Card to drive Dell 3007WFP 30-inch LCD monitor

Hi,

Disclaimer: I've been a Matrox Parhelia user up to now so please excuse
my ignorance of cutting-edge nVidia technologies!

I'm planning to buy a Dell 3007WFP 30-inch LCD monitor, which runs at
2560x1600 (same res as the Apple 30" Cinema Display), and needs to be
driven by a dual-link DVI connection.

Dell have apparently worked with nVidia to provide some extra controls
for this monitor in their graphics driver, so coupled with Matrox's
apparent inability to produce a DX9-compliant card after all this time
I'm almost certainly going to make the switch to nVidia to drive the
new monitor.

The question is, which card should I get? From what I've read on the
web so far, the XFX nVidia GeForce 7800 GTX cards look to give the best
power-to-cost ratio, so I was thinking of going for one of these - does
anyone have any opinion of these, or does anyone know that these will
definitely work with the Dell monitor? Alternatively, does anyone have
any alternative recommendations for my situation?

(If you need to know anything else to answer properly, just ask!)

Thanks very much for any help anyone can offer.

Duh, one thing I forgot to do was ask about the XFX card's TV-out
capabilities. Can anyone confirm that this card will be able to output
to S-video while I'm using my dual-link DVI monitor with it? For
instance, so I could play a DVD back and have it full-screen on my TV
via S-video, while working on my normal computer screen?

Currently my Matrox card automatically plays back anything that's
playing as an overlay on the main screen simultaneously on the TV
screen, with full overscan so that it looks exactly as if I were
watching it on TV normally - is this achievable with the XFX GeForce
7800 GTX card too?

(Sorry if these are completely stupid questions but there seems quite a
high level of assumed knowledge in most of the info I've seen about the
latest nVidia cards - perhaps because they assume that anyone buying
such cutting-edge products already knows what they can be expected to
do!)

Thanks again everyone!

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2451&p=7

The 7800GTX has two single-link DVI ports. For this to work with the Dell,
it will need to use both ports with two DVI cables simultaneously connected
to the panel. You will need to confirm with Dell to see if the panel is
configured for such operation.

If not, you'll need a card with a proper dual-link DVI port. The only PC
card with dual-link DVI (while still delivering acceptable 3D performance)
is the Radeon X1800XT, available in limited quantities with high retail
markup.

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."

"Paul Speller" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

Disclaimer: I've been a Matrox Parhelia user up to now so please excuse
my ignorance of cutting-edge nVidia technologies!

I'm planning to buy a Dell 3007WFP 30-inch LCD monitor, which runs at
2560x1600 (same res as the Apple 30" Cinema Display), and needs to be
driven by a dual-link DVI connection.

Dell have apparently worked with nVidia to provide some extra controls
for this monitor in their graphics driver, so coupled with Matrox's
apparent inability to produce a DX9-compliant card after all this time
I'm almost certainly going to make the switch to nVidia to drive the
new monitor.

First of One schrieb:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2451&p=7

The 7800GTX has two single-link DVI ports. For this to work with the Dell,
it will need to use both ports with two DVI cables simultaneously connected
to the panel.

Nope. The 7800GTX has one DL DVI and one SL DIV port. You can just
connect a 30" display by the use of a DL capable DVI cable.

Benjamin

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 10:33:20 +0100, Benjamin Gawert wrote:

First of One schrieb:
The 7800GTX has two single-link DVI ports. For this to work with the Dell,
it will need to use both ports with two DVI cables simultaneously connected
to the panel.
Nope. The 7800GTX has one DL DVI and one SL DIV port. You can just
connect a 30" display by the use of a DL capable DVI cable.

That's a relief - First of One had me worried for a moment there. I'd
received confirmation from the salespeople that the 7800GTX *would*
drive this monitor, so I was worried they were just trying to make a
quick sale!

Anyway, it's all semi-irrelevant, for now at least, because having read
this:
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/grou...9003266731/p/7
I've decided not to bother with the Dell, but instead to wait for the
equivalent but probably superior Samsung, due in the next few months.

Thanks for the help anyway - I'll probably still get this card to drive
the Samsung, just with the advantage that it'll have come down in price
a bit by then!

Paul

Paul Speller schrieb:

That's a relief - First of One had me worried for a moment there. I'd
received confirmation from the salespeople that the 7800GTX *would*
drive this monitor, so I was worried they were just trying to make a
quick sale!

Anyway, it's all semi-irrelevant, for now at least, because having read
this:
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/grou...9003266731/p/7
I've decided not to bother with the Dell, but instead to wait for the
equivalent but probably superior Samsung, due in the next few months.

Be careful with such forums, the only thing you read there are
_opinions_ which not always corelate with facts (i.e. they say a 7800GT
can drive the 30" but that's not quite correct as DualLink is a
"can-be-added" feature that most board makers simply don't add). I have
a Dell 2005FPW myself, and until a few days ago I had a 2405FPW here.
Dell makes very good monitors. The only problem they seem to have are
light distribution problems (gives "hot spots" of light in some areas)
but this usually is only apparent at the first revisions, and if you
complain about it they replace the monitor (as they usually also do if
you have a dead pixel). I'd just wait some time to let the Revision A0
models go, and also wait for the price to drop. I'm also aiming at the
new 30" Dell, but I'll probably wait 6 month or so before buying...

Benjamin

Thanks for the help anyway - I'll probably still get this card to drive
the Samsung, just with the advantage that it'll have come down in price
a bit by then!

Paul

If not, you'll need a card with a proper dual-link DVI port. The only PC
card with dual-link DVI (while still delivering acceptable 3D performance)
is the Radeon X1800XT, available in limited quantities with high retail
markup.

The X1800XT has been very available the last two months. Although its
going to go very quickly now that it has been replaced by the X1900
series. Most left over inventory is dropping because new buyers would
rather get the X1900. I got my XT for $480 and they have dropped since
then.

Eric