G4 OS X Dual monitors using GeForce2 MX vid card?

SloYerRoll

I've done a decent bit of research and am getting conflicting data on whether I can mirror 2 displays to my existing video card.

I don't want to shell out the 50+USD for the ADC to VGA adapter unless I know I can use 2 monitors.

Please no guesses here. I would really appreciate it if you only give an answer if you know for a fact this works or not.

Thanks for your time and help.

-Jon


Vitals:
G4 quicksilver
OS X 10.4.9
Video Card: GeForce2 MX (has a vga and adc output on the back of the video card)
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX: Link to NVIDIA info page

Chipset Model: GeForce2 MX
Type: Display
Bus: AGP
Slot: SLOT-1
VRAM (Total): 32 MB
Vendor: nVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0110
Revision ID: 0x00b2
ROM Revision: 1057.019
Displays:
NOKIA 445PRO:
Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 75 Hz
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Not Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported

CatOne

Do you want to actually mirror them, or do you want an extended desktop?

Anyway, Apple has a Kbase article which says you can use 2 displays:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25221

So you should be good to go.

SloYerRoll

Thanks Cat. I knew it was out there. I was just looking for a definative answer.

I DO want to mirror these displays. For quite a few reasons which are neither here nor there.

Thanks again.

-Jon

CatOne

SloYerRoll wrote:

Thanks Cat. I knew it was out there. I was just looking for a definative answer.

I DO want to mirror these displays. For quite a few reasons which are neither here nor there.

Thanks again.

-Jon

Sounds good. Well mirroring is a piece of cake... once both displays are plugged in there's a checkbox on the "arrangement" pane (which only shows up when both displays are plugged in).

SloYerRoll

Thanks yet another time Cat!

cabbey

I'm about 90% certain this is the card in my dual G4 MDD box at the office, and I've driven it in dual head mode for ages (mostly under linux, but occasionally under OS/X 10.3). With OS/X, if you can do dual head, you can do mirrored, as CatOne said, it's a checkbox on the config panel. If you buy the ADC/VGA connector from Apple they should take it back if it doesn't work. Just point them to their own documentation there if it doesn't.

SloYerRoll

Thanks cabbey.

While my primary purpose is to run a mirrored desktop for presentation purposes. The appeal of running dual screens is quite enticing.
Since I'm keeping w/ my resolution to only buy non necessary items I want w/ cash income and no credit. I'm opting to buy the nVidea GeForce 6200 256 MB video card w/ dvi to vga adapter. This will also take some of the work load off of my processor even though I've never seen photoshop's resource needs even use my scratch disks yet.

Summary of my research:

Apple shipped out two different versions of video card w/ their 2002 and non 2002 quicksilvers:
GeForce2 MX (various MB ammounts)
GeForce2 MX w/ twinview (various MB ammounts)
It's the 'w/ twinview' part that's critical for extended desktop.

It seems that 100% of the non 2002 quicksilvers were shipped w/ the non twin view supported video cards.
About 90% of the 2002 quicksilvers were shipped w/ the non twin view video supported cards.
Leaving less than 10% of the machines out there w/ twin view support.

So chances are, if you have a G4. It doesn't support an extended desktop environment. There is a possability though.

If anyone has any other questions to the details on this. PM me and I'll be happy to help them out. There's not really any definative documentation on this. No need in anyone else going through this for no reason.

All the best,
-Jon

cabbey

SloYerRoll wrote:

Leaving less than 10% of the machines out there w/ twin view support.

So chances are, if you have a G4. It doesn't support an extended desktop environment. There is a possability though.

Wow, I should buy a lotto ticket then. My G4 at work is twinview equipped.

SloYerRoll

It takes a bit getting used to. But I can already tell it's impossible to go back to one screen.
The mirrord displays are necessary. But I had no idea how nice the extended desktop would feel though!

Until I get a more accomidating desk to fit me new setup. I point my speakers at the wall and music stills sounds very nice.

All the best.