Extended display over 3 monitors

[mediaman09]

Would appreciate some help on this one.

Sorry for the long thread but wanted to provide some context.

Objective
I would like to have an extended desktop over 3 monitors (different windows on different displays). I've seen it done, I know its possible. But I have tried and failed. Looking for help before I give up.

Setup
-Windows 7 Home Ediition 64 bit
-Dell XPS Studio 9100 desktop
-Dell OEM version of AMD HD 5670 ( VGA, DVI and HDMI ports. NO DP port)
-Non gaming application
-3 existing monitors
>>>LEFT: Sony Bravia 32" LCD TV ( HDMI and VGA inputs
>>>MIDDLE: Dell 1901 monitor ( DVI and VGA inputs)
>>>RIGHT: Dell 1907 monitor (DVI and VGA inputs)
-Slots
•PCI card slot (PCI_1) 26
•PCI Express x1 card slot (PCIE1X3)
•PCI Express x16 card slot (PCIE16_1) (used by video card)
•PCI Express x1 card slot (PCIE1X2)
•PCI Express x1 card slot (PCIE1X1)
•PCI Express x8 card slot (PCIE8_2)
Latest AMD Drivers,Catalyst etc.
Resolution requirement - Modest. At this point would even settle for 1280 x 1024 on all monitors

Intial display configuration
Dell OEM AMD 5670 HDMI port > to > HDMI input on Sony Bravia
Dell OEM AMD 5670 DVI port > to > DVI input on Dell 1901
Dell OEM AMD 5670 VGA port > to > VGA input on Dell 1907

Results
Windows 7 control panel sees, recognizes and identifies all 3 monitors. In fact I thought I was done!. But it only lets me extend any two at a time ; not all three at once.

Solutions
From searches to date, I read quite a bit so far - all frustrating:

Option 1 - use a passive or active DP adaptor - but not applicable here as I dont have a DP port.

Option 2 - add a cheap second video card - but many unanwered questions -

a) If I get a second video card - must it have the DP port for all this to work? I assume yes, given I dont have any DP ports now, and three conventional ports dont seem to do the trick.

b) If yes to needing a DP port, the what type of DP adaptor do I need to get?:
- DP to VGA passive?
- DP to VGA active?
- DP to DVI passive?
- DP to DVI active?

c) How do I set it up? Any two monitors on the orignal OEM card (no DP) and one monitor on the new card (via DP)?

d) Regardless i have been unable to find such a card on the market that is "a cheap second video card". has a DP port, and is not a X16 card ( that slot is filled).
​

Option 3 - Throw out the Dell OEM video card and replace it with something new ( like what?) with DVI, HDMI and DP ports (at what cost?) and what type of DP adaptor?

Option 4- Give up. Abandon the project and stick with two displays ;This will be my only option if I cannot find a another solution.
​

Again, sorry for the long post but I am out of ideas.

 

[mediaman09]

The more I read , the more I am concluding the most effective way (and maybe the only way) to do this, is Option 3, ie

- buy a new PCI-e x16 graphics card with a DP port ( approx $100-$300)
- buy an ACTIVE dongle ( a I want to run 3 monitors in total) (approx $50)

Eg ref:
http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/135589-hd5450-triple-monitor-support-problem.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-...-up-3-monitors-gigabyte-radeon-6950-card.html

As to the cheaper Option 2, I dont know if thats even possible in practice for the 3 monitor sceanrio.

 

[stormy13]

Option 2 is your best bet, and cheapest. As for the questions regarding #2,

A. No it doesn't have to have a DP for it to work.

B. See A.

C. You can connect it any way you want using what is available on the monitor you're going to connect to it; VGA, DVI or HDMI; DP shouldn't even be a consideration if none of your monitors support it.

D. A x8 slot is full length and you can run a x16 card in it. For what you're looking to do the cheapest HD 5450 or 6450 you can find should work no problem. A lot motherboards that support Crossfire or SLI (neither of which you need or will be running) that come with 2 x16 slots will actually run them at x8 when two cards are installed.

