Building a computer? Need advice/suggestions? Come here!

[bleach]

If I wanted to extend my desktop, is it possible (and/or practical) to hook up an ATI HD5800 series to 2 monitors: Samsung 2494SW (1920 x 1080) plugged into Iogear GCS634U KVM switch (meaning monitor #1 will support 2 computers) and an Envision 1981 at (1280 x 1024) plugged directly into the video card?

[Warsaw]

Easily done. You said you have a KVM switch, and that pretty much fixes any issue you might have had. The 5800 series is certainly powerful enough to drive both. Hell, even I can get away with driving two monitors.

[bleach]

Yeah I'm glad that I can use the KVM switch, which only has one port for display, to share the 24" with both PCs and still add the 19" exclusively for my new computer. Even if I had a KVM switch that could support 2 monitors, I don't think my ATI Radeon 9250 would be happy with it.

[Pyong Kawaguchi]

The ati HD5850 supports up to three monitors.

[Warsaw]

Can't just connect the monitor to two computers without the KVM switch though, Pyong. If he did that, the desktop on both computers would be active even though he can only see one, which means he's clicking things at random on the other computer.

[PlasbianX]

Is it still possible to see people' s setups through their profile? I need serious help on what I should get (dont wanna spend more than 1000) towards a new pc

[CN3089]

http://techreport.com/articles.x/18510

[bleach]

Do I need to buy any extra accessories, cables, or adapters if I wanted to connect my old (ATI Radeon 9250) and new PC (assume it's an XFX HD5850) to the KVM switch with my Envision 19" LCD (only VGA) and connect my Samsung 24" LCD (DVI and VGA are present but I prefer DVI) to the new PC?

And if I were to do this, I can still set the Samsung 24" as the primary display and the Envision 19" as the secondary display on my new computer right?

[Warsaw]

Strangest diagram ever, but yeah, you can set primaries. Also, the HD5850 has DVI outputs, so you are covered there, too.

[flibitijibibo]

If you ever wanted to use both machines at once, you could also consider InputDirector (Google it). Basically, if you need the 5850 to run only one screen (for a game) but still need the second screen (IRC, browsing while waiting for respawn in L4D2), you can use ID to have it act as a second monitor without having to touch the KVM.