3 monitors on one ATI graphics card possible?

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I've been looking at getting an eyefinity setup, for which I would buy 3 new 1080p monitors. My graphics card, a 6850, only has 2 DVI outputs, so I assume I'd have to do some dark magic regarding display ports and whatnot? How exactly would I go about setting this up, and what other things would I need?
 
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Associate
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Regardless of the connectors the third one would always need displayport anyway (excluding 1 or 2 special eyefinity edition cards).
When hooking up a non-display port monitor up as the third monitor you need an active displayport to whatever adapter.

I believe the cheapest one OC UK sells is the HIS Active DisplayPort to Single Link DVI adapter, so that's 20 quid extra for your third monitor.
 
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Asus HD 6850 DirectCU V2 1024MB

Okay, that last link helps, thanks. Looks like I can buy an adaptor to turn my display port slot into a third DVI slot. And I'll be able to use eyefinity with that? I had the impression that the monitors had to all be plugged into the display port or something.

Edit: this might work out cheaper if it's that simple because I could just use my two existing monitors and only have to buy one more plus an adaptor.
 
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Caporegime
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If the monitor(s) you're getting have DisplyPort as well as DVI then there's no need for any adapters.

Are you planning on gaming over the 3 screens with a single HD 6850?

You won't get good performance with the more demanding games.
 
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You would need a Active DisplayPort adapter if you wish to use 3 DVI cables. Games like Battlefield 3 etc will only run on low settings, know from experience.
 
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If the monitor(s) you're getting have DisplyPort as well as DVI then there's no need for any adapters.

Are you planning on gaming over the 3 screens with a single HD 6850?

You won't get good performance with the more demanding games.

Yeah, gaming over three monitors is the aim. But my existing monitors are 1680x1050, so if I have an array of three of those, it should be less demanding than on 3 1080p screens. I may end up buying a second card anyway if performance is rubbish.
 
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Yeah, gaming over three monitors is the aim. But my existing monitors are 1680x1050, so if I have an array of three of those, it should be less demanding than on 3 1080p screens. I may end up buying a second card anyway if performance is rubbish.

It depends on what games you're going to be playing.

With BF3, for example, you're looking at less than an average 50FPS with high quality settings at 1680x1050.

Take that to 3 times the resolution and it'll be unplayable.
 
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Good thing I don't play BF3 then. What about games like DXHR or ME3 or Skyrim?

But I take your point. My motherboard has slots for extra graphics cards, so I can buy another 6850 if I need to, using the money saved from not buying 3 new monitors.
 
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Good thing I don't play BF3 then. What about games like DXHR or ME3 or Skyrim?

But I take your point. My motherboard has slots for extra graphics cards, so I can buy another 6850 if I need to, using the money saved from not buying 3 new monitors.

Skyrim, possibly just about playable on medium settings

DXHR, ditto Skyrim

ME3, not very demanding so you'll probably be OK with decent settings
 
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Do all three monitors need to have the same resolution for eyefinity to work and to have games over all three screens? Finding a 1680x1050 monitor is proving harder than anticipated; they actually seem to be more expensive than 1920x1080 ones.

So if I had a 1680x1050 on the left, a 1920x1080 in the middle, and a 1680x1050 on the right, would that would work just as well as an array of same-sized screens?

And to complicate things further, one of my existing screens only has a VGA input, and I'm using a DVI-VGA adaptor. Will that screw things up?
 
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Caporegime
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Do all three monitors need to have the same resolution for eyefinity to work and to have games over all three screens? Finding a 1680x1050 monitor is proving harder than anticipated; they actually seem to be more expensive than 1920x1080 ones.

So if I had a 1680x1050 on the left, a 1920x1080 in the middle, and a 1680x1050 on the right, would that would work just as well as an array of same-sized screens?

And to complicate things further, one of my existing screens only has a VGA input, and I'm using a DVI-VGA adaptor. Will that screw things up?

With Eyefinity all the monitors have to run at the same resolution.

You could use a 1920x1080 monitor but it would have to be run at 1680x1050 the same as the others.

I recall mention of some sort of way around this but I don't know how successful it is or how it works.

Ideally you want 3 monitors of the same physical size otherwise the image across the 3 screens isn't going to join up properly.

There's no issue with one of the monitors being VGA:

  • Monitor 1 connects using a DVI-I to VGA adapter.
  • Monitor 2 connects using DVI-D or HDMI
  • Monitor 3 will need an active DisplayPort to DVI/VGA adapter
 
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I'm considering getting another 2 of the Samsung S23A700D

I have 1 7950 which has a DVI, HDMI, and 2 mini-displayports inputs.

Would I need one of these http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-057-HS&groupid=701&catid=1915&subcat=1577

Or one of these http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-000-SR
To get the full 120hz 3D on all monitors.

Also would 1 7950 be able to handle game at that res. I tried games like BF3 and Dirt on 2 monitors and seemed to be getting good frames like 40s-60fps on medium to high graphics?
 
Caporegime
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I'm considering getting another 2 of the Samsung S23A700D

I have 1 7950 which has a DVI, HDMI, and 2 mini-displayports inputs.

Would I need one of these http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-057-HS&groupid=701&catid=1915&subcat=1577

Or one of these http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-000-SR
To get the full 120hz 3D on all monitors.

Also would 1 7950 be able to handle game at that res. I tried games like BF3 and Dirt on 2 monitors and seemed to be getting good frames like 40s-60fps on medium to high graphics?

For 120Hz you need to connect to the monitors using dual link DVI.

The HD 7950 only has one dual link DVI.

So to get 120Hz on all 3 monitors you'd need 2 of the £74.99 miniDP to dual link DVI adapters.

The HD 7950 is probably acceptable at 5760x1080 but you may have to turn down some settings.

It's also not really going to be making full use of 120Hz as it struggles to get to 60FPS on some games:

HD 7950 3GB Review - Eyefinity

AMD Radeon HD 7950 Review

Edit:

You can run the 3 monitors at 60Hz using DVI and HDMI from your graphics card along with 1 of the £20 single link miniDP to DVI active adapters.
 
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Associate
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For 120Hz you need to connect to the monitors using dual link DVI.

The HD 7950 only has one dual link DVI.

So to get 120Hz on all 3 monitors you'd need 2 of the £74.99 miniDP to dual link DVI adapters.

The HD 7950 is probably acceptable at 5760x1080 but you may have to turn down some settings.

It's also not really going to be making full use of 120Hz as it struggles to get to 60FPS:

HD 7950 3GB Review - Eyefinity

Cheers for the help and link Surveyor.

So I'd need 2 of them for the full 120Hz:eek:

But as you said I wouldn't be getting near the frame rates for it to be really worth it with just one card

Could I just use 2 of the cheaper HIS Active DisplayPort to Single Link-DVI and be able to get 60Hz though?

Just noticed your edit: Cheers I think I could live with the 60hz on 3 monitors for a while so I may consider that option.

Thanks
 
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