DisplayPort Active adaptors!

Thor

Basically i have three monitors on my desk and a tw3200 projector that i use for watching films.

The setup I'm currently using is two gtx 470's with SLI disabled so i can use all four screens at the same time). I can do this just fine now, But i want to upgrade my graphics cards as the gtx 470's are too loud and too hot for triple monitor gaming!!

I'm looking at getting the Asus DIRECTCUII 6950 graphics card. This is where it get's complicated and experts are needed to answer the following. There is two version of this card, The 1GB and the 2GB, Seeing as i will be gaming on the three monitors it's wise to get the 2GB so that is my choice here

Now it's time for the question!!
The main question is can i output 4 monitors with the 2GB version using two DVI and Two Displayport connections, It's my understanding that i will need to get active displayport to dvi adaptors, As none of my monitors have display port.

Where is the best and cheapest place to get these adaptors!!

The Asus 6950 DIRECTCUII is said to do 6 monitors but using 4 DisplayPorts and 2 Dvi ports. So if anyone can shed someone light on this for me, I would be greatful.

**** Just a side note, I will be adding a second card later on and want to know is it okay to enable crossfire and still output to 4 monitors from one card.

Looking to do some extreme gaming on three monitors!!

marco_polo

This review that suggests the 2GB Asus support to six monitors.

http://www.geeks3d.com/20110202/tested-asus-radeon-hd-6950-directcu-ii-review-overclocking/

I am not an eyefinity expert so I cannot really answer the more technical parts of your question, but the AMD FAQs suggests the only crossfire limitation is that all monitors in a display group must be on the same card.

Thor

marco_polo wrote: »

This review that suggests the 2GB Asus support to six monitors.

http://www.geeks3d.com/20110202/tested-asus-radeon-hd-6950-directcu-ii-review-overclocking/

I am not an eyefinity expert so I cannot really answer the more technical parts of your question, but the AMD FAQs suggests the only crossfire limitation is that all monitors in a display group must be on the same card.

Yeah, Alot of places say it can, Just hope they aren't talking about daisychaining the monitors. although it does state it can do it exclusively.

That's interesting to read that for eyefinity to work on crossfire, The monitors have to be connected to the same graphics card.

The basic idea i have is not to use eyefinity for joining my three main monitors together when im using them as basic desktop use and only initiate eyefinity when Im playing games.

I will be using a program called RadeonPro

Now i have no idea if this program will work as i have never used it, But seems like it will. The idea behind it is, To change the profile and setup of my monitors when i actively launch games, Meaning i won't have to change the setting's of my monitor layout every time i want to play a game!!

I do hope it works, I have ordered the first Asus 2GB card and will order some adaptors aswell, Once i can find them cheap and cheerful that is!!

I don't want to speed 100 euro on adaptors if the 30 euro ones will work, Which is the real question!

marco_polo

As a long term citizen of singlemonitorland my eyefinity knowledge is fairly limited tbh, as I have only ever seen a mates fairlty standard 3X1 configuration in the flesh a few time, so beyond that I ain't much help in terms of more advance configurations and the quality of display port adapters.

Good luck with the setup though, sounds very sweet.

Thor

marco_polo wrote: »

As a long term citizen of singlemonitorland my eyefinity knowledge is fairly limited tbh, as I have only ever seen standard a few 3X1 configurations in the flesh, so beyond that I ain't much help in terms of advance configurations and the quality of display port adapters.

Good luck with the setup though, sounds very sweet.

Cheers, I really appreciate the support, The link to the FAQ pretty much gives me the prove i need to confirm at least one question on whether i would be able to have the 4 monitors active with crossfire and seeing as the ASUS 2GB can take 6, I think that part is solved.

Now to find the DisplayPort to DVI Adaptors!!

Anyone know where to get these cheap, Just need two of them!!

ED E

Thor wrote: »

Now to find the DisplayPort to DVI Adaptors!!

Anyone know where to get these cheap, Just need two of them!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/1-8M-DisplayPort-Cable-Display-Adaptor/dp/B002SH2SLM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313249302&sr=8-2

^ Would these not be all you'd need?

Thor

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/1-8M-DisplayPort-Cable-Display-Adaptor/dp/B002SH2SLM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313249302&sr=8-2

^ Would these not be all you'd need?

Hmm, Never got an email about your reply, Had no idea.

