Question about Intel 4500 Graphics on Dell PCs.

[justmehereajax]

I am just wondering if the built-in video cards on those Dell Vostro 220 PCs can be used in a Dual monitor setup with an add on video card.

The Intel 4500HD chipset is relatively new and robus so If I buy an inexpensive nVidia PCIE card, will I be able to do dual monitor support?

Dave

[felixmo]

Yep, you can pair any two video cards together to create a dual monitor setup.

However, if you add the second video card by yourself (by opening the case) you will void your warranty. Check if you can configure the Vostro with a secondary video card during the steps where you get to pick the parts online.

[willy]

There's no video card in the baseline Vostro 220. It comes with onboard video.

If you want dual monitor setup, all you need is to add a video card with with 2 output video ports. Most the cards on the market come with 1 x VGA + 1 x DVI. Some come with 2 x DVI. Pick the one that matches your monitors.

If you don't game, the low(er)-end cards from either nVidia and ATI are fine. I personally would choose a passive (no fan) card (ie. ATI 3450 or 4350) ...

[justmehereajax]

Yep, you can pair any two video cards together to create a dual monitor setup.

However, if you add the second video card by yourself (by opening the case) you will void your warranty. Check if you can configure the Vostro with a secondary video card during the steps where you get to pick the parts online.

Thanks man.

I will buy something in during Boxing Day or in the new year. My laptop isn't cutting it no more.

Dave

[justmehereajax]

There's no video card in the baseline Vostro 220. It comes with onboard video.

If you want dual monitor setup, all you need is to add a video card with with 2 output video ports. Most the cards on the market come with 1 x VGA + 1 x DVI. Some come with 2 x DVI. Pick the one that matches your monitors.

If you don't game, the low(er)-end cards from either nVidia and ATI are fine. I personally would choose a passive (no fan) card.

The reason I asked this question... sorry I wasn't clear earlier... I want two video cards...not just dual monitors working...

I want the opportunity to add an addition monitor/TV ... greater than 2... if necessary. That means 1 VGA/DVI from onboard, 2 VGA/DVI from addin card.

Dave

[Amourek]

I don't think Intel onboard graphics can do that. I know AMD & nVidia can though.

[macuser]

Yep, you can pair any two video cards together to create a dual monitor setup.

However, if you add the second video card by yourself (by opening the case) you will void your warranty. Check if you can configure the Vostro with a secondary video card during the steps where you get to pick the parts online.

Not true, it's simply not supported. If you have problems with the video card, then Dell will not provide support for the video card because it wasn't provided by Dell in the first place. The warranty for the rest of the system will still be valid.

The reason I asked this question... sorry I wasn't clear earlier... I want two video cards...not just dual monitors working...

I want the opportunity to add an addition monitor/TV ... greater than 2... if necessary. That means 1 VGA/DVI from onboard, 2 VGA/DVI from addin card.

Dave

Probably not going to work. Usually, the onboard graphics controller is a PCIe device that gets disabled when a video card is plugged into the PCIe x16 slot.
If you actually want that many displays, build yourself a system with two low-end cards.

[ppl4golf]

I don't think Intel onboard graphics can do that. I know AMD & nVidia can though.

Not true, it's simply not supported. If you have problems with the video card, then Dell will not provide support for the video card because it wasn't provided by Dell in the first place. The warranty for the rest of the system will still be valid.

Probably not going to work. Usually, the onboard graphics controller is a PCIe device that gets disabled when a video card is plugged into the PCIe x16 slot.
If you actually want that many displays, build yourself a system with two low-end cards.

+2
Getting an addon video card and shut off the x4500 seems like a bit of a waste.
I also am pretty sure it's not going to work for triple-monitor setup.

[terrybear]

there is a radeon 4xxx 3rd party videocard out there that has 4 dvi's that would do what your looking for in general I believe. ncix has it I believe

[felixmo]

If you have problems with the video card, then Dell will not provide support for the video card because it wasn't provided by Dell in the first place. The warranty for the rest of the system will still be valid.

The warranty will be void on the entire computer because on nearly all computers purchased from companies like Dell, there is a sticker on the case which will rip if you open up the case to install something like a graphics card.

