ATI HD 6870 multi display problem

[Dulba]

So I just bought this card and everything is great about it, the only problem is that I can't get two monitors running using the two DVI ports. The second one doesn't give out an output.

When I use screen detect it doesn't come up. I played around with ATI Catalyst and couldn't get anything to work, windows+p doesn't work either. I'm on windows 7 64bit. I've looked around and only found one thread with a similar problem but that went unanswered.

Ty for your help

 

[axipher]

I'm pretty sure the top DVI port is dual link and the bottom one is only single link and becomes disabled when you have something plugged in to the HDMI port. Maybe the monitor or cord you're using on the bottom DVI port isn't compatible with single link DVI, or the monitor or cord on the top port isn't compatible with dual link DVI.

Did you try each monitor separately plugged in one at a time to make sure they both work?

 

[Dulba]

I just bought a DVI-I cable to connect to the dvi ports that are in on my gfx card "Sapphire Radeon HD 6870 1 GB GDDR5 VGA/DL-DVI-I/SL-DVI-D/HDMI/Dual Mini Display Port PCI-Express Video Card" and it says it should support it but for some reason the end doesn't fit into my gfx card i tried both end and in both parts it won't go in. ty

 

[Dulba]

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the cable i have looks exactly like the DVI-D port, which my gfx card should still support either way and my gfx card has a port like dvi-i dual link does this matter?

also the port im plugging this dvi-i cable into my monitor says dvi-d does that make a difference

 

[DubV]

I'm having a very similar issue, though mine is with an HD 4550. I'm using an HDMI and a DVI. The default screen and only screen that works while both are plugged in is the DVI. If I unplug either one the other screen comes on.
I've played around with Windows 7 display settings and drivers as well as the CCC with no luck.
Here's what really has me baffled though... When I boot into Ubuntu I have Duplicate Display, no problem.

Any advice will be much appreciated!

Marty

 

[Gr8Climax]

Is there a solution for this problem by now? I bought the HD 6870 yesterday. And I have the exact same problem. The upper DVI slot works just fine, but when I switch the cable to the lower DVI slot it doesn’t give any signal. No signal at all. There isn’t a conflict with e.g. the HDMI cable because there is only 1 cabe plugged in at that moment, the one in the lower DVI slot.

I can use the upper DVI-slot together with the HDMI-slot, but I want to be able to plug in 2 moniters (DVI) and 1 television (HDMI), like I had with my previous system, which had an HD 4890.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated!

 

[axipher]

With the new 6000 series, you can only only use two out of the 3 slots (2x DVI and 1x HDMI)

For example:

- Both DVI
- Top DVI and HDMI
- Bottom DVI and HDMI

You can't use all 3. All 3 are there to allow different setups. For a 3rd monitor or more, you "MUST" use at least one display port.

 

[Gr8Climax]

With the new 6000 series, you can only only use two out of the 3 slots (2x DVI and 1x HDMI)

For example:

- Both DVI
- Top DVI and HDMI
- Bottom DVI and HDMI

You can't use all 3. All 3 are there to allow different setups. For a 3rd monitor or more, you "MUST" use at least one display port.

True, with the 4890 I had to manually change the settings to deactivate the monitor and activate the tv, but thats not a big deal. As long as I don't have to crawl under my desk to change cables everytime I want to watch a movie on the tv its fine.

Hence I am hoping to figure out why the lower DVI-slot isn't giving any signal, not even when it's the only cable plugged in the card.

 

[axipher]

That's an odd issue with the lower slot not working at all. Here are my possible ideas:

- Faulty cable
- Faulty DVI on Monitor
- Faulty DVI on GFX card
- Driver Issue
- Monitor not compatible with single link DVI
- Monitor not compatible with GFX card

 

[Gr8Climax]

That's an odd issue with the lower slot not working at all. Here are my possible ideas:

- Faulty cable
- Faulty DVI on Monitor
- Faulty DVI on GFX card
- Driver Issue
- Monitor not compatible with single link DVI
- Monitor not compatible with GFX card

- Faulty cable: same moniter works in the upper slot.
- Faulty DVI on Monitor: same moniter (with the same cable) works in the upper slot.
- Faulty DVI on GFX card: I'll first wait for a driverupdate before returning it to the store.
- Monitor not compatible with single link DVI: I tried 2 different monitors, of course there is a possibility both of them are not compatible.
- Monitor not compatible with GFX card: same moniter works in the upper slot.

But the list you gave me was exactly what I had in mind too. I was hoping for a for fix instead of having to go back to the shop to return it.

 

[axipher]

Just a quick test, try only using one DVI slot at a time and try a DVI-to-VGA adapter, you probably received one with your graphics card and a VGA cable to hook up your monitor. Try the upper slot and the lower slot. It's just a long shot of an idea. I know I would wanna try every thing I can before I resort to returning it to the store.

