ATI Announces HD 5870 Eyefinity6

[skipclarke]

I wonder if one of the problems holding up 5x1 Landscape is Bezel Compensation. You are having to set two bezels on each side of the "center" line in the configuration. This could be a tricker proposition and explain why 3x2 is working and not 5x1.

[Magic Man]

Doesn't 3x2 include bezel compensation for the top/bottom of the internal edges in the same way as the sides?

If it was that then leave bezel management off until sorted, same as they did with standard setups. Don't really see that it makes things that much harder though to be honest. You declare the overall resolution to take into account the bezels as setup with the onscreen tools, you then record the x and y split points for each distinct screen.

[ChristopherB]

I decided to just go ahead and buy a regular XFX 5870, found a good deal and got it for $420 shipped. :D

I've been waiting awhile for the 2GB card, but looking at the specs in the Anand article made me realize that it probably isn't the right choice for me. The extra (potential) $50-$100 cost is certainly not worth it in my eyes, the extra power consumption would mean buying a new PSU, and being forced to use a bunch of adapters or spending extra on Mini-DP to DVI/DP cables is not a good selling point either. There is also the possibility that the card may be longer than a standard 5870, and availability could be poor as is normal for new GPU releases.

All I was really interested in was some extra memory to avoid potential performance problems, but the Eyefinity Edition card is a little too over-engineered for my needs and all of the costs and complications of being able to run 6 monitors is passed down onto the consumer who may likely not even use that many. If only the OEMs had spent more time adding memory and less time making fancy custom coolers. :(

[elmy]

With the Eyefinity 6 card I see there is only 2 ways to run either 2 X 3 or 5 X 1 in portrait because it wont work 5 X 1 in landscape because of the max resolution in Windows 7 right ? and if you run in 2 X 3 the center of where the bezels meet will be where your sights will be for first person shooters which goes back to the only way to run this would be 5 X 1 in portrait. I wish my order for Dell P2310h X 3 weren't backordered for a month. I had to cancel because I was tired of waiting and went and bought 3 cheap 24" Acers from Costco for 169 a piece which are doing a good job but im stuck to run in landscape only. :-/ .

[k-y]

With the Eyefinity 6 card I see there is only 2 ways to run either 2 X 3 or 5 X 1 in portrait because it wont work 5 X 1 in landscape because of the max resolution in Windows 7 right ? and if you run in 2 X 3 the center of where the bezels meet will be where your sights will be for first person shooters which goes back to the only way to run this would be 5 X 1 in portrait. I wish my order for Dell P2310h X 3 weren't backordered for a month. I had to cancel because I was tired of waiting and went and bought 3 cheap 24" Acers from Costco for 169 a piece which are doing a good job but im stuck to run in landscape only. :-/ .

From what I understand, WDDM1.1 in Windows 7 only supports up to 4 monitors, so MS will have to patch that in order to allow for 5 or 6 monitors.

[suiken_2mieu]

[quote]With the Eyefinity 6 card I see there is only 2 ways to run either 2 X 3 or 5 X 1 in portrait because it wont work 5 X 1 in landscape because of the max resolution in Windows 7 right ? and if you run in 2 X 3 the center of where the bezels meet will be where your sights will be for first person shooters which goes back to the only way to run this would be 5 X 1 in portrait. I wish my order for Dell P2310h X 3 weren't backordered for a month. I had to cancel because I was tired of waiting and went and bought 3 cheap 24" Acers from Costco for 169 a piece which are doing a good job but im stuck to run in landscape only. :-/ .

From what I understand, WDDM1.1 in Windows 7 only supports up to 4 monitors, so MS will have to patch that in order to allow for 5 or 6 monitors.
Actually there has been people able to get 5 monitors in landscape working, via SoftTH and Eyefinity. I got it working with a TH2go and SoftTH. But in general, I've seen people use extended desktops of more than 5 for years. People who trade stocks have these setups. Plus We've seen that this card can support up to 6 monitors, i don't think it's a stretch to say win7 / vista can support more than 4.

[Magic Man]

If this is a limitation of the updated 1.1 driver model in Windows 7 then it's a bad show and ATI really needs to kick themselves for not spotting it earlier since it basically draws the curtains on the 5/6 outputs before they were even opened on the current MS OS.

Vista I assume is fine with its 1.0 version of wddm but that brings its own limitations of a single graphics driver so no mixing of boards.

