• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

ATI's DisplayPort Question

P

Pawz2142

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
143
I hate ATI's decision to put a display port rather than an HDMI connection directly on their cards. It just makes things more difficult that i have to buy an adapter or cord just for my video card.

That aside im getting in 3 new monitors and none of which have Display Ports. For using Eyefinity i assume i can hook up 2 on DVI and the third i can get an adapter to fit the HDMI or DVI. Am I right in my assumption?
 
Assuming you're talking about a 5850/5870/5970, there is both HDMI and DisplayPort on the card (in addition to 2 DVI). The rub is the HDMI shares a connection with one of the DVIs. If you want 3 non-DisplayPort monitors, 2 plug into DVI and 1 will need a DisplayPort to DVI adapter. Most likely you'll need an active adapter like the Accel/Dell that costs about $100.
 
RevMen said:
Assuming you're talking about a 5850/5870/5970, there is both HDMI and DisplayPort on the card (in addition to 2 DVI). The rub is the HDMI shares a connection with one of the DVIs. If you want 3 non-DisplayPort monitors, 2 plug into DVI and 1 will need a DisplayPort to DVI adapter. Most likely you'll need an active adapter like the Accel/Dell that costs about $100.
Click to expand...

be careful with the displayport to dvi conversion though, i picked up the accell adapter yesterday and i can't display higher than 1440x900 with it, i started a thread but haven't received input from anyone here yet, i also have a support ticket open with xfx (i have an xfx 5770) trying to solve the problem, i'm baffled at how an ati approved adapter won't display 1920x1080 heh. i guess i'll try picking up a usb hub and seeing if that solves my problem.
 
Mavvok said:
RevMen said:
Assuming you're talking about a 5850/5870/5970, there is both HDMI and DisplayPort on the card (in addition to 2 DVI). The rub is the HDMI shares a connection with one of the DVIs. If you want 3 non-DisplayPort monitors, 2 plug into DVI and 1 will need a DisplayPort to DVI adapter. Most likely you'll need an active adapter like the Accel/Dell that costs about $100.
Click to expand...
be careful with the displayport to dvi conversion though, i picked up the accell adapter yesterday and i can't display higher than 1440x900 with it, i started a thread but haven't received input from anyone here yet, i also have a support ticket open with xfx (i have an xfx 5770) trying to solve the problem, i'm baffled at how an ati approved adapter won't display 1920x1080 heh. i guess i'll try picking up a usb hub and seeing if that solves my problem.
Click to expand...

i think you might have a faulty adapater.
 
and another thing is im having 3 of the same monitor, can i use a DP to HDMI for eyefinity or do i have to get a DP to DVI?
 
it would be best to get dp to dvi since that all you need and none of your monitors support dp natively, please make sure it monitor list here. all of those have been tested and work. though that not to say you can't get a faulty adapter.
 
Mavvok said:
be careful with the displayport to dvi conversion though, i picked up the accell adapter yesterday and i can't display higher than 1440x900 with it, i started a thread but haven't received input from anyone here yet, i also have a support ticket open with xfx (i have an xfx 5770) trying to solve the problem, i'm baffled at how an ati approved adapter won't display 1920x1080 heh. i guess i'll try picking up a usb hub and seeing if that solves my problem.
Click to expand...

Did you get this one?

http://www.accellcables.com/products/DisplayPort/DP/dp_dvid.htm

It has to be active, not passive. Meaning it has to actively convert the video signal into DVI, from DP. Not simply pass the signal through to a different point. The passives only work up to a certain resolution too.
 
That doesn't answer my question though, will a DP to HDMI adapter work. If i don't have to spend $100 on a stupid adapter I won't.
 
Pawz2142 said:
That doesn't answer my question though, will a DP to HDMI adapter work. If i don't have to spend $100 on a stupid adapter I won't.
Click to expand...

No it won't work if you are using 3 monitors. If you are using 2 then, yes it should work.
 
King Icewind said:
Did you get this one?

http://www.accellcables.com/products/DisplayPort/DP/dp_dvid.htm

It has to be active, not passive. Meaning it has to actively convert the video signal into DVI, from DP. Not simply pass the signal through to a different point. The passives only work up to a certain resolution too.
Click to expand...

yeah, that's the one, it *worked* for a few moments at 1920x1080, but cut out and stopped after, it doesn't display every resolution underneath 1440x900, that's just the highest working resolution i could find. i'mma take the adapter back tomorrow and see if i can get a different one.
 
