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Asus Radeon R9 280X and three monitors

Tags:
  • Graphics
  • DVI
  • Monitors
  • HDMI
  • Radeon
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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February 3, 2014 8:43:36 AM

This seems to be a common problem, and an urgent one for me:

The GPU has dual DVI, one HDMI and one DisplayPort.

I have three DVI monitors, two with a 1920x1200 resolution, the third is 2560x1440. They work fine with my nVidia GTX660Ti.

How do I connect my 3 monitors to this R9 280X GPU so that they all work? I don't want to use the DP connector, ony the two DVI and one HDMI.

I can get only two monitors to work simultaneously. All three are however detected by the system.

HELP

Christian

More about : asus radeon 280x monitors

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February 3, 2014 8:54:01 AM

Use a dual-link DVI for the 1440.
Use a dual or single-link DVI for a 1200.
Use an ACTIVE DisplayPort to DVI adapter for the other 1200. Like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

Oh, and make sure to check whether you have a mini-DP port or a regular size DP port to get the appropriate version of the adapter.

To connect more than two monitors on your card you MUST use the DisplayPort.

If you are gaming across the three screens the 1440 will be down-scaled to 1900x1200 so it will look weird. But Windows desktop will run at native resolution.
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February 3, 2014 11:19:47 AM

Hi,

Grateful for your knowledgeable feedback. I understand what you say and believe that is an aswer to the problem.

What remains uncomprehensible is that such a high end AMD GPU cannot drive three simultaneous monitors (two being the same resolution). Much cheaper and older nVidia cards do this (like my GTX660). Even if the resolution would be different on all three.

Is this only because of AMD has been lazy on adding clock generators, or what? Why is this not clearly stated somewhere? Prefereably on the package. Normaly all graphics and text brags about how many monitors you can connect, but mentions nothing about these serious shortcomings... Aaarghh..

Thanks a lot for your help!

Christian

PS: Does this mean automatically and always that the HDMI is useless if the two DVI outputs are in use?

ADDITIONALLY: AMD's own infopage states about multiple monitors as follows:

3 displays with DVI/HDMI, 4 displays using DisplayPort, 6 displays with an MST hub

Something does not compute here - my logic says that you can control 3 displays without any additional hardware (only passive cables) if you only use the DVI/HDMI outputs !!! Whow is wrong?
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February 5, 2014 8:55:14 AM

According to the AMD site, in the new versions the R9's support up to 3 monitors without the use of an active displayport adapter, I have mine running 2 dvi and an HDMI and it's working just fine..

EDIT: Maybe it's not working because your monitors have different resolutions.. I have 3 AOC23 ips Led
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February 15, 2014 5:52:02 PM

as an owner of a 280x and 3 24" pannels, the r9 doesnt need an active adaptor.
i use 2 x dvi & 1 x HDMI

if you havent fixed this, you need to combine 2 monitors e.g. 1|3 + extend the '2' monitor so all 3 monitors are active then use CCC to do the rest.

its a right carry on but one of the combinations work - it should be easier though!
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February 15, 2014 6:46:38 PM

@godzich please help me I'm new for gpu I'm also using same model.. I Dono how to setup I set 2 power cables to gpu.. I want to set power cable to motherboard it's looks a big pin
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April 11, 2014 8:47:52 PM

I had the same problem with the R9 270. Based on my experience and extensive efforts, I feel pretty sure that the DVI-DVI-HDMI configuration is not supported, at least by the R9 270. Maybe the 280/290 are different. A user on the AMD forum claims to have got results with the 280x.

I was finally able to get 3 screens working via DVI, HDMI and Displayport adapter. (I was short on DVI cables.) To get the HDMI monitor to use the full screen, open CCC, My Digital Flat Panels, Scaling Options. Move to 0% overscan. ("Enabling GPU-scaling" looks so right but oh so does not work. How annoying that CCC isn't clearer about this?)

Useful thread on AMD's forum: http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=474&th...

