nvidia surround?

harmattan said:
Out of curiousity, did nV tell you as you mentioned in the review to expect a working driver "within 30 days", or were you just guess-timating?
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We were told "In about a month" or something very close to that by NVIDIA. From what NVIDIA told me in conversations and email I expect NVSurround to be the buying public in April.
 
Yes, the silence is odd but then this is a HUGE driver release that involves more than surround correct? I've seen talk that said that Surround, at least for the 400s wasn't the issue, just everything else.

In any case I wasn't expecting to see anything until this month so that's another almost 3 weeks but if by then there's nothing by early to mid June I'll just get three 5870s, I was going to get one anyway. But I really like the 2 480s thus far and with the 4GHz i7-980x the only thing I really need is 1TB of SSD to be in hog heaven. Don't really want to spend what that's costing now but that really would be sweet.
 
Matrices said:
Kyle, I'd like to request you - and really, all reviewing sites should do this - go back to your review and slash the score for Fermi cards based on failure to deliver advertised feature.

Everyone reviewed these cards and gave their assessments based on the idea that Fermi was comparable to Cypress in its feature set. Well, I don't care about the smoke and mirrors and vapors - fact is, it's not comparable because it has no answer to Eyefinity, period.

This should be noted in all the reviews of these products.

If we can get reputable sites to slash their review scores retroactively, I bet that will light a fire under Nvidia's ass much faster than any bellyaching on forums.
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Astrodave said:
^---concur 100%
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bizzmeister said:
I agree too, Kyle, you should definitely do it.
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I have updated our review with this.

Update - 05/10/2010: As of today NVIDIA has still not released NV Surround technology to end users or reviewers alike. That said, we are still big fans of GTX 480 SLI, but if you are wanting to use it for a multi-display gaming setup, we suggest you wait to purchase those cards until we actually see it working at a consumer level.
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heatlesssun said:
In any case I wasn't expecting to see anything until this month so that's another almost 3 weeks but if by then there's nothing buy I'll just get three 5870s, I was going to one anyway. But I really like the 2 480s thus far.
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Yeah, but NVIDIA said April. I think folks have the right to be pissed especially if they bought two Fermi cards for that reason.
 
Appreciate the advice. Indeed your like of 480 SLI helped me to swallow the negative aspects of this setup. I'm in a holding pattern for finishing this build, nothing new with Fermi, particularly the monitors. I had planned on getting 3 Aliewnware AW2310 for 3d Surround but no point in that right now.
 
heatlesssun said:
I agree but are not Eyefinity and Crossfire still fairly problematic? If that combo were solid I would have probably picked up 5000s by now. And something tells me that as SOON as I go the AMD route, bam, the 256 drivers will come out and work much better in a multi-GPU multi-monitor configuration. That's the WHOLE problem with this situation IMHO, the AMD solution isn't that great multi-GPU multi-monitor , please correct me if I'm wrong.
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nvm. didn't read properly.
 
heatlesssun said:
I agree but are not Eyefinity and Crossfire still fairly problematic? If that combo were solid I would have probably picked up 5000s by now. And something tells me that as SOON as I go the AMD route, bam, the 256 drivers will come out and work much better in a multi-GPU multi-monitor configuration. That's the WHOLE problem with this situation IMHO, the AMD solution isn't that great multi-GPU multi-monitor , please correct me if I'm wrong.
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What does one have to do with the other? Isn't this a thread about NVSurround?

But to answer your question, I use Eyefinity EVERY DAY without issue. A glitch here or there, but nothing close to a deal breaker.

To your point, I would rank AMD number one in multi display gaming and I use it every day.

Now, can we keep thread on topic instead of making an attempt to start this, "Well AMD sucks too" argument? There are PLENTY of Eyefinity threads should you wish to discuss it. :)
 
AMD's solution actually works, regardless of the problem some people are having with some games using Eyefinity and Crossfire. That's neither here nor there, anyway. This is six months-plus since Cypress has had some form of 3-monitor gaming, and Nvidia has failed to deliver what's been promised.
 
harmattan said:
Props on the update. Hopefully others will follow. To echo several other posts, the damage is done, however, for people who bought what nV was shoveling and picked up dual 4xx's with the expectation of using them for multi-monitor gaming (myself included).

On a side note, it would be great to hear back from anyone trying to return their 480s due to this missing feature... would love to hear how the arguement paths go and if resellers and nV try to weezle out of refunds.
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I just posted about this. Was on the phone with a newegg supervisor for over an hour haggling them. She kept saying " sir, if this is the case, we need an email from the company that states this feature is not working "

I said " Im not going to do that. That might takes weeks, even a month to get an answer and that'll be too late. You guys are selling and sponsoring their products, not me. The box has false information and I have spent all this money and can not even do what the box CLEARLY states I should be able to do."

