Moniter #1 - DVI / Monitor #2 - HDMI / Monitor #3 - Mini-DP ? Help :( .. thanks.

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Pr1nceHapi

Pr1nceHapi

Honorable
Nov 12, 2013
9
0
10,510
Hi there.

I've got a weird issue here.

Let me first list some specs:

Core i5 2400 stock
10GB Ram
Gigabyte Radeon HD7950 3GB Windforce-3
Windows 8.0 Pro X64 (I have nó intention to update to 8.1 !!)
Drivers:
- Everything is up to date. Let me be clear that I dó know a lót about computers, it's just that I have no knowledge about eyefinity and displayports !

Monitor 1:
Delium D2201
Resolution: 1680x1050
Position on my desk: Right side.
Connection: VGA
Connected to videocard using a VGA to DVI dongle
Issue(s): None.

Monitor 2:
HP 2159m
Resolution: 1920x1080
Position on my desk: Left side
Connection: HDMI
Connected to videocard using a HDMI cable.
Issue(s): None.

Monitor 3:
Samsung LE19R71B TV/Monitor
Resolution: variable, 1600x900 suits the best.
Location: DJ Booth
Connection: DVI
Connected to videocard using a DVI to Active Mini Displayport cable.
Issue(s): Not detected.

---

The issue

So here goes. I've got a PC with a HD7950 3G card with THIS backplate:
ku-medium.jpg


Monitor 1 is connected (via a vga>dvi dongle) to the DVI port.
Monitor 2 is connected to the HDMI port.

These two monitors are used for webdesign, gaming, datarecovery (my profession), analysing my stocks, keep track of who's on Teamspeak3 (monitor 1) while gaming (monitor 2), etc.

Monitor 3 is connected (via an active dvi>mini-dp dongle) to the mini-dp port.

This monitor is located on my DJ Booth and is mainly being used for Traktor Scratch 2 Pro and a custom Korg Kaossilator Effects program.

What I want, is that all three monitors are hooked up to the videocard and all work.

The case now, is that I have to disconnect monitor 1 and hook up monitor 3 to the dvi port on my videocard. This is very annoying and I don't think it's really good for my videocard if the cables are being changed every day.

Here's a photo of what my current setup looks like, just to give you an idea:
DSC_0223.jpg


So. What happens when I hook up the third monitor, is that it's immediately recognized but turns both monitor 1 and monitor 2 black, giving me NO option to disable monitor 3, forcing me to use SYSTEM RESTORE to get both monitors to work again.

This happened a couple of times and I was flabbergasted about why it's so hard to hook up 3 (or more) monitors to a videocard. Why does it háve to be so, ekskjoesay mwah, f'ed up ? I used to have an XFX Geforce 9800 GTX with 2 DVI ports and a HDMI port, which allowed me to use three monitors without ány issue. And now this card is giving me a réally hard time. I just don't understand..

The first time I tried, I got a message on my screen telling me something about Eyefinity, after which both monitor 1 & 2 turned black (rest is history, read above).

Does anybody have an idea on what to do ?

As said, I'm using Windows 8.0 Pro X64 and I don't want to upgrade to 8.1 (as my datarecovery software doesn't work on 8.1, which I need, due to my profession).

So, please help :S

I know there's 7950s out there with two DVI ports, 2 HDMI ports and one mini-DP, but I don't really want to change videocards, just because of this.

I hope there's someone out there that can help me fix this issue. Thanks in advance.
Let me assure you that áll drivers really áre up to date, I checked that over and over and over again ..


Cheers,
Youri a.k.a. Pr1nceHapi.

PS: I'm not receiving a confirmation email to my account, clicked on resend at least 10 times, logged out and in already, closed chrome etc, restarted pc too .. issue at thw ? or.. I don't use hotmail, gmail etc. I use my website's emailaddress.

PSS: As long as I don't receive the confirmation email, I cannot attach pictures, hence the reason there's links to the pictures in this thread.
 
Solution
X
Hi,

From my experience running three monitors on ATI cards (6950cf and now 7970cf) drivers can be an absolute pain. I have three VGA monitors, one using an adapter plugged in to the DVI port and two passive apple mDP to VGA converters. I know so many people say it wont work with those adapters but I have been running like that with multiple setups now and always manage to get it working, it can be a pain though.

