I am trying to run with what I have but I am also prepared to do whatever is needed to run 8 to 12 Monitors.
This is not an issue. Any motherboard with on board video, can be disabled very easily in the bios to enable only the new card. No conflict.
It won't cost you too much to try. Buy 2, of those x1-x16 expansion boards and plug quad cards into them. If they work, you're golden. If not, you'll still use the quads in your new system with more x16 slots. You're risking only the $22 each on the expansion boards. Go for it and please let us know how it works out.
Partially true. Doesn't mean the BIOS will allow you to run multiple cards even with the onboard video disabled.
Excuse me? Again, in the case of a very cheaply manufactured system with on board graphics/video where the chipset handling the video signal is soldered directly on the motherboard you have severely restricted options and in many cases you do indeed have to go into the BIOS and change the video signal protocol. His motherboard does not process the video signal. There are a plethora of graphics card makers. His only limitations are the available expansion slots.
I'm Googling info/images of your m/b. In order to make an informed decision you need to know exactly what is in the chassis. For example: do you have one PCIe x 16 slot or two? The computer is only sold with a video card installed, so do the specs on Dell's website mean that you have one PCIe x 16 slot in addition to the one used for the video card? Or is there only one slot and it's taken? As I said, an image of the board would be nice. Or you could open it up and look.
There are still a few PCI cards out there.. but they're going away. PCIEx16 was designed for video... mobos with multiple x16 slots anticipated multi video card... many other combos work, some not. Whether his mobo has onboard video or not isn't the only variable. The XPS 8300 was designed as a "general purpose, consumer" and/or "gamer" board... not anticipating to run more than 1 video card. Therefore, >1 video card is not a given. I hope he tries the x1-x16 expansion slots and it works for him. Lots of ETers would love to buy a cheap computer and be able to run 8 monitors on it.
I don't think it'll work. Besides the funky converter issue, he's processing video through two different avenues. Bill Gates wouldn't permit that. Hope I'm wrong.
The link is in the first post of this thread. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-Froogle-_-Add-On+Cards-_-STARTECH-_-15158223