Mac OS 9 Lives

Mac OS 9 Discussion => Hardware => Video Cards, Monitors & Displays => Topic started by: part12studios on May 31, 2016, 09:47:53 AM

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: part12studios on May 31, 2016, 09:47:53 AM

Hi there, I have a 450mhz G4 (sawtooth) w/ 706mb ram.  It's running OS9Lives perfectly.  It has one video card in it.  this is an aga port IIRC..  I know that with PC's back in that era you often had to put a 2nd video card in your tower and the OS would see both and let you configure them under windows 98 and later from my experience (maybe memory is off)..   so two questions:

1. is it possible with OS9 in a graphite G4 sawtooth

2. what are some good cards to look for to put in the unit that would work (drivers, etc)

I'm using this machine to make music using MOTU Digital Performer 3.02

Thanks!
Caleb

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors?
Post by: Mat on May 31, 2016, 10:14:11 AM

It´s no problem at all. I had exactly that issue last week. I wanted to setup a new workplace with the advanced quest to have one monitor in "pivot mode" using MacPortrait. Using two (or more) monitors is no problem at all. You just need a graphiccard that can drive more than one monitor at the same time or a 2nd graphiccard.
Recently I use a ATI Radeon 8500 64MB for the main monitor and an IMS TwinTurbo128mb8 for the 2nd "palette monitor" via PCI. I also had a 3rd display hooked up and well working at the ATIs ADC connector (an Apple 17" Studio Display) and could use all 3 monitors without problems.

In general you can use all Mac graphiccards. If you want to drive both monitors from one AGP card just be sure that your graphiccard can handle them and is not just "mirroring" the desktop (like the GeForce 2MX does). Every 4MX, ATI 8500 to 9200 or later 3dfx should be fine. Or if you just need the 2nd monitor for controls/timecode/mixer or palettes - means not so fast as for the main monitor you can use any older PCI graphiccard for it. I even had hooked up 2 monitors back then at my PowerMac 6100. One to the onboard graphics, and one to the graphiccard at the PDS slot. ;)

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: part12studios on May 31, 2016, 12:28:07 PM

ok that's great to know.  this one looks good.  Sold..   :) 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Mac-G4-G5-ATI-Radeon-7000-PCI-64MB-Video-Card-DVI-VGA-S-Video-TV-Out-OS9-/200710223413?hash=item2ebb42f635:m:mosu41F9PFEhHQf6EhSbdGA (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-Mac-G4-G5-ATI-Radeon-7000-PCI-64MB-Video-Card-DVI-VGA-S-Video-TV-Out-OS9-/200710223413?hash=item2ebb42f635:m:mosu41F9PFEhHQf6EhSbdGA)

probably not the cheapest compatible card, but it's reasonable and has DVI and VGA which is nice. 

Thanks!
Caleb

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: Mat on June 02, 2016, 12:59:59 PM

The ATI 7000 is a nice card. I used one for several years. Hope those are not just flashed PC cards for that price?

For the records, here I got the control panel "Monitors" which is used to manage multiple displays, showing my config with 3 displays hooked up to 2 graphiccards. Multiple monitor support is built in to the Mac OS. And depending on the possibilities of the used graphiccards you can hook up several monitors.

BTW. I would be interrested what the max. of monitors is (built in to the OS)? In theory I could hook up 10 displays to any G4 or 12 displays to my 9600 using all PCI slots with grophiccards. Or imagine a PCI-Expansiopn box with 19 slots would mean 24 slots at all, so 48 displays, ... ;)

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: IIO on January 16, 2017, 03:10:42 AM

i have used 2,3 and 4 screen in macos, but i wonder if there isnt an artificial limit in the monitor controlpanel?

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: jt on January 16, 2017, 09:31:40 AM

Dunno, I'm not used to the user interface over here, maybe that's why I don't see the link in Mat's post that you're talking about. I got the link to the other thread which is very helpful. I see the paperclip, which I'm guessing means there might have been an attachment? A howto for finding that or linkage to the MacPortrait driver would be much appreciated.

Using it for sheet music is a great application for Portrait orientation, especially with a tall format aspect ratio. Brilliant!

Snagged a Macintosh Portrait Display for $20 back in the day. It was fab for writing on the dedicated IIci and later for displaying PDF DevNotes and ServiceSource references from the DuoDock+ while I did maintenance on the growing collection or evil hackage in my spare time on the production machine and it's 21" Radius PrecisionView desktop. I'm intending to do that and more with the new LCD setup. Space constraints and the fact that the 19"/20" mismatch in size with both in landscape mode next to each other disturbs the harmony and balance of my workspace. :o


@part12studios/caleb: did you buy that PCI card and if so, how did it work out for you?

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: IIO on January 16, 2017, 11:42:44 AM

you´re in the wrong thread again :) ... can you copy that over to the macportrait post?

Title: Re: Does OS9 support dual monitors? (solved, answer - yes)
Post by: jt on January 16, 2017, 01:26:21 PM

 ::) oops! copied over as requested, THX!