Anyway, That would do for one monitor, But I'm also using a projector aswell, which is HDMI only, So I'm not sure if I could get a DVI female to Hdmi cable. Even still, I already have a few Dvi to HDMI.

Also just to add, I got one of the cards today. Check out the pic of it below.



As you can see, THIS CARD IS MASSIVE!! You can see the tilt it has because of the damn weight and size of it.

I originally had a fan in a kind of shroud thingy pushing the air of my gtx 470's out the back, Seeing as they were already rear exhaust, there was much need.

That has changed this time, For one I couldn't even use the shroud as the 6950 was too long and blocked it, So I just cable-tied it to the hard drive bay.



As you can see, It will push the air straight towards the back of the case and out the back of the case, There is also a side fan on my case(HAF X) which also pushes in air.

I'm hoping there isn't any air flow contrictions due to the fan positions, But can't imagine there will be.

Anyway!!

DISPLAYPORT ADAPTORS!!

These are a must now, The adaptors have to be normal size and not mini ones, Also as i pointed out above, The cable idea would only be good for one monitor, The projector needs to have HDMI or with use of a DVI to HDMI adaptor.

P.S I did clean my computer a bit afterwards, so don't mind the dust on the bottom.

marco_polo

Nice piece

This Sapphire one appears to be well up to the job, and judging by the comments section is as good as many more expensive ones.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-44000-02-40R-Active-Display-Cable/dp/B00433C5Y4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313615937&sr=8-1

The only limits on the cheaper ones appear to be that they are single rather than dual link DVI so the max resolution the adapted monitor can support is 1920 X 1200, so unless you were planing 4 X (2560X1600) it should be the finest.

Thor

marco_polo wrote: »

Nice piece

This Sapphire one appears to be well up to the job, and judging by the comments section is as good as many more expensive ones.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-44000-02-40R-Active-Display-Cable/dp/B00433C5Y4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313615937&sr=8-1

The only limits on the cheaper ones appear to be that they are single rather than dual link DVI so the max resolution the adapted monitor can support is 1920 X 1200, so unless you were planing 4 X (2560X1600) it should be the finest.

Cheers man, That's exactly the one im looking for, Doing 3 x 1080p monitors and one 1080p projector, So single-link DVI is fine, I actually prefer it as active adaptors cost like 100 euro!!

Anyway, Just need to find somewhere that will ship to Ireland.

***EDIT*** Didn't see that Amazon also sold it, Thought it was just a third party shop on Amazon, Ordering now.

Thanks for the link!

marco_polo

Thor wrote: »

Cheers man, That's exactly the one im looking for, Doing 3 x 1080p monitors and one 1080p projector, So single-link DVI is fine, I actually prefer it as active adaptors cost like 100 euro!!

Anyway, Just need to find somewhere that will ship to Ireland.

***EDIT*** Didn't see that Amazon also sold it, Thought it was just a third party shop on Amazon, Ordering now.

Thanks for the link!

Doing a little more research (I'm such a nerd I can't help myself ) it is actually a genuine active adapter, as the former trademark of an active display port (usb power cable) is no longer an absolute requirement. The trade off for no external power being the single link DVI limit it seems.

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/ATI_Eyefinity_Adapter/

Thor

Yeah sorry, I was just thinking of the one's with the usb port! which adds the extra power to allow it to convert higher signals(dual link)

marco_polo

When are you expecting the second monster card to arrive? :cool:

Thor

marco_polo wrote: »

When are you expecting the second monster card to arrive? :cool:

Should be getting it in the next three to four weeks.

I was reading up on this card, Some guy made a thread saying that he couldn't use the Sapphire ones with his card, He was saying that because it doesn't have the usb port it would it turn use the power from the dvi connections and that meant you would have to use only dp or only dvi, But not together, Unless you had active adaptors with usb ports so they could get there own power.

I came across a video of the 1gb version of this card using all 4 dp(with the sapphire adaptors) and 2 x dvi, It worked perfectly.

So I'm in the clear there.

Also, Someone told him to make sure he had the switch on the card to the on position, I assumed he was talking about the DVI dual link(Dp port disabled) switch. So I'm thinking that must be the problem the op on that thread was having.

You can check out the video here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ui6izNFyis

P.S I can't believe they are using a 1gb card with 6 monitors.