Triple eyefinity help

[dodge586]

Hi,

I've been searching around and have found lots of related info but no definative answer as to why my intended triple screen setup isn't working and what I need to do to get it working. I'd imagine that plenty of people here would have some experience in eyefinity setups!

So I have a single 7850 with 2 Minidisplay ports, 2 DVI and a HDMI output.
My main 24" screen sits in the middle @1920x1200 and either side I have 20" 1600x1200.

I have tried connecting the two edge screens via MiniDP to DVI cables and the main screen via a normal DVI cable. In this setup I can only get the two edge screens to work. the main screen on my DVI is off and can't be enable in control panel (says unable to save settings when you try to enable it).

If disconnect one of the edge screens and instead use the miniDP - DVI cable to connect the main middle monitor it works happily with the one remaining edge screen both using the miniDP-DVI cables.

What I can't seem to achieve is to have two screens on mini-DP and one on DVI simultaneously!

Any suggestions?

If all else fails would getting a second 7850 and running in crossfire work, it should double the number of ports but would software support eyefinity split over multiple gpu outputs?

Any thoughts appreciated

Thanks

 

[mickyflinn]

You will only be able to connect 2 monitors using dvi or hdmi , you should get another 7850 and go crossfire .

It will give you the third monitor and some extra grunt for you eyefinity.

 

[Surveyor]

A second 7850 will give you greater GPU grunt but it won't help with connecting the monitors as with CrossFire you can only connect the monitors to one card.

What connections do your monitors have?

At least one has to run from DisplayPort from the graphics card and you need an active adapter for this.

I think with Eyefinity that all the monitors still have to run at the same resolution so your 1920x1200 monitor would have to be run at 1600x1200.

 

[dodge586]

Thanks...

I didn't realise that with crossfire all the monitors still needed to be connected to the same card.

The latest generation cards and drivers do support different resolutions - indeed I am able to achieve this now - only on two screens though.

My main (largest/middle) screen has: 2X DVI, 1X HDMI, 1X Display port.

My two side screens have 1X DVI and 1X D-SUB.

To reiterate my 7850 has 2X miniDP, 2X DVI and 1X HDMI.

What is the difference between active and passive adapters? I presume that my current cables (2X miniDP to DVI, straight wired) constitute passive adapters?

 

[Buchanan0204]

Eyefinity will look stupid if all the monitors aren't the same size. If you want proper eyefinity, get three identical monitors. Colour reproduction will also be different across different monitors.

 

[Surveyor]

Eyefinity will look stupid if all the monitors aren't the same size. If you want proper eyefinity, get three identical monitors. Colour reproduction will also be different across different monitors.

I'm sure that Eyefinity will look fine as long as all the monitors line up reasonably well and can be run at their native resolutions.

Thanks...

I didn't realise that with crossfire all the monitors still needed to be connected to the same card.

The latest generation cards and drivers do support different resolutions - indeed I am able to achieve this now - only on two screens though.

My main (largest/middle) screen has: 2X DVI, 1X HDMI, 1X Display port.

My two side screens have 1X DVI and 1X D-SUB.

To reiterate my 7850 has 2X miniDP, 2X DVI and 1X HDMI.

What is the difference between active and passive adapters? I presume that my current cables (2X miniDP to DVI, straight wired) constitute passive adapters?

It should be relatively straightforward then.

Centre screen miniDP to DP with a cable like this: OcUK Value Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable 2m

For the side monitors monitors use DVI to DVI cables.

No adapters required.

 

[Confused Stu]

The latest generation cards and drivers do support different resolutions - indeed I am able to achieve this now - only on two screens though.

Although you can run three screens at different resolutions in extended desktop (ie three separate screens), when in eyefinity mode (ie one superwide screen) they all need to run the same resolution. I run 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1080 when eyefinity is disabled, but run 5760x1080 when it's enabled. This means my middle screen is stretched vertically a little. In your case, all your monitors will run at 1600x1200 when gaming across all of them, and the middle one will be stretched to fit, or have black bars either side.

 

[Surveyor]

Although you can run three screens at different resolutions in extended desktop (ie three separate screens), when in eyefinity mode (ie one superwide screen) they all need to run the same resolution. I run 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1080 when eyefinity is disabled, but run 5760x1080 when it's enabled. This means my middle screen is stretched vertically a little. In your case, all your monitors will run at 1600x1200 when gaming across all of them, and the middle one will be stretched to fit, or have black bars either side.

That's what I thought but the OP seems to think otherwise.

It's easy enough to test.

If he hasn't already he can set up 2 screen Eyefinity and see if it lets him keep the monitors at different resolutions or forces the 1920x1200 monitor to 1600x1200.

 

[dodge586]

Thanks for the advice.
24" complimented by 20" monitors at the side works reasonably well as there is only about 1cm difference in the total screen heights due to the ratio between widescreen and traditional monitor sizes.

I have already achieved an extended desktop across 2 different resolutions and this works nicely. I haven't tried it in eyefinity mode though which I suppose I should do

Ideally yes, all monitors should be the same size/resoluteness but I physically don't have the room and my main screen was a huge investment (IPS for photoshop work) and I simply can't entertain the thought of replacing it!

I shall try running the main display via miniDP and the two axillary screens off DVI and report back.

thanks