Power up 6 4K displays

[etalamantes7]

Hello everyone,

I need help configuring a machine powerful enough to run 6 4k displays. They will not be used for gaming or any graphic intensive stuff. They will be used to display information only. The monitors we will be using are 65" Samsung TV's.

Please help!

 

[geofelt]

What kind of inputs do these particular TV's have?

 

[etalamantes7]

What kind of inputs do these particular TV's have?

They all have HDMI

 

[basroil]

If they all have the same information showing, I highly suggest a 4K splitter. They go for about $200-600 for that many ports, but it'll be cheaper than getting a video card capable of all that information.

If not, you'll need a MST hub or card with 6x DP, and then 6 DP to HDMI active converter cables

 

[etalamantes7]

If they all have the same information showing, I highly suggest a 4K splitter. They go for about $200-600 for that many ports, but it'll be cheaper than getting a video card capable of all that information.

If not, you'll need a MST hub or card with 6x DP, and then 6 DP to HDMI active converter cables

Unfortunately, they will all be displaying different information. I would need to span them all across on one wall if that makes sense.

 

[Hlsgsz]

This is what you want: https://www.amazon.com/Matrox-C680-E2GBF-Full-height%252c-Outstanding-Performance/dp/B00NJG6K3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471361235&sr=8-1&keywords=Matrox+C680

You will only be gettign 30Hz in 4K though, and that is only if the TVs can actually handle 4k input through HDMI.

 

[13thmonkey]

I don't see why something like 2x 1060 or maybe even 970 can't do 3 4k displays each, in fact tweaktown regularly test 3x4k, but the performance is not relevant, just displaying 'windows' they'll do just fine.

 

[Hlsgsz]

I don't see why something like 2x 1060 or maybe even 970 can't do 3 4k displays each, in fact tweaktown regularly test 3x4k, but the performance is not relevant, just displaying 'windows' they'll do just fine.

THis is probably a professional situation, in which case you don't want the hassle. Theres a reason Matrox still makes money

 

[13thmonkey]

selling overpriced cards?

 

[Hlsgsz]

selling overpriced cards?

Well you could put it like that. But their stuff is actually highly regarded for professional stuff.

 

[ThomasLeong]

This is what you want: https://www.amazon.com/Matrox-C680-E2GBF-Full-height%252c-Outstanding-Performance/dp/B00NJG6K3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471361235&sr=8-1&keywords=Matrox+C680

You will only be gettign 30Hz in 4K though, and that is only if the TVs can actually handle 4k input through HDMI.

Actually that Matrox card is an OEM product from AMD, and a 'copy' of the AMD Firepro W600. Not sure if per output supports 4K. Doing 6 x full HD Windows/text stuff may be ok. 6 x full HD videos may be problematic in a pro playback situation...since it has only 2GB of VRAM, etc. A more guaranteed 6x4K per output card would be the AMD Firepro W9100 as a minimum...about USD3,000+, and ACTIVE miniDP1.2-HDMI 1.4 adapters from, say, Accell, which supports 4K formats.

That's the graphics card. The machine should be an X99 LGA2011-3 and one of the top i7 - 6800K, 6850K, 6900K or the very top 6950X.

 

[Thomassie2000]

you could wait a bit for the new firepro's to come. those use m2 ssd's as vram and if you add 120gb vram it should be able to handle those screens..

 

[basroil]

you could wait a bit for the new firepro's to come. those use m2 ssd's as vram and if you add 120gb vram it should be able to handle those screens..

You don't need anywhere near that much, 6x4K at 12bit is only ~600mb using double buffer. Getting an AMD R9 390 8GB will net you everything you need, 6x4K (over DP, converted to HDMI with active converter) and enough processing power to make half of them show fairly good graphics.

 

[basroil]

Unfortunately, they will all be displaying different information. I would need to span them all across on one wall if that makes sense.

The cheapest way will be to simply get 6x intel compute sticks, each is ~$125 and can drive a single 4K display. Simply have the information necessary sent over the network as usual and each monitor acting independently on it. Much cheaper than the $650 matrox+$400+ computer needed for a non-distributed system!

 

[13thmonkey]

you could wait a bit for the new firepro's to come. those use m2 ssd's as vram and if you add 120gb vram it should be able to handle those screens..

I assume you are trying to be funny?

 

[13thmonkey]

Unfortunately, they will all be displaying different information. I would need to span them all across on one wall if that makes sense.

The cheapest way will be to simply get 6x intel compute sticks, each is ~$125 and can drive a single 4K display. Simply have the information necessary sent over the network as usual and each monitor acting independently on it. Much cheaper than the $650 matrox+$400+ computer needed for a non-distributed system!

curious as to how you would create a spanned display, or even just how you would control what is being shown from a central location? honestly curious.

 

[Hlsgsz]

Unfortunately, they will all be displaying different information. I would need to span them all across on one wall if that makes sense.

