Advise on getting a secondary screen

[TeamGrizzly]

I am currently 5-boxing on a Q9550 with 8GB ram, 4870X2 graphics, V.Rap HDD and 24” screen. I wish to get another screen for the alts while keeping the current screen for the main. Can my current system handle the load?

Currently, my rig is already choking occasionally with frame rates as low as 5 fps in some areas. Is there something I can upgrade (like more ram?) before getting a secondary screen?

[Sajuuk]

You shouldn't be having many troubles. What settings are you running at?
How about some more information about your system? OS, Game settings, resolutions, software being used to broadcast keys, etc.

[TeamGrizzly]

Using Vista 64. Running one notch below the maximum graphics settings for main and minimum on all 4 slaves. Using keyclone. Maximizer settings downloaded from keyclone website (the one for 5 clients on a single 1900 X 1200 screen). Will we normally see a big drop in frame rates after adding another screen?

[Sajuuk]

What resolutions are your main/slaves running at? Try reducing the resolution for your slaves (but keep the same aspect ratio for them)

[TeamGrizzly]

I believe it is currently 800X600 for all. However, if I get another screen, i will be doing 1900X1200 for the main. That's why not certain if my system can take it..

[daviddoran]

Did you turn sound off on the alts? That made a huge difference or me. Also, check the affinity. I have my main on 2 cores, and the other 2 cores run 1 wow each. I also run off of 2 hdds, one for the main one for the alts.

[TeamGrizzly]

Nope. I'll try turning off sound on the alts. For affinity, should U have my main on 2 cores and the remaining 2 cores run 2 wow each or 1 each for main and 2 alts while remaining 2 alts on the 4th core?

[daviddoran]

Well, experiment, but since I always run 1 leader and 4 slaves, and run the main at a much higher resolution, I want that instance to have the most cpu power available, so he gets core 0 and 1. Then each slave gets either core 2 or core 3, so cores 2 and 3 are running 2 instances of wow each. Works well for me.

WTB 6 core processor.... would make things so much easier...

[TeamGrizzly]

Looking at the maximizer settings in keyclone, the numbers displayed at the bottom is 1536X1200. However, in WOW interface, i see my resolution is listed as 800X600. So what resolution are all my windows running at? 1536X1200 or 800X600?

[Bloodcloud]

Looking at the maximizer settings in keyclone, the numbers displayed at the bottom is 1536X1200. However, in WOW interface, i see my resolution is listed as 800X600. So what resolution are all my windows running at? 1536X1200 or 800X600?

If you want to adjust them, you can also (in keyclone) save the maximizer settings, edit them and change there the resolution.
(I had to do so because the 1920x1200 resolution was not listed)
After loading the profile it worked as a charm ,