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7970 miniDP / flickering issue

T

thepoohcontinuum

n00b
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
51
Cliff notes:
On a Sapphire 7970 using the miniDP ports, I'm experiencing a bizarre flickering problem whenever I'm gaming or benchmarking. Anyone else having this same problem?

---

I have a multi-monitor setup with three LG 32LD450 TVs, each running at 1080p res. With a new Sapphire 7970 on the latest Catalyst, I connect them through a DVI->HDMI, a HDMI->HDMI, and a miniDP->DVI->HDMI connection. When doing normal desktop stuff, everything works fine. However, when running something that needs HW acceleration (ex., furmark, 3dmark, left4dead2, serious sam 3, etc), all my monitors start flickering (one moment no picture, one moment with picture, repeat). From the Windows system sounds, its as if the monitors are being repeatedly plugged and unplugged.

The above happens whether I'm doing eyefinity, single-monitor fullscreen, or single-monitor window. If I'm lucky, I can usually alt-tab back to the desktop. Otherwise, my keyboard/mouse becomes unresponsive (while my monitors are still having their flickering fit), and I have to hard reset.

Prior to the 7970, I had a Sapphire 6970 with Catalyst 11.9. Connections were made using two DVI->HDMI and one miniDP->DVI->HDMI... And everything worked perfectly. So there's nothing wrong with the TVs or the cables I'm using.

From the troubleshooting I did, here are my findings...

- Using only one monitor through DVI->HDMI, everything is fine.
- Using only one monitor through HDMI->HDMI, everything is fine.
- Using only one monitor through miniDP->DVI->HDMI, desktop ok but HW accel causes flickering problem.
- Using two monitors through DVI->HDMI and HDMI->HDMI, everything is fine.
- Using two monitors through [DVI->HDMI or HDMI->HDMI] and miniDP->DVI->HDMI, desktop ok but 3d accel causes flickering problem.

Based on that, I can only conclude 1) driver issues is causing flaky behavior whenever the miniDP port is used, and/or 2) TV EDID is causing miniDP/DVI handshaking issues.

So for anyone with a 7970, could you plug your monitor/TV into your miniDP port with at least 1080p/60 resolution, fire up something like furmark, and see if you encounter the same flickering problem I'm experiencing? It'll help me rule out some variables. Thanks!

Edit: Everything in my system is running at stock.
 
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Can you provide a video?

Using different kinds of outputs for different monitors is a known problem with eyefinity.

EG if you used 2x miniDP and 1 DVI the monitor hooked up to DVI will have tearing in it.

I've felt the tearing but never "flickering" as youare describing it.
 
Are you using 2 adapters on the TV hooked up to the miniDP port? Have you tried finding a miniDP->HDMI adapter?

It could be EDID/handshake issues with using two adapters.
 
Cliff notes:
On a Sapphire 7970 using the miniDP ports, I'm experiencing a bizarre flickering problem whenever I'm gaming or benchmarking. Anyone else having this same problem?

---

I have a multi-monitor setup with three LG 32LD450 TVs, each running at 1080p res. With a new Sapphire 7970 on the latest Catalyst, I connect them through a DVI->HDMI, a HDMI->HDMI, and a miniDP->DVI->HDMI connection. When doing normal desktop stuff, everything works fine. However, when running something that needs HW acceleration (ex., furmark, 3dmark, left4dead2, serious sam 3, etc), all my monitors start flickering (one moment no picture, one moment with picture, repeat). From the Windows system sounds, its as if the monitors are being repeatedly plugged and unplugged.

The above happens whether I'm doing eyefinity, single-monitor fullscreen, or single-monitor window. If I'm lucky, I can usually alt-tab back to the desktop. Otherwise, my keyboard/mouse becomes unresponsive (while my monitors are still having their flickering fit), and I have to hard reset.

Prior to the 7970, I had a Sapphire 6970 with Catalyst 11.9. Connections were made using two DVI->HDMI and one miniDP->DVI->HDMI... And everything worked perfectly. So there's nothing wrong with the TVs or the cables I'm using.

From the troubleshooting I did, here are my findings...

- Using only one monitor through DVI->HDMI, everything is fine.
- Using only one monitor through HDMI->HDMI, everything is fine.
- Using only one monitor through miniDP->DVI->HDMI, desktop ok but HW accel causes flickering problem.
- Using two monitors through DVI->HDMI and HDMI->HDMI, everything is fine.
- Using two monitors through [DVI->HDMI or HDMI->HDMI] and miniDP->DVI->HDMI, desktop ok but 3d accel causes flickering problem.