( silence for like 8 awkward seconds lol )

"ok sir, we will waive the restocking fee as long as you buy another 2 videocards"

^^^ for second I was like ...WTF...? Then at this point it had already been to long and I said ok whatever, just make sure I get my money / store credit back. I mean, im going to be buying from there again anyways.
 
This will be the first time I actually feel bad for taking something back to Fry's. It will be interesting how they handle this being past 30 days.
 
Update:
NVIDIA Surround (similar to 3D Vision Surround but without 3D Stereo) will indeed be included with the initial launch driver.

Guess I will hold off on driving to Fry's.
 
duhokay said:
Update:
NVIDIA Surround (similar to 3D Vision Surround but without 3D Stereo) will indeed be included with the initial launch driver.

Guess I will hold off on driving to Fry's.
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Seems they updated the scedual as well:
Support for NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround Technology on GeForce 400/200 Series GPUs requires NVIDIA Driver Release 256* or higher. (*Scheduled for Summer 2010)
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http://www.nvidia.com/object/3DV_System_Requirements_Surround_Technology.html
 
Would be interesting to know whether that update was prompted by the negative feedback. Guess we'll never know for certain.
 
Matrices said:
Would be interesting to know whether that update was prompted by the negative feedback. Guess we'll never know for certain.
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At least there were some update, though I would hope they would be more spesific about it. The 256 driver is apparently to be released in the summer. What are the summer months in US? :)
 
NVIDIA Driver Release 256* or higher. *Scheduled for Summer 2010

Who wants to place bets on August 31st? Or maybe even September 6th?

Tamlin_WSGF said:
At least there were some update, though I would hope they would be more spesific about it. The 256 driver is apparently to be released in the summer. What are the summer months in US? :)
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Nvidia's given them a wide berth. In much of the US, the summer is often the last Monday in May (May 31st 2010) to the first monday in September (Sept 6th 2010). There is also the usage of summer to mean "Summer Vacation" which is generally July and August only. So at the latest...August 31st? Or maybe even September 6th? I'm guessing pressure might cause Nvidia to release a driver on May 31st though.
 
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well I have a gtx 480, and I am not planning on going sorround or anything, I will just be gaming on a 30" dell. It really sucks that nvidia just bullshits about when they are going to release the 256 drivers, I mean if you cant get the drivers for sorround on time, don't put a damn estimated date up there and later back track. Now it is summer, it seems like nvidia just dropped the ball big time after the success of gtx 200 series. It just goes to show that nvidia probably didn't have a retail model of fermi in their hands like a month before they launched it, otherwise their driver team would be in much better shape.
 
I goggled summer months and it seems that mostly its June-Aug, but some places it says in US its:
Summer is June 21st to September 21st.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_months_is_in_the_Summer_season_in_the_U.S

Anyone know the correct answer?

Thanks. I didn't catch your edit :):
Spare-Flair said:
Nvidia's given them a wide berth. In much of the US, the summer is often the last Monday in May (May 31st 2010) to the first monday in September (Sept 6th 2010). There is also the usage of summer to mean "Summer Vacation" which is generally July and August only. So at the latest...August 31st? Or maybe even September 6th? I'm guessing pressure might cause Nvidia to release a driver on May 31st though.
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Tamlin_WSGF said:
I goggled summer months and it seems that mostly its June-Aug, but some places it says in US its:
Summer is June 21st to September 21st.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_months_is_in_the_Summer_season_in_the_U.S

Anyone know the correct answer?
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Summer is a general notion and ambiguous enough that Nvidia has a lot of room to maneuever. Strict science puts as the period from the summer solstice to the fall equinox. However, most people grow up with the idea that the summer is the summer vacation months as July and August as these are the months children do not have to goto school. Consequentely, most consider September to be the fall. There is no real correct answer. I posted above that in much of the US working calendar, summer is often the last Monday in May (May 31st 2010) to the first monday in September (Sept 6th 2010). This is variable as well, including your June 21st to September 21st comment.
 
Spare-Flair said:
NVIDIA Driver Release 256* or higher. *Scheduled for Summer 2010

Who wants to place bets on August 31st? Or maybe even September 6th?



Nvidia's given them a wide berth. In much of the US, the summer is often the last Monday in May (May 31st 2010) to the first monday in September (Sept 6th 2010). There is also the usage of summer to mean "Summer Vacation" which is generally July and August only.
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My bet is end of July.... at best

This remind me rumors (fueled by their PR idiot Stanek) about release of fermi:
- I am sure it will be out in October.....
- I am sure it will be out in November.....
- I am sure it will be out before end of year.....
- I am sure it will be out in middle of January.....
- I am sure it will be out in February.....
- I am sure it will be out in March.....

 
Rebel44 said:
My bet is end of July....

