3 displays (2 touch 1 non-touch)

[Jaime74656]

Ok, I got 2 15" touch screens (different brands) and one samsung 22" display. now when I run two at a time im good, but I want to set it up some how so i can run all three at a time

I have dual ATI 5770HD (two of them) card running in crosfire mode (i think, they have the connector connecting them together) with three displays

touch screens are VGA screens (two)
samsung is DVI/VGA capable (would prefer to use DVI)

I currently have them hooked up the following way

Touch screen #1 DVI -> VGA cable
Samsung HDMI -> DVI cable
Touch screen #2 HDMI -> VGA adapter -> VGA cable


what I really want to do is get it so i can use all 3 and have my flight simulator main window on the samsung with the other windows that are used to control the plane (panles with switches, ect) residing on the two touch displays, but at this time when I try to use the touch screens (either one) they mess with my main display (mouse remains on the samsung and its really difficult to control any thing). so anyone who has experience with something like this I really could use the help!!

I may be waisting time as im planning on reformatting my machine once i get my hands on a SSD (revo X2 drive I think) but that wont be for a while so im not concerned anyways, just want to get this working so I can do what I want to do till that time!!



Thanks for the help!

 

[WebMattR]

What version of Flight Simulator is this, and have you checked to see that this is possible? I believe that if all three monitors are hooked up and working with Windows, you'd need to go into the game itself and configure it to use multiple screens.

 

[Jaime74656]

well my machine will only have two switched on at a time

either 2 touch or one touch and the samsung, i haven't been able to get all three to work together. as for the game im not entirely concerned about that im more wanting to get all 3 displays going so i can have all three running side by side (i know its possible but can't seem to figure this one out and i do attempt to install the drivers that came with my cards and it seems i get the lovely BSOD, so i may just wind up reinstalling the OS to resolve this whole mess, but im just hoping there is a work around possible in short of a reinstall that i can use until I am able to get my hands on the SSD I want to grab


and this is Flight simulator X if that helps.

 

[WebMattR]

I would suggest going to ATI's website, and downloading new drivers. Post back after trying that, and let me know where you stand on it's functionality, and we'll go from there.

 

[Jaime74656]

ok I can just skip that as I have just tried that lol, and still no go (thats where I get the lovely BSOD when installing the drivers).

 

[WebMattR]

Hopefully someone else will chip in with an instant and simply solution, but it sounds to me like either your card is defective, or your install of windows is a little funky.

Are you using three connectors from the video cards, or two from the video cards and one from the motherboard?

 

[gazz9496]

i could be way way off but isn't the 3 monitor setup part of the eyefinity mode on those cards, so assuming you've not setup eyefinity correctly you won't get all 3 screens working.

also my experiences with 3+ monitors is somewhat limited but if they aren't attached to the right ports then you won't get all 3 either, they usually require the 3rd display to be on display port and not any other port available.

if it doesn't help sorry i was just rumaging round my brain for idea's

edit: you can run all 3 monitors from a single card using eyefinity as well which is maybe where your getting something wrong and using a port on your second card.

 

[Jaime74656]

sadly i tried all three on one card, with all 3 on one card with both cards hooked up, and putting two on one card and one on the other and any other possible combination possible

 

[gazz9496]

what ports are you putting them onto if you use one card?

from what i understand of single card eyefinity setups the 2 dvi ports should work and a display port/with adapter, the other ports won't work for a third display.

single link dp->dvi
anantech review
DisplayPort: Active Single-Link DVI Adaptors Available Soon - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News
point to note..the adapters are already available
link for price
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/sapp...ce=google+shopping&utm_medium=google+shopping
it points out though that a third display must come from the display port as the card can only drive 2 monitors from dvi/hdmi combo's.

i can only assume crossfire is the same untill i do some more checking

 

[gazz9496]

and to answer my own query on crossfire 3 monitor setups.

all monitors must be connected to the same card 2 to dvi/hdmi 1 must go to display port.

 

[smarteyeball]

all monitors must be connected to the same card 2 to dvi/hdmi 1 must go to display port.

Yep. For Eyefinity this is a must.


One work around I suspect would work to varying degrees, would be to run FSX in 'windowed-mode' instead of fullscreen mode.

That way you could open the control panels and put them on the touchpads without being locked to the Samsung.

The downside is the performance hit of windowed mode and the loss of crossfire since all monitors must be on the 'primary card' for crossfire to work.

 

[Jaime74656]

the windowd mode I can already say will be no go, that was the first thing I attempted. and could I put them on the 2 DVI ports and 1 HDMI port or must one always be on the display port?

 

[gazz9496]

the windowd mode I can already say will be no go, that was the first thing I attempted. and could I put them on the 2 DVI ports and 1 HDMI port or must one always be on the display port?

ok your choices are

2 x dvi 1 x display port

1 x dvi 1 x hdmi 1 x display port

your 2 dvi ports and hdmi are effectivly 2 ports not 3, 1 of them will always remain unused on a 3 monitor setup.

to get a third display you must use the display port there are no choices here.

later this year ati/amd plan to release an adapter that can push onto 24+ monitors from a single display port current estimates on a retail price are slated at £100 or there abouts.

 

[Jaime74656]

yeesh, well looks like i will be looking into display -> DVI then...with a reformat of my rig