Based on that, I can only conclude 1) driver issues is causing flaky behavior whenever the miniDP port is used, and/or 2) TV EDID is causing miniDP/DVI handshaking issues.

So for anyone with a 7970, could you plug your monitor/TV into your miniDP port with at least 1080p/60 resolution, fire up something like furmark, and see if you encounter the same flickering problem I'm experiencing? It'll help me rule out some variables. Thanks!

Edit: Everything in my system is running at stock.
Click to expand...



hey thepoohcontinuum i have the same problem as you. whenever i use the minidisplay port single or eyefinity i get the black screen loop. ive opened a thread that ive discussed but no one can solve. i finally opened an rma to msi to get the it resolved. i have not received the card yet, but they emailed me saying that theyve shipped the card back to me and will get it this week. so hopefully they found the problem and resolved my issue. glad that im not the only one that have this. its a shame that this happened to a high end card too. you might have to rma the card back to the manufacture.
also i would like to add that i have 3 aoc 22" monitor.

here is the thread ive opened.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1649819&highlight=black+screen+loop
 
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JMccovery said:
Are you using 2 adapters on the TV hooked up to the miniDP port? Have you tried finding a miniDP->HDMI adapter?

It could be EDID/handshake issues with using two adapters.
Click to expand...

I've tried all sorts of combinations... miniDP->DP->DVI->HDMI (all active adapters), miniDP->HDMI (passive), miniDP->DVI->HDMI (first segment active, second segment passive)... all of them have the same flickering / black-screen-loop result. But yeah, I'm leaning towards an EDID handshaking problem too.

canmanone said:
hey thepoohcontinuum i have the same problem as you. whenever i use the minidisplay port single or eyefinity i get the black screen loop. ive opened a thread that ive discussed but no one can solve. i finally opened an rma to msi to get the it resolved. i have not received the card yet, but they emailed me saying that theyve shipped the card back to me and will get it this week. so hopefully they found the problem and resolved my issue. glad that im not the only one that have this. its a shame that this happened to a high end card too. you might have to rma the card back to the manufacture.
also i would like to add that i have 3 aoc 22" monitor.

here is the thread ive opened.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1649819&highlight=black+screen+loop
Click to expand...

Wow, even after 3 months and still no resolution? That sucks. I bought some passive miniDP->DVI (monoprice brand) and some active miniDP-DVI (accell amd "certified") adapters. We'll see if that solves anything.
 
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I got my mini dp to dp adapter from Athlon Micro where Sapphire sent me to after they left it out of the box. I was running 3d Mark 11 and during the combined test the connection took a dump (mini DP to DP adapter) and said it couldn't sync with the display so now I am back to square one, which is Dual link DVI .I also have a problem with 3D Mark 06 when it finishes to go online for results I get flickering on the display image on entrance or exit with the IE window open but with windows 7 still in non aero mode ! I have a HP ZR30w monitor connected my previous card a Sapphire 5870 never did these things so it is either driver or hardware related!! What is your opinions??
 
Frank_G said:
I got my mini dp to dp adapter from Athlon Micro where Sapphire sent me to after they left it out of the box. I was running 3d Mark 11 and during the combined test the connection took a dump (mini DP to DP adapter) and said it couldn't sync with the display so now I am back to square one, which is Dual link DVI .I also have a problem with 3D Mark 06 when it finishes to go online for results I get flickering on the display image on entrance or exit with the IE window open but with windows 7 still in non aero mode ! I have a HP ZR30w monitor connected my previous card a Sapphire 5870 never did these things so it is either driver or hardware related!! What is your opinions??
Click to expand...

to tell you the truth frank we dont know that problem. i will report back here after i get my card back from msi on wed. when i used the minidisplay port and its active now, i get a sound like its trying to install something but cant. i just hope they fixed my problem. maybe we should start a ticket to amd to help us out. what you think? i have the amd 6950 msi.
 
Well this is interesting... when I removed my Auzentech Forte sound card (pci express card), I can now run furmark in windowed mode just fine, even when all three monitors are connected. However, when I try furmark fullscreen mode, the flickering / black-screen-loop comes back (only when miniDP is used, HDMI and DVI still work perfectly).

Based on that, I thought this black-screen-loop might be caused whenever audio is sent through a displayport. So I enabled my onboard sound to check to see if that was the case. Nope, with onboard audio on, furmark windowed mode still works. Therefore I don't think its a displayport audio issue.

