3rd Monitor FPS issue

roofio86 · Post by **roofio86** » 20 Jul 2008, 17:04

Hi there, I was wondering if you guys could help me out?

My current setup is:

3x22" HannsG LCD
1x 8800GT - Running centre and right LCD
1x 8600GT - Running left LCD
Q6600 @ 3.6ghz

I have found that whenever I render anything on the centre and right screen its fine but once I integrate the left, there is a substantial FPS drop. The FPS difference between running screen 1+2(centre and right) and 1+3 is massive.

Is this quite normal for a setup like this?

I did a quick test just to see whether it was my 8800GT which just couldnt handle the load or whether it was just something to do with the setup with the 3rd monitor, I ran 5 copies of WoW, 1 on the main screen then 4 or just screen 2 then 3, then 2 on both 2+3. Basically any setup involving screen 3 = big fps hit.

Is there a way render game on the 3rd lcd but still use the 8800GT to process it or is this impossible?

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 20 Jul 2008, 17:33

Strange setup. :? I'm not sure a game can use a mixed-GPU display very efficiently.
(Why not try SofTH to drive all three screens using the 8800GT as the main GPU and the 8600 as the "dispatcher" card ?)

Seems pretty obvious to me though that when you're using LCD #3, overall performance is limited to what the 8600 can deliver. The cards' names are deceiptive, a 8800 can handle a lot more 3D than a 8600... especially at higher resolutions and/or on multiple displays.

roofio86 · Post by **roofio86** » 20 Jul 2008, 17:41

Oh right, I was under the impression that it was possible to run a 3 monitor setup using the 8800GT to render all 3d images etc as there were people telling me to just get a crappy PCI card for another output so I basically just got the 8600GT for the extra DVI output for the 3rd monitor :lol:

I have tried using the useMultihead=1 but I get a higher FPS using useMultihead=0 which seemed odd :P

Mesh · Post by **Mesh** » 20 Jul 2008, 19:03

Don't happen to have a motherboard with 2 pci-e slots of x16 and x4 do you? could explain why the 2nd card has issues.

Did you try changing the connection layout? like center/primary on first card and the sides on the other or center on 2nd card, etc?

And is this using softth or just plain windowed/stretched modes? softth would render everything on the 8800 and the 8600 would just display. Without softth the 8600 is definitely gonna hold back the 8800.

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 21 Jul 2008, 10:37

Ok, so it appears you're actually using SoftTH but didn't set it up properly. Sorry I can't help, I've never tried it myself :oops:

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