 

[mediaman09]

Option 2 is your best bet, and cheapest. As for the questions regarding #2.... You can connect it any way you want using what is available on the monitor you're going to connect to it; VGA, DVI or HDMI; DP shouldn't even be a consideration if none of your monitors support it..

Hmm... What I dont understand is, if a DP port is not needed, why would a second video card work for three monitors, but a single video card (with 3 ports) not work?

 

[stormy13]

Because unless the card has a DP on it which has a different circuit/output built into the card, the three connections (VGA, DVI and HDM) are all running off of two RAMDAC's, which are only capable of outputting to a single display/connection at a time. On most cards configured like yours is you can usually use a combination of,

VGA and DVI
DVI and HDMI
VGA via VGA-DVI adapter (but only if supported, and not likely to be) and HDMI

and has been the same way since video cards started coming out with three connections on them.

 

[mediaman09]

There are a whack for cheapo 5450 cards, say here: Search Results for 5450 at TigerDirect.ca

Are any of these less problematic that the others in terms of potential problem with:
-simultaneous use with another viedo card ( the Dell OEM 5670 card in the x16 slot)
-use of the 5450 in a x8 slot
-PCI 2.0 vs 2.1
-other factors?

This sure would be a clean and inexpensive solution if it works!

 

[stormy13]

Cheapest without having to deal with a rebate,

Newegg.com - PowerColor Go! Green AX5450 1GBK3-SH Radeon HD 5450 (Cedar) 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

and no none of those are a concern.

 

[mediaman09]

Why is it that power supply requirements wouldn't be an issue here. Wouldn't TWO cards represent quite a burden in that regard ?

Dell XPS Studio 9100 has a 525w power supply.

 

[profdlp]

Why is it that power supply requirements wouldn't be an issue here. Wouldn't TWO cards represent quite a burden in that regard ?

Dell XPS Studio 9100 has a 525w power supply.

Not all 525W PSUs are equal; being that it's a Dell...maybe.

The card stormy13 linked to is typically used in HTPC setups. It's small and fanless, so it will fit in a dinky case, be quiet, and most importantly for your question, not draw a lot of power. Some of those HTPC rigs only have a 300-400W PSU to begin with.

See what you get with this:

eXtreme Power Supply Calculator

 

[mediaman09]

Still issues here... Read a few posts to the effect "my motherboard woudn't fit a x16 card in the x8 slot because of a silly piece of plastic". So this may not be that clean a solution unless I can find an x8 video card.

 

[profdlp]

Can you provide a picture or something to show the "silly piece of plastic" in question? I know that Dell has come up with some creative case and motherboard configurations.

 

[mediaman09]

I may be new to some of this, but I've buitd a few machines in my time.

At this stage, I dont see how a wide x16 card can possibly PHYSICALLY fit in a x8 slot. Perhaps some cards can (hence the statement that x16 work in an x8 slot), but not the cheaper ones readily available. They would need two notches (to flank the x8 connector) - but they only have one notch - so it cant possibly fit.

The only we to do this is to use a x16-to-x8 riser/extender ( which is why, I assume, they make them!)

If I am wrong, please enlighten me.

If I am right, this is getting way too messy again and I am back to:

- give it up on 3 monitors; and stick with two monitors and the existing OEM 5670.
or
-invest in a replacement x16 card with DP, ie DP/DVI/HDMI, and in an active DP adaptor

Power Color AX5450

Riser

 

[mediaman09]

Note on the DELL, the x8 is NOT full length.

