Displayport-compatible screens needed for Eyefinity?

Post by **Mach1.9pants** » 29 Sep 2009, 01:19

The images we have of the x2 card show only 2xDVI and 1x mini-DP connectors. So no AFAIK..see Hardware Canucks for images.

Post by **Downtown1** » 29 Sep 2009, 01:50

Keep up the good work ATI/AMD. Take your time on the bezel management, rendering at higher resolutions and chopping extra pixels off is definitely the way to go, zooming it in or stretching would be quite a hack :).

Post by **BHawthorne** » 29 Sep 2009, 02:16

The images we have of the x2 card show only 2xDVI and 1x mini-DP connectors. So no AFAIK..see Hardware Canucks for images.

The only way an X2 card would appeal to me is if EyeFinity could span ports across multiple cards. I don't foresee that occurring anytime soon as you could theoretically saturate your PCIe bus with too many screens doing that. Many mobos today have the capability to run up to 7 video card now, that's a theoretical 21 ports out with a standard 5870 or 5850. My Phenom II build has 4 video cards in it as is. That would bring PCIe 2.0 to it's knees doing the footwork required to pull EyeFinity multi-card spanning off. Definitely would be an interesting feat though to scale GPUs and ports like that though. It would bring us closer to realization of the 24 display X-Plane demo. I still have my reservations as to why that was demoed, because while it was very cool, it's not representative of EyeFinity standard use. I would liken it to a specialized configuration that only would work with 4 instances of X-Plane running on Linux.

Jimmmy · Post by **Jimmmy** » 29 Sep 2009, 04:22

I have been reading all the applicable threads concerning Eyefinity and I have even purchased the Dell adapter but I am at a crossroads.. I haven't bought the 5870 for 1 reason, I currently own a Dell 3007WFP-HC 30 inch and 2X 2007FP..

I have been reading and understand that currently 20inch port/30inch land/20inch port is not supported by Eyefinity.. It seems this would be a software/driver related issue because all the monitors have the same 1600 vertical resoultion.. (edit)

My question is this:

Will Eyefinity iron this out in future driver releases? Can we expect to run Portrait + Landscape + Portrait / 20" + 30" + 20" display configurations in the future? Mainly a question for Dave but any feedback or input would be appreciated....

Darthdingo · Post by **Darthdingo** » 29 Sep 2009, 04:36

I have been reading all the applicable threads concerning Eyefinity and I have even purchased the Dell adapter but I am at a crossroads.. I haven't bought the 5870 for 1 reason, I currently own a Dell 3007WFP-HC 30 inch and 2X 2007FP..

I have been reading and understand that currently 20inch port/30inch land/20inch port is not supported by Eyefinity.. It seems this would be a software/driver related issue because all the monitors have the same 1200 vertical resoultion..

My question is this:

Will Eyefinity iron this out in future driver releases? Can we expect to run Portrait + Landscape + Portrait / 20" + 30" + 20" display configurations in the future? Mainly a questioon for Dave but any feedback or input would be appreciated....

I think you meant the three would have a vertical height of 1600 res ? :)

I am in the same boat as you, I have the Apple 30" Display, and would love to keep it, and just add two 20 flipped up in Portrait next to either side of my 30". It seems like an easy thing for Eyefinity to do, mainly because all three would have the exact same vertical height of 1600 resolution, so why not allow that to work ?

Jimmmy · Post by **Jimmmy** » 29 Sep 2009, 04:51

I think you meant the three would have a vertical height of 1600 res ? :)

I am in the same boat as you, I have the Apple 30" Display, and would love to keep it, and just add two 20 flipped up in Portrait next to either side of my 30". It seems like an easy thing for Eyefinity to do, mainly because all three would have the exact same vertical height of 1600 resolution, so why not allow that to work ?

Yes I meant 1600 vertical, I just am so bummed I have all IPS panels perectly matched it kills me... I literally bought my Dell 3007WFP-HC less than 2 weeks ago.. The 2X2007FP side panels are sooo awesome I love this setup I am racking my brain I really want triplehead monitor gaming with this configuration. Maybe I'll just get another 2007FP and rock that until it gets ironed out.. Not ideal but it would work...

I still don't understand clearly why it wouldn't work I mean doesn't Eyefinity just tell the operating system that there is just 1 larger resolution? For example 4960X1600 1 large rectangular box.. Must have to do with the whole Portrait/Landscape/Portrait dilemma...

VRman · Post by **VRman** » 29 Sep 2009, 05:53

I have the exact same Dell 20" 30" 20" setup and use SoftTH for gaming with great success. It often does require some experimentation with config files but I get almost every game I play to work this way. A single GTX285 can run games smoothly at this resolution if you take it easy on the AA.