That kind of sounds like the 'powered' portion of it isn't working right. I've got the Accell adapter, and had it working at 2560x1600 for a while; I ended up with just dual DVI displays, so I'm not using it any more.

But it did work while I used it.
 
Pawz2142 said:
That doesn't answer my question though, will a DP to HDMI adapter work. If i don't have to spend $100 on a stupid adapter I won't.
Click to expand...

I think no one has given a direct answer to this because no one has seen an active DP->HDMI adapter and the adapter has to be active. The only way to get to HDMI that I know of for 3rd monitor is an active $100 DP->DVI adapter with a $4 DVI->HDMI adapter or cable.

So, it's easier to just go DP->DVI than DP->DVI->HDMI (though you wouldn't lose any quality either way)
 
Pawz2142 said:
I hate ATI's decision to put a display port rather than an HDMI connection directly on their cards. It just makes things more difficult that i have to buy an adapter or cord just for my video card.
Click to expand...

HDMI is more expensive. There is not only licensing costs, but the transmitter hardware costs more. DP can be implement much simpler and cheaper, hence the whole reason the DP standard exists. That is one of the reasons to use a DP output for the third port on the card.

Also as a practical matter they want to offer flexibility. The card can do VGA (through the DVI ports), DVI, HDMI or DP. That's a nice thing. If you have a pro monitor that supports 10-bit colour, you need a DP connection and the 5870 has it.
 
Sycraft said:
HDMI is more expensive. There is not only licensing costs, but the transmitter hardware costs more. DP can be implement much simpler and cheaper, hence the whole reason the DP standard exists. That is one of the reasons to use a DP output for the third port on the card.
Also as a practical matter they want to offer flexibility. The card can do VGA (through the DVI ports), DVI, HDMI or DP. That's a nice thing. If you have a pro monitor that supports 10-bit colour, you need a DP connection and the 5870 has it.
Click to expand...

That's all great and all but the standard connection today are VGA, DVI, and HDMI. And as much as i like pro monitors not many can afford them. The monitors that do have displayports seem to be too few for the average user meaning flexibility means nothing. No person with an existing setup besides graphic designers and so on, have monitors that have displayports, and no one that i know of wants to spend an extra $100 plus a graphics card to have 3 monitors. Case in point they might as well get a GTX 480 for $500 instead of a 5870 because total cost come out to be the same plus you get better performance with the GTX 480. Then of course you have on the other hand you have the 5970 like me, you spend $700 then tac on another $100 and you spend $200 less than SLI GTX480's which doesn't seem like much a deal anymore since the GTX 480's rock the 5970.

Sorry to rant but this is what seems to be going on.
 
Pawz2142 said:
That's all great and all but the standard connection today are VGA, DVI, and HDMI. And as much as i like pro monitors not many can afford them. The monitors that do have displayports seem to be too few for the average user meaning flexibility means nothing. No person with an existing setup besides graphic designers and so on, have monitors that have displayports, and no one that i know of wants to spend an extra $100 plus a graphics card to have 3 monitors. Case in point they might as well get a GTX 480 for $500 instead of a 5870 because total cost come out to be the same plus you get better performance with the GTX 480. Then of course you have on the other hand you have the 5970 like me, you spend $700 then tac on another $100 and you spend $200 less than SLI GTX480's which doesn't seem like much a deal anymore since the GTX 480's rock the 5970.

Sorry to rant but this is what seems to be going on.
Click to expand...

How is a 480 even relevant? The thread is about Eyefinity and running 3 monitors off of one card. The 480 can't even do that and it IS more $, just like you said. You'll need two 480's ($1000+) to do what a $160, 5770 could do.
 
King Icewind said:
How is a 480 even relevant? The thread is about Eyefinity and running 3 monitors off of one card. The 480 can't even do that and it IS more $, just like you said. You'll need two 480's ($1000+) to do what a $160, 5770 could do.
Click to expand...

He started the thread. :) The other problem is we still have no idea how well nVidia's Surround solution works since it still doesn't exist yet and is going to work differently than ATI's.

It takes more die space to add a 3rd clock generator to the GPU that's why neither Radeon or GTX 480 do 3 legacy outputs. DP should become more common as it's a superior connection to the others.