 

[Gr8Climax]

Just a quick test, try only using one DVI slot at a time and try a DVI-to-VGA adapter, you probably received one with your graphics card and a VGA cable to hook up your monitor. Try the upper slot and the lower slot. It's just a long shot of an idea. I know I would wanna try every thing I can before I resort to returning it to the store.

I allready tried that too... even worse I tried it with two different DVI-to-VGA adapters. Didn't work either. I wonder if the TS has found a solution.

I'll go back to the store next month anyway, to switch my p67 motherboard for one without the malfunction. If I havn't fixed it by then, I will also ask for a different HD 6870.

 

[Griffolion]

As far as i know, firstly, unless the two DVI ports are being used in dual link mode then one gets disabled when in use, both of them cannot be used for separate monitors. In this case you will have to resort to either the DisplayPort or the HDMI port.

You also need a DVI cable that matches the type of DVI port it is plugging into.

 

[themiz69]

i have a 6870 and im trying to use hdmi for the monitor and the lower dvi for my projector. it lets me run either or but not both at once. when i switch the desktop from display 1(monitor) to display 2(PJ) it works fine but when i hit duplicate desktop it says its unable. why?

 

[sbishop8608]

I have the same problem...only one monitor hooked up to the upper dvi port and it works...only one monitor hooked up to the lower dvi port and it doesn't work (same monitor). Any definitive word on if this is just how it works, a driver issue, or if I should return it?

 

[axipher]

How about this solution:

- Run a DVI cable to one monitor from a DVI port
- Run a HDMI-to-DVI cable to the other monitor (Belkin has one that one end is HDMI and the other end is DVI)

 

[Liu kang baking a pie]

Can you please tell me what frequency your monitor is on?

Single dvi only supports 60mhz
Dual dvi 60 and up
Hdmi 60 and up

 

[sbishop8608]

So, the following is a link to the 6850/6870 User Guide: http://www.hisdigital.com/UserFiles/product/AMD_Radeon_HD_6850_6870_ENU.pdf

Chapter 4 has some pretty good info on configuration possibilities, and it distinctly shows that a DVI-VGA adapter can be run from the bottom DVI port, but this did not work for me. However, I now have the DVI-VGA adapter on the top port, HDMI on the bottom port, and running dual monitor and it's working fine so I'm calling it good enough.

Thanks

 

[HD6870_er]

Dulba,
I too have just bought a HD 6870 and have Win7 64bit OS.
Had the same problem, 2nd monitor not seen by OS (even in CCC), eventually it solved itself... After,

1. Connecting monitor 1 to the the botton DVI port, using Dual Link DVI-D lead. Start and Shut Down.

Then, 2. Connecting monitor 2, to the the top DVI port, using Dual Link DVI-D lead. Start in 'safe mode'and Shut Down. Both monitors kicked into life and were displaying identical content. Shut Down.

3. Restarting in normal mode. Both monitors were displaying identical content. Right clicked on the display icon (in the toolbar) and selecting monitor 2 ~ Extend Desktop.

Checking in CCC, two monitors (1 and 2 of 3) were shown enabled.

I think the problem was due to assuming the top DVI port was for monitor 1 and at the same time connecting both monitors before the system was initially setup for a single monitor.

Hope this answer helps you and others.

 

[xsmoky]

this is a bit aggravating for me.

I had the 6850 and a single link DVI-D cable in the DVI-D port and the Asus DVI-VGA adapter with a VGA cable to the second monitor. Both were working fine for about 4 months. Without making any changes, I had shut down my computer and when I turned it on again, neither monitor came on. I found that the VGA monitor would work if I disconnected the DVI-D cable from the port, but no other configuration would work.

2 days ago I got the 6870 as a replacement. Straight out of the box, nothing but the DVI-I with a VGA adapter worked.

I have win 7 ult 64bit. My DVI-D cable and the monitor its on both work fine using the motherboard video if an addon vid card is not installed. Is the whole issue a fail by ATI with driver compatibility?

 

[badtaylorx]

if you start your own thread you'll have better luck....some ppl get a lil uppaddy about thread jacking

 

[xsmoky]

if you start your own thread you'll have better luck....some ppl get a lil uppaddy about thread jacking

Can't win for losing...most tech support forums get snippy with you for starting a new topic so closely related to an existing one.

 

[MVC_CC]

There are 3 separate ports. the DVI, HDMI, and the miniport

one of the DVI is linked to the HDMI, so you only have 2 active ports. 2 DVI or 1 hdmi+1DVI would work for 2 monitors

I have the same card with 3 monitors on it

If you want 3 monitors though.. you will need a miniport adapter to run the 3rd monitor... just make sure your adapter is active, not passive.