ability to run 6-8 monitors

buzzp · Jan 6, 2020

I have a machine running win 10 pro for workstations. It is running with a Intel Xeon E5-2603 v4 at 1.7GHz. Currently, we are running 3 monitors from a Radeon Pro WX5100 graphics card using HDMI. We are able to successfully transmit these signals 40' away without any loss of resolution. We run our monitors at 1280 x 1020. The monitors run in extended desktop mode I believe.
We need to expand the number of monitors from 3 to 6. I have looked at a new video card (Radeon WX9100), which has 6 displayport 1.4 outputs. However, I read that DP is limited to around 15' without an amplifier.
I am trying to figure out the best way to allow up to 6 monitors and is why I have looked at a new video card. I also realize DP can be daisy chained but is this only allowed for monitors displaying the same information or will it work for monitors with different screens but one source (I believe it will but want to be sure)?
My other questions:
1. Is replacing the video card with DP's the way to go (6 outputs) or should I look at something else?
2. What is the best way to handle the limitation of the length of the DP cable (maybe at our lower resolution, this may not be a problem?)?
Any advice is appreciated.

cdogg · Feb 25, 2020

Late reply, but for anyone else who stumbles across this thread...

One option is to reinvest in something like RapidRun cabling, especially if you're running through the wall:

https://www.cablestogo.com/tech/rapidrun

The older style is "modular" and can carry multiple formats ranging from VGA to HDMI. If you went with this option, you could get any video card with 6 mini-DP outputs and convert each one to HDMI before hitting the wall plate (or simply add a 2nd card with 3 HDMI outputs). This is cheaper than the next option up, but still not exactly cheap!

You would need:
[ul]
[li]RapidRun cabling (link)[/li]
[li]RapidRun wall plates (link)[/li]
[li]Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI dongles (link)[/li]
[/ul]
*Note: USB power is probably needed for each HDMI connection

If this is for a larger company and cost can be budgeted accordingly, then the other option is to use RapidRun optical instead of modular for a cleaner experience, but there's a noticeable jump in cost. You can read more about it at that site or just call them. They may even have some cheaper solutions than RapidRun that allow you to extend 40' from DisplayPort.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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cdogg · Mar 1, 2020

Forgot to mention...

It just occurred to me that DisplayPort can be daisy-chained. You can connect up to 4 displays on one connection, which should help save on the cost of cabling. I'm not sure how daisy-chaining reacts at higher distances, but they do make "active" DisplayPort cables that easily hit 15m (or about 50 ft) without the need for external power. See the "cable length" section here:

https://www.barco.com/en/news/2018-11-20-what-is-the-difference-between-displayport-and-hdmi

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

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ability to run 6-8 monitors

buzzp

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cdogg

Technical User

cdogg

Technical User

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