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Len,
I agree with you if you want a bullet proof, 24/7 system then multiple
systems is the way to go, but then you have to deal with all those keyboards
and all the mice. That can be a nightmare if you day trade. Besides if you
are really concerned about equipment failure, you need to put in a hot swap
raid disk array to ensure data integrity, power backups and don't forget hot
swap power supplies and EEC memory, etc. I am not going to even the
operating system issues.
The technology for duel monitors available in windows 98 is as good and as
reliable as other technologies in the PC environment.
Duel monitors in win98 is not the weak link in the system. The system I saw
was not at a trade show. It was the main system for a
former floor trader that is now trading off floor.
I do agree with you that the Irq issue is significant. If there are many
cards already in the system, you need to find a real pro to set it up. More
then two monitors could get dicy when it comes to Irq's.
And for the record len, I have worked for Dell computers, Zenith Data
Systems and ran a software consultancy for 5 years. Suffice it to say, I
know my way around a computer.
I strongly recommend anyone considering multi-monitors to go for it. It
really works well in win98 as long as you check the issues I listed in my
last post.
Andrew. S.
P.s. If you are building a new system from scratch, take a look at the
Abits BX6 mother board, it has 5 pci slots and the BIOS handles
multi-monitors. (most new boards do, but not all, so check)
-----Original Message-----
From: Len Olson <lto@xxxxxxxx>
To: andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: RealTraders Discussion Group <realtraders@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tuesday, February 23, 1999 6:01 PM
Subject: Re: hardware set up
>The number of IRQ's is set at fifteen, period. Go into your System
>section under "Control Panel" and list all of your IRQ'S, (and DMA's,
>Dynamic Memory Access), and I think you will be truly amazed at how fast
>those IRQ's and DMA's have become assigned. You may have seen a system
>running four monitors, (maybe), but that was probably at some trade show
>where the manufacturer/retailor made damn sure that it worked. Look. it
>comes down to cost and performance. Why take that chance with the
>current cost of Pentium II's below $1,000 and 17" monitors well below
>$300. That is not enough money to worry about. I will say the same
>thing here that I used to teach at Amarillo College and Tulsa Jr.
>College: DO NOT EVER SPEND $500 TO SAVE $50. Yes, I taught computer
>theory and database design. If you want system performance and
>reliability at today's prices, run separate systems off of a simple
>network.
>
>Andrew wrote:
>>
>> I have looked in to multi-monitor setups with win98 and
>> I would say if you are serious about trading then you need to
>> do this. It is so easy in win98 and does not slow your system
>> down noticeably. It is also less expensive then you think. I have seen
a
>> 4 monitor system running TradeStation and it was amazing. but what
>> was really amazing is the video cards. They used basic 35 dollar
>> video card designed for win98.
>>
>> All you need are two or more supported video cards. Your
>> mother board bios must be designed for more then one
>> monitor. You have to have open slots and enough Irq's (interrupts)
>> to run the additional video cards.
>>
>> under win98, each video card will take and manage one portion of the
screen
>> so in theory your video response time could increase.
>>
>> The only way to really slow the system down is to run more applications.
>> If you run TradeStation on a 4 monitor system, you can put a chart on
each
>> monitor, but you will still be running one copy of trade station , so the
>> CPU will not
>> be strained more then it is normally. The video card takes 99 percent of
>> the additional
>> work load.
>>
>> I would also recommend that all your video cards are the same. This is
not
>> required
>> but it makes the drivers easier to install.
>>
>> I am not sure why you would need 256 megs of ram. Each video card will
have
>> its own ram and will be processing only one portion of the desktop.
(which
>> is stretched
>> across the monitors) The system I saw with four monitors used 64 megs
with
>> cheapo video cars and it ran great.
>>
>> So you have to check the following.
>> 1.Can your computer mother board use two monitors. Call the manufacture
>>
>> 2.Which video cards do you want to use? are they compatible. Most
>> manufactures have compatible v-cards now.
>> Go to manufacture's web sights or call them and find one that suits your
>> needs and is compatible with multi-monitor setups.
>>
>> 3.Do you have open slots and Irq's available? If you don't know, find
>> someone to help or take it to a dealer.
>>
>> 5. Plug in the monitors. Make more money.
>>
>> The days of 2500 dollar dule monitor cards are history.
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>>
>> Andrew S.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Len Olson <lto@xxxxxxxx>
>> To: RealTraders Discussion Group <realtraders@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Date: Tuesday, February 23, 1999 4:48 PM
>> Subject: Re: hardware set up
>>
>> >Valhalla,
>> >
>> >You can run dual monitors but at the cost of performance and failure.
>> >Maybe the new Pentium III will be able to handle this approach. Apart
>> >from splitting the duties of the processor, you have two other BIG
>> >problems. The processor assigns and processes the job, i.e. logic,
>> >math, and I/O subsections of the processor. But, RAM has to be huge
>> >anymore. Perhaps, 256MB would suffice. Second, the onboard memory of
>> >the video board(s) has to be equally impressive. Both of these problems
>> >WILL result in RAM conflicts which in turn lead to system lockup. (the
>> >infamous "serious fault" or "system not responding" prompts from the
>> >PC. Worse yet, your screens just lock up, stop displaying updated data,
>> >and you do not even know what has happened. No doubt. Buy a second
>> >system. I responded to a few posts today regarding use of a cable
>> >modem. Here is what you do. Rely upon WIN95, 98, or NT's peer to peer
>> >network capabilities. Buy a network hub ($25 to $100). The cable modem
>> >will come equipped with a T-base-10 connection which goes into the hub.
>> >All, (or both), of your PC's tie into the hub. Instant access from all
>> >PC's to the internet via cable modem. Good Luck.
>> >
>> >Valhalla wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I have a question for the group about an issue that others might have
>> >> tackled by now. Anyone running dual monitors under Win98? Would
>> >> appreciate any experience with this, especially as to choice of any
>> >> special video card required. The only one I've seen was as expensive
as
>> >> a 2nd computer.
>> >>
>> >> Thanks, Mark Scheier
>> >
>> >
>
>
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