dual monitors

what do I need to hook up two monitors? a dual dvi video cARD or a monitor with two dvi ports on it. By the way one monitor is crt and the other is lcd

 

you want a video card with one VGA and one DVI

although it's usually best to have two VGA as most LCD monitors have VGA and/or DVI input ports, but to my knowledge there isn't a single DVI CRT out there. Of course there are adapters but they are clumsy.

 

they make adapters for dvi to fit vga right? what about having one on plugged into onboard and one on the video card would that work?

 

They make VGA to DVI but I'm not sure about DVI to VGA.

I think that is possible but I have never attempted it, so I don't know. Maybe someone else knows, and there is always a google search.

 

Both adaptors are made.

If I had a choice I'd opt for dual DVI video card, for LCD's DVI is the way to go.(not all LCD's have DVI input)

The quality of LCD is nearing that of CRT, LCD is the future.
Lot's of video cards that are Dual DVI or Dual VGA come with one adaptor.

Video quality may be slightly compromised when going VGA to DVI/LCD monitor But not from DVI to VGA/CRT monitor

 

"what about having one on plugged into onboard and one on the video card would that work?"

I'm not sure it will work. Can you have your Onboard video card and a seperate one connected at the same time? Not to mention if they are different chipsets, it would be a nightmare to have 2 different video drivers on your system at the same time.

 

most of the new nvidia and ati cards have one VGA and one DVI output (as well as one TV which you can use to extend to two monitors and a TV!). most cards also come with the DVI to VGA adaptor in the box so you can connect to two monitors in VGA mode wiithout a problem.