Presuming you mean the NVS 450, one slot. Here's an auction for one. If your monitors don't have DP cables, you'd need to buy either DP cables or DVI-DP adapters. http://cgi.ebay.com/QUADRO-NVS-450-...emQQptZPCC_Video_TV_Cards?hash=item1c1192a035
Ah, I just got the 3D feature of the website for the Firepro card to work. I see it's "double height" demonstrated by the rear vents and double tabs on the back of the card. It will occupy two expansion slots in a pc regardless of electrical connection requirements. I was referring to the NVS290 when I was speaking of "single height" versus an 8800ultra being "double height". Height of a card is a material issue not only to fit one of them into a box but also to stack them in a box. A double height four monitor card seems to do nothing more then two single height cards could do. At least for me anyway. I guess with different boxes it will be different strokes for different folks. There are (or have been) some single height (max expansion possibilities in most systems) 4 monitor gpu's on the market. They're generally passive cooled 2D cards, just what we use for dedicated trading.
Interesting they'd use the term "height". Height was long used to actually define "height", as earlier described, long before these "double wide" cards came into being. To avoid confusion, perhaps they should be called "double width".
Thanks for the clarification. I never heard of calling it "width" in reference to the installed vertical dimension of a gpu. I always saw them referred to as "single height" and "double height" cards. Some manufacturers have said things like "low profile" to include "single height." As a general principle, single height is passive cooled and double height has an integrated gpu cooler (fan) on the card. It's that fan which requires the extra height (or width to use your nomenclature).
Well then, we're left with the description of "half-height"... like the NVS 290, which can fit into a slim or SFF case.. There couldn't be such a thing as "half-height" if referring to the "thickness" of the card... If I recall correctly there were desktop cases, including SFF and slim, before tower. "Height" had always referred to the thickness of the case. If there had been "double wide" video cards back then, they wouldn't have referred to them as "double height"... Even when considered "height" in a tower case, I still think they shouldn't refer to the width of the card as "height" (even though it makes some sense in a limited view)... simply because it's bastardized from height's original meaning and use.... and therefore possibly confusing. I've seen cards described as "double wide" or "double width"... this is the first time I've heard this dimension referred to as "height"..
What would be most cost effective graphics card (passively cooled, 2D) that allows to connect two or more monitors and of which can be added more?
Marinating on this mostly useless trivia.... Let's say the computer world is going to change the conventional meaning of "height" to refer to "how many slots are covered in a tower case".... Do they come up with a new term for "cards which will fit into SFF cases", formerly known as "half-height"??
"Adding more" is going to be a function of the mobo and its BIOS. Any dual-monitor video card will work for the first 2 monitors, but Nvidia Quadro NVS is the Big Dog in that market. If you're thinking you'll likely want to add a 3rd, 4th, or more monitors... it would be a good idea to buy a workstation or gamer computer... they'll have the proper video card slots... suggest avoiding any computer with "onboard video" chip. Some will run more than 2 monitors, some will not. Some will run more than 2 monitors, but with restrictions.
Thanks for the answers so far. Some additional information: Currently I am running three NVidia 8600 GT cards with 6 monitors and they are running smoothly. I am just tired of the noise they are producing. Therefore I am looking for a low-cost solution to replace them. As far as I can see Nvidia Quadro NVS is not really at the low end of the price chain.
Make sure you can match the outputs to your monitor ports. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=nvs+290 http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=nvs+295 Single Height! lol