This remind me rumors (fueled by their PR idiot Stanek) about release of fermi:
- I am sure it will be out in October.....
- I am sure it will be out in November.....
- I am sure it will be out before end of year.....
- I am sure it will be out in middle of January.....
- I am sure it will be out in February.....
- I am sure it will be out in March.....
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This is sort of the bizarro Dilbert universe where the marketing department is made to look foolish by the engineers. :D
 
Spare-Flair said:
Summer is a general notion and ambiguous enough that Nvidia has a lot of room to maneuever. Strict science puts as the period from the summer solstice to the fall equinox. However, most people grow up with the idea that the summer is the summer vacation months as July and August as these are the months children do not have to goto school. Consequentely, most consider September to be the fall. There is no real correct answer. I posted above that in much of the US working calendar, summer is often the last Monday in May (May 31st 2010) to the first monday in September (Sept 6th 2010). This is variable as well, including your June 21st to September 21st comment.
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Thanks. :) So, no clear answer there either. I just noticed that vista is not supported:
# Operating System

* Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit
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http://www.nvidia.com/object/3DV_System_Requirements_Surround_Technology.html

Did that change recently?
 
hmmm... think that may actually be just enough for me to put up with a pain in the ass adapter for 100.00. mull it over this week, look for some deals, probably moving to ATI setup. i'm not rockin softTH until August.
 
wadec22 said:
hmmm... think that may actually be just enough for me to put up with a pain in the ass adapter for 100.00. mull it over this week, look for some deals, probably moving to ATI setup. i'm not rockin softTH until August.
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There's always the $30 VGA adapter if you aren't going over 1920x1080? It would be nice for ATI to get Eyefinity working through crossfire without needing DP adapters. Wouldn't AMD think that $100 would be much better spent going toward their product rather than someone else's dongly adapter? That was probably one of the selling features of Fermi as well - that at least SLI would mean the money went towards the 2nd card and not an adapter.
 
Hey Kyle? You might want to post in the most recent SLI review about the Surround issue. Might as well put it in every review from this point forward until nVidia gets their head out of their behind.
 
NKD said:
well I have a gtx 480, and I am not planning on going sorround or anything, I will just be gaming on a 30" dell. It really sucks that nvidia just bullshits about when they are going to release the 256 drivers, I mean if you cant get the drivers for sorround on time, don't put a damn estimated date up there and later back track. Now it is summer, it seems like nvidia just dropped the ball big time after the success of gtx 200 series. It just goes to show that nvidia probably didn't have a retail model of fermi in their hands like a month before they launched it, otherwise their driver team would be in much better shape.
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I guess it was too hard for Nvidia to create 3D Surround drivers for a wood screw model. ^_^
 
Spare-Flair said:
There's always the $30 VGA adapter if you aren't going over 1920x1080? It would be nice for ATI to get Eyefinity working through crossfire without needing DP adapters. Wouldn't AMD think that $100 would be much better spent going toward their product rather than someone else's dongly adapter? That was probably one of the selling features of Fermi as well - that at least SLI would mean the money went towards the 2nd card and not an adapter.
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they use the DP because of how their eyefinity technology is setup.. its a hardware + software multi-display config while Nvidia is doing a pure software based multi-display config.. basically a butchered version of SoftTH..
 
Spare-Flair said:
There's always the $30 VGA adapter if you aren't going over 1920x1080? It would be nice for ATI to get Eyefinity working through crossfire without needing DP adapters. Wouldn't AMD think that $100 would be much better spent going toward their product rather than someone else's dongly adapter? That was probably one of the selling features of Fermi as well - that at least SLI would mean the money went towards the 2nd card and not an adapter.
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that actually would work for me. where to find a 30.00 vga adapter? might solve my issue going to ati. i'm wanting 1360*768 times 3. looks great in softTH.
 
wadec22 said:
that actually would work for me. where to find a 30.00 vga adapter? might solve my issue going to ati. i'm wanting 1360*768 times 3. looks great in softTH.
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You can get them for as low as $20 if you hunt around. It's just a displayport to VGA adapter. Look for reviews first. Just like the DVI/HDMI adapters, some seem to work better than others.
 
The delay doesn't really bother me since I picked up my two cards for 3d vision not surround, and that I'm a frame whore when I don't use 3d vision in multi-player fps. But this would really be fked for people that picked up multiple cards for surround since the frames would be pretty average using just one card for surround.

edit* - mmm just read the updated forums, I assume it means that 2xsli will work for surround and 3d surround with the release of the first 256.xx but not 3x and 4x. Not so bad but I still feel for the people that bought 3-4 cards :D.
 
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I think this is a nice lesson learned, or at least a reminder, to anyone reading this thread.

Never buy something based on what a company promises, but only what you are guaranteed to get in the box.
 
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