Dual Monitor usage

[htpcdennis]

Hi,

I have two 7970's in Cross Fire.
I want to expand my desktop across two dell monitors.
What is the best way to link them up to the card?
I have DVI connections on the monitors.

So would I just link 1 DVI per card or must everything go via card 1
that's in the first PIC-E?

thanks

[hostage67]

I don't think it matters. For eyefinity you need all 3 in one card, but with only two monitors you aren't actually doing eyefinity yet.

[htpcdennis]

Unfortunately it seems it must matter.

If I have crossfire enabled then monitor no 2 will not turn on or be detected.
If I turn off cross fire, the monitor turns on.

:|

[jbmcmillan]

If it's like sli /Nvidia they both need to be hooked up to your primary card

[htpcdennis]

Thanks for the replies

OK.... so on my card I have...

1 x DVI-I
1 x HDMI
2 x mini DisplayPort

My monitors are 2 x Dell Ultrasharp 2407WFP 24in Widescreen.
And has the following connections on each monitor.

DVI connector
VGA connector
Composite video connector
S-Video connector
Component video connectors

Since the graphics card only has one DVI out put on the primary card and I'm not able to to use the DVI connector on the second card. I'm wondering with no HDMI input option on the monitors, the best way to hook up the from the primary card to both monitors since the only native connection it has is DVI.

Any suggestions please?

Thanks

[jbmcmillan]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
Kinda short.I think AMD expected anyone doing multi monitor would be using the display port with an active display port connector for eyefinity and didn't really think of anyone just doing 2 monitors.

[hostage67]

Originally Posted by jbmcmillan

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
Kinda short.I think AMD expected anyone doing multi monitor would be using the display port with an active display port connector for eyefinity and didn't really think of anyone just doing 2 monitors.

It was actually a push to make DisplayPort a standard, it had no actual intent on making things easier for the consumer, in fact it has made it significantly more difficult for the consumers.

Basically for triple monitor eyefinity you must use at least one displayport, there are adapaters you can purchase for this. Keep in mind when you buy a DP adapter it MUST BE AN ACTIVE adapter. The best active adapters have external power (usually done via a usb) and will run roughly $100. They do now have active adapters which no longer require the USB power, but do limit your refresh rates and/or resolutions, however these adapters run only around $30. If you are only running a standard resolution (1920x1200 or lower) at 60hz then you are probably fine with the cheaper solution. However if you are running 2560x1600 monitors or running at 120hz then you will need the more expensive active adapaters with the external power.

I would suggest picking up a DVI to DisplayPort adapater (must be active). You could use one of the other adapters for the other connection types, but since they are really forcing DP down our throats and that seems to be the most common connector for video cards these days, that would be the adapter I would suggest.

I guess my real question is... why are you attempting to run eyefinity with only two monitors? With just two monitors this will put the seam right in the middle of your view which will be horrible for gaming. I would suggest simply not bothering with eyefinity with only two monitors as it really has little to no value at that point. When you pick up your 3rd monitor then you will see the benefit of going to eyefinity.

[htpcdennis]

Originally Posted by hostage67

It was actually a push to make DisplayPort a standard, it had no actual intent on making things easier for the consumer, in fact it has made it significantly more difficult for the consumers.

Basically for triple monitor eyefinity you must use at least one displayport, there are adapaters you can purchase for this. Keep in mind when you buy a DP adapter it MUST BE AN ACTIVE adapter. The best active adapters have external power (usually done via a usb) and will run roughly $100. They do now have active adapters which no longer require the USB power, but do limit your refresh rates and/or resolutions, however these adapters run only around $30. If you are only running a standard resolution (1920x1200 or lower) at 60hz then you are probably fine with the cheaper solution. However if you are running 2560x1600 monitors or running at 120hz then you will need the more expensive active adapaters with the external power.

I would suggest picking up a DVI to DisplayPort adapater (must be active). You could use one of the other adapters for the other connection types, but since they are really forcing DP down our throats and that seems to be the most common connector for video cards these days, that would be the adapter I would suggest.

