I sure hope AMD gets Eyefinity working without DP

Zorachus

Zorachus

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I just upgraded to the 5870, see system in sig, and I am in love with this baby, plus my new Intel X25-M :cool:

I currently game on my Apple 30" Display, and would love to use "Eyefinity" with this Display by adding two 20" Dell 2007FP of 1600x1200res but flipped up in Portrait mode so all three monitors are 1600res vertical.

Problem is none of these monitors use DisplayPort or HDMI, only DVI-D, and Eyefinity currently must have one display using DisplayPort, or it will not work. I am curious how AMD plans to get around that ? Just driver updates ? Or will they sell a cheap hardware converter that converts DP to DVI-D ?
 
In another thread somewhere, one of the [H] guys said that they have been in contact with AMD and have said that making Eyefinity work without having to use DisplayPort is a priority.
 
Umm what? Then wtf did they release it? Ati's mantra is release kick ass hardware with piss poor incomplete drivers. The 4800 series was the same way. Took them 6 months to get that shit working correctly. I went searching for DP monitors this morning for giggles on newegg and didn't find a single one. I guess Dell is the only game in town if you want eyefinity.
 
SicKlown42012 said:
In another thread somewhere, one of the [H] guys said that they have been in contact with AMD and have said that making Eyefinity work without having to use DisplayPort is a priority.
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I know Kyle has been working on this too. Would just suck if Eyefinity only worked with one display having to be DP. That would hurt Eyefinity idea in my opinion, by forcing people needing to upgrade their monitor, or spending more for one with DP.

Wonder if this will be a driver update or hardware adapter they sell ?
 
I would have to think it'll be a driver update, or at most, a firmware update. I think they'll get it working in time for the 5870X2 launch. If not, then they've made a big mistake. The main reason to get a card that powerful is to game on multiple monitors.
 
LuminaryJanitor said:
You can't just use an adapter?
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You can't use a passive adapter, which are the cheap ones. It has to be an active one, and they're much more expensive, which is why the vendors haven't included them in the bundles yet. Maybe some customer outrage will change it though, at least till a true solution is available.
 
SicKlown42012 said:
You can't use a passive adapter, which are the cheap ones. It has to be an active one, and they're much more expensive, which is why the vendors haven't included them in the bundles yet. Maybe some customer outrage will change it though, at least till a true solution is available.
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Mind linking some info on this? I'm curious what exactly an "active" adapter is accomplishing seeing that all 3 are the same digital output at the end of the day.
 
Here's where I found my information. I don't know the specifics as to why passive doesn't work and active does. Evidently the two signals aren't 100% compatible and the active adapter fixes or changes whatever is different.

http://www.overclock.net/ati/581169-warning-5870-eyefinity-may-not-support.html

Edit - - Someone beat me to it with an explanation. But the reason many still think it's an issue is because this feature is heavily promoted by AMD, and it's disappointing that they or vendors don't provide a way to get it working with the more common 3 DVI monitor set-ups. DisplayPort monitors are nowhere as prevalent as of now.
 
its hardware related so there won't be a fix
all the dvi and hdmi share only 2 clocks so you can only have 2 monitors max using any combination of dvi and hdmi

dp out has to be used to have 3 monitors

the 2 monoprice links above are passive adapters so they will not work either.

there is a link in another thread on [H] somewhere with a link to where u can buy a $20 active dp to dvi adapter.
 
So as long as we buy an Active adapter for DP to DVI-D then all three Displays can be hooked up ?
 
That's the general census as of now. I haven't seen any threads where someone has used a retail card for Eyefinity, but then I haven't really been looking too hard.
 
Zorachus said:
I just upgraded to the 5870, see system in sig, and I am in love with this baby, plus my new Intel X25-M :cool:

I currently game on my Apple 30" Display, and would love to use "Eyefinity" with this Display by adding two 20" Dell 2007FP of 1600x1200res but flipped up in Portrait mode so all three monitors are 1600res vertical.

Problem is none of these monitors use DisplayPort or HDMI, only DVI-D, and Eyefinity currently must have one display using DisplayPort, or it will not work. I am curious how AMD plans to get around that ? Just driver updates ? Or will they sell a cheap hardware converter that converts DP to DVI-D ?
Click to expand...

SicKlown42012 said:
In another thread somewhere, one of the [H] guys said that they have been in contact with AMD and have said that making Eyefinity work without having to use DisplayPort is a priority.
Click to expand...

