[ATI] cannot detect second monitor

[InsanityArise]

So, guys, I've just put a build together for a friend.

We've used the MSI R6850 Cyclone, which is a pretty hefty card with the most ridiculous fan on it.

Anyway, we're having an awful lot of trouble getting it to detect the second DVI port.

We're using 2x the same monitor, I've tested all of the cables and DVI-VGA adapters and they all work great, so does the second monitor if I plug it into the primary port.

Unplugging the primary monitor in windows makes the plug and play "dun-dun" noise as you would expect, but the second port seems to do nothing.

Theres nothing that I can spot in CCC that would be able to detect the second monitor, it's not being picked up by device manager either.

I'm an nVidia fanboy myself, so I don't know if this is actually broken, or if I have simply overlooked something major.

Last resort is to plug the graphics card into my own machine and test it, I can't be bothered with switching from nvidia to ati drivers and back again to do so though.

Any ways that I can run a decent test on this before I send it back?

I have also been looking around on the web, it would appear that this particular card has 1xsingle link dvi and 1xdual link, the dvi adapters that came with the graphics card are single link and the ports are both shaped for single link too, could this be whats causing the issue? Is it worth me running out and getting a dual-link dvi to vga adapter just to test the thing with?

 

[LiquidSnak]

It sounds to me like you might have gotten a bad card. I have an MSI cyclone myself, and haven't experienced any of the issues you are describing, but I am using DVI cables, and haven't tested adapters...

Do your monitors not have DVI ports?

 

[stormy13]

Anyway, we're having an awful lot of trouble getting it to detect the second DVI port.

We're using 2x the same monitor, I've tested all of the cables and DVI-VGA adapters

Wouldn't happen to be using that adapter on the second DVI port would you? If so that would be why, as the card only supports VGA via adapter from one of the DVI ports,

 

[InsanityArise]

That would make sense, none of the 8 monitors in this place have a DVI port!

I have 2 more questions:

1. Would a XFX HD 6870 have similar issues?
2. Where would you find this kind of information about a particular card without having to browse through all of the reviews? I couldn't see it listed on the immediate spec of the card.

As for the 2 monitors we aquired for this rig, they are LG Flatron E226's, and they are absolutely beautiful, but yeah, no dvi, only vga.

 

[stormy13]

Yes the HD 6870 would do the same thing. In fact I think you will find that is the case with just about any card from AMD or Nvidia any more. Biggest problem is that VGA is going the way of the dodo and for the most part you're lucky that the card manufacturers are leaving one of the ports VGA compatible.

Flatron E2260? According to the spec sheet,

View attachment LG-Flatron-E2260-fullspec.pdf

it has all three ports available; VGA, HDMI and DVI.

 

[InsanityArise]

LG 22" Wide Full HD 5MS Black LED Monitor | Ebuyer.com

it was this one, I've just spotted these though:

EXDISPLAY LG 22 INCH WIDE LED FULL HD DVI-D HDMI BLACK.. | Ebuyer.com

Ex display, 2 left... cheaper, and with hdmi....

 

[LiquidSnak]

I've had a great experience with LG, NEC, Viewsonic, and ASUS monitors, if that is the direction you are going to take. I believe that most video cards are going to have the same issue, especially the dual DVI cards.

 

[InsanityArise]

Well thanks for all the help guys, I haven't put a rig together for a couple of years now, so I'm a bit out of the loop.