 

[mediaman09]

This card, on teh surface, is interesting:
Buy the Sapphire Radeon HD 6770 FleX Edition 1GB DDR5 PCIe at TigerDirect.ca

Specifically says "Sapphire FleX Technology 3 DVI Eyefinity Out of the Box Targeting maximum flexibility with minimum outlay, Sapphire FleX Technology simplifies AMD's multi-monitor Eyefinity solution by allowing 3 X DVI monitors to be connected to the board 'out of the box' WITHOUT the requirement for expensive DisplayPort monitors or Active Adapters

 

[mediaman09]

Just to confirm, I assume this "dual slot" board only requires one physical slot - correct?

- I know it 'says' two slots, and
- I see it occupies the width of two slots,
- but it appears to only require ONE x16 slot per the picture
- and the descriprion sayas"PCI Express® based PC is required with one X16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard. "

Can they make this any more confusing???

 

[profdlp]

For the last post, yes, it's only one slot. It might cover an adjacent slot and render it unusable (as it will now be blocked), which shouldn't matter for what you're trying to do unless you have a bunch of other PCI-X stuff you're already using.

I didn't see it mentioned at the site you linked, but that card looks like a good solution for you. I was trying to figure out how they pulled it off and found this:

At the back of the card are dual DVI ports, and HDMI and also a DisplayPort. If you're planning to go with an Eyefinity setup, you can use both DVI ports here as normal, and plug the third DVI monitor into the active cable Sapphire has provided, which then plugs into the HDMI port.

Basically, they are throwing in the DP adapter, though I think this comment should have read "...which then plugs into the Display Port". Pretty much all of the 6xxx series cards include the DP port (or a Mini-DP, like my 6870 - see My System Specs).

 

[mediaman09]

]..Basically, they are throwing in the DP adapter, though I think this comment should have read "...which then plugs into the Display Port". Pretty much all of the 6xxx series cards include the DP port (or a Mini-DP, like my 6870 - see My System Specs).

I think that's almost right.

Still checking this out but like other cards, there is more than one version of their 6770 card. Seen some refer to the VGA port (where as the one being sold is DVI/DVI/HDMI/DP)

UPDATE - Per many 'actual' you tube videos demos, there doesnt seem to be any adaptors bundled

Web description says:

a) supports 3 displays in Eyefinity mode without the need to use the DP output ,allowing 3 X DVI monitors to be connected to the board 'out of the box' WITHOUT the requirement for an Active Adapter.

b) supports up to four simultaneous, independent monitors if you choose to include the use of an active adapter.
​

In any event, it seems to be a good option for me re 3 displays.

 

[mediaman09]

In support of the above,

Ref: Sapphire Technology

"SAPPHIRE Technology is the FIRST and the ONLY company that provides this exclusive technology to break the limitation of Eyefinity, which we called SAPPHIRE FleX Technology. It supports 3 displays in Eyefinity mode without the need to use the DP output. SAPPHIRE FleX is the most economical solution for Eyefinity as it supports many combinations of multiple display outputs simultaneously. Thus SAPPHIRE FleX Technology provides user the most convenient and cost-saving solutions for three- monitor display usage. The following image illustrates that when using three monitors with SAPPHIRE FleX series product, all six combinations are useable."
​

 

[mediaman09]

Note on the DELL, the x8 is NOT full length.

For completeness, re the two-card option, the "PCI" slot however is full length and I believe unobstructed, leaving the door open for a second video card there. Can't recall if I read it was a really bad idea, or ok, to have a mix of PCI and PCI-e video cards. Whats the story there?

My quick reserach says dont do it, ie it's a case of "either one or the other" but not "both together" as this can lead to insurmountable IRQ and driver conflicts.

 

[mediaman09]

I was going thru some of my surplus stuff and found the attached. an ATI Rage 128 Ultra (with single VGA port). I think its PCI.

Perhaps its old enough to be harmless but good enough to run google on a screen # 3 ??

Any harm in throwing it in to see what happens - or might is slow everything else down?


UPDATE : Nope - It's AGP!

Found yet another old video card, ATI VIP, but its ISA (!)

Okay, finished with memeory lane. Went to pick up the Sapphire card, but no stock, so will order on line.