I guess my real question is... why are you attempting to run eyefinity with only two monitors? With just two monitors this will put the seam right in the middle of your view which will be horrible for gaming. I would suggest simply not bothering with eyefinity with only two monitors as it really has little to no value at that point. When you pick up your 3rd monitor then you will see the benefit of going to eyefinity.

Hi,

All I'm wanting to achieve with dual monitors as an extended desktop.

It's not for gaming I wish to use it for at the moment.
When I can afford to upgrade I will rethink how I will do it. Maybe purchase another 24" monitor or just save longer for 3 new matching monitors.

Would this do the trick?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Displ...item415d323899

[jbmcmillan]

I don't think he was going for eyefinity I think it was just use an extended desktop with the 2 monitors.He stated his card only had the one dvi connector.Thus the problem.
Ninja'd by the op lol.I'll let the AMD guys handle the part question as I haven't had a ATI/AMD card since before all this display port crap.

[hostage67]

Originally Posted by htpcdennis

Hi,

All I'm wanting to achieve with dual monitors as an extended desktop.

It's not for gaming I wish to use it for at the moment.
When I can afford to upgrade I will rethink how I will do it. Maybe purchase another 24" monitor or just save longer for 3 new matching monitors.

Would this do the trick?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Displ...item415d323899

I doubt that one will work, no where in there does it state that it is an active adapter (which most likely means it's passive). An active adapter will almost always state that it is active in the description.

As for extending the desktop there should be an option to do that in the control panel without having to setup eyefinity. Running eyefinity makes it so that it treats both monitors as a single monitor. What this means is that games, movies, etc.. will expand across both screens. Also any windows that are maximized will also span across both windows.

I find in desktop applications I am better off having the windows expand only to that specific monitor(ie not eyefinity), if you really needed something to span across both monitors you could do this simply by dragging it across both screens.

[jbmcmillan]

Again he is not trying to run eyefinity just 2 monitors to do an extended desktop and only has 1 dvi connection on the card plus a display port and a hdmi.His monitors are only dvi so can he use that part to just do 2 monitors.I wouldn't think it has to be active to just do that but since I don't have an AMD card I don't know.Forget EYEFINITY lol.

[hostage67]

Originally Posted by jbmcmillan

Again he is not trying to run eyefinity just 2 monitors to do an extended desktop and only has 1 dvi connection on the card plus a display port and a hdmi.His monitors are only dvi so can he use that part to just do 2 monitors.I wouldn't think it has to be active to just do that but since I don't have an AMD card I don't know.Forget EYEFINITY lol.

I think an active adapter would be required either way. Basically it has to do with how the port was designed. The DisplayPort doesn't have a clock associated with it, that is why the active displayport adapter is required as it controls the clock for the connection.

I haven't personally attempted to use a passive adapter on a single or dual monitor setup, but I don't believe this will work given the reason for the adapter requirement to begin with. Up to him if he wants to attempt a passive adapter first.

[jbmcmillan]

What exactly are the passive ones used for if not that?Just curious now as I do run across this from time to time.

[hostage67]

Originally Posted by jbmcmillan

What exactly are the passive ones used for if not that?Just curious now as I do run across this from time to time.

Anything not AMD related.

[htpcdennis]

Hi,

Thanks for the help.

I ended up getting a HIS Mini DisplayPort to Single DVI adapter.

This works fine.

I have a few questions if anyone can please help.

Is it possible to play a game in full screen on one monitor while being able to use the mouse on the other monitors windows 7 desktop?
I found in BF3 that as soon as I clicked the other monitor it minimized the game no matter which of the two monitors I have it set to display on.

I just have the monitors set up as Extended display.
Is there some other setting I should use for dual monitor display setup?

Thanks

[hostage67]

It sounds what you are looking for is a BF3 setting. Basically you want to set it use Full Screen, Windowed Mode. That should keep it full screen like it is now, but in windowed mode it should allow you to easily take your mouse from one screen to the other without minimizing BF3.

[htpcdennis]

Originally Posted by hostage67

It sounds what you are looking for is a BF3 setting. Basically you want to set it use Full Screen, Windowed Mode. That should keep it full screen like it is now, but in windowed mode it should allow you to easily take your mouse from one screen to the other without minimizing BF3.

Thanks I'll give that a whirl