I know it doesn't help you but native DisplayPort monitors are out there and there are fairly affordable ones (P2210H was on sale for ~$165 recently). Honestly if you already had the 5970, knew about the DP requirement, and just bought the non-DP monitors, you should have looked into the DP native ones first.. maybe return one of the ones you just bought to get a DP one?

edit: in regards to your last post, the GTX 480 does NOT output 3 monitors at once. You need SLI for that and the driver doesn't support it yet (planned feature).
 
Pawz2142 said:
and 2 dvi and 1 hdmi unlike the 5xxx
Click to expand...

Wrong dude, it has those outputs on the card but it has 2 clock gens just like the 5xxx and all the video cards for the last 5 generations, and can therefore only run 2 outputs at a time.
 
piscian18 said:
Sadly it can't, not for gaming anyway, but I think you're burrowing deep into sarcasm at this point.
Click to expand...

Sorry my bad, i didn't realize they changed another thing before the release yet again. Wow Nvidia really screwed up this gen of cards. Sorry
 
Pawz2142 said:
Sorry my bad, i didn't realize they changed another thing before the release yet again. Wow Nvidia really screwed up this gen of cards. Sorry
Click to expand...

Now in Nvidia defense they may win the economical round because you'll be able to do surround for cheaper than Eyefinity.
 
All this in consideration im not going to send back my monitors. I can't find any 27" monitors with display ports. So i need a decent adapter for a 1080+ connection. Suggestions on that?
 
piscian18 said:
Now in Nvidia defense they may win the economical round because you'll be able to do surround for cheaper than Eyefinity.
Click to expand...

Depends a lot, you will be able to SLI GTX260 minimum to do Surround, which means dealing with mobo costs and PSU costs compared to a single card solution. With Eyefinity if you are buying monitors new you can pick up a DP one for ~$30 more than a non-DP equivalent usually.

If you want DX11 you have to get a pair of GTX 470's minimum ($700) compared to a single 5770, 5850 or 5870 depending on how much IQ you want ($150-$400)

So it can work either way depending on the equipment you already have (good mobo, good PSU), how much IQ you're going for, etc. It could end up being cheaper for 2x470's if you were going to dual card for performance anyway and already have monitors..


Anyway.. for the adapter, I'd view this thread:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=16942&p=167236#p167236

For a list of all native DP monitors, this site (only 27" is 2560x1440 IPS $1000 though lol):
http://www.displayport.org/consumer/?q=content/devices#pcmonitors
 
noquarter said:
Depends a lot, you will be able to SLI GTX260 minimum to do Surround, which means dealing with mobo costs and PSU costs compared to a single card solution. With Eyefinity if you are buying monitors new you can pick up a DP one for ~$30 more than a non-DP equivalent usually.
Click to expand...

You can buy a Ati with a DP adapter for only $30 more? Where? Not being sarcastic this has been the deal breaker for me.
 
Passive DP-VGA adapters work and cost around $20, but they work mostly only for resolutions BELOW 1920x1200. The adapter can draw enough for a VGA signal conversion from the card, so it doesnt need an extra usb port to power it, hence it being passive.

The premium for high-end equipment scales up. For low res, a 5770 + 3x 17" monitors + $20 adapter is a relatively cheap solution to eyefinity. As you move up in resolution to 1920x1200 x3, its gonna cost you more (more powerful card, active adapter, more expensive monitors). If you're shelling out $600+ for a card, its not suprising that an adapter could cost more to support higher resolutions (its not suprising, but not expected either).

When going into relatively high investments on these solutions, make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. I bought my 3 25" monitors before I even built my new computer, still knowing I'd have to shell out $100 for an active adapter when I got a 5870 down the line. Luckily, I got an XFX XXX 5870 + Active adapter in perfect condition for $450 :)
 
piscian18 said:
You can buy a Ati with a DP adapter for only $30 more? Where? Not being sarcastic this has been the deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...


I think he means DP monitors cost about ~30 more than a similar montor without DP. Not bad considering you only need 1 for 3x1 setup. Good solution for those that have yet to buy their monitors
 
Breath_of_the_Dying said:
Passive DP-VGA adapters work and cost around $20, but they work mostly only for resolutions BELOW 1920x1200. The adapter can draw enough for a VGA signal conversion from the card, so it doesnt need an extra usb port to power it, hence it being passive.