As per Dave at AMD:

"The chip only has clock generators for two "legacy" (any non-DP output) outputs, so as soon as you plug any two of either the DVI or HDMI in there are no more clocks for the final one. The additional display output has to come via the DisplayPort output. We are working with vendors to qualify and help bring to market active adapter solutions that convert DP into other outputs."

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1339396&postcount=102

So actually, it *has* to use the DP connection on the card for the third monitor, but they're trying to make adapters so that you can still plug into that without needing DP.
 
I wander if they'll make a new hardware revision with true support for more than 2 DVI outputs. Having to buy an adapter to use this highly touted feature is going to leave a bad taste in some people's mouth. Maybe they'll allow you to register your card and get sent a free one out, and then bundle them in new retail packages. Fortunately, this doesn't affect me as I don't see myself using more than two monitors anyways.
 
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How is this gonna work when the 6 display card that only has DP on it comes out? Was thinking about getting one of those, but if adaptors aren't gonna work...
 
FragMagnet said:
The "active" ones have an additional power source and can support 2560x1600, "passive" ones are not and can only support up to 1920x1200.
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s1eepy said:
dp out has to be used to have 3 monitors
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So it's only an issue if you own a 30'' and two additional monitors? If you've forked over that much already (on top of the card itself), it seems a little absurd to gripe about an extra $100.
 
Seriously. I'm not paying $100 for an active DP converter. IMO ATI should send out coupons for customers for a DP to DVI converter that works. Or have a website where you can request 1 per video card serial that you have. One of the reasons I bought the 5870 was because I wanted to have Eyefinity ability on my video card.
 
A coupon good for a price savings on a supported monitor, I could see happening.
AMD and monitor manufacturers would both move inventory.
 
What the fuck is the Display port thing for anyway? Sounds like some niche thing that only graphic designers or whoever might need, in which case ATI should've made a separate model.
 
BlueStorm said:
As per Dave at AMD:

"The chip only has clock generators for two "legacy" (any non-DP output) outputs, so as soon as you plug any two of either the DVI or HDMI in there are no more clocks for the final one. The additional display output has to come via the DisplayPort output. We are working with vendors to qualify and help bring to market active adapter solutions that convert DP into other outputs."

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1339396&postcount=102

So actually, it *has* to use the DP connection on the card for the third monitor, but they're trying to make adapters so that you can still plug into that without needing DP.
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Oh god, that's horrible. DisplayPort is electrically compatible with SL DVI, so they could have made that DP port output a DVI signal. In that case you could use a $15 passive connector.

So why the fuck would they limit it to 2 generators for DVI/HDMI? A great reason to wait for a refresh..
 
they made the switch to display port because it can handle much higher resolutions than dvi/hdmi can do. all you guys who have a 30" display are maxing out dvi/hdmi. when the next gen of large/hi-res screens come out, you wont be using dvi thats for sure.
 
Astrodave said:
Umm what? Then wtf did they release it? Ati's mantra is release kick ass hardware with piss poor incomplete drivers. The 4800 series was the same way. Took them 6 months to get that shit working correctly. I went searching for DP monitors this morning for giggles on newegg and didn't find a single one. I guess Dell is the only game in town if you want eyefinity.
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That's funny, I am using a HP 2475, it has display port as well as dvi and HDMI and anything else you might want bar vga.
 
SicKlown42012 said:
In another thread somewhere, one of the [H] guys said that they have been in contact with AMD and have said that making Eyefinity work without having to use DisplayPort is a priority.
Click to expand...

would a display port to dvi adapter work?
 
I agree this is typical ATI. Release shit in a half assed fashion with the promise that it will be fixed at some point in the future. I'm glad I decided to do my own research on this feature before I took the early plunge like many who will be getting screwed on this. It's not such a big issue if the adapters were cheap but $100+ for an adapter is not happening. The adapter design should have already been completed before these cards were released and one of them included in every box. The corssfire issue with eyefinity should also have already been worked out prior to release. How many times is ATI going to pull this shit before people start to learn? I learned my lesson after 4850CF debacle with blue screens and multiple monitor issues which took them 6 months to fix. I'll wait for nvidia's solution and then compare that to what ATI has done to solve the issues with the 5800 series before I make my purchase decision. Probably early next year.
 
cybereality said:
This is utter fail on ATI's behalf. Why not just make the card 3x DVI 1x HDMI?
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Best post in this whole thread :) No idea why they couldn't make that work, or hold off the release until they got it to work ? Very very few people are running monitors with DisplayPort, just the brand new expensive Dell's :rolleyes:

And Crossfire not working with Eyefinity is another huge letdown :(
 
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you can't have 3 DVI as hdmi is still just DVI with audio and you can only have two active DVI displays at this point.
 
lt_shiro said:
you can't have 3 DVI as hdmi is still just DVI with audio and you can only have two active DVI displays at this point.
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I know and that was pretty stupid of AMD to release a card in this state then, how many of us have monitors with DisplayPort ? Very few, because it is mainly a newer Dell thing, or other brand new high end select monitors.