The cheapest way will be to simply get 6x intel compute sticks, each is ~$125 and can drive a single 4K display. Simply have the information necessary sent over the network as usual and each monitor acting independently on it. Much cheaper than the $650 matrox+$400+ computer needed for a non-distributed system!

curious as to how you would create a spanned display, or even just how you would control what is being shown from a central location? honestly curious.

Same here.

 

[13thmonkey]

This is what you want: https://www.amazon.com/Matrox-C680-E2GBF-Full-height%252c-Outstanding-Performance/dp/B00NJG6K3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471361235&sr=8-1&keywords=Matrox+C680

You will only be gettign 30Hz in 4K though, and that is only if the TVs can actually handle 4k input through HDMI.

Actually that Matrox card is an OEM product from AMD, and a 'copy' of the AMD Firepro W600. Not sure if per output supports 4K. Doing 6 x full HD Windows/text stuff may be ok. 6 x full HD videos may be problematic in a pro playback situation...since it has only 2GB of VRAM, etc. A more guaranteed 6x4K per output card would be the AMD Firepro W9100 as a minimum...about USD3,000+, and ACTIVE miniDP1.2-HDMI 1.4 adapters from, say, Accell, which supports 4K formats.

That's the graphics card. The machine should be an X99 LGA2011-3 and one of the top i7 - 6800K, 6850K, 6900K or the very top 6950X.

or try it on a pair of 970's or even 960's for $400 total (assuming you have the machine. This is assuming no video, though I have no idea of decode overhead given it is very low for 1080p.

 

[basroil]

[code="java"]

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curious as to how you would create a spanned display, or even just how you would control what is being shown from a central location? honestly curious.

He never said he needed "spanned display", he said he was going to "span them across a wall", which means a completely different thing. The control method is very simple and what 99% of places do anyway, have a decent control program built in and read off an RSS feed (or other similar local internet based feed). I'm assuming by "display information only" he means put out dates and time, menus, etc, so network control should be easy enough anyone with three weeks of web programming can do.

 

[13thmonkey]

[code="java"]

[/code]
curious as to how you would create a spanned display, or even just how you would control what is being shown from a central location? honestly curious.

He never said he needed "spanned display", he said he was going to "span them across a wall", which means a completely different thing. The control method is very simple and what 99% of places do anyway, have a decent control program built in and read off an RSS feed (or other similar local internet based feed). I'm assuming by "display information only" he means put out dates and time, menus, etc, so network control should be easy enough anyone with three weeks of web programming can do.

No offence was intended, the OP has been a little quiet, and do you need 4k for that kind of output? If you are getting to the density of information that requires 4k, you're going to be only feet away from them.

 

[basroil]

No offence was intended, the OP has been a little quiet, and do you need 4k for that kind of output? If you are getting to the density of information that requires 4k, you're going to be only feet away from them.

There's a few like that I see every day. Info density is definitely an issue, as in they put too much stuff for anyone to clearly read from more than a few feet away 😉

 

[13thmonkey]

It might be that cheap 4k, is a similar enough price to 1080p not to be bothered by the difference and future proof it a little.

 

[ThomasLeong]

Per the OP, they are 65" monitors, so 4K would about be just right. Besides in Windows, one always has the option to enlarge the displayed fonts, etc. For my age and eyesight, I do even though I'm only about 12"+ from my 1080 monitors. Makes working easier.

The other aspect with professional graphics card like the AMD Firepro series is the driver. Reliable with much less update cycles. For a business and professional situation, reboot is an undesirable option. For example, in my situation - large screen multi-displays/projection - when one has a live audience of 500 - 3000 people (more if I can land a nice large project, eg. in an open air stadium), reboot is not an option if I want to get paid.

Generally, I would not advice a client to go for 6 outputs from one machine, and recommend 4 outputs max from one machine. So if 6 is required, then 2 machines with 3 outputs each. This puts less stress on each machine over long hours of operation, and one can lower each machine's specs slightly. In my case, ethernet is used to link between the master control machine and the multiple fullscreen display machines. It all depends on the Master Control software - whether it can 'talk' to slave machines via ethernet.

 

[etalamantes7]

Hey everyone,

This is what I decided to build to display what I need. I am almost certain it will work and hopeful that it does..

Intel core i7 6700k
Corsair 16GB DDR4 Platinum
Asus GTX 970 w/4GB in SLi
Corsair AX860 PSU

Thoughts?

 

[basroil]

Hey everyone,

This is what I decided to build to display what I need. I am almost certain it will work and hopeful that it does..

Intel core i7 6700k
Corsair 16GB DDR4 Platinum
Asus GTX 970 w/4GB in SLi
Corsair AX860 PSU

Thoughts?

Not going to work, SLI doesn't allow additional monitors beyond the initial supported amount. You can run them outside of SLI, but SLI is out of the question