Multi-monitor gaming with different graphic cards

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Deluded

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
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OK, I'm a little bit confused as to where this thread goes, but here goes nothing....

First off, my system specs:

i7 860
12GB DDR3
GTX 260 ---> Wacom via VGA
8600 GT --> Apple via DVI
Antec 520W PSU

Now, I have two monitors plugged into my computer. One is a wacom 20" (1600x1200), and the other is a Apple 20" cinema (1600x1050). The wacom is plugged in to my 260, and the Apple is plugged into the 8600.

Now, for reasons I will get into later (and to prevent the inevitable questions), I can't run both monitors straight from my 260 for one very simple reason: the wacom is plugged in via VGA, and the Apple plugs in via DVI. When I do this, everything works just fine except for one small niggling issue: every single game I play stutters like mad. It lags every 5 second, and it's been driving me crazy.

So, I put in my spare 8600 and plugged the Apple to it, and the stutters disappeared. I presume this is due to the clock/signal difference between VGA and DVI that cause these noticeable stuttering. Prior to installing the Apple monitor, I had an older 15" LCD plugged to my 260 via VGA (so the wacom + 15" LCD both were plugged in via VGA) and I had absolutely no issues, either when playing videos or games.

Now, before you ask, yes, the wacom does have a DVI output, but I use a KVM setup with multiple computers that use the wacom as the primary display (and the KVM is VGA only) so this isn't an option.

So, my real question comes to this: while my wacom is excellent for work requiring stylus, it's rather lousy in the color reproduction (I believe this is due to the older IPS panel used in the wacom) compared to the Apple. Thusly, I want to be able to play games on my Apple monitor (which is set as secondary monitor) with one big caveat -- they should be powered by the GTX 260. As you all know, 8600GT isn't that great at gaming, and every time I run a game on the Apple monitor, it runs on the 8600GT, not the 260.

Any way to do this? Or hell, if you guys know of a simpler method that allows me to plug in both monitors into my 260 and not experience stuttering, well, I'm all ears (or eyes, as this may be the case).

Any help is appreciated.
 
After lots of aimless research, I've decided to keep it simple and just use windows to game on the secondary monitor. I'll figure out this weird issue later.
 
Uh plug the wacom into the 8600 and the apple into the 260.
 
i beenusing a asus 4 heaqd 3870x2 for years now, what a sweet card and running 3 monitors too,
an gaming it just spicks a main monitoe and i can still see my email or whatever on the 2 otehr mponitoprs
 
Skillz said:
Uh plug the wacom into the 8600 and the apple into the 260.
Click to expand...

I've thought about doing that too, but that would make it so that when I launch the game, it launchs on the 8600GT (because the wacom would be the main display).

It's a pain in the butt to make it so that games run on the 260. I had a hell of time to even make the games run full screened on the Apple monitor powered by the 8600GT.
 
Deluded said:
I've thought about doing that too, but that would make it so that when I launch the game, it launchs on the 8600GT (because the wacom would be the main display).

It's a pain in the butt to make it so that games run on the 260. I had a hell of time to even make the games run full screened on the Apple monitor powered by the 8600GT.
Click to expand...

Wait.

So what is the primary display now?
 
Does swapping the cards do anything for you? I mean via PCIe slots.

I really couldn't follow your post (my eyes hurt at this hour) but I hope something simple works for you.
 
Skillz said:
Wait.

So what is the primary display now?
Click to expand...

260 ---> Wacom (primary)
8600GT ----> Apple (secondary)

As I said, the wacom is plugged into a KVM switch.

Pkirk618 said:
Does swapping the cards do anything for you? I mean via PCIe slots.

I really couldn't follow your post (my eyes hurt at this hour) but I hope something simple works for you.
Click to expand...

Yeah, me too. I'll post up something if I find a simple workaround.
 
Is there some reason you cant plug the apple into the 260 and make it the primary display, and the wacom into the 8600 and still connected to the KVM. The wacom doesn't have to be the main display because it has a slightly higher resolution. In fact for that low of a powered card, it would probably be better if it was the alt.
 
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