Greetings, technical b3tans
Can anyone recommend a dual output graphics card that supports hardware mirroring?

I've got a computer connected to a projector and an LCD screen. 90% of the time both outputs need to be identical, but sometimes I want to display different things on the outputs. I'm currently using a Matrox card but having to mirror the outputs using UltraMon, and doing it at a software level has some serious performance implications.

I'm sure I've seen graphics cards where you can set the option to mirror in the graphics driver but it is then done at a hardware level on the card itself. Anyone got any ideas which cards do this? Don't need any fancy 3D shiznit as it is a work machine. Don't mind what interface the card is as I will be buying a new PC to go with it anyway, probably PCI-E though as that's what everything seems to be these days.
(username1, Thu 7 May 2009, 10:10, 6 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Most cards will do it now
Make sure it's got two DVI outputs, and most ATi or Nvidia cards will handle it.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Thu 7 May 2009, 10:17, Reply)

Does it happen in hardware or software though?
My internet researches are proving fairly fruitless. I suppose if I get some blinging new dual core computer with 4GB RAM it won't make that much difference (the one I'm using at the moment is pretty old), but I'd rather offload it to the graphics card itself so people can carry on with their habits of opening 500 windows of various programs at a time!
(username1, Thu 7 May 2009, 10:25, Reply)

The graphics card handles it all
Any recent card with dual output should be able to handle it. No need to spend more than about 30 quid if that's the only extra functionality you need.
( chart cat has an itch, Thu 7 May 2009, 10:29, Reply)

OK then
I've got a (fairly recent) HD2400XT in the machine I'm using at the moment.

I cannot for the life of me see any mirroring settings in the Catalyst Control Center, anyone got any ideas?
(username1, Thu 7 May 2009, 10:32, Reply)

ATI call mirroring "Clone Mode"
this gives a rough description of setting it up in CCC:

ati.amd.com/products/catalyst/HDTV_Setup_Guide.pdf
(bill, Thu 7 May 2009, 12:03, Reply)

Aha, I see where I was going wrong
You have to uncheck the 'extend my desktop onto this monitor' in the main Windows display properties before the display becomes available for clone mode in CCC.

Fuck me CCC is a steaming pile of .NET wank that looks like it was coded by a 12 year old!

Cheers bill.
(username1, Thu 7 May 2009, 12:14, Reply)