Hope this helps.
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April 12, 2014 12:26:52 AM

IObey said:
I had the same problem with the R9 270. Based on my experience and extensive efforts, I feel pretty sure that the DVI-DVI-HDMI configuration is not supported, at least by the R9 270. Maybe the 280/290 are different. A user on the AMD forum claims to have got results with the 280x.

I was finally able to get 3 screens working via DVI, HDMI and Displayport adapter. (I was short on DVI cables.) To get the HDMI monitor to use the full screen, open CCC, My Digital Flat Panels, Scaling Options. Move to 0% overscan. ("Enabling GPU-scaling" looks so right but oh so does not work. How annoying that CCC isn't clearer about this?)

Useful thread on AMD's forum: http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=474&th...

Hope this helps.


Incorrect the entire r9 range does not require a active displayport adaptor , unlike the 7970 etc...

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May 6, 2014 1:48:09 AM

Jonathan Cave said:
as an owner of a 280x and 3 24" pannels, the r9 doesnt need an active adaptor.
i use 2 x dvi & 1 x HDMI

if you havent fixed this, you need to combine 2 monitors e.g. 1|3 + extend the '2' monitor so all 3 monitors are active then use CCC to do the rest.

its a right carry on but one of the combinations work - it should be easier though!


Have you tried this with 3 monitors that are not identical?

I have a 27" (Main)DVI 24" (Stats)DVI 42" (Media)HDMI set up which worked perfectly on my HD6450.

Plugged in the R9 280X and it only wants to do two screens at a time. It can see all three.

Have tried your fix but am going around in circles?

Can you maintain your set up if you swap a monitor for a tv?
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May 6, 2014 3:55:42 AM

godzich said:
Hi,

Grateful for your knowledgeable feedback. I understand what you say and believe that is an aswer to the problem.

What remains uncomprehensible is that such a high end AMD GPU cannot drive three simultaneous monitors (two being the same resolution). Much cheaper and older nVidia cards do this (like my GTX660). Even if the resolution would be different on all three.

Is this only because of AMD has been lazy on adding clock generators, or what? Why is this not clearly stated somewhere? Prefereably on the package. Normaly all graphics and text brags about how many monitors you can connect, but mentions nothing about these serious shortcomings... Aaarghh..

Thanks a lot for your help!

Christian

PS: Does this mean automatically and always that the HDMI is useless if the two DVI outputs are in use?

ADDITIONALLY: AMD's own infopage states about multiple monitors as follows:

3 displays with DVI/HDMI, 4 displays using DisplayPort, 6 displays with an MST hub

Something does not compute here - my logic says that you can control 3 displays without any additional hardware (only passive cables) if you only use the DVI/HDMI outputs !!! Whow is wrong?



I couldn't agree more. If my shitty little HD6450 can do it out the box. can't see why this can't.
Mate says he can only use 3 or more if he use's D.P.

Had any luck with this yet?

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May 21, 2014 12:56:11 AM

I have the similar problem.

Last month I bought "MSI R9 280X OC Gaming" and tried to connect 2 monitors and LCD TV at the same time but it is not working.. ale the displays has the same resolution and timing.

1. Monitor: cable VGA/VGA -> reduction VGA/DVI -> DVI on graphic card
2. Monitor (primary): cable DVI/HDMI -> HDMI on graphic card
3. TV: cable HDMI/HDMI -> reduction HDMI/miniDP -> DP on graphic card

Each time I try to enable all 3 at once, it pop up a window saying that first I have to disable one of 2 currently active displays.
(BTW, on my graphic card are 4 connectors: DVI, HDMI, 2x mini Displayport.)
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June 22, 2014 9:28:08 PM

it seems that not all the R9 280x contain the hardware to run three monitors without having an Active Adaptor. I know that my Asus 280x (model DC2-3GD5) will not allow it no matter what configuration you use unless you use an Active adaptor. Whether the version 2 does I do not know.

I would suggest trying one out and seeing if that fixes your problem.
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