Getting 3 monitors to work

[johnyct9760]

Hi everyone

I am working on getting 3 monitors to work. Currently I'm only able to get 2 up and running. The good news is that I know all 3 are working when windows 7 is booting up the left most and right most monitors show the starting up messages. When windows starts running the display shifts to the center and right most monitor (settings I have setup my self). I have a ATI Radeon HD 5670 graphics card. One of the very prominently advertised features of this card is that YES is can run all 3 displays at once. On the back of the card there are 3 outlets:
1) DVI
2) HDMI
3) Display port
I have the hdmi and the dvi running direct to 2 monitors and the display port has an adapter to dvi so it can plug into the back of the 3ed monitor (doesn't have a display port inlet on the back).

When I go to windows and try to extend my display to the 3ed monitor i get the following message:

Unable to save display setting.

Also when I try to do the same operation via the catalyst control center I get the message:

To extend the desktop, a desktop or display must be disabled.

Not really the responses I'm looking for.

Totally open to all suggestions on how to get this up and running but of course I would like to stay away from more pricey solutions (IE second graphics cards, expensive adapters) but if all the stop gaps fail and that's the road I have to travel so be it.

Many thanks in advance for all the help!

Namaste

John

 

[COLGeek]

What specific make/model of HD5670 are you using? Also, what version of Catalyst are you using?

 

[johnyct9760]

Is this information helpful?

Just tried to update the catalyst control center, I'm currently running the most recent version.

 

[COLGeek]

No, looking for something like this:

XFX HD-567X-ZNL3 Radeon HD 5670

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150535

 

[COLGeek]

Are you using an active display port adapter? Found this note from another user's review of a HD5670:

"Runs 3-Monitors or eyefinity "IF" you have an Active Adaptor for the display port"

Also, are your 3 monitors the same make/model/resolution?

 

[johnyct9760]

Here is the the notes on the adapter:

http://www.pimfg.com/Product-Detail/DPM-HDMIF-8

I wasn't able to clearly tell weather is was active or passive on that description.

I am running 3 Hanns G monitors:

hh221 -wide screen
hf225 - wide screen
hi221D - rectangular screen (center)

I found this online:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDoQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fliterature.puertoricosupplier.com%2F055%2FAI54468.pdf%3FCFID%3D79808366%26CFTOKEN%3D47376635&ei=zdDfTrOCBKWhiQKM6Y3BCA&usg=AFQjCNEOCWYAvi-E6keEXkowLI6IQurVbw&sig2=ahw21rPMRr86BvbcOiC-GQ

Its a link to a PDF that is talking about active adapters while 100 percent sure if its the same model is sure looks close (aside from the color) and in there they are saying its active.

 

[COLGeek]

Appears to be passive. Also, for Eyefinity to work, all 3 monitors need to be at the same resolution. See this link for caveats:

http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/amd-eyefinity-technology/how-to/Pages/faqs.aspx

 

[johnyct9760]

Now I'm going to be using this for graphic design more then 3D gaming would that make a difference? Cause I was under the impression the that Eyefinity feature is for 3 monitors working in a single game. I would really use it for Photoshop and the like.

I have an idea, would a good way to test the all 3 monitors at the same resolution is the problem be trying to turn them all down to 800 x 600

 

[COLGeek]

Which 2 ports are the ones that work properly?

 

[dechy]

I've recently had to deal with this exact scenario; looking at your adapter, it's definitely not active. Monitors that as DisplayPort ready already have the "active bit" inside the monitor and work fine on a passive cable, any other monitor without specifically saying they are Displayport ready will need an active adapter, they are a good bit pricier than passive adapters.

For OS related viewing, you can run each monitor at their native resolution (so if you had 19, 22, & 24", you could run 1280x1024, 1680x1050 & 1920x1080 perfectly fine on the same card)

For games though, it has to be a single VERY high resolution (like 5040x1050 if you had 3 x 22").

The card I used for this was a Gigabyte 5450, 2x 23" @ 1680x1050 and a 19" @ 1280x1024. One of the 23" monitors is connected to the Displayport Active adapter; straight cable/passive adapter did NOT work! (the adapter in question I used was http://canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=98_106&item_id=034888 ) And no, this card definitely can't play more than Flash games lol, but it is intended for managing/monitoring AD

Hope that helps!

 

[johnyct9760]

Which 2 ports are the ones that work properly?

Well actually I get to select what to ports are active when I go to display properties if I disable say the right most monitor and then turn on the left most monitor in that panel it does it with out a hitch. Currently I have selected the DVI monitor and the HDMI monitor (really more of placement on my physical desk top then any thing else, I've worked with 2 monitors for years and I'm used to look over to the right to see my second display, the newest and display port connected monitor is to the left)

So I guess all the ports are working but at this current time the only 2 that are displaying (by choice) are the HDMI and DVI connected monitors.

 

[johnyct9760]

I've recently had to deal with this exact scenario; looking at your adapter, it's definitely not active. Monitors that as DisplayPort ready already have the "active bit" inside the monitor and work fine on a passive cable, any other monitor without specifically saying they are Displayport ready will need an active adapter, they are a good bit pricier than passive adapters.

For OS related viewing, you can run each monitor at their native resolution (so if you had 19, 22, & 24", you could run 1280x1024, 1680x1050 & 1920x1080 perfectly fine on the same card)

For games though, it has to be a single VERY high resolution (like 5040x1050 if you had 3 x 22").

The card I used for this was a Gigabyte 5450, 2x 23" @ 1680x1050 and a 19" @ 1280x1024. One of the 23" monitors is connected to the Displayport Active adapter; straight cable/passive adapter did NOT work! (the adapter in question I used was http://canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=98_106&item_id=034888 ) And no, this card definitely can't play more than Flash games lol, but it is intended for managing/monitoring AD

Hope that helps!

Thanks for weighing in Dechy!

So just to kind of repeat back the essence of your post to reaffirm that I understand:
You were having the same problem, using a passive display port adapter wouldn't work. I have to find an active display port adapter (more expensive) to get OS viewing to work.

I also want to make clear that the display port adapter has a DVI adapter on the end of it as well and running into a DVI inlet on the back of the monitor the monitor has both inlets for both DVI and HDMI. But I'm thinking to remove a unneeded piece of the puzzle I'm going to return the DVI adapter on the end of the Display Adapters and just run and ACTIVE display port adapter through and HDMI cable.

 

[johnyct9760]

I'm starting to see a plan of action come together:

Its looking like I should return my current display port adapter (passive) and the DVI adapter.

And buy and active display port to DVI adapter to, I had this one in mind:

http://www.buy.com/prod/visiontek-active-video-cable-displayport-dvi-for-audio-video-device/221291809.html

To clarify I have diagrammed out my current setup:

And the suggested setup based on what I have learned from everyone thus far:

Does this look right?

 

[COLGeek]

Yep, you need an active DP adapter. It is a timing issue across the 3 interfaces that requires it.

 

[johnyct9760]

Will this one do the trick Col?

http://www.buy.com/prod/visiontek-active-video-cable-displayport-dvi-for-audio-video-device/221291809.html?adid=18094&siteID=je6NUbpObpQ-orGX6FilUEy6T.RgNEsuCQ

 

[COLGeek]

Yes, it should work.

 

[johnyct9760]

Parts ordered I will let you guys know in a few days how it all turned out, Until then thanks so much for the help your life savers!

 

[johnyct9760]

Worked like a charm thank you sooooooo much to everyone that helped! x 100

 

[johnyct9760]

Best answer selected by johnyct9760.