Radeon 6970 x2 crossfire, unable to add 3rd monitor

[jfmorrison]

Hello,
I have 2 Radeon 6970 and the cross fire bridge. I am unable to have the 3rd display function properly. I can switch the position of the cards and the monitor outputs and they all work in dual display perfectly. Unfortunately, I am unable to get the 3rd to work. Any help is appreciated.

 

[purple stain]

Are you trying to do Eyefinity or just Duplicate all the monitors?

Are you using a mini-hdmi adapter?

 

[jfmorrison]

At the moment, I am just trying to get windows to recognize the 3rd monitor. I'd like to use Eyefinity for surround gaming. I am using HDMI and DVI cables but not display port or mini HDMI. When I plug the 3rd monitor in to the primary card windows makes the "device attached" sound.

FWIW the monitors are a Hanns-G HZ281HPB 27.5 and 2 ASUS VH226H 21.5. I have tried it with 3 Hanns-G HZ281HPB 27.5 (all 1080p, all iterations of DVI/HDMI).

 

[purple stain]

Your gonna need a Mini-HDMI to DVI/VGA adapter.You can't use regular HDMI outputs in Eyefinity for some reason, only the Mini-HDMI.

Need something like this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999034

 

[jfmorrison]

Neither of my cards have mini-HDMI output. They have 1 HDMI, 2 DVI (1 is dual link), and 2 mini-display port outputs.

 

[ilysaml]

for 3rd monitor support for Eyefinity, on of them must have a DisplayPort "said by AMD" so you're gonna need a mini-display port to HDMI/DVI which is included in the box of your GPUs

 

[christop]

I think he meant mini display port and not mini hdmi.

 

[uthmatard]

YOU NEED THE CONTROL CABLE!

 

[ilysaml]

I think he meant mini display port and not mini hdmi.

yes i guess so

 

[purple stain]

Lol.They are the same thing aren't they?

 

[jfmorrison]

I ordered mini display port to HDMI and DVI adapters. If this is a somewhat known issue I'm not happy that ATI doesn't discuss it on their website, nor do they provide the appropriate converters with the cards.

 

[uthmatard]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999034
Do you have this cable?

 

[ilysaml]

Lol.They are the same thing aren't they?

first of all, i have never seen a mini hdmi port in AMD GPU only wish nVidia's.... and somehow Eyefinity requires a Displayport for 3rd monitor you can discuss "why" with AMD

 

[ilysaml]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999034
Do you have this cable?

exactly, and seems so expensive as i get it for free with the GPU