I want to build a computer with a lot of USB 3.0 (preferably) or USB 2.0 external displays. By a lot, I mean I want to compete with the 14 you guys showed off here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heB94… or the 8 you showed off here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ncaC… . If possible, I want even more. I own over 20 displays that are ready to go for this.
The displays will show updating signal data. Think of it as something just like having a bunch of stock charts over many displays – it’s the same basic idea.
I want to build a computer that will handle this display array. What should I be looking for in terms of hardware? What specific things will help maximize the number of displays I can have and what doesn’t matter?
I know that Intel chipsets have certain limits for the maximum number of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. Is that what I want to maximize? What else (other than RAM) do I need to be able to maximize the number of external USB displays I can have?
Also, what types of limits have you guys seen?
Thanks!
Hi Tom,
Thanks for posting, and I would be happy to answer your question.
Based on the number of displays you wish to add, I wouldn’t recommend our products for your setup. Hopefully that doesn’t sound too negative, but we like to set honest expectations up front to help prevent frustration later on. Our 14 monitor demo was an example of what is technically possible on a USB 2.0 system (USB 3.0 systems will limit the number of devices connected) but not recommended in terms of performance.
As you are intending to build a new system from scratch, one potential option would be to use one or more dedicated graphics cards with multiple outputs to achieve the high number of displays. Examples of such cards would be this six output card -> http://amazon.com/dp/B00C7EPSVS or this eight output card -> https://www.pny.com/NVIDIA_NVS_810_fo…
In each instance you would want to ensure that have the necessary cables or adapters to connect to your displays. PNY actually has a helpful document showing how up to four of the PNY NVS 810 cards can be used in one compatible system to drive up to 32 displays here -> https://www.pny.com/File%20Library/Su…
Of course, we haven’t tested, couldn’t guarantee compatibility, suitability to purpose or provide support or planning for such a solution but we make mention of it to help point you in the right direction.
Thank you,
Bob
Plugable Technologies
www.plugable.com/support