Crossfire help

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I currently have the Connect 3d x1950xtx (master) from OCUK and for a while now have been thinking about going crossfire, as i cant afford a 2900 card,. I initially wanted to crossfire with the slave x1950 xtx but cant find them anywhere for a realistic price. Any help advice about choosing a card to crossfire with is very much appreciated.

many thanks

 

[killer_uk]

^ Also, he wants to know if my X1900XT would work ok/if at all alongside his current card in crossfire?

 

[Magnum_Force]

If I remeber correctly, you can Crossfire the X1950XTX Master card with any X1900 card, so basically you could use a X1950XTX Non CF, X1900XTX, X1900XT or X1900XT CF card and it still should work.

It will however drop your clocks of core and mem on the X1950XTX to the X1900XT/XTX level clocks if you use a X1900 series card.

Check the ATi website just to be sure (I know for a fact they have a sheet on there that shows you this stuff).

Just out of nowhere, what monitor are you going to be using for the crossfire setup, is a CRT or a TFT with a VGA cable??

I HIGHLY recommend using only a Monitor with a native DVI connection, otherwise you'll encounter horizontal scan line interference (I should know, I have a X1900XT crossfire setup with a TFT with only a VGA cable connection, and the scan lines do my nut in).

 

[tanner]

Thanks for the help
My monitor is the Asus VW192S 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Black, it uses an analoug input from the monitor then a convertor to connect on to the card,

I have managed to find a table on the sti site but to be honest found it a little confusing, why would i have to drop the x1950 xt speeds level with that of the x1900, is this to stop conflicting, sorry bit a of a N00b with crossfire only delt with single cards.

http://ati.amd.com/technology/crossfire/charts.html

The above should be the compatability table, much help would be appreciated, any card suggestions, configs, or install advice much appriciated.

 

[Magnum_Force]

Yep, thats the table I was thinking of, and yes, basically you have to drop the speed of your X1950XTX to the slower card (if you use a slower card that is).

If I'm being completely honest, I wouldn't recommend you getting a second card for a crossfire setup unless you change your monitor.

The simple reason being is that your stuck in the same boat as I am - I have a TFT with only a Sub-D (VGA) connector and use a DVI converter. The problem is when you use this with the Crossfire dongle that attaches to the back of the card(s), you'll get scan line interference. I even when to the expense of getting a Gold coated DVI to VGA cable, so i didn't have to use a converter, but the problem still remains.

To see what I'm talking about, simply plug your Crossfire dongle into the X1950XTX that you have now (It goes in the weird looking connection at the back of the card) and then plug your monitor into the dongle (Just like you would in a crossfire setup except you'll have the spare DVI connector that goes into the second card just free hanging). You should still be about to get a signal from your card - but you'll notice scan line interference.

I seriously recommend you try what I suggested first before you go crossfire - if the interference doesn't bother you, then go crossfire by all means.

 

[Cyber-Mav]

^ Also, he wants to know if my X1900XT would work ok/if at all alongside his current card in crossfire?

do both cards have the same amount of memory? if ones got less memory than the other then the smaller size will be used for total use.

 

[tanner]

Right, well as i type this am running with the crossfire able and convertor and no sign of scan line interface so that seems to be one issue solved but thanks for the concern.

As for the last post why if there was a card with less memory put in crossfire with the 512mb card that i use now, why would the card with lesser memory do all the work?

Oh and if i remember correctly the x1900 card tht killer_Uk refers to is a 512mb sapphire x1900xt to the best of my knowledge.

 

[YorkshirePadd26]

Thanks for the help
My monitor is the Asus VW192S 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor - Black, it uses an analoug input from the monitor then a convertor to connect on to the card,

I have managed to find a table on the sti site but to be honest found it a little confusing, why would i have to drop the x1950 xt speeds level with that of the x1900, is this to stop conflicting, sorry bit a of a N00b with crossfire only delt with single cards.

http://ati.amd.com/technology/crossfire/charts.html

The above should be the compatability table, much help would be appreciated, any card suggestions, configs, or install advice much appriciated.

Crossfire on a 19inch widescreen ! I don't really like you'll get the full use of CF really. It works best at high res I believe.

I'd doubt you'll see a big increase in performance, I'd do a google search and see if you can find any bench marks on a 19in monitor and see whats what before buying.

Cheers,

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Pointless, sell your x1950 and get an 8 series.

 

[tanner]

an 8 series when the x2900s have just been released? as i said i cant afford an 8 series or the new dx 10 card, and was just after a cheeper perormance and resolution boost if i can ever afford a bigger and high res monitor such as the dell 1s

 

[Magnum_Force]

Ha, tbh, I still don't get acceptable performance in Fear with my crossfire setup when I crank up all the settings (soft shadows off).

Sure, I get a maximum of about 250fps on the built in benchmark, but I still get a few frames under 25fps, which to me is more important; I want highish max's but also high lows (something along the lines of 40fps min would be nice).

I use a Opteron 165 OCed to 2.5ghz, a Asus MVP32 Deluxe, and 2 gigs of DDR500 ram.

Can I also say I am EXTREMLY jealous that you don't get the interference!!
I was almost certain it was a hardware problem with sub-D connectors and the dongle - lemme try undoing my dongle to the slave card and see if the scan lines persist.

Edit: Yup, still there!!

Are you sure you don't see wavy horizontal lines of darkness (there very faint) rolling up and down your screen??

 

[LoadsaMoney]

an 8 series when the x2900s have just been released?

Of course, the 8 series are better than the x2900, just because its just been released doesn't make it better, it should have been out 6 months ago, when the 8 series was launched.

 

[tanner]

Positive no lines at all and ive had it running all day, no signs of lines, which is good :S am guessing, What cards are you running in your crossfire setup if u dont mind me asking?

If my system spec would help matters here she is:

AMD 4600 x2 (AM2) had this running 2.6 - 2.7 ghz
MSI K9A Platinum
Geil 6400 2x1gb 800mhz 4-4-4-12
Titan Amanda TEC
Connect 3d x1950 xtx (master card)
hiper type m 580 watt

Asus VW192s 19" currently at 1440 x 900 res

Many thanks for the ongoing help.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Ha, tbh, I still don't get acceptable performance in Fear with my crossfire setup when I crank up all the settings (soft shadows off).

Sure, I get a maximum of about 250fps on the built in benchmark, but I still get a few frames under 25fps, which to me is more important; I want highish max's but also high lows (something along the lines of 40fps min would be nice).

I use a Opteron 165 OCed to 2.5ghz, a Asus MVP32 Deluxe, and 2 gigs of DDR500 ram.

Can I also say I am EXTREMLY jealous that you don't get the interference!!
I was almost certain it was a hardware problem with sub-D connectors and the dongle - lemme try undoing my dongle to the slave card and see if the scan lines persist.

Edit: Yup, still there!!

Are you sure you don't see wavy horizontal lines of darkness (there very faint) rolling up and down your screen??

Try another monitor, if its the problem im thinking about, then its your monitor thats causing that, im sure someone on here had that problem, and it turned out to be their monitor that was the cause.