, one for each. I have no idea about the costs though. Probably cheap solutions will do it just as fine as the android based mini pcs, but i think android would be more flexible for the future. And you could manage them through network. Basically some large photo frames.



These would be a good alternative...I believe.

Now...I just need to find cheap monitors that display pictures well...



MT Alex said:


> How large do the monitors have to be, and do you already have them?  They make digital frames that maybe the same cost and size of a monitor.



She was wanting them to be at least 21.5"


These look suspicious, but they are cheap.


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