AMD should have tested it and included in the box a DP adapter to DVI-D, problem solved.
 
FragMagnet said:
The "active" ones have an additional power source and can support 2560x1600, "passive" ones are not and can only support up to 1920x1200. Early active adapters were approx $100, but people are finding them below the $20 mark now, seems like a non-issue ?

As I posted in the Eyefinity thread http://www.hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1034674163&postcount=9
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I wouldn't trust those adapters to be active. Their adapter for DP to DVI is the exact same one that Monoprice has, except monoprice lists it as passive and that place lists it as active.
 
I wonder how eyefinity is gonna work with monitors of different sizes. I use 3 monitors now and have a 30" flanked by two 24"s and wonder how that would work. I don't think I'd be willing to downgrade my primary display to a 24" and there's no way I could afford 2 more 30" monitors.

I really wish we had some more info on this tech
 
Zorachus said:
I know and that was pretty stupid of AMD to release a card in this state then, how many of us have monitors with DisplayPort ? Very few, because it is mainly a newer Dell thing, or other brand new high end select monitors.

AMD should have tested it and included in the box a DP adapter to DVI-D, problem solved.
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printers don't pack usb cables, bluray players don't have hdmi cables in box either...

Logic to them is even each adapter cost $1 to AMD and they sell 4 million units, that 4 million in added cost to company. Which could have been profit.
 
sonofander said:
I wonder how eyefinity is gonna work with monitors of different sizes. I use 3 monitors now and have a 30" flanked by two 24"s and wonder how that would work. I don't think I'd be willing to downgrade my primary display to a 24" and there's no way I could afford 2 more 30" monitors.

I really wish we had some more info on this tech
Click to expand...

According to Spyre (amd forum administrator) @ rage3d, there need to be one resolution when the displays are grouped. Basically, you'll then have to downgrade your primary display to 1920x1200.

Dave Baumann, Product Manager, AMD Graphics Division, joined our forum and I asked him if Eyefinity will support virtual resolutions. With virtual resolutions, the card will render like 3x 30", but only display whatever resolution your side screens are.

He also said, when confronted with the price premium of getting an active DP adapter:

Bear in mind you've not seen the whole of the HD 5800 story at the moment.
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Which might be related to the cryptic words from Kyle:

Also, it is my understanding that in the near future you will NOT need an active adapter to output through DP to DVI or HDMI.
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http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1034668445&postcount=410

Lets hope he can (or wishes) to answer these questions. :)
 
Tamlin_WSGF said:
According to Spyre (amd forum administrator) @ rage3d, there need to be one resolution when the displays are grouped. Basically, you'll then have to downgrade your primary display to 1920x1200.

Dave Baumann, Product Manager, AMD Graphics Division, joined our forum and I asked him if Eyefinity will support virtual resolutions. With virtual resolutions, the card will render like 3x 30", but only display whatever resolution your side screens are.

He also said, when confronted with the price premium of getting an active DP adapter:



Which might be related to the cryptic words from Kyle:


http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1034668445&postcount=410

Lets hope he can (or wishes) to answer these questions. :)
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I sure hope they fix this, and NOT needing to wait for the 5870X2 card or special "Eyefinity" edition card, but make it work for all of us that spent the cash on the new 5870. I was happy to spend my money on AMD/ATI I like to support the underdog.

Only few ways they can do this to keep customers happy, A driver update fixes it, or firmware bios update. Or they find a way to make the cheap DP to DVI-D adapters to make it work, but then I would want some coupon to buy one, or discount.

Right now, I sort of feel cheated with Eyefinity, I cant use it, because none of my displays have Display Port, I really didn't know it was a MUST at first.
 
Well you are looking for someone to blame, point fingers at the reporters as AMD Website has it listed that display port is needed.

1. Driver version 8.66 (Catalyst 9.10) or above is required to support ATI Eyefinity technology and to enable a third display you require one panel with a DisplayPort connector.
2. ATI Eyefinity technology works with games that support non-standard aspect ratios which is required for panning across three displays.
3. TV Tuner required, sold separately.
4. Linux support scheduled to be enabled via a future ATI Catalyst™ driver release.
Click to expand...
 
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