External Graphics card

**LeoTheHamster** · 01-20-2005, 12:14 PM

Are there any external graphics cards available which will work 100% with the Xenarc 800x480 resolution thing?

**Change** · 01-20-2005, 10:21 PM

The Matrox Millenium works perfectly in Linux using the modeline given on the Xenarc site.

**LeoTheHamster** · 01-21-2005, 02:15 AM

Linux is scary

**Change** · 01-21-2005, 02:36 AM

Chances are it'll work great in Windows too, you'll probably have to use whatever the custom resolution software in Windows is...

**LeoTheHamster** · 01-21-2005, 02:37 AM

Would that Powerstrip thing sort it all out?

**BiohazrD** · 01-21-2005, 09:08 AM

The real problem when you start adding external things is power, since they are not internal, they do not use the PCI or Molex power available to other hardware. If you go with something external, you are going to have to use an inverter (DC -> AC -> DC Most likely as nearly all devices use DC) or make something that gives you the specific DC voltage and amperage that you need. I would think that USB/Firewire power would not be enough to power this device. But, if this is not a problem to you, then I would check with Hauppage. They make some good stuff.

**LeoTheHamster** · 01-21-2005, 09:12 AM

I have one PCI slot, but I was going to use that to add more USB2.0 slots, as with an external DVD and HD drives thats the current four taken up, then I need the screen, bluetooth etc

Unless I can get USB ports that go in a 5.25" / 3.5" slot but not the PCI? I've seen one for 3.5", but that was PCI as well

Edit: I believe a USB hub won't provide enough power, correct?

**BiohazrD** · 01-21-2005, 09:55 AM

Yeah, that sound about right.
The voltage on USB is pretty low as it is. If you are using a USB hub, it's like running a bunch of things in series (or parallel, I can never remember which is which). What I would reccommend is using a USB hub for whatever devices you need to be connected by USB, then just getting a short PCI video card. As long as the devices don't require a large amount of power, you should be fine. Otherwise, assuming you are not currently using all potential of your power supply, you can just give all the USB ports a little extra juice from that. I know there is a tutorial on thie forums somewhere that would show you how to do that.

**LeoTheHamster** · 01-21-2005, 10:11 AM

Hmmm........ cheers for that

Is their any reason I couldn't just extend the cables on the internal DVD drive to relocate it? Freeing up those USB ports should be enough for the rest then