ATI Eyefinity special report

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 22 Sep 2009, 10:33

Long time no see, framerate... 8)

FramerateUK · Post by **FramerateUK** » 22 Sep 2009, 10:53

It has!

I've moved jobs (again!), and have finally started gaming again. I feel completely out of the loop as far as hardware goes (all the cpu and gpu numbers are totally meaningless to me! Yes, I admit it, I've been using consoles....)

This eyefinify stuff looks cool though, I'm surprised it's taken the hardware makers so long to pick up on triplehead support.

Seems busy in here though! Which is a good thing!

Post by **GeneralAdmission** » 22 Sep 2009, 20:06

They just wouldn't do everything the way I wanted.

:shock: What? A Mac that doesn't just "do what you want"? Impossible! ;)

Welcome back, and nice to meet you.

woohoo! Almost 1K posts! I should spam my way to the top!

Post by **Tamlin** » 22 Sep 2009, 20:24

Nice to have you back Framerate! :D

Post by **Downtown1** » 23 Sep 2009, 22:49

Question: Does using a separate monitor for each video card actually help performance, or will the other cards just act like dumb frame buffers? Will we still have to link cards together in CF (which means quite poor scaling)?

Looks like at least I will be able to get 3x1920x1200 (was planning on getting 24" soon) instead of the 3x1680x1050 we would've gotten with Th2Go DP.

Amazing, ATI goes from not even supporting 5040x1050 until recently into smashing Nvidia on the multi-monitor gaming front!

My previous card was an ATI, looks like my next one will be too.

I am so sorry about Matrox though, this move will probably more or less kill off their products for ATI users.

Post by **Cinnabuns** » 24 Sep 2009, 16:30

"I am so sorry about Matrox though, this move will probably more or less kill off their products for ATI users."

Acutally, I think Matrox will use this as fuel to further advance their solution.

They already have bezel management, ATi does not and probably won't have it ironed out for at least a year and probably more across different game titles.

Of the several games I've seen demonstrated on PC Perspective, 1 doesn't work properly, and 2 or 3 have this odd "Zoom" issue.

The zoom issue is effectively reducing your viewing area... rendering less of the game, feeling claustrophobic and cutoff and not showing everything that you CAN currently render and SEE using a Matrox solution.

Given ATi's history with driver updates/issues/etc I would still say Matrox is the way to go, at least for 3x1920x1200 displays.

Why adopt their technology when it is newer, it is likely to have more problems (at least for the next year or two), and in a third of the games reviewed... you're actually only seeing 1680x1050 res on each of your 30" montiors with important stuff being cropped out (top and bottom).

IMO, this entire Eyefinity release is premature on ATi's part and is a half assed solution that they are sure to capitalize on using our investment dollars.

Matrox works consistently across more games and will continue to for the foreseeable future (the next couple years).

Just my two cents.

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 24 Sep 2009, 16:41

Of the several games I've seen demonstrated on PC Perspective, 1 doesn't work properly, and 2 or 3 have this odd "Zoom" issue.

The zoom issue is effectively reducing your viewing area... rendering less of the game, feeling claustrophobic and cutoff and not showing everything that you CAN currently render and SEE using a Matrox solution.

"Zoom" is called vertical negative, and has nothing whatsoever to do with ATi or EyeFinity. It's fairly common with TH, as many games can cope with 16:9, but can't cope with 48:9...

Currently, Matrox doesn't support 3x1920x1200. Only 3x1680x1050. The DisplayPortTH2Go supposedly fixes that, but requires DisplayPort monitors and the TH2Go itself.

None of the issues ATi 'exhibits' with EyeFinity are anything that Matrox hasn't either suffered from in the past, or suffers from still. *shrug*

MustangSVT · Post by **MustangSVT** » 24 Sep 2009, 16:47

Currently, Matrox doesn't support 3x1920x1200. Only 3x1680x1050. The DisplayPortTH2Go supposedly fixes that, but requires DisplayPort monitors and the TH2Go itself.

None of the issues ATi 'exhibits' with EyeFinity are anything that Matrox hasn't either suffered from in the past, or suffers from still. *shrug*

According to Matrox's website, the Th2GO DisplayPort only supports up to 3x1680x1050@60, it mentions nothing of 3x1920x1200@60. Also, the problem with that is that I would need a DisplayPort video card, which of course I don't have.

As far as I know as well (I don't have one), Th2Go has its fair share of issues, it's not bug-free. EyeFinity will probably have more issues since it's a new product, but for now, as far as I can tell, it's the only good 3x1920x1200 solution. I've tried SoftTH and didn't like the performance I got from it (also not compatible with too many games).

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 24 Sep 2009, 16:58

According to Matrox's website, the Th2GO DisplayPort only supports up to 3x1680x1050@60, it mentions nothing of 3x1920x1200@60. Also, the problem with that is that I would need a DisplayPort video card, which of course I don't have.

As far as I know as well (I don't have one), Th2Go has its fair share of issues, it's not bug-free. EyeFinity will probably have more issues since it's a new product, but for now, as far as I can tell, it's the only good 3x1920x1200 solution. I've tried SoftTH and didn't like the performance I got from it (also not compatible with too many games).

