Widescreen with SLI = problems?

[nicholarse]

I've heard a couple of people say that problems arise with SLI and widescreen displays. I have two 6800GT's and was planning on buying the new 24" Dell LCD. Would there be any problems with this? Would it be wiser for me to buy just a good 4:3 LCD like a 21" Viewsonic etc?

I will be gaming quite a lot but won't be watching tv or movies with the monitor. I'll also be doing all the usual net browsing, word, excel etc etc.

Thanks.

 

[GRAFiZ]

I use dual 6800GT's in SLI along with my 2005fpw and have nothing but trouble with it.

Over at nvnews many are reporting the same problems.

We all share the same problems.

2D and desktop is fine, however, 3D in many cases will allow problems. For instance, some games like HL2 and CS:S just shake, very quickly up and down. Some benchmarks like 3dmark 2005 shake up and down slowly during a few of the tests.

It's not something they seem to know how to fix as I've used about 15 different driver sets, from the current WHQL to the new 75.XX sets.

They ALL share problems, however, the 75.XX also introduces another problem as during 3D in SLI you get these massive black bars on the left side of the screen. It's almost as if they're making it worse with the new drivers then making it better.

Others have reported SLI works fine in widescreen IF you use the standard analog connection, I have not tested this yet as I am only using DVI.

I REFUSE to buy the top of the line products, ONLY to have to downgrade picture quality to assure compatability.

I dont want to be a jerk to Nvidia, but when I pay for the best, I expect to treated as such. With that, I do not expect to experience such outragous problems as not being able to game with my near top of the line gaming system.

For now, SLI seems to have no problems at all with 4:3 monitors, and at 16:10 seems to only have problems in certain circumstances.

It's up to you, if you go with you're planning, you'll probably be rather happy with the setup, however, you'll find it's a constant struggle to get things running as they should, and you'll also have to keep an eye open on the beta grapevine as you'll be needing to jump on almost any new set hoping to eliminate certain compatability problems.

Anyhow, good luck with it bro, sounds as if you're planning a killer setup.

 

[nicholarse]

Thanks for the detailed reply although it wasn't the reply I was hoping for. I will be using DVI so perhaps I should give widescreen a miss. Hmm...

If I don't go widescreen what 4:3 LCD would people recommend? Maybe a dual monitor setup? The only thing I'm worried about is because I'm a student and often a bit on the skint side when it comes to finances I will most probably be keeping this monitor for quite awhile (few years) so don't want to be left out in the cold as all future games turn to widescreen and then I won't get the most out of them (the games that is).

This has put a bit of a spanner in the works.

 

[GRAFiZ]

Well... dont too quick to pass on the entire idea, if Nvidia ever gets a driver fix for this problem (SLI-DVI-Widescreen) then I'll have a whole lot less to complain about.

We all know Nvidia has one of the best driver teams ever put together, however, this time they really seem to be dragging their feet. Rumor says they might be holding up a fix to the release of the next set of official drivers... possibly next month or later. I keep hearing they're wanting to release a set that will pump out all kinds of performance increases, especially with SLI.

Remember, next month ATI releases a 512meg video card, and will back that release with a match of overclocking, they're bringing in the best of the best, Opp and Fugger for example.

At that time ATI is going to GRAB a lot of the spotlight as these people will break many a record with that card. I'm placing money on a 3d mark 2001 score of 50K or more at the end of the 48 hours.

Anyhow, becuase of that, Nvidia is going to have to do something to get people back to their website. This is why I'm expecting a final WHQL FM approved driver at that time. This is just my thought, but I still expect it.

Hopefully it will fix or atleast address this problem.

If you want to go 4:3, just get the biggest LCD with the fastest response time, 16ms or better you can afford. Hard to go wrong now a days.

I would not suggest dual monitor at this point as you'll lose your second monitor everytime you run in SLI mode. Nvidia makes note of this and I dont know if there any way to fix it, but as soon as you activate SLI dual monitor is no longer possible.