The premium for high-end equipment scales up. For low res, a 5770 + 3x 17" monitors + $20 adapter is a relatively cheap solution to eyefinity. As you move up in resolution to 1920x1200 x3, its gonna cost you more (more powerful card, active adapter, more expensive monitors). If you're shelling out $600+ for a card, its not suprising that an adapter could cost more to support higher resolutions (its not suprising, but not expected either).

When going into relatively high investments on these solutions, make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. I bought my 3 25" monitors before I even built my new computer, still knowing I'd have to shell out $100 for an active adapter when I got a 5870 down the line. Luckily, I got an XFX XXX 5870 + Active adapter in perfect condition for $450 :)
Click to expand...


You DON'T know what you're talking about. The passive adapter DOES NOT WORK.

Use the search button - this has been covered, passive does not work. If you get an active adapter and it does not work it most likely has the wrong firmware on it, get it replaced.
 
Isn't HDMI equivalent to single link DVI? That is why the powered dp>dvi adapter is required because the dvi end is dual-dvi.
 
SeaFoam said:
You DON'T know what you're talking about. The passive adapter DOES NOT WORK.

Use the search button - this has been covered, passive does not work. If you get an active adapter and it does not work it most likely has the wrong firmware on it, get it replaced.
Click to expand...

VGA adapters can work for lower resoultions. These adapters are labeled 'passive' because they do not require a USB power to convert the signal. It does require power (it really is active), but the adapter can draw enough power from the card itself (VGA signals are different than HDMI/DVI signals).

Granted this doesnt work for 100% of the people trying it, but at lower resolutions its a worthwhile try (just return it if it doesnt work).

Discussed here on these forums
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1461673
and discussed here on the WSGF
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17468

I'm not sure the comparison from HDMI to Single/Dual-link DVI, but either way they're all different from DP, which requires power to convert them.
 
SeaFoam said:
You DON'T know what you're talking about. The passive adapter DOES NOT WORK.

Use the search button - this has been covered, passive does not work. If you get an active adapter and it does not work it most likely has the wrong firmware on it, get it replaced.
Click to expand...

VGA ones are known to work with some luck and are $30, course they aren't actually passive because they have a chip in them to generate the clock and convert the packet data to analog but these are the adapters he's referring to not the passive DVI ones.

Also some have had the VGA work at 1920x1200 but I have a feeling the higher res you go the less likely it will work well.
 
Pawz2142 said:
it also says on the AMD page you can only have active for more than 2 monitors
Click to expand...

• A maximum of 2 legacy monitors (VGA, DVI or HDMI) can be enabled simultaneously, provided that each monitor is connected either directly or via a “passive” DisplayPort™ adapter/dongle. “Passive” adapters/dongles will NOT support more than 2 legacy monitors.

• To enable support for more than 2 monitors, “active” DisplayPort™ adapters/dongles are required (or monitors with direct DisplayPort™ connectivity must be used).
Click to expand...

I don't recommend that site since it's so decieving. Passive adapters to HDMI or DVI can be used for the SECOND monitor to convert DP->DVI, because the DP will just use the clock from the other DVI out not being used. The site is not lying because dual monitor setups are still considered eyefinity. Active adapters are required to convert DP to anything else: DVI, HDMI, or VGA when using the third monitor.
 
Pawz2142 said:
That doesn't answer my question though, will a DP to HDMI adapter work. If i don't have to spend $100 on a stupid adapter I won't.
Click to expand...

no difference between hdmi and dvi signal wise. just get the dp to dvi converter and call it a day.
 
Anyone try Apple's mini Displayport to dual DVI connector...seems to be the only one in stock and it's through Bestbuy for only $99
 
Ok well, try a passive adapter if you want but those of us that HAVE eyefinity and have tried passive adapters/bioses/etc know that they don't work.

You're welcome to try it though.
 
Pawz2142 said:
Anyone try Apple's mini Displayport to dual DVI connector...seems to be the only one in stock and it's through Bestbuy for only $99
Click to expand...

It works, if it has an old firmware it may need an update. If you can buy it from the brick and mortar store that'd be best so you can easily return it if it has issues. Keep in mind you will have to pick up a cheap mini-DP -> DP adapter too if you grab that one.


Seafoam, we were only talking about DP->VGA adapters, here's a thread of people using them with success all the way up to 1920x1200: http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=17468&start=0

VGA doesn't work for a lot of people though and to many isn't worth the hassle of trying. The Active DP->DVI adapter works much better but even those may have some issues, required either firmware update or exchange. It definitely isn't an ideal situation being forced to use an adapter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top