For me, some drivers just plain will not display on all three screens, some drivers will display on all three screens but not at native resolution (1920x1080) and then some work perfectly as expected.

I would recommend trying a new set of drivers, please make sure you use AMD's driver removal tool to completely remove and...
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xiztrn

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Nov 26, 2011
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18,520
Hi,

From my experience running three monitors on ATI cards (6950cf and now 7970cf) drivers can be an absolute pain. I have three VGA monitors, one using an adapter plugged in to the DVI port and two passive apple mDP to VGA converters. I know so many people say it wont work with those adapters but I have been running like that with multiple setups now and always manage to get it working, it can be a pain though.

For me, some drivers just plain will not display on all three screens, some drivers will display on all three screens but not at native resolution (1920x1080) and then some work perfectly as expected.

I would recommend trying a new set of drivers, please make sure you use AMD's driver removal tool to completely remove and drivers you currently have installed.

Out of interest, does it make a difference if you do it in a different order? i.e. you have DVI + HDMI in and then plugin the mDP or you have mDP + DVI plugged in and then plugin the HDMI - Do you get the same outcome?

Edit: I am currently running Catalyst Version 13.9.
 
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Solution
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AdioKIP

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Jul 10, 2008
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It sounds like you may have a bad Mini-DP adapter. While its not as bad as in the past, AMD cards can be very picky about the adapters they use. I went thru several of them before finally upgrading to monitors with DP ports. Right now I'm running 4 monitors on my 7950. 2x DP, 1x HDMI, 1x DVI. The issue is going to most likely come down to the adapter you are using. I would try the TV with another connection (plug it in directly to DVI and see if you can get it working, if so you know the issue isnt the TV itself). Once you've eliminated the TV as the issue, try another DP adapter, preferably one that is listed as EyeFinity compatible (even though you will NOT be running EyeFinity).
 
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Pr1nceHapi

Pr1nceHapi

Honorable
Nov 12, 2013
9
0
10,510
@xiztrn:
Yes, same outcome :( But now it doesn't recognize it at ALL anymore :( ..
I think I'll remove the amd drivers as you suggested and use the Omega ones from Tweakforce. I always used (and still do on my laptop) the Xtreme-G drivers from Tweakforce when I used nVidia cards, might as well give it a try on my desktop pc.

@AdioKIP:
I was thinking the same, maybe the adapter isn't working properly. So I went, after reading your post, to a friend of mine who runs a computer store (2 blocks away) and picked up 7 mini-DP cables, all different in length, price range, different brands and different plates (gold / silver / even one cupper plate :S). Unfortunately, I get the same result with all 7 :( ..

Bummer..

This is my own mini-DP cable btw:

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

 
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Pr1nceHapi

Pr1nceHapi

Honorable
Nov 12, 2013
9
0
10,510
Hey, just a quick update. After I packed up all the mini-DP cables from my friend to return them all, I connected everythink back as how it was when I started writing this topic. I accidently removed the VGA-to-DVI cable from the videocard and guess what ? My left monitor (monitor #03, dj booth) showed a screen.

I can live with that, but I rather see all three working.

Any idea on what this thing is ? Pretty strange, eh ?
 
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A

AdioKIP

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Jul 10, 2008
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Did you try using any of the 7 cables on one of the other screens (or tried the tv on a different input like i suggested). You need to use process of elimination to figure out if the issue is

1.) The screen (TV)
2.) The adapter
3.) The port on the video card.

Try using your DP adapter but go to one of your monitors instead of the tv. Does it work this way? Can you use 2 monitors this way? What if you try the TV on a different input, say going directly DVI instead of using the Adapter. Does it work this way? Are you able to use 2 screens this way?
 
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Pr1nceHapi

Pr1nceHapi

Honorable
Nov 12, 2013
9
0
10,510
Well, for some reason it works now.

After I monitor #02 and monitor #03 on (as previously noted thát works) for a while, I decided to hook up monitor #01 to see what would happen.
For some reason, thát works. I hope it still works when I shut down the PC and start it up in the morning again tomorrow, but if it doesn't then I'll write it here !

Good thing though ;)


It works, yay:
576640_458220814287278_1342012221_n.jpg
 
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