The Eyefinity technology is very exciting but from what I've read it doesn't look like it is going to support this monitor configuration. What I'm really waiting for are these new ultra-thin bezel monitors from Samsung. If they make them in 30" 2560x1600 I want to switch to three of those using Eyefinity, hopefully bezel management and crossfire will work by that time too.

If this is not going to happen anytime soon I'll likely upgrade to the Nvidia GT300 when it comes out and continue using SoftTH, as I consider it a very viable alternative despite what you may sometimes read on this forum.

wumba · Post by **wumba** » 29 Sep 2009, 08:55

Hello!
Finally nice to meet some others running the 4960x1600 setup looking for some satisfaction! Woe is our support from nvidia and ati. I have been struggling to get 3d acceleration under Linux for these monitors and finally thought there might be a solution with this card. The prospect of widescreen CSS in windows sure was appetizing, bummer. Shelling out another $100, bummer. Interestingly, General Admission's post leads me to believe that although our 4960x1600 wont work in windows, it might work in Linux.

Eyefinity on Windows will support any symmetric display configuration. All landscape? Great. All portait? Great. 3x1, 3x2, 2x2, 4x1, 5x1, 6x1? Good to go. 4 landscape and 1 portrait? No deal. Whatever the configuration, Windows must be given a single, symmetric, rectangular (or square) display by Eyefinity. On Linux you can mix and match to your heart's content.

Will this work in Linux? Can anyone confirm? Deny?

Thanks! :D

FragU · Post by **FragU** » 29 Sep 2009, 08:56

I'm sorry if this has been asked already but... I can get an active Mini DP to DVI adapter from Apple. Is there an adapter to go from Mini DP to Normal and is it expensive or hard to get?

Omarko · Post by **Omarko** » 29 Sep 2009, 09:16

I'm sorry if this has been asked already but... I can get an active Mini DP to DVI adapter from Apple. Is there an adapter to go from Mini DP to Normal and is it expensive or hard to get?

FragU - I am in Australia too and I feel ya as we cant get the DELL adapter here .... sucks ...

the Apple mini dp -> DVI does not work well so forget that option ...

we'll have to source the DELL adapter from US .... or buy a DP screen ...

Post by **Mach1.9pants** » 29 Sep 2009, 10:20

Well that is not 100% true.

Yes you can get an active Apple mini-DP adaptor (expensive) and a passive DP to mini-DP (cheap, Apple do them amongst others) to bridge the gap. In theory this should work.

However the Apple mini-DP to DVI has a very bad rep. The NZ Apple site is full of complaints about problems with this (EDIT: as is the US, apparently). If you go over to [H]ardOCP you will see Kyle's EF review. In which he plugs in those adaptors, is able to enable them but BAM he gets a BSOD. Now one trial and fail is NOT conclusive, it is all you need in theory and maybe Kyle's specific config caused the BSOD, or a slightly dodgy adaptor.

So you would be laying out 175NZ on the hope that it would work. It should but are you willing to risk it?

Myself I am waiting for the 2GB and/or x2 models, so I will wait to see what comes with the ATi 'sponsored' single link adaptors. Also Scan.co.uk is trying to source the Dell ones, and you'll be able to get them to NZ/Oz.

EDIT: Some one over at [H]ard|OCP got it to work.

FragU · Post by **FragU** » 29 Sep 2009, 10:45

Although the adapter Kyle was using looked passive. I didn't see a USB attachment.

Post by **Mach1.9pants** » 29 Sep 2009, 10:46

Although the adapter Kyle was using looked passive. I didn't see a USB attachment.

No he was using a DP to mini DP (passive) and a Mini-DP to HDMI (active). He shows the box of the active and the cable of the passive in the vid.

Darthdingo · Post by **Darthdingo** » 29 Sep 2009, 14:27

I have the exact same Dell 20" 30" 20" setup and use SoftTH for gaming with great success. It often does require some experimentation with config files but I get almost every game I play to work this way. A single GTX285 can run games smoothly at this resolution if you take it easy on the AA.

The Eyefinity technology is very exciting but from what I've read it doesn't look like it is going to support this monitor configuration. What I'm really waiting for are these new ultra-thin bezel monitors from Samsung. If they make them in 30" 2560x1600 I want to switch to three of those using Eyefinity, hopefully bezel management and crossfire will work by that time too.

If this is not going to happen anytime soon I'll likely upgrade to the Nvidia GT300 when it comes out and continue using SoftTH, as I consider it a very viable alternative despite what you may sometimes read on this forum.

Look here, Kyle the owner of [H]ardForums answered my specific question on this;
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1034684164&posted=1#post1034684164

I would GUESS that is something coming very soon as the subject was discussed by Brent and myself with AMD specifically, we did not however ask about an ETA, but I will today.