Once the stickers rips or has been tampered with, your warranty is void. Because the technicians will know you opened the computer and you can't prove that the computer failed because of one of Dell's parts or one of the one's you installed, your on your own if the computer fails.

Dell will provide support for the video card if you order the computer with it, because since Dell is putting it in the computer, you can assume that Dell has tested the video card with these models of computers to ensure that they work.

But if you install it yourself, then you have to contact the video card manufacturer about issues related to the video card, which probably won't help because they don't know anything about the rest of your system and if any other part of your system is incompatible with the video card.

Dell probably can't help you because if they haven't tested your specific video card, then they won't know how it affects the rest of the system.

Hope that explains why you should order your computer with an additional graphics card, vs. putting it in by yourself.

[felixmo]

Not true, it's simply not supported.

You can use any of these combinations, starting from Windows 98SE and higher.

* 2 multi-monitor supported graphics cards
* 2 single monitor graphics cards
* 1 dual-head graphics card (Matrox G400 dual head)
* On-board graphics and a graphics card

[macuser]

The warranty will be void on the entire computer because on nearly all computers purchased from companies like Dell, there is a sticker on the case which will rip if you open up the case to install something like a graphics card.

No. Why do the manuals for my Dell Dimension 4550, OptiPlex GX150, and PowerEdge 860 ALL have instructions for opening the case and installing things in expansion slots?

Once the stickers rips or has been tampered with, your warranty is void. Because the technicians will know you opened the computer and you can't prove that the computer failed because of one of Dell's parts or one of the one's you installed, your on your own if the computer fails.

THERE IS NO STICKER.

Dell will provide support for the video card if you order the computer with it, because since Dell is putting it in the computer, you can assume that Dell has tested the video card with these models of computers to ensure that they work.

Sure.

But if you install it yourself, then you have to contact the video card manufacturer about issues related to the video card, which probably won't help because they don't know anything about the rest of your system and if any other part of your system is incompatible with the video card.

If you're technically inept enough to have problems checking for the presence of a PCIe x16 slot, a PSU that can support the card, and drivers, then it's your own fault. It's also your fault if you can't isolate faults when they happen, especially since with a system with integrated graphics, you can simply pull the video card out and try the system with just integrated graphics.

Dell probably can't help you because if they haven't tested your specific video card, then they won't know how it affects the rest of the system.

It's not probably; they won't help you because it's not a Dell-provided part.

[resu]

Three or four outputs (DVI + Displayport) are standard on high-end workstation cards, but you'll have a hard time a consumer card with the same number of outputs. As mentioned previously, the onboard IGP and an add-on video card -cannot- be used at the same time.

You'll have to buy something like http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/ or http://us.kensington.com/html/14499.html.

[macuser]

You can use any of these combinations, starting from Windows 98SE and higher.

* 2 multi-monitor supported graphics cards
* 2 single monitor graphics cards
* 1 dual-head graphics card (Matrox G400 dual head)
* On-board graphics and a graphics card

Out of context quoting much? That was in response to the warranty issue.
I'm curious as to where you got that information from, the Dell doesn't ship with Win98SE. In my experiences with boards with Intel chipsets, the onboard video device has always been disabled after installing a card on the bus used for discrete graphics cards.

Eg. Intel 815E, has AGP bus. In the case of my OptiPlex GX150, there's both integrated Intel graphics and an AGP slot. Plugging an AGP card into the slot disables the integrated graphics.

Intel G31, has PCIe. GMA X3100. I built a system with an Asus P5KPL-CM recently, and the integrated graphics is disabled when a graphics card is plugged into the PCIe slot.

Therefore, the behaviour of Intel chipsets should still be the same.

[felixmo]

Mostly all desktop computers provide manuals with instructions on how to open them, even some laptops.

There are stickers on most desktop computers from companies like HP, but I guess Dell computers don't have the sticker.

I certainly know how to troubleshoot computer problems, but some people do not, that's why there are forums to help people. And some people need help from tech support.

Also, sometimes if you call Dell, and you can a tech-savvy person on the line, they can actually help you with your problems instead of reading the answers off of somewhere.