TH2GO+280GTX TriSLI Issues

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 00:47

Hey guys,

I'm having the following problem.
I am running a Xeon X3350 on a Striker II Extreme, with 4GB of OCZ DDR3 1800 and 3 GTX280. The entire system is watercooled, the OS is Vista x64 HE.

My previous system consisted of 2 8800 Ultras, and I used them with a TH2Go DE for gaming @ 3840x1024.

I would like to do the same thing now, but whenever I connect the TH2Go and boot, the entire screen is filled with fuzzy lines and bascially a completed garbled image.

I have already replaced the DVI cable as well as the USB cable, but that didn't help.

I have tested each screen seperately, they worked fine. I have a 24" LG in the middle and two 19" Eizos at either side, which @ 3840x1024 stretches the image on the center screen, which I don't mind as I only use all 3 screens when gaming. In fact it kinda aids the immersion IMHO.

Anyway, I can't get this to work, my drivers are the current 178.24 WHQL, and I have already tried every setting such as compatibility mode etc., as well as trying to run it with TriSLI enabled and disabled.

Anyone have any ideas?

All the Best and thanks in advance!

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 12:52

Am I really the only one that gets a distorted image when installing the TH2GO?

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 13:26

Right, I have now tried connecting the TH2GO DE to my MacBook Pro running vista, just to make sure the fault wasn't down to my desktop setup.

And voila, exactly the same thing happened. So I took tow quick snaps of 1) the garbled display and 2) the actual data displayed uncorruptedly on my notebook's screen.

Maybe that'll help you guys in gigving me a hand?

All the Best

Oh wait, I just realized I don't seem to be able to attach pics to my post... :shock: Any help?

Post by **skipclarke** » 15 Nov 2008, 13:43

You'll have to upload them to somewhere like Imageshack, sorry.

As far as the issue, I don't think anyone else has seen it. If it happens on the MacBook Pro, we know it isn't the video card in your PC.

As you had it working before, I'm assuming that you had a good DL-DVI cable, and that the 19" screens are 3840x1024.

I don't know of anyone on the board using Tri-SLI. Have you tried it with regular SLI, or a single card? I realize you said you had disabled SLI, but have you tried with just a single card installed?

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 13:59

You'll have to upload them to somewhere like Imageshack, sorry.

As far as the issue, I don't think anyone else has seen it. If it happens on the MacBook Pro, we know it isn't the video card in your PC.

As you had it working before, I'm assuming that you had a good DL-DVI cable, and that the 19" screens are 3840x1024.

I don't know of anyone on the board using Tri-SLI. Have you tried it with regular SLI, or a single card? I realize you said you had disabled SLI, but have you tried with just a single card installed?

Right. well as you can imagine, uninstalling a set of graphic cards when they are already intergrated into a watercooling loop is a bit of a mission, but two days ago I went ahead and did it anyway, no change in TH2GO DE behaviour.
I noticed that as soon as there was any 'load' (i.e. as soon as it had to display anything) on the device, the status LED starting flickering randomly between red, green and completely turned off.
All this leads me to belive that my TH2Go is probably faulty. Any ideas how I would go about RMAing it?

mattsimis · Post by **mattsimis** » 15 Nov 2008, 14:29

I don't know of anyone on the board using Tri-SLI.

Several people, bloomstomb and Mach1.9 for example!

To OP, have you considered Power supply issues?

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 14:30

[quote]

I don't know of anyone on the board using Tri-SLI.

Several people, bloomstomb and Mach1.9 for example!

And they had no problem getting their setup to work?

Post by **scavvenjahh** » 15 Nov 2008, 14:56

I see no link to Tri-SLI here. If you're positively sure all DVI cables work (i.e you tested them one by one), the TH2G probably needs RMA indeed.

http://matrox.com/graphics/en/support/rma/home/

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 15:05

I see no link to Tri-SLI here. If you're positively sure all DVI cables work (i.e you tested them one by one), the TH2G probably needs RMA indeed.

http://matrox.com/graphics/en/support/rma/home/

That's what I thought. Just emailed Matrox with an RMA request, but I'm dreading the time and effort that will go into solving this... :(
Also I'm quite surprised the TH2Go can actually break, after all it has no moving parts, has always been stored in a RoHS bag when not in use, and the only current it ever as to deal with comes from the USB 2.0 controller... :?:

Strange indeed... :shock:

mattsimis · Post by **mattsimis** » 15 Nov 2008, 16:25

That's what I thought. Just emailed Matrox with an RMA request, but I'm dreading the time and effort that will go into solving this... :(
Also I'm quite surprised the TH2Go can actually break, after all it has no moving parts, has always been stored in a RoHS bag when not in use, and the only current it ever as to deal with comes from the USB 2.0 controller... :?:

Strange indeed... :shock:

Which is why I would try it on another PC (a real one ;P) or a powered USB hub. Have you tried disabling SLI (and disabling 2 of the GTXs in Device Manager) to reduce power load on the PC? Very quick thing to test.

