Matrox have unveiled a multi-screen desktop device which has the ability to output an expanded-desktop to four screens which can be hundreds of meters away from the computer which is producing them, and is billed as being the world's first remote graphics unit.

The Extio F1400 allows separation of up to 250 meters, linked by only fiber-optic cables which connect to a PCI or PCI-E card installed in the host computer, and currently is aimed squarely at "professional users" such as those who want to have multiple spreadsheets, graphs and stock tracking all visible across the four screens, or for music and video production with wide timeline bars stretched out across all of the monitors alongside post production displays and mixers on their very own screen instead of being squashed up in a cramped window.

Further connectivity in addition to the dual-LC fibre optic connector and four DVI-I monitor connections alongside jacks for microphone, audio in and audio out, and six USB ports allowing a keyboard, mouse and other peripherals to be connected.

Whilst the device seems to be aimed at only professionals at this stage, it's certainly the sort of technology that seems likely to find its way in to homes within a couple of years, possibly with one screen being used for a television display, another to show news and weather data from the internet, a slideshow from a photo gallery, and a screen for standard computer usage - assuming of course that you can find space for four large monitors.

Matrox expect the Extio F1400 to be available by June, and more details about the system and some of its suggested uses can be found on the Matrox Extio website.