Can't set up 3 monitors (NOT an adapter problem)

[davidstrongarm]

Hi guys,

I have just bought a new computer with dual 5870s, each with 6 mini-DP connectors, and 3 monitors. I have an ASUS P6X58D Premium MB.

I can't figure out how to get all 3 monitors working at once though. In the Catalyst Control Center, I can get any two to work fine, so the problem isn't the monitors or cables, but if I try to extend the desktop onto a third monitor I get "To extend the desktop, a desktop or display must be disabled".

I've tried to google for help, but unfortunatly the only results I can find are people who don't have the right adapter for their DVI/HDMI/DP or whatever, which obviously isn't my problem.

I have just updated to the latest drivers and CCC.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Dave.

 

[COLGeek]

Are all of your monitors the same make/model or are you using different monitors? Also, are you connecting all monitors to one GPU or across both of them? Last, what version of Catalyst Suite are you using (if not the most current, I recommend to download and install it)?

 

[davidstrongarm]

All 3 monitors are the same and straight out of the box - Samsung 2443BW.

I've got all 3 of them plugged into the same GPU.

Catalyst Control Center is version 2010.1026.2246.39002

 

[COLGeek]

32 bit or 64 bit Windows 7?

 

[COLGeek]

Also, check out this website:

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/gpu50-ati-eyefinity-display-groups.aspx

Last (for now) AMD (ATI) released new drivers yesterday. Go to ati.com and download version 10.11 for your flavor of Windows.

 

[davidstrongarm]

Apparently it IS an adapter problem. I had assumed, quite wrongly as it happens, that the adapters that came with the GFX card would be active and work fine.

But that's not the case. I kinda feel like I've been conned by ATI. The fact that I need to buy a special adapter to run eyefinity on an eyefinity card that comes with a range of adapters seems rather ridiculous

I'm running 64 bit Win 7. Thanks anyway COLGeek

 

[COLGeek]

Have you tried 2 monitors on one GPU and the other on the third one? I am sure you are dealing with the active port and timing issues stuff now.

 

[davidstrongarm]

Yes I've tried that. I'm 99.9% certain that the adapters supplied with the card are passive as confirmed in this thread - http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1508115

 

[COLGeek]

You have stumbled into one of eyefinity's only major faults. It is a timing/synch issue in order for the technology to work. I thought, however, that you could use 3 monitors (extended desktop) without using eyefinity. Not to insult, but have you tried to do that?

 

[davidstrongarm]

After a some experimenting, I've managed to get the desktop extended across all 3 monitors, by plugging 2 monitors into one card and one into the other, but I'm having no luck grouping the 3 monitors together in the Catalyst control center to activate eyefinity.

CCC is still only giving me the option of 2x1 or 1x2 when I try to create a group.

 

[davidstrongarm]

Ok, according to ATI themselves:

"Eyefiniy is supported on systems with more than one graphics card. However, each display group must reside on its own video card. For example, a display cannot span across multiple graphics cards. "

Seems I'll have to wait till my adapter arrives in the post

Thanks for your help COLGeek!

 

[Guest]

Hello

I have just purchased a 5870 and am having the same issue, do I require active adapters to have all 6 screens on a single card.

My screens have dvi hdmi and Vga inputs and I intend to have them all through Hdmi

It is currently only allowing me 2 screens from the one card so if I were to purchase 6 active mini dp to hdmi will this finially work

Kind Regards

Samuel

 

[ubercake]

Yep. The HDMI shares a connection with one of the DVI ports on most cards.

When connecting 3 monitors for one display group, one of the monitors has to be connected through the mini Display Port (DP). The other two can be DVI or one DVI and One HDMI.

They sell mini-DP to DVI and mini-DP to HDMI adapters that are pretty cheap these days.

It does stink that a mini-DP is required though.

 

[Guest]

Hello Again

Thanks for the quick response!

I have just ordered some active display port adapters as I have read that these should solve the issue as passive adapters only permit 2 screens to be connected on the eyefinity 5870

Samuel

 

[BonanzaG36]

I have the same problem!

I am using 2 HD 6970's
1 dell monitor ( max res: 2048 x 1152 )
2 iiyama monitor ( max res: 1920 x 1080 )
3 DVI cabled
1 passive display port adapter
A cable that makes display port to mini display port ( in the box with my graphics card )

So here is my setup:
Iiyama - Dell - iiyama
So my dell is in the middle and iiyamas next to it.
The iiyamas are connected with the regular DVI cables
The dell is connect with a dvi cable to the passive display port
I put my dell his res on same as te iiyamas
In CCC I can only do 2x1 or 1x2 altho he recognizes all 3 screens and all of them work.

Please help me here!

 

[davidstrongarm]

@BonanzaG36 You can't have all 3 monitors running through passive adapters, otherwise eyefinity won't work. If you're using adapters for all 3 monitors, then at least one of them must be an active adapter.

You say that your monitors all have DVI output, but what type of combination of inputs do your graphics cards have? HDMI/DVi/Display Port??

One of your adapters must be an active adapter, or alternatively one of your monitors must plug directly into your card without an adapter.