I recently saw the new Haswell server motherboards still come with VGA outputs. They are also coming with USB 3. My monitor has an extra DVI input so I was thinking of using a USB 3 video adapter. Saw a few but the one I am thinking about is this:
Targus USB 3 Hub Gigabit Ethernet USB Hubs | eBay
Anyone tried a USB 3 to hdmi or dvi adapter with newer server boards?
Odds that it works with server OSes are low, and it definitely won't work during boot. USB just isn't a "real" bus.
The best bet is an x1 pci express video card, for non-gaming/rendering uses it has plenty of bandwidth and it leaves your precious long slots free for better things
There is a big retail markup on those considering the low end chipsets they use (all >$50) thankfully there are sometimes cheap parts pulls on fleabay. (searching is annoying though because everyone seems to word things their own way)
If you don't mind a quick slot surgery (done it many times myself) you can use a x16 card, as long as the board has clearance and the pci mounts on the case aren't badly out of alignment so the contacts don't touch. They are easier to find too, I see a lot of dual dvi or dual displayport for <$20 shipped.