Ah, OK. Last I heard about the DP TH2Go was that it might support triple 1920. Pooh if it doesn't. :(

Post by **Downtown1** » 25 Sep 2009, 02:34

[quote]According to Matrox's website, the Th2GO DisplayPort only supports up to 3x1680x1050@60, it mentions nothing of 3x1920x1200@60. Also, the problem with that is that I would need a DisplayPort video card, which of course I don't have.

As far as I know as well (I don't have one), Th2Go has its fair share of issues, it's not bug-free. EyeFinity will probably have more issues since it's a new product, but for now, as far as I can tell, it's the only good 3x1920x1200 solution. I've tried SoftTH and didn't like the performance I got from it (also not compatible with too many games).

Ah, OK. Last I heard about the DP TH2Go was that it might support triple 1920. Pooh if it doesn't. :(

It simply can't, a single DP doesn't have enough bandwidth to stream 3x1920x1200.

So I don't suppose anyone could answer my earlier questions about using 1 video card per monitor? Guess nobody has the 5870 yet?

Jimmmy · Post by **Jimmmy** » 28 Sep 2009, 17:53

So can I run (Dell) 1 3007WFP-HC in landscape with 2 2007FP in portrtait as the sidepanels? I am very confused earlier in the thread it was stated -

"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."

The 2 2007FP have the 1600X1200 or 1200X1600 in portrait and the 3007WFP has 2560X1600 so can I run Eyefinity and 4960X1200 middle monitor landscape and the 2 side panels in portrait??

Post by **GeneralAdmission** » 28 Sep 2009, 19:25

So can I run (Dell) 1 3007WFP-HC in landscape with 2 2007FP in portrtait as the sidepanels? I am very confused earlier in the thread it was stated -

"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."

The 2 2007FP have the 1600X1200 or 1200X1600 in portrait and the 3007WFP has 2560X1600 so can I run Eyefinity and 4960X1200 middle monitor landscape and the 2 side panels in portrait??

That config will not work with EF, even though the vert res is the same across the board. This was confirmed by Dave Baumann from AMD in the really long Displayport thread within this forum. He stated that all displays must use the same orientation. Don't have the exact post on hand but you can search all his posts to get the details.

Jimmmy · Post by **Jimmmy** » 28 Sep 2009, 23:23

Thanks I ended up finding it deep in the middle somewhere.. I sure hope this is addressed in the future drivers..

Post by **GeneralAdmission** » 29 Sep 2009, 00:53

Thanks I ended up finding it deep in the middle somewhere.. I sure hope this is addressed in the future drivers..

Well according to what I was told at the launch event the symmetric display requirement is a Windows limitation/restriction. This isn't gospel, of course, but I wouldn't hope for much beyond a "maybe it can happen" in the future.

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 29 Sep 2009, 11:51

Makes sense for it to be a Windows limitation, if you think about it.

Although since EyeFinity can get Windows to treat three screens as one, there might eventually be a way around it...

Post by **Cinnabuns** » 01 Oct 2009, 00:36

My bro runs 3x 1920 displays on TH2Go digital using the 1680x1050 res and he still has alot more viewing area than Eyefinity on 3x30" monitors in both Farcry and Batman... which reportedly work with Eyefinity on PC Perspective.

gg Zoom.

YouTube · Post by **ViciousXUSMC** » 03 Oct 2009, 05:49

My bro runs 3x 1920 displays on TH2Go digital using the 1680x1050 res and he still has alot more viewing area than Eyefinity on 3x30" monitors in both Farcry and Batman... which reportedly work with Eyefinity on PC Perspective.

gg Zoom.

Eyefinity = Matrox both are just methods to create one large monitor for your OS, if the game looks different its the settings not the hardware.

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 03 Oct 2009, 12:43

I suspect that PC Perspective didn't use any FOV tweaking tools. That would be why.

bandito · Post by **bandito** » 07 Oct 2009, 05:27

Had ATI's eyefinity have 4 DVI outputs Sony's 4k (3840x2160) display would have been easily powered/supported, but If someone could afford a 7 to 8k USD display. Active converters should not be a problem (Or using dual DH2Go/TH2Go DVI/DP edition).

Sony probably use the same glass panel cut from 28" 1920x1200 Viewsonic panels.

Actually with a thin enough bezel and with 4 TN 1080p panels with DP input, you can get a 47inch 4k display too. cost together with one 5870 six edition at probably 1/7th the price.

http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/ext/BroadcastandBusiness/minisites/NAB2009/pp_srdl560.shtml

thenjwaslike · Post by **thenjwaslike** » 16 Oct 2009, 02:56

My bro runs 3x 1920 displays on TH2Go digital using the 1680x1050 res and he still has alot more viewing area than Eyefinity on 3x30" monitors in both Farcry and Batman... which reportedly work with Eyefinity on PC Perspective.

gg Zoom.

those guys are idiots, not sure why its all zoomed with 3x30"

the thing is. my friend showed me this thinking he can prove me wrong, i had to take a screenshot and showed him comparison on my 3x 24" 5760x1200 in far cry2.

if u want, i'll show u a screenshot as well, in the meantime this is far cry 2 recorded with fraps -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exyBgKhLWTU - watch in HD

and left 4 dead -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF1YUfALHfM&feature=related

no fov hacks. straight out the box

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