Still, its interesting to note that freeing up my pci express slot allows me to run furmark in windowed mode. Makes me wonder if this is a motherboard issue (I have an Asus P8Z68-V Pro on latest firmware).
 
thepoohcontinuum said:
Well this is interesting... when I removed my Auzentech Forte sound card (pci express card), I can now run furmark in windowed mode just fine, even when all three monitors are connected. However, when I try furmark fullscreen mode, the flickering / black-screen-loop comes back (only when miniDP is used, HDMI and DVI still work perfectly).

Based on that, I thought this black-screen-loop might be caused whenever audio is sent through a displayport. So I enabled my onboard sound to check to see if that was the case. Nope, with onboard audio on, furmark windowed mode still works. Therefore I don't think its a displayport audio issue.

Still, its interesting to note that freeing up my pci express slot allows me to run furmark in windowed mode. Makes me wonder if this is a motherboard issue (I have an Asus P8Z68-V Pro on latest firmware).
Click to expand...

hey thepoohcontinuum i dont think its the motherboard as i have an 775 socket p5n-d board. i get what your experiencing too. so its not the board. it has to be the card. as for my sound source its the plugged in to the audio out jack. no sound is coming from the display port or hdmi. hope this helps. did you read my thread the one i linked above?
 
canmanone said:
hey thepoohcontinuum i dont think its the motherboard as i have an 775 socket p5n-d board. i get what your experiencing too. so its not the board. it has to be the card. as for my sound source its the plugged in to the audio out jack. no sound is coming from the display port or hdmi. hope this helps. did you read my thread the one i linked above?
Click to expand...

Yeah I skimmed through it. Didn't really get much out of it except a bunch of people saying displayport sucks :)
 
the center monitor in my setup was turning black when playing bf3 (not eyefinity, just single 27") and even sc2 but I assumed it was cause I had it overclocked.

Returned to stock clocks and it went away.
 
it doesn't happen to me on 3 screens. I'm using the mini DP adapters that came with the cards. I have seen it after playing different games. It seems to be only temporary...as soon as I do something with the screen it goes away so no biggie.

7970 Flickering Video(youtube)
 
"flickering" is probably not the right word I should have used. In my case, its as if someone is unplugging the video cable (screen goes completely black), plugging the video cable back in (screen has picture), unplugging, plugging, unplugging, plugging, repeat forever. The duration of each unplugging-plugging sequence lasts for 1-2 seconds.
 
to tell you the truth frank we dont know that problem. i will report back here after i get my card back from msi on wed. when i used the minidisplay port and its active now, i get a sound like its trying to install something but cant. i just hope they fixed my problem. maybe we should start a ticket to amd to help us out. what you think? i have the amd 6950 msi.
Click to expand...
To be honest I felt like this was a discussion for 7970 cards didn't realize the 6900 series had problems but no matter if i started a feedback issue on sometrhing like this protocol says to go with who made it first!!. What I am going to try is to go with a solid cable dp to mini dp and see if it's just the adapter or if it's something else. Adapters don't always give good signal transference on high speed signals it only takes a little bit of a loose connection and it's over with!! It doesn't act up at all with dual link DVI so that says the card is working there and the monitor my 5870 never had this problem when hooked up to my ZR30w via display port I have just had problems when I have used the adapter.
 
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I always start a ticket when I have a problem and there are no work around. That way they are at least aware there's a problem. A lot of people give them crap about their support but they did get the one issue I had to report to them fixed. The HDMI/Displayport audio driver was causing the windows sound panel to take forever to open, which was a problem because I switch back and forth between wireless headphone and wow headset. It depends on the severity of the problem and whether you can actually narrow it down to an issue with their hardware or drivers though.
 
Reading through the above posts more carefully this time I would recommend you try something. I had problems with the HDMI/DisplayPort sound drivers in Catalyst before maybe that's what's causing your hangups as well. Try uninstalling the just the HDMI/DP Audio Driver and see if that helps. Alternatively you could do a complete clean reinstall of the drivers after using Driver Sweeper in safe mode and just not select the HDMI/DP Audio Driver for installation. Worth a try.
 
Well, I feel like a dumbass. I finally figured out what was wrong... the 2pin part of the 6+2pin power connector was loose :mad: No idea how that happened, but once I plugged it in securely, everything works perfectly now. $^&@&$!#$*#&%#^
 
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