Jimmmy · Post by **Jimmmy** » 29 Sep 2009, 16:00

Yeah Kyle is checking on the whole portrait/landscape/portrait - 20/30/20 issue today on the forum listed Darth.. I am eager to hear the results and also Brent over at [H]ard runs a similar configuration and has expressed his interest on the same topic... It sounds like this will be happening very soon (hopefully)...

Sorry this post is redundant I am just excited!

Post by **BHawthorne** » 29 Sep 2009, 16:19

Yeah Kyle is checking on the whole portrait/landscape/portrait - 20/30/20 issue today on the forum listed Darth.. I am eager to hear the results and also Brent over at [H]ard runs a similar configuration and has expressed his interest on the same topic... It sounds like this will be happening very soon (hopefully)...

Sorry this post is redundant I am just excited!

Sounds like good news because a number of people are doing this configuration with SoftTH and I'm sure they'd prefer doing it just on a driver level instead of screwing with config files.

Threader · Post by **Threader** » 29 Sep 2009, 17:14

[quote]I'm sorry if this has been asked already but... I can get an active Mini DP to DVI adapter from Apple. Is there an adapter to go from Mini DP to Normal and is it expensive or hard to get?

FragU - I am in Australia too and I feel ya as we cant get the DELL adapter here .... sucks ...

the Apple mini dp -> DVI does not work well so forget that option ...

we'll have to source the DELL adapter from US .... or buy a DP screen ...

Not sure why others like Kyle at HARDOCP had trouble with the Apple Active adapter but I have it working since yesterday with MSI HD5870 Drivers and Win7 x64 Professional.

Picked up this cable Mini-Display port Female to Male Display Port locally to use with my Apple Active Mini-Display Port to DVI adapter.

http://estore.circuitassembly.com/pr...ter-Cable.html

My setup is DVI + HDMI + DP (CA Adapter>Apple active adapter>DVI cable)

Did a quick test and the 3x 1 option appeared.

played WOW and Crysis last evening at 5040 x 1050

So yes the Apple adapter works with the cable adapter I was able to purchase.

They ship internationaly so you are in Luck

kvant · Post by **kvant** » 29 Sep 2009, 18:50

Not sure why others like Kyle at HARDOCP had trouble with the Apple Active adapter but I have it working since yesterday with MSI HD5870 Drivers and Win7 x64 Professional.

Picked up this cable Mini-Display port Female to Male Display Port locally to use with my Apple Active Mini-Display Port to DVI adapter.

http://estore.circuitassembly.com/pr...ter-Cable.html

My setup is DVI + HDMI + DP (CA Adapter>Apple active adapter>DVI cable)

Did a quick test and the 3x 1 option appeared.

played WOW and Crysis last evening at 5040 x 1050

So yes the Apple adapter works with the cable adapter I was able to purchase.

They ship internationaly so you are in Luck

Can somebody confirm this?

If this is true then I need only to find 3 monitors im comfortable with.

MustangSVT · Post by **MustangSVT** » 29 Sep 2009, 18:58

Can somebody confirm this?

If this is true then I need only to find 3 monitors im comfortable with.

If you don't have 3 monitors yet, you shouldn't even bother with the adapters. Save up and get something like 3 Dell 2408WFP's or 3 Dell U2410. Both of them have DisplayPort on them. Dell usually has deals on them like once a month or so.

Threader · Post by **Threader** » 29 Sep 2009, 19:15

[quote]

Not sure why others like Kyle at HARDOCP had trouble with the Apple Active adapter but I have it working since yesterday with MSI HD5870 Drivers and Win7 x64 Professional.

Picked up this cable Mini-Display port Female to Male Display Port locally to use with my Apple Active Mini-Display Port to DVI adapter.

http://estore.circuitassembly.com/pr...ter-Cable.html

My setup is DVI + HDMI + DP (CA Adapter>Apple active adapter>DVI cable)

Did a quick test and the 3x 1 option appeared.

played WOW and Crysis last evening at 5040 x 1050

So yes the Apple adapter works with the cable adapter I was able to purchase.

They ship internationaly so you are in Luck

Can somebody confirm this?

If this is true then I need only to find 3 monitors im comfortable with.

Trust me I was also surprised that it worked.
See I got my HD 5870 last Thursday and I had already bought a passive DP to DVI adapter thinking that it would work. NOT.
Last Friday I went to Fry's and bought the Apple Active adapter and then went online and bought the Mini-DP to DP from CA.
Over the weekend I saw HARDOCP Kyle confirm that the Apple adapter would not work so I got fed up of muckin around and also ordered a Dell adapter (Arriving today). Well Last night low and behold after getting my CA Mini DP to DP adapter and plugging it into the apple then into a DVI cable it worked perfectly.

Tonight I will try the Dell active adapter that Fed Ex is delivering to me and if it also works decide which solution I will keep and which I will return to vendor.

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