WSGF Review of the AMD Radeon HD 6870 & HD 6850

[duniek]

Okay, if I use 6 monitors on the miniDP ports, can I still use two more monitors on DVI or DVI+HDMI?

99% nope ;(
If it will be possible I am sure ATI/AMD will make their marketing talk everywhere, like: ultimate setup up to 8-9 monitors from one card) OMG WTF BBQ edtion :lol:

[suiken_2mieu]

Okay, if I use 6 monitors on the miniDP ports, can I still use two more monitors on DVI or DVI+HDMI?

99% nope ;(
If it will be possible I am sure ATI/AMD will make their marketing talk everywhere, like: ultimate setup up to 8-9 monitors from one card) OMG WTF BBQ edtion :lol:

Hey man, I'd love to have 9 off of one card. Oh the possibilities. One of these days I'll be running my own video wall off my main rig. Just because.

EDIT: Blame Winamp Visualizer, You, doublejj0305, and my friend tim. The ridiculousness has become normal. Now nothing in ridiculous when it comes to monitor setups.

[Paradigm Shifter]

Just because.

That's the enthusiast spirit! :D :cheers

[ChainSOV]

haha,
reminded me of
Zero Punctuation Just Cause 2 Review
:lol:

[skipclarke]

Okay, if I use 6 monitors on the miniDP ports, can I still use two more monitors on DVI or DVI+HDMI?

Max monitors on the 6870 or 6850 reference design is six. My guess is that this would hold true for the 6900's as well, but I don't have any information on them - yet...

[Dyre Straits]

I got my own Gigabyte HD 6870 yesterday and have been trying to get Eyefinity setup. So far, no success with two different adapters I've used.

The first one was a passive Mini-DP -> DVI adapter. No go for three monitors, period.

Returned that one and picked up a Mini-DP -> VGA adapter. If I can get three monitors active at once, it reduces the DP monitor to 640x480 as the only resolution available...and no Eyefinity. I WAS able to get an Eyefinity setup just for kicks by reducing all three screens to 640x480. Not a good option.

So, it does appear that, in order to get a successful Eyefinity setup working, the adapter still has to be of the "active" variety. At least the price has come down a lot and they can be had for about $30 USD. I've tried to get one from the local MicroCenter but they don't stock them. Looks like I'll be ordering from online.

[suiken_2mieu]

I think it's kind of dumb to still think of eyefinity as a value added option and not their main feature.

[Dyre Straits]

Here's hoping that this one does work as promised...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004071ZX0/ref=ox_ya_os_product

Should be here sometime next week.


EDIT: Sorry, but that link was for the incorrect version. It's THIS one I intended to order and it should be here in a few days....

http://www.amazon.com/Accell-B087B-006B-DisplayPort-Single-Link-Certified/dp/B004071ZXA/ref=pd_cp_e_2

[suiken_2mieu]

Why wont they make a DL-DVI adapter that doesn't suck? I'm running apples and they start destroying their usefulness when ever I change resolution, or try to duplicate a monitor (with the same res), or extend a monitor (cumming out of eyefinity). Just a lot of headaches. I'm actually powering each one using the built in USB hubs on the the monitor, which allows me to power cycle the adapters by turning off and on the monitors.

[spammeister]

Here's hoping the 6970 comes with 2GB vram standard. It's probably going to be the only real working solution (if it works at all).

[skipclarke]

I think it's kind of dumb to still think of eyefinity as a value added option and not their main feature.

DP monitors are pretty prevalent now, and with a DP monitor an adapter isn't needed.

[ChainSOV]

Returned that one and picked up a Mini-DP -> VGA adapter. If I can get three monitors active at once, it reduces the DP monitor to 640x480 as the only resolution available...and no Eyefinity. I WAS able to get an Eyefinity setup just for kicks by reducing all three screens to 640x480. Not a good option.

which brand was that?
was it working fine as a single monitor with the DP>VGA adapter?
I was planning to get a 6870 and already have a Bizlink DP>VGA
If DP>VGA is troublesome on the new cards, maybe a used 5850 would be a better option.

[suiken_2mieu]

[quote]I think it's kind of dumb to still think of eyefinity as a value added option and not their main feature.

DP monitors are pretty prevalent now, and with a DP monitor an adapter isn't needed.
Sure, but when I can get dell 3007wfp-hc's for as low as $400 (About $700 Average) and 3008wfp cost over $1000 and the u3011 cost around $1500. I would like better accessibility for DVI monitors. If the DL-DVI adapters just worked, I wouldn't care dishing out a little cash for them. But because they are a pain in my rear, and I need 5 of these for 5 30"rs, you can understand my being pissed off.

[skipclarke]

I can understand your frustration. You may very well be the only person in the unique position of putting together 5x30"...

[Dyre Straits]

[quote]
Returned that one and picked up a Mini-DP -> VGA adapter. If I can get three monitors active at once, it reduces the DP monitor to 640x480 as the only resolution available...and no Eyefinity. I WAS able to get an Eyefinity setup just for kicks by reducing all three screens to 640x480. Not a good option.

which brand was that?
was it working fine as a single monitor with the DP>VGA adapter?
I was planning to get a 6870 and already have a Bizlink DP>VGA
If DP>VGA is troublesome on the new cards, maybe a used 5850 would be a better option.

It was this one....

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0315888

It did work well with just the one monitor or even with just two monitors active. But, never could get a true "Eyefinity" group configured. It always reverted to Extended or Duplicated screens. Trying to enable all three screens is what resulted it the 640x480 resolution limitation.

I've ordered an ACCELL "AMD-certified" adapter from Amazon. It is the same price and should be here by middle of next week.

[bandito]

Eyefinity with hubs... the 6 series...
With 2 MST HUBs (utilizing DP ver 1.2 bandwidth) or daisy chaining (rare on monitors) .... you can drive up to 10 (1920x1200) displays (more if you split the DL-DVI)...

Up to 4 from each mini-DP... and 2 from the "legacy" DL-DVI

[Magic Man]

The images show using one DP and daisychain together with the two dvi in one pic and using the two DP's in the other pic.

It doesn't therefore go that you can use both DP and both DVI at the same time... Would be great if you could but somehow I think there will still be a limit on what you can use together.

Looking at six outputs myself, 3 x 24" span, 1 x 24", 1 to a TH2Go to power 3 x 19" and something else of the remaining sixth output...

[skipclarke]

The configuration is still limited by the number of clocks on the card. The 6850 and 6870 will only support six monitors, regardless of the number of adapters or hubs you have.

[suiken_2mieu]

The configuration is still limited by the number of clocks on the card. The 6850 and 6870 will only support six monitors, regardless of the number of adapters or hubs you have.

Well if I read correctly, that seems incorrect.
For DP, there seems to be ONE clock for all the ports. Then there are two clock clock for DVI / HDMI / VGA (DVI->VGA adapter).

So bandwidth allowing I see 6 on DP, and 2 on "legacy" ports = 8 monitors.

I also head that those HUBs will have built in clocks for each port. Which makes sense, because then DP 1.0 / 1.1 wouldn't work with the HUBs.

[Magic Man]

Do we know if there is going to be a 'specialist' multi-monitor card ala equivalent of the Eyefinity 6?

I.e. is there going to be a card with all mini-DP outputs allowing at least a straight 1:1 connection of six DP monitors (presumably with DP1.2 support for daisy chaining options etc.) or is the dual 1.2 DP, dual DVI, single HDMI going to be standard across the board (i.e. max of 5 monitors without using DP1.2 capable monitors or hubs).