Video Card recommendation for Dual-Head Red Hat/Fedora
 

Hi,

I have Red Hat Fedora 2.6 9-1 , running on an Intel D685GBF MB with the typical integrated everything, including pretty nice video support. However, it is a mutually exclusive affair, in that the MB's BOIS supports either onboard OR an add on PCI card, not both.


But, I want to run two separate desktops via a dual-head setup, or even could settle for a panaramic stretch of one desktop between both.

I've been digging around the various threads here, and Google'd info, but find that as with most things... there can be a scenario of too much info and "analysis paralysis" :p

So, I have read quite a lot of challenges with various cards, drivers, etc... and just want to ask one basic question considering what others have discovered:


What card(s) have been shown to work well(read: easily) for this application based on your experience.


Just as a little more info, as it stands now, I have one Sony LCD that has both a D15 analog input, and one DVI. And I have a second old Sony CRT with standard D15 analog. I may get a second LCD later.

I tried getting an ATI Radeon 7000 to work in this configuration, but it looked like it was going to take a good bit of hacking around to get drivers that "might" work, etc... so again, am just looking for a recommended card or three that already has good manufacturer or community support for the config.



Also please keep in mind that I'd like to keep costs down, and will not be doing any gaming, etc.... so a high performance 3D card is not necessary from that perspective.


Thanks in advance.
al

Go with an NVidia card. I've had far less problems with their drivers and all my dual head configs have been with NVidia.

Driver support is stupid simple with NVidia too.

Thanks, will definitely keep that in mind.

I picked up a Matrox G450 "dual head" card for super cheap on eBay and will give that a try, and if unsuccesful will go your route.

Cheers
al

If you want to get rid of that G450 card (if for some reason it doesnt work for you) please let me know Have been looking for one.

heh, well OK... but, just check out eBay. The G450 and G550 are readily available there, and I got my G450 for about $25, which seems to be about the norm.

But look closely at the descriptions, as several of the 450s are pulled from OEM systems, which have the 16m memory vs the normal 32m from the consumer card. The descriptions usually clearly indicate so, but just read them closely.

al