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Activity Forums Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy Is this 3-monitor configuration possible?

  • Is this 3-monitor configuration possible?

    Posted by Nigel Cooper on July 7, 2007 at 9:18 pm

    Is this 3-monitor configuration possible?

    I’ve decided on the setup that will suite me for Final Cut Pro editing.

    I already have a Mac Pro tower model Dual 2.66 two core Xeon machine with 4GB RAM and 4 internal 500HDs.

    It has the standard NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB graphics card.

    I also have a single 23″ Cinema Display.

    This is what I have in mind.

    Buy 2 more 23″ Cinema displays and a Matrox MXO as well as an ATI Radion X1900 XT graphics card.

    Have 2 of the Cinema displays as a dual-monitor Final Cut set up coming out of the new ATI graphics card.

    Then have the Matrox MXO coming out of one of the DVI ports on the original NVIDIA card and from the MXO have the other Apple display.

    So I’ll have 2 Cinema displays for Final Cut Pro interface, plus one via the MXO for grading.

    Would this configuration of 3 monitors coming off two graphics cards work as a whole in Final Cut Pro, or will Final Cut Pro simply not see the one via the MXO. I mean, can Final Cut Pro see only two monitors as the System Prefs would suggest this as it only has mirroring for two monitors?

    Any advice would be great as I know I won’t be able to return an ATI graphics card and a monitor once they have been used. I think it is up to me to find out if this will work before spending the money.

    Nigel Cooper replied 19 years ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Arnie Schlissel

    July 7, 2007 at 11:36 pm

    Is there any reason why you need to ask this question again after less than 1 week? Seems to me this was covered pretty well 5days ago.

    Arnie
    Now in post: Peristroika, a film by Slava Tsukerman
    https://www.arniepix.com/blog

  • Shane Ross

    July 8, 2007 at 5:14 am

    Well Arnie, it is a BIT different. THis time Nigel has added the MXO to the mix, which I think is a very wise decision.

    Nigel…I still am not sure about two graphics cards. I think you can…wait, I know you can. Matrox did it at NAB…that is how they had 3 monitors set up. They had two cards. That would work fine, as long as you don’t have a capture card as well…which you don’t.

    I for one have a capture card, but was planning on the 3 monitor setup with the MXO by using the Matrox DualHead2Go monitor splitter. But I have yet to test it. Too darn busy.

    But, your setup sounds fine too.

    Shane

    Littlefrog Post
    http://www.lfhd.net

  • Nigel Cooper

    July 8, 2007 at 9:24 am

    Thanks Shane and Arni.

    Yes Arni, I can see how it looked like it was well covered; and it was. After my being a little heated I got some good advice hence my ordering an MXO the other day.

    I’m also getting rid of the Dell and getting another Apple display because the Dell only does 60Hz in 1920×1200 mode, which is no good in UK for 50Hz, you get a jump/flicker every now and then apparently.

    Shane, thanks for that, good memory from the show. I am sure it will work too, but you know what dealers are like. Hardly likely that they would take back a used ATI card if it didn’t work.

    Worse case scenario I’ll get the Matrox splitter too, but I think the 2-card thing will be find.

    Thanks again chaps.

    Oh, real color here we come 😉

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