5970 Displayport

[cw64]

Do I need an active miniDP->DP if I'm only using the mini displayport?

 

[Dantrax]

U get a mini display port plug to a display port receptacle adaptor in the box with the board. Is that what U mean by active?

 

[FrgMstr]

The card comes with the adapter you need to go from MiniDP to DP.

 

[hotdun]

I don't understand the question. What do you mean by active?

 

[Balthazor]

The active display port adapters give a little extra power to the signal, allowing the lower voltage display port signal to be converted to the higher voltage DVI signal.

I believe you should only need the active adapter if you:

-Are already using both DVI ports
-And need to convert from DP to DVI

 

[Squalish]

The active display port adapters give a little extra power to the signal, allowing the lower voltage display port signal to be converted to the higher voltage DVI signal.

I believe you should only need the active adapter if you:

-Are already using both DVI ports
-And need to convert from DP to DVI

I think you're mistaken here.

An "Active displayport->DVI Adapter" is actually a converter which takes a Displayport signal and utilizing a microprocessor changes it in realtime into a DVI/HDMI type signal (which is entirely different).

A "Passive displayport->DVI Adapter" takes some of the auxilliary conductors that "displayport+" ports use to carry a dvi/hdmi signal, and runs them to a DVI plug.

A "Passive mini-displayport->displayport adapter" takes the conductors from the uDP connector and attaches them to a DP plug.

The problem with the 5x00 series is that there are only two chips inside for making DVI/HDMI signals, so if you want a third DVI/HDMI monitor you need to buy a third chip in an 'active adapter' form factor.

 

[DanNeely]

The DVI clocks are either part of the GPU chip itself, or part of standard support chip. If the clock chip was separate it would be relatively simple to add an optional third clock for eyefinity setups.

 

[cw64]

Do I need an active miniDP->DP if I'm only using the mini displayport?

The problem with the 5x00 series is that there are only two chips inside for making DVI/HDMI signals, so if you want a third DVI/HDMI monitor you need to buy a third chip in an 'active adapter' form factor.

That would be a no then. Cheers.

 

[Finkus]

The 5970 comes with an adapter that will get you from mini-DP to DP.

You still need to buy a DP-DP cable separately to get from the adapter to your display. In the UK this was hard to find and I had to get it mail order. No bricks and mortar PC enthusiast shops in London had it, despite them all selling DP GPUs and DP displays.

 

[Balthazor]

I think you're mistaken here.

An "Active displayport->DVI Adapter" is actually a converter which takes a Displayport signal and utilizing a microprocessor changes it in realtime into a DVI/HDMI type signal (which is entirely different).

A "Passive displayport->DVI Adapter" takes some of the auxilliary conductors that "displayport+" ports use to carry a dvi/hdmi signal, and runs them to a DVI plug.

A "Passive mini-displayport->displayport adapter" takes the conductors from the uDP connector and attaches them to a DP plug.

The problem with the 5x00 series is that there are only two chips inside for making DVI/HDMI signals, so if you want a third DVI/HDMI monitor you need to buy a third chip in an 'active adapter' form factor.

What do I know? I'm just another voice on this series of tubes.