If widescreen really becomes the norm, which I do expect, you might want to keep that in mind as you obviously plan to keep the monitor atleast a few years, meaning, while you may pay with it in the way of poor compatability now, you'll atleast save yourself trouble down the line.

Perhaps you're buying for tomorrow in this case.

Anyhow, keep us updates, cant wait to see the benchmarks your machine kicks out.

 

[nicholarse]

I won't be buying for another month or so as I do have a 2005FPW here (that I'm giving to my dad).

Yep system should be pretty good, my FX55 does 3.3Ghz under phase change and the GT's will be watercooled.

I'll keep you up to date.

Nick.

 

[GRAFiZ]

I won't be buying for another month or so as I do have a 2005FPW here (that I'm giving to my dad).

Yep system should be pretty good, my FX55 does 3.3Ghz under phase change and the GT's will be watercooled.

I'll keep you up to date.

Nick.

I wish those FX chips we're cheaper, my chip at 2.5ghz isn't enough juice for these video cards, but I just cant toss another grand into this setup.

With power like that, forget the monitor and just pick yourself up a projection system. LOL.

 

[J-Mag]

I wish those FX chips we're cheaper, my chip at 2.5ghz isn't enough juice for these video cards, but I just cant toss another grand into this setup.

With power like that, forget the monitor and just pick yourself up a projection system. LOL.

I feel ya dude... even when clocked at 2.5ghz (which is what I run 24/7 stable... I can push 2.6 but it will crash after a while) I know my winchester isn't feeding my vid cards fast enough... I get huge performance increases when overclocking my processor... In doom3 timedemo's I can pull an extra 35fps just by OC'ing my CPU (this is at 1600x1200 8X AF, a resolution I would normally consider GPU bound, but obviously not in SLI's case...)
While overclocking my vid cards from 370 1000 to 417 1130 increases the same timedemo only 3fps...

If these new FX procs with the improved mem controller and SSE3 are just as good (hopefully WAY better), I have a feeling that my bank aco!!!! will loose another $1k...

 

[nicholarse]

When you said about the dual monitor prob with SLI is that when you connect two screens to dfferent cards? Does it work when you connect two screens to the same card using the dual DVI out the cards have?

Thanks.

 

[GRAFiZ]

When you said about the dual monitor prob with SLI is that when you connect two screens to dfferent cards? Does it work when you connect two screens to the same card using the dual DVI out the cards have?

Thanks.

Hmm... good question, I know fure sure you can't use the two cards for dual monitor, but, I'm not sure about using the two heads on a single card.

I'm pretty sure it doesnt work either as I dont see anyone make mention to it anywhere, but honestly, I can't answer that.

I would shoot Nvidia an email and ask them, they are aware of the dual monitor problems when using SLI so they can probably provide you with some direction.

Good luck with it.

 

[nicholarse]

Assuming that the dual monitor works with if you plug them both into the same card would you go for a dual 1600x1200 monitor setup or one 1920x1200 monitor setup?

 

[GRAFiZ]

Assuming that the dual monitor works with if you plug them both into the same card would you go for a dual 1600x1200 monitor setup or one 1920x1200 monitor setup?

Well, like I said, I fear the possibility that dual monitor does not work in any setup when using SLI as I cant find any reference to it being possible.

Because of that, and because I can't stand having an inch of plastic directly in the middle of my desktop, as you get with dual monitors, I'd much rather go with a single 1920x1200 setup... ie the new dell LCD.

I've been using my 2005fpw for a few months now and have grown very fond of having widescreen for day to day use, desktop, internet, photoshop, etc. all make me very pleased with my purchase.

It's just gaming that drives me nuts, it's hard to always get things working right, ESPECIALLY with SLI.

 

[jacuzz1]

I had two 6600gts in sli for time with my 2005 fp and had only one issue as it relates to the wide screen. I woulld go wide res on hf2 and it would lock up, but a restart of the game and she held the naitive res after that.I had to try a couple of times but it worked and ran smooth after that, I am going for it and since i will be running dual Ultras shortly ............