Please recommend a cheap miniDP-DVI adapter

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bezant

Gawd
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Oct 7, 2009
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Could anyone recommend a cheap mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter for an eyefinity setup? I have 3x1600x1200 monitors. Thanks!
 
Should I get a cheap generic?

Or go with a certified one?
 
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What card did you buy that didn't have one? I get so sick of Manufs. not putting those types of things in there.

I would suggest getting a certified one, there have been people on iRacing that have had problems w/ generics.
 
Only that Accell adapter is active. For three displays when your monitors do not have Displayport you need an active adapter. We use the Accell adapters in our office and that is what we recommend to our customers. If you get the other then you will probably end up having to return it for the Accell adapter.
 
I bought an XFX Radeon 6950. Will be looking to buy another one in the near future (kind of want to see if there are big sales around Christmas).
 
I haven't seen any cards that ship with with the active adapters. They add a lot of cost to the product and most people still aren't using Eyefinity. Some cards ship with passive adapters but that is not what bezant needs. He needs an active adapter.
 
my xfx 5970s came with a minidp to dp. it sounds like his didn't even come with that hence my comment. this kind of stuff makes it harderfor people to get systems set up, and forces them to go looking for active adapters which have minidp interface, rather than being able to do either if they can find one local.
 
So what does the 'active' aspect of the Accell adapter do that the generic one doesn't? Would the generic not work at all, is would it just cause problems when used in an eyefinity rig?
 
Glacian22 said:
So what does the 'active' aspect of the Accell adapter do that the generic one doesn't? Would the generic not work at all, is would it just cause problems when used in an eyefinity rig?
Click to expand...

From:

http://www.amd.com/US/PRODUCTS/TECHNOLOGIES/AMD-EYEFINITY-TECHNOLOGY/HOW-TO/Pages/faqs.aspx

...Why do you need DisplayPort?

AMD Eyefinity technology leverages DisplayPort and its ability to easily scale to drive multiple displays from a single clock source.

What's the difference between active DisplayPort dongles and passive DisplayPort dongles?

Passive dongles use the DisplayPort connection to receive non-DP signaling from the connector and they 'passively' adjust the signals to be compliant with the connected monitor. Passive dongles are considered legacy connections, not DisplayPort connections, therefore they do not fulfill the DisplayPort connection requirement mentioned previously and cannot be used to enable 3 or more displays. They do, however, offer an affordable solution to adapt legacy displays to DisplayPort connections.

Active dongles use true DisplayPort signaling to 'actively' translate and re-transmit the signals as the required outputs. Because they use the true DisplayPort signaling, they are considered a DisplayPort connection and meet the requirements to enable 3 or more displays.

DisplayPort to DL-DVI dongles require an external power supply which is usually through a separate USB connection (the USB connection must meet the USB 'high power' specification).

Where can I purchase the various active and passive DisplayPort dongles and mini to standard DisplayPort adaptors and how much do they cost?

With our AMD Eyefinity validation program, we have been able to validate and list a number of business partners currently shipping adaptors. This list will continue to be updated. Please see www.amd.com/eyefinity for more information.

How many non-DisplayPort monitors can I use with an AMD Eyefinity technology-enabled graphics card?

You can connect up to two non-DisplayPort monitors at one time to an AMD Eyefinity technology-enabled graphics card using non-DisplayPort connections or passive DisplayPort dongles. To enable and drive 3 or more non-DisplayPort monitors at one time, the additional non-DisplayPort monitors must be connected with an active DisplayPort dongle.
 
Just so I am crystal clear cuz I am the type that my brain trips over the obvious sometimes and I am unfamiliar with Eyefinity.
Does Eyefinity refer specifically to gaming on three monitors in span mode, or anytime you are driving 3 or more monitors from one card in various configurations is this called Eyefinity too?
For my setup I would have my primary monitor and my TV cloned and a second monitor that would be an extension of my desktop.
My understanding from reading other threads is that on a 6850 I could not use DVI, DVI, HDMI and that I would have to use DVI, HDMI, DP w/adapter.
In this situation where I am not spanning three monitors would a DP adapter still need to be active, or could it simply be a passive adapter?
 
Shovelware said:
Just so I am crystal clear cuz I am the type that my brain trips over the obvious sometimes and I am unfamiliar with Eyefinity.
Does Eyefinity refer specifically to gaming on three monitors in span mode, or anytime you are driving 3 or more monitors from one card in various configurations is this called Eyefinity too?
Click to expand...

Eyefinity applies to using more than two monitors with only one GPU. Each GPU can normally only send output to two displays. However, Display Port technology allows a single GPU to send output to up to 6 displays, thus making 3+monitor support possible with only one single-GPU videocard. Something that was not possible before the advent of Display Port technology.

For my setup I would have my primary monitor and my TV cloned and a second monitor that would be an extension of my desktop.
My understanding from reading other threads is that on a 6850 I could not use DVI, DVI, HDMI and that I would have to use DVI, HDMI, DP w/adapter.
Click to expand...

This is correct.

In this situation where I am not spanning three monitors would a DP adapter still need to be active, or could it simply be a passive adapter?
Click to expand...

It will need to be active. Any time two non-active DP monitors are connected in an Eyefinity setup all remaining monitors must be active DP, no matter how the monitors are going to be used.
 
Thanks for the recommendations. I hate newegg - I have to pay shipping and taxes...
 
Thanks arentol. I guess I wanted to believe that 3 monitor span in 3d vs. other configurations made the difference between needing an active vs. passive adapter. I am what Elane in Seinfeld would call George - "careful with the dollar"
I just ordered a 6850 today. I've held out long enough. I guess with active adapters running over $25 it makes sense to just keep my GT240 in my rig to run my side monitor (I am using Win7 which I understand does mixed gpu drivers fine) . I would get max $50 for the gt240 on Craigslist and there is always the PhysX h@x to play with.
 
2hotP3s said:
I bought this one for my card. Its a mini display port to DVI.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815309008&Tpk=mdp to dvi
Click to expand...

I also picked up the PowerColor adapter today to go with my 6950.
My stupid Acer AM5620 case is too small for the 6950! The hard drive cage is one inch too wide on the bottom.
I've got a 19" tower that would fit but I don't want to move everything over.
Maybe it's time to get that cheap motherboard so I can overclock my Q6600.
 
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