Triple 27" Monitor Setup Card Recommendations

[njpatel]

(sorry, posted this in the wrong, non-linux, forum before but can't move it so posting again here)

Hi,

I posted this over at Phoronix and then realised that, if I'm already convinced I want a NVIDIA, it might work out better to post it here

I'm looking to make a new desktop system for myself and would love to have a triple 27" monitor setup (2560x1440 * 3, horizontal), it's going to run Ubuntu and maybe a few other distros, but no Windows or Hackintosh, just Linux.

My requirements are:

- Has to run Mutter/Compiz and other desktop apps perfectly and at full performance, even when powering all three monitors at highest resolution.
- Does _not_ need to do any gaming, but should do enough GL to make Mutter/Compiz work with all the bells and whistles (shaders etc).
- Noise isn't really an issue, nor is doing SLI or taking up two slots per card.
- Price isn't really an issue, but not interested in Quadro, would like to keep it at the consumer/gamer level cards.
- Should handle dual-link DVI or DisplayPort

I've been looking around for any full-time Linux systems running this setup (without compromises like "no compiz") but couldn't find any, although I know they must be out there

I'd like to stick to nvidia as I appreciate the work done in their binary driver and haven't had great experience with Ati on Linux in the past.

I keep being told that doing SLI isn't great on Linux due to missing profiles but, if my main concern is Mutter/Compiz/Clutter, would two GTX 460s be enough to power these displays and keep Mutter/Compiz at 60fps during animations (with shaders etc)?

I'd love to hear what you guys think/recommend. I'm going to build this in the next few months, so I have time if there's something worth waiting for.

Thanks,

Neil

[JaXXoN]

Originally Posted by njpatel

I've been looking around for any full-time Linux systems running this setup (without compromises like "no compiz") but couldn't find any, although I know they must be out there

I fear your requirements can't be easily fullfiled:

* SLI Mosaic combines two or more Quadro cards on driver level and thus
avoids the problems with Xinerama (= no Compiz). Unfortunately those
cards are most typically out of the price range even for advanced 3D
enthusiasts in case they have to pay it out of their own pocket.

* TH2G can only do up to 3* 1920x1200 (one 1920x1200 LCD connected to
the first DVI-output and the other two 1920x1200 LCDs connected to the second
DVI-ouput trough the TH2G (dual-head mode).

* The only option you have would be to use XGL - this is an overlay X-Server
that runs on top of another X-Server and allows to run Compiz with an arbitrary
number of cards. Unfortunately XGL is not supported any more since 2008
and you will probably have a hard time getting it working with recent
distributions.

regards

Bernhard