Dem Pyros · Post by **Dem Pyros** » 15 Nov 2008, 18:38

That's what I thought. Just emailed Matrox with an RMA request, but I'm dreading the time and effort that will go into solving this... :(
Also I'm quite surprised the TH2Go can actually break, after all it has no moving parts, has always been stored in a RoHS bag when not in use, and the only current it ever as to deal with comes from the USB 2.0 controller... :?:

SS Devices can't have issues?

That's news to me...

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 19:09

[quote]

That's what I thought. Just emailed Matrox with an RMA request, but I'm dreading the time and effort that will go into solving this... :(
Also I'm quite surprised the TH2Go can actually break, after all it has no moving parts, has always been stored in a RoHS bag when not in use, and the only current it ever as to deal with comes from the USB 2.0 controller... :?:

SS Devices can't have issues?

That's news to me...

Well, I never said they can't have issues, but those are down to causality as much as any other device, and I can't see how my TH2Go randomly went from working to faulty, coincidentally at the same time as I changed my rig.

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 19:59

Right, I've got it sorted, thanks to you guys' input. I eventually swapped my otherwise fully functional USB powered D-Link hub for a Belkin model I still had lying about, plugged the TH2Go USB cable in, and it worked!

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it!

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » 15 Nov 2008, 21:19

Wow it must be somewhat power hungry huh?

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 15 Nov 2008, 21:53

Wow it must be somewhat power hungry huh?

Got that right! Ah well, so glad I've got it up an running now though, all that's missing is a good game to challenge my cards. Unfortunately I already played through Fallout 3 and BiA:HH, both of which were fantastic! FarCry2, however, merely left a stale taste in my mouth, and Dead Space probably wont run @ 3840x1024 because it's EA... :twisted:

Mud · Post by **Mud** » 15 Nov 2008, 23:39

Dead Space probably wont run @ 3840x1024 because it's EA... :twisted:

See the Dead Space thread for a pleasant surprise.

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 16 Nov 2008, 00:27

Holy Moly!!! :shock: :shock:

Well, once I get this baby installed, Space is gunna be a hella deader! 8)

mattsimis · Post by **mattsimis** » 16 Nov 2008, 05:13

Right, I've got it sorted, thanks to you guys' input. I eventually swapped my otherwise fully functional USB powered D-Link hub for a Belkin model I still had lying about, plugged the TH2Go USB cable in, and it worked!

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it!

See, try the simple things first! USB is always the weakest weak link.

jmbuehler · Post by **jmbuehler** » 16 Nov 2008, 12:56

[quote]Right, I've got it sorted, thanks to you guys' input. I eventually swapped my otherwise fully functional USB powered D-Link hub for a Belkin model I still had lying about, plugged the TH2Go USB cable in, and it worked!

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it!

See, try the simple things first! USB is always the weakest weak link.

Abolsutely. But considering I had already exchanged the USB cable, tried all the USB ports available on my machine, AND used an apparently completely functional powered USB hub by a renowned company, it really was just luck of the draw...

Killtacular · Post by **Killtacular** » 16 Nov 2008, 19:30

[quote][quote]Right, I've got it sorted, thanks to you guys' input. I eventually swapped my otherwise fully functional USB powered D-Link hub for a Belkin model I still had lying about, plugged the TH2Go USB cable in, and it worked!

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it!

See, try the simple things first! USB is always the weakest weak link.

Abolsutely. But considering I had already exchanged the USB cable, tried all the USB ports available on my machine, AND used an apparently completely functional powered USB hub by a renowned company, it really was just luck of the draw...

I have a 3-way SLI setup, and it does the exact same thing as your picture shows if I'm using my HDTV (hooked up to the 2nd output on my top card) at 1080p, and then switch the TV off. The driver then tries to switch back to the TH2G output on it's own, using the same 1920x1080 rez. For whatever reason, it displays on the left monitor instead of the center, all garbled like in your pick. If I disconnect the TH2G and just plug my center monitor directly in to the gfx card, the picture comes back, in 1920x1080 just fine. I can then change back to my native 1920x1200, re-hook up the TH2G and all is well.

It seems more like the TH2G's problem w/ 1080p and the firmware (I have the display swap used to make the center monitor the primary display) than anything related to the 3-way sli, or even the nvidia drivers, but that's just my opinion. It's a pain sometimes, but I've learned the conditions that make it happen and just try to avoid it.

May not have anything to do w/ your issues, but when I saw that pic, I immediately recognized it and thought I'd share my own experiences.

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