In which case we then have XP with seemingly no issue with regards multiple monitors or card architecture but then it's not compatible with Eyefinity...

I want to setup a multi monitor simpit and was looking towards the Eyefinity6 to provide one set of monitors and my existing 8800gtx to power a couple of others just for guages etc. Looks like I'm potentially stuck at the moment with only Vista being the fallback with a second ATI card instead...

Any news from ATI/Dave on this potential showstopper or have we got things wrong? I hope so. I thought MS touted the improved multi monitor support of Win7 over previous OS's... If this is an issue then it looks like it's another step down the stairs from Vista and XP before that...

I'm sure I've seen demos with Win7 and more than 4 monitors - any triple card owners able to check?

[Dave Baumann]

Actually there has been people able to get 5 monitors in landscape working, via SoftTH and Eyefinity. I got it working with a TH2go and SoftTH. But in general, I've seen people use extended desktops of more than 5 for years. People who trade stocks have these setups. Plus We've seen that this card can support up to 6 monitors, i don't think it's a stretch to say win7 / vista can support more than 4.

It supports more than 4 panels, it only supports 4 in clone mode however.

[Magic Man]

It supports more than 4 panels, it only supports 4 in clone mode however.

So we're good for 5 or 6 in extended then?

Is there a limit as to how many extended monitors Win7 will support? - I thought I remember reading that it was 9 in XP but that was actually only how many the setup applet could manage and that there was no real limit.

[k-y]

It's Friday! Is the E6 review embargo off yet?

[bahnzii]

^ I was just going to ask the same question!!

[skipclarke]

It's Friday! Is the E6 review embargo off yet?

March 31st. Just a few more days.

[bahnzii]

Thanks!!! Now I can stop clicking the refresh button like some lab rat :lol:

[k-y]

Slides from http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1405660&postcount=5733:

[Magic Man]

Is there support currently for two independent spans/groups? e.g. 3 x 1920x1200 and 3 x 1280x1024 at the same time or is only one group supported?

If the latter, could additional groups be supported?

[Sservis]

Per http://www.tomshardware.com/news/PAX-AMD-Phenom-II-X6,10004.html

The AMD reps were mum on the exact pricing, but they did confirm that this six-port 5870 will cost more than the 5970.

I'm really hoping that there's a mistake in the article. I was mentally benchmarking it as 5870 + $100 or so.

[Magic Man]

I would hope it was a mistake too since I don't see how they could justify the inclusion of three more outputs as greater than a whole extra GPU...

[k-y]

I would hope it was a mistake too since I don't see how they could justify the inclusion of three more outputs as greater than a whole extra GPU...

Well, 3 more outputs, 3 more controllers, and 1GB more VRAM, but still, the 5970 has 1 whole GPU and 1 whole GB VRAM, too, so you wouldn't think 1 GPU is less expensive than 3 controllers/outputs.

[phill1978]

bit of a tough time for tripple screeners as the 5870 or 2x 5850 is the best solution on the market (given that nvidia gt480 is so hot and thirsty and expensive)

because for ultra HD resolution i.e 5 or 6 mega pixel you really do need about 1.5GB or 2GB of Vram and as seen the nvidia has it but isnt the best option for mulitscreen especially given its default 70degC heat and 68% fan when a second monitor is attached !!!

so what to do ?

no options until probably September when the whole new range is out with probably 1.5-2gfb unified memory and remember the problem with buying a 5870 or 5970 now is that new refreshed models with a different design cant crossfire together !


so you either buy now and suffer potencial memory stutter or you wait a further 6 months and throw away or sell at a loss any card you have now...

and how do you square that one on top of your 3 monitor purchase :cry:


is there not any way (apart from silly $$$$ 6DP card + 3 Active DP conveters to DVI $$$$ :shock: ) that Ati can bring a bigger memory version of the current Gen...

i think given the current timespan for the next range.. the answer is no.. we are stuck


:cheers

[skipclarke]

Per http://www.tomshardware.com/news/PAX-AMD-Phenom-II-X6,10004.html

The AMD reps were mum on the exact pricing, but they did confirm that this six-port 5870 will cost more than the 5970.

I'm really hoping that there's a mistake in the article. I was mentally benchmarking it as 5870 + $100 or so.

While I cannot yet give you the exact price, this statement is incorrect. AMD has previously said that it would fall between the 5870 and the 5970. I do know the price, and I can say it does fall between those two. So, let's nip the speculative conversation in the bud.