Video card to extend Windows desktop to 2 monitors

[AntiguaGuy]

I have a Windows PC built on the ASUS M3A76-CM Motherboard. This motherboard has the ATI Radeon 3000 onboard video chipset. For over a year, I was running the video via the D-Sub port to a 19-inch 4:3 LCD monitor, with no problems.

A few months ago, I wanted to extend my desktop to a second 19-inch 4:3 LCD monitor, so I purchased a PNY VCGFX522PEB GeForce FX 5200 256MB 128-bit DDR PCI Video Card (I was looking for an inexpensive card that had two D-Sub ports). This setup works okay most of the time, but the video performance is sluggish – the video stalls and hesitates frequently. Occasionally, the whole system just stops working. I never had these problems running a single monitor with the onboard video.

Is the GeForce FX 5200 incapable of running two monitors at the same rate as the ATI Radeon 3000 runs a single monitor? Is there another video card I should consider? (both of my monitors have D-Sub ports, but only one of them has a DVI port.)

Thanks.

 

[Leeky]

I don't think any modern graphics card should struggle to run 2 monitors. I have a Hd4670 that happily ran both without an issue.

Have you tried un-installing your current Nvidia software, and then re-installing the latest software available from www.nvidia.com ?

 

[SNGX1275]

The FX5200 is a pretty low end card by today's standards. But - it is capable of running dual monitors just fine, my gf's older desktop is doing that right now with one monitor at 1680x1058 and the other at 1280x768.

If you are trying to run Aero in Vista or 7 it may not work well, but XP should be fine.