Grounding loop problem? x3 ZR2740W + monoprice mini-dp->DP cables?

[watanabe]

A few weeks ago I moved my desktop (normally setup in a studio space) to another classroom for a weekend workshop, at the end of the workshop I moved it back to my desk. Ever since the move back my monitors have been locking up. I thought it was my computer freezing and something getting dislodged in the move but I've double checked everything and no dice.

I then noticed the problem was happening whenever I was using the USB ports on one of my monitors (plugging in/out usb drives etc), and that music/sound kept playing even though all 3 monitors went blue/gray/black/dark blue+light blue stripes, so I know the computer is still running.

The problem also happens at other times randomly, but is fairly repeatable when I touch the monitor. After some googling I've found some issues with some monoprice mini-dp cables, wondering if that could be it? http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2197437

I did do some better cable management after the move, winding up the extra slack in the 15' cables in loose 1' diameter loops, so also thinking the cables could have a kink/short somewhere from that...

Ideas? should I just buy new cables? RMA video card(don't think there's anything wrong with it though...)

I've turned off all my O/C's and it still happens so its not that.

 

[watanabe]

In writing this I came up with the idea of using some of my existing cables for a bit to see if I don't need to buy new cables. Using the mini-dp to DP adapter that came with my sapphire and the DP cable that came with my HP monitors with the offending monitor in question to see if that solves it.

Would like to just pick up a asus dcii but they seem out of stock everywhere.
.

 

[watanabe]

Well still happening but less, used to be *every* time the monitor was touched it locked up all 3, now it is just happening randomly. Starting to think it's a problem with the wiring in the studio as the guy next to me was having weird electrical problems too.

 

[watanabe]

Ended up returning the sapphire card to newegg. Pulled the 460 from my htpc and have a 7970 dcii on order with amazon. Not sure if it was the card or the monoprice cables but using the DVI outputs from the 460 the problem has gone away. Looking forward to running all 3 monitors from DP ports.