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Native DP monitors - ultimate Eyefinity solution?

N

night_2004

2[H]4U
Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
2,229
I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record here, but I've got a quick question about the 5870.

I am about this (> <) close to returning my 5870 and going back to my GTX 275 SLI setup to wait for Surround drivers, but I'm trying to see if I can do anything to get this to work as I really do like the idea of 3 monitors and only one GPU. I've tried every driver from 10.1 to 10.5 that I can download, updated BIOS, got a 2A USB power source for my Dell/Bizlink adapter, reinstalled the OS, everything. XFX has been a pretty good source for help but when their response times go from a few hours to more than a day or two I figure that I am about out of troubleshooting steps that I can take and they're trying to figure out what to do next.

Are DP native monitors the final solution for flickering? Or is this flickering problem going to be an issue no matter what?

Keep in mind that I am looking for *no* flicker here. Not once per every five minutes, not once per few hours. How about something that, to borrow a line from Apple, *just works.*

Sorry if I am a bit irritable but I'm about at wit's end with this GPU.
 
I have no flicker on my native DP monitors. From what I've heard the only thing you can do is keep exchanging adapters till you get one that doesn't have issues. It's funny you mention Apple since their active DP adapter is even more problematic than the Dell/Bizlink one though :)
 
Have you exchanged the adapter yet? Cause I did everything you did and it ended up being a shit adapter.

It's not the 5870s fault, not ATIs fault, it's the adapter. I would bet money on it. Not to mention the HUGE thread on this very issue.
 
The impression that I got from that thread (maybe I didn't track it well enough) was that with just the right driver update the adapter wouldn't work anymore again. HardOCP's article also referenced that it was a power issue, which obviously it isn't since a 2A PSU isn't enough...

The only other note about the adapter I've got right now is that it has FW 034.

I'm about a day or two away from not being able to return the adapter. Maybe I'll just order another one.
 
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night_2004 said:
The impression that I got from that thread (maybe I didn't track it well enough) was that with just the right driver update the adapter wouldn't work anymore again. HardOCP's article also referenced that it was a power issue, which obviously it isn't since a 2A PSU isn't enough...

The only other note about the adapter I've got right now is that it has FW 034.

I'm about a day or two away from not being able to return the adapter. Maybe I'll just order another one.
Click to expand...

I've seen quite a few threads where people have issues with the DP adapter that nothing fixes and exchanging clears right up. I don't know about flickering but it could help. I swear those things have no QA. If you bought at a B&M store I'd do the swap.
 
Bought it from Dell. I'll ask 'em if they can do an exchange, and refund if that exchange unit doesn't work.
 
noquarter said:
I have no flicker on my native DP monitors. From what I've heard the only thing you can do is keep exchanging adapters till you get one that doesn't have issues. It's funny you mention Apple since their active DP adapter is even more problematic than the Dell/Bizlink one though :)
Click to expand...

Not true, I don't get blinking/black outs on my active DP monitor with Catalyst 10.3b while I get them if I use Catalyst 10.4 and 10.5. So the drivers do play a huge role in this issue.
 
Ulysses 31 said:
Not true, I don't get blinking/black outs on my active DP monitor with Catalyst 10.3b while I get them if I use Catalyst 10.4 and 10.5. So the drivers do play a huge role in this issue.
Click to expand...

Yea, I just believe that the problem lies in poor sync in the drivers + poor tolerance in the adapter, so you can approach it from both ends and try to find a set of drivers with tighter sync or replace the adapter till you find one that doesn't blank out when things aren't as perfect.

I should mention to OP that when trying different drivers, downgrading requires an uninstall/reinstall, upgrading doesn't.. if you downgrade without uninstalling first it will keep using the newer version even after you install the older.
 
Argh...the adapter is out of stock at Dell now. I've already contacted the sales department and they will not be able to issue an refund RMA later if they exchange when the part is available and there is a problem. Dell needs to just stop selling these adapters.

Thanks for the note about the driver downgrade procedure. If that's the case then I was able to test 10.3, 10.3b, 10.4, and 10.5 successfully since those were all upgrades. Anything lower than 10.3 I tried just for the heck of it.
 
I haven't heard of anyone complaining about flickering using native DP monitors. I haven't had any flickering myself. Although there are fewer people using native DP monitors, so who knows.
 
kllrnohj said:
I haven't heard of anyone complaining about flickering using native DP monitors. I haven't had any flickering myself. Although there are fewer people using native DP monitors, so who knows.
Click to expand...

It could just be your video card as well. I had flickering using native displayport connections with TWO monitors and it turned out to be a bad video card. The RMAd video card that I got back from Sapphire had no flickering issues at all with multi-monitors.

Also OP should check to see if his video card is overclocked in any way, there is a bug that causes underclocking and thus flickering in ATI video cards if the speeds aren't at stock and even if the speeds are stock, if the "unlocked" option has been checked, then you can also get flickering.
 
This was happening even before I unlocked ATI overdrive, but I'll double check it when I get off work today some of the settings. I know the card itself is not overclocked at all.

Adapters are now out of stock at Dell's website so I'm returning it for a refund and just placed an order with Amazon for Accell's adapter. The adapter will be here tomorrow so I'll be able to test it well before my ability to get a replacement RMA with NewEgg is expired.
 
After I exchanged my adapter I haven't had a flicker.
 
Oh this is entertaining...got the new adapter, and so far things are working alright. I'll know in a few days how stable it is...

UPDATE: A few hours in and I haven't had a single flicker :D.
 
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