Question About Sli

[xxkbxx]

Sorry for the "stupid n00b post" I am new to this forum since G4TV Closed their Tech Support forum today. As far as my question goes:

When hooking up an SLI system I know that you need a SLI Compatible motherboard and two SLI Video Cards, but how do you physically hook up the two cards to the monitor? In other words, you install the two cards... then what?

[murtu52]

I found this at buyabs.com, seems pretty factual:

The two graphics boards are connected by a special SLI™ connector made by NVIDIA® that lets both boards share the graphics processing task simultaneously, over the ultra-fast PCI Express bus. Say goodbye to performance bottlenecks and say hello to mind-blowing visuals. -The result: faster graphics speed and maximum performance.

[marko_tomas13]

The two video cards are connected by a video bridge connector for lack of a better explanation by me at this point. You then connect your monitor to that and both of the cards feed information into it. That way you don't have to have a proprietary special montior, although that would have made them more money haha.

[murtu52]

The two video cards are connected by a video bridge connector for lack of a better explanation by me at this point. You then connect your monitor to that and both of the cards feed information into it. That way you don't have to have a proprietary special montior, although that would have made them more money haha.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, but this way they'll make so much more money

[xxkbxx]

Thanks alot, I was trying to figure out how they plugged in, and that was what I figured. When I first heard of SLI i was like, why would I want 2 monitors with the same thing on it - durr.

[Pierce]

You also need one hell of a powersupply unit and major cooling, thoes cards are power hungary and heat generators. And you need your own money printing press to afford the technology. I hear the 7800 is nearly ready to be released, they should be awesome.

[Falcon1986]

The two video cards are connected by a video bridge connector for lack of a better explanation by me at this point. You then connect your monitor to that and both of the cards feed information into it. That way you don't have to have a proprietary special montior, although that would have made them more money haha.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You haven't seen a SLI system, have you?

I have an Asus A8N SLI Deluxe but I'm using it in single GPU mode with a Radeon X800XL in one of the PCI-Express x16 lanes. When running in SLI you would require two identical SLI-compatible graphics cards that you insert into both PCI-Express graphics slots, then you attach a small SLI bridge connector that links both cards together. With the A8N SLI Deluxe there is also an activation chip that you must insert correctly to activate SLI (in single GPU by default). You then connect your monitor cable to the graphics card inserted into the leading PCI-Express slot (usually the blue slot). No cables are required to be inserted into the other card. Your manual will then tell you what to do.

All SLI-compatible motherboards will come with a manual that explains how it is done with their boards. Furthermore, the SLI graphics cards will come with their own similar documentation.

You can learn more about SLI at SLIZone.com.

[murtu52]

i've heard SLI costs around $1000+ for the equipment, dunno if its true, probably does with all the insurance investments of cooling, PS, etc...

[TheLetterK]

Thanks alot, I was trying to figure out how they plugged in, and that was what I figured.  When I first heard of SLI i was like, why would I want 2 monitors with the same thing on it - durr.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I use mirrored displays all the time. Very useful for presentations and such--also sort of important for the setup and troubleshooting of HTPCs.

[Pierce]

Well, yeah 2 top of the range nvidia 6800 ULTRA sli's + dual pci-e motherboard and then w/e chip,... the graphics cards alone will break the bank

Pierce

[murtu52]

Well, yeah 2 top of the range nvidia 6800 ULTRA sli's + dual pci-e motherboard and then w/e chip,... the graphics cards alone will break the bank

Pierce

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

break the bank? Man, they'll blow a hole through the whole wall!

[Aluvus]

i've heard SLI costs around $1000+ for the equipment, dunno if its true, probably does with all the insurance investments of cooling, PS, etc...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2 of these = $300, then $100 or so for a motherboard, and let's say $150 for a power supply. That's the "entry level" at $550. But that's assuming you don't already have any of these things.

[xxkbxx]

i've heard SLI costs around $1000+ for the equipment, dunno if its true, probably does with all the insurance investments of cooling, PS, etc...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2 of these = $300, then $100 or so for a motherboard, and let's say $150 for a power supply. That's the "entry level" at $550. But that's assuming you don't already have any of these things.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Assuming that I was already going to spend $100 on the board, two cards on SLI for $300 would outperform a $300 video card by itself, then it'll just be a little extra on the PSU

[Freidog]

Assuming that I was already going to spend $100 on the board, two cards on SLI for $300 would outperform a $300 video card by itself, then it'll just be a little extra on the PSU

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But they won't outperform the single $300 card. At any resolution/Image quality you'd want to play (you don't spend $300-400 on a video setup to run at 1024x768 no AA), the dual 6600GTs and single 6800GT are virtually identical

Price wise, you're better off with a single 6800GT, hard to find a $150 PCIe 6600GT right now, they're more in the $160 range. Harder than it has been to find a $300 PCIe 6800GT, but still more than a few around.

performance wise you're at least as well off with a single 6800GT.

heat and power wise (cost of cooling and PSU) you're better off with a single 6800GT. Single 6800GT needs abou 60W, dual 6600GTs need a total of about 90-100W.

SLI can provide some speed advantage over the fastest cards out there, when using the fastests cards out there.

It is not a cost effective way to turn a few mid range parts into a top end system.