Tearing in eyefinity with HD 7970

[XxOsurfer3xX]

I just got my new eyefinity setup and I have noticed that there is a little bit of tearing even with Vsync on. I have the three monitors connected like this:

DVI -> DVI
HDMI ->DVI adapter-> DVI
MiniDP -> active DVI adapter -> DVI

The adapters that I used came with the Sapphire card. Any ideas on how to solve the tearing issue? Am I using the wrong connectors?

[Moose]

MiniDP -> active DVI adapter -> DVI

This is probably where to look for flaws. Let me explain.

DVI/HDMI and (mini)Displayport are two different types of digital signals. When mixing those, your graphics card can not process those signals very well (in eyefinity mode) because of hardware limitations. Don't ask me why AMD still hasn't fixed this, because it has been an issue since the 5xxx series. V-sync has something to do with it. In some cases, enabling V-sync would result in tearing on all three monitors, while leaving it off only results in one monitor tearing.
There is a 'fix' for this however. Custom PCB's or Flex Edition cards. And by that I mean the Asus HD7970-DC2-3GD5 or any other card that has a minimal of three similar outputs. An HD6990, for example, has 6 displayports.

I hope this helped!

Moose

PS: You might be thinking, why do you have tearing issues on 5xxx or 6xxx series cards? They have two DVI and one HDMI, so that shouldn't be a problem right? Well, if you use two DVI ports the HDMI port would shut itself down because of a shortage of so called 'clock generators'. Yet another hardware limitation.

[XxOsurfer3xX]

So there is no way to fix it apart from buying a flex or direct cu card? I thought that active adapters fixed the issues with tearing because they converted the signal?

[Moose]

Google as much as you want, there is not a fix for this. Active adapters only make sure that there is enough power (inactive adapters had the problem to turn of the screen etc). I've spent months trying to figure all this out, but the only thing you can do is buy a card with similar outputs. Or you could go for a surround setup from Nvidia, because they let you connect multiple monitors to multiple graphics cards. I'm sorry mate, but due to hardware limitations on the card itself there is no way this will be fixed any time soon. I hope I'm mistaken though, and that someone has actually found a fix, but not that I'm aware of (and half the internet).

Moose

[XxOsurfer3xX]

Google as much as you want, there is not a fix for this. Active adapters only make sure that there is enough power (inactive adapters had the problem to turn of the screen etc). I've spent months trying to figure all this out, but the only thing you can do is buy a card with similar outputs. Or you could go for a surround setup from Nvidia, because they let you connect multiple monitors to multiple graphics cards. I'm sorry mate, but due to hardware limitations on the card itself there is no way this will be fixed any time soon. I hope I'm mistaken though, and that someone has actually found a fix, but not that I'm aware of (and half the internet).

Moose

Thanks a lot for the answer. I just can't believe this, eyefinity is a big selling point for me and I cannot believe that they still have this issue.

And after dropping 500 € for the 7970 I have no more money for other graphics card... Its a shame because I wasn't really bothered by the bezels, but this does bother me.

If anyone else has any ideas don't hesitate to say them... And thanks for the help.

[Moose]

Hold your horses sir. The Asus DCII will only cost a little over 500. I'm getting it the second it comes out, and I could give you some info on how the card performs and stuff. That way you can decide if you want to trade it in.
I've spent 3 months finding everything out about Eyefinity, that's why I didn't went to get a reference 7970. Research is the keyword here, you could've saved yourself a lot of trouble. Hope I can help you further.

Moose

[Delphium]

It has been noticed that a mixture of connection/signal types can produce some tearing, this is not the always the cause of it.

I also have some questions for you...
Do you experience the tearing on windows desktop, in game or both?
Is it more gfx artifact tearing or is it more like a screen flicker?


Things you could try...

Use a mini-dp>VGA adaptor, these have proven to work very well.

Try using the mini-dp>DVI as the central & primary monitor, with the dvi/hdmi monitors flanking its side.

Dont enable AMD Overdrive / apply any overclocking, these usually cause some teraing when on the desktop as the card switches between mem and core speeds, although if you do use gpu overclocking then this can be resolved by following this guide.

[Moose]

Use a mini-dp>VGA adaptor, these have proven to work very well.

I must warn you that if you use VGA, the actual color display is 12 million colors, instead of 16,7. The 4,7 colors it's missing will be produced using a technique called dithering. However, if it works fine it's your choice to use it or not.

Moose

[XxOsurfer3xX]

It has been noticed that a mixture of connection/signal types can produce some tearing, this is not the always the cause of it.

I also have some questions for you...
Do you experience the tearing on windows desktop, in game or both?
Is it more gfx artifact tearing or is it more like a screen flicker?


Things you could try...

Use a mini-dp>VGA adaptor, these have proven to work very well.

Try using the mini-dp>DVI as the central & primary monitor, with the dvi/hdmi monitors flanking its side.

Dont enable AMD Overdrive / apply any overclocking, these usually cause some teraing when on the desktop as the card switches between mem and core speeds, although if you do use gpu overclocking then this can be resolved by following this guide.

I have tearing more like gfx artifact, and I have tearing across all 3 screens both in game and in windows. You can see the tearing moving the CCC arround. I do have the card overclocked. I have to go eat now, but later I will try miniDP as central and see what happens.

[Delphium]

Try also without overclocking the card.

[XxOsurfer3xX]

Tried setting the miniDP display as the center screen and with no overclocking in the card, and no good results, is still tearing. Is weird because it doesn't have tearing all over the place just 3 lines one in each screen. The effect is weird if you look at a line when the screen tears is like in that line the would be no bezel compensation, it doesn't look straight for a moment and after that when you are still the line is perfectly straight again....

I don't know if its important but I'm using portrait mode 3x1.

[Moose]

I don't know if its important but I'm using portrait mode 3x1

This is very important. As soon as you start using landscape, the tearing will be 10 times less visible. It will still be there though.

[XxOsurfer3xX]

I don't know if its important but I'm using portrait mode 3x1

This is very important. As soon as you start using landscape, the tearing will be 10 times less visible. It will still be there though.

Ok, I love portrait mode, but maybe I should give landscape a try because in some games like Skyrim the tearing really bothers me...

[Moose]

You can always trade in your card for an Asus HD7970-DC2-3GD5 when it releases. You could tell the seller that the card malfunctions and show him the tearing. If you have doubts about the Asus, I can always PM you the day I get it and tell you how the card is.

Moose

[XxOsurfer3xX]

You can always trade in your card for an Asus HD7970-DC2-3GD5 when it releases. You could tell the seller that the card malfunctions and show him the tearing. If you have doubts about the Asus, I can always PM you the day I get it and tell you how the card is.

Moose

That would be great, even though I don't know if the seller would allow me to trade my 7970 in...

[Haldi]

mhmm, i'm running 1x DVI, 1x HMDI-> DVI and 1x mDP ->DP.

Do i just nor recognize the Tearing or is that no problem because i run nativ DP without adapter ?

[Moose]

It's the fact that you're using native. One way or another the GPU doesn't have problems with that.

[XxOsurfer3xX]

Perfect I'll try that my monitor has DP and I have a miniDP to DP cable! :D

[Moose]

Perfect I'll try that my monitor has DP and I have a miniDP to DP cable! :D

You could've told me that, would've saved a lot of time :tired: anyways, please get back on us and tell the results!

Moose

[XxOsurfer3xX]

Well, I tried the miniDP to DP cable and dind't solve the problem, the tearing is still there. Haldi, could you tell me your exact setup? Do you use a HDMI to DVI adapter?