Three monitors under linux (two on pcie x16 + 1 on pcie x1)

Question

linux

There is a computer with linux OS on the motherboard of which an NVIDIA video card is installed in the pcie x16 slot, two monitors are connected to it - everything works fine under KDE, but I want one more monitor.
There are free pcie x1 slots on the motherboard. Relatively inexpensive video cards for this connector are sold in stores.
Questions:
1. If you buy such a video card and install it in a computer, will a third monitor work on it in the specified configuration?
2. If so, which card is better to buy for pcie x1 - another NVIDIA or ATI (they are cheaper)?

Answer 1

Problem solved, here is my config:

10-monitor.conf

Section «ServerLayout»
Identifier «Layout0»
Screen 0 «Screen0»
Screen 1 «Screen1» RightOf «Screen0»
Screen 2 «Screen2» LeftOf «Screen0»
# Screen 3 «Screen3» LeftOf «Screen2»
Option «Clone» «off»
Option «Xinerama» «On»
EndSection
Section «Monitor»
Identifier «DVI-1»
ModelName «Asus First»
HorizSync 27.0 — 81.0
VertRefresh 50.0 — 75.0
Option «Primary» «true»
Option «DPMS»
Option «PreferredMode» «1920x1080_60.00»
EndSection
Section «Monitor»
Identifier «DVI-2»
ModelName «Asus Second»
HorizSync 27.0 — 81.0
VertRefresh 50.0 — 75.0
Option «DPMS»
Option «PreferredMode» «1920x1080_60.00»
EndSection
Section «Monitor»
Identifier «DVI-3»
ModelName «Philips»
HorizSync 27.0 — 81.0
VertRefresh 50.0 — 75.0
Option «DPMS»
Option «PreferredMode» «1920x1080_60.00»
EndSection
Section «Device»
Identifier «FirstCard0»
BusID «PCI:1:0:0»
Driver «nouveau»
Option «Monitor-DVI-I-1» «DVI-1»
Screen 0
Option «ZaphodHeads» «DVI-I-1»
EndSection
Section «Device»
Identifier «FirstCard1»
BusID «PCI:1:0:0»
Driver «nouveau»
Option «Monitor-DVI-I-2» «DVI-2»
Screen 1
Option «ZaphodHeads» «DVI-I-2»
EndSection
Section «Device»
Identifier «SecondCard0»
Option «Monitor-DVI-I-3» «DVI-3»
BusID «PCI:4:0:0»
Driver «nouveau»
Screen 0
Option «ZaphodHeads» «DVI-I-3»
EndSection
Section «Device»
Identifier «SecondCard1»
Option «Monitor-VGA-1» «VGA-1»
BusID «PCI:4:0:0»
Driver «nouveau»
Screen 1
Option «ZaphodHeads» «VGA-1»
EndSection
Section «Screen»
Identifier «Screen0»
Device «FirstCard0»
Monitor «DVI-1»
EndSection
Section «Screen»
Identifier «Screen1»
Device «FirstCard1»
Monitor «DVI-2»
EndSection
Section «Screen»
Identifier «Screen2»
Device «SecondCard0»
Monitor «DVI-3»
EndSection
#Section «Screen»
# Identifier «Screen3»
# Device «GorszaKarta1»
# Monitor «VGA-1»
#EndSection

But 3D acceleration and fullscreen video work only on monitors connected to the first card, we haven't been able to implement it on an additional monitor on the second card, although everything works great in windows!

Answer 2

I don’t know about Linux, but you can also insert a simple video card into the PCIe x1 slot, if there is one. You need sawing through the connector (or scraping it with a scalpel, not for long) and, possibly, small corrections for control signals - described in " Put a second video card in the PCI-Express x1 slot ". (“PRSNT pin #2 at the end of the PCIe x16 connector is connected to the same signal at the PCIe x1 connector”) - and that’s it, any second video card will start.
(Well, on Linux and 3 monitors, they asked and decided a lot for a long time - www.google.com/search?q=linux+2+video+cards+3+monitors&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 )

Answer 3

Will work in KDE. Less problems if there are two NVIDIA or two ATI. Even fewer problems if you connect all 3 monitors to one video card. Send me a PM, I'll help if I can.

Answer 4

It works for me like this - www.gentoo.ru/node/24768 . My Lenovo X1 ends up running one Samsung MD230X3 based 5760x1080 desktop and three Lenovo USB-to-DVIs. Everything works great without any problems. Therefore, I think that your version with PCI and Xinerama cards will work just as well.

Answer 5

I bought this card:
elmir.ua/video_cards/graphics_card_pci-ex1_512mb_geforce_gt610_64bit_ddr3_zotac_zt-60605-10l.html
The first nvidia G71 GeForce 7900 GS card
So far it is possible to launch either the second or the first card by switching the order of the PEG / PCI video adapter in the motherboard BIOS, i.e. e. either only the first or only the second video card works.
although both are visible in the KDE infocenter on the PCI bus.
Because at the moment, all configs were created automatically during the installation of the system, then there is not even an xorg.conf file - apparently you will have to “generate” it manually to fine-tune the Xs.
I do not want to abandon the nouveau driver in favor of the proprietary one yet.
Advise what specifically needs to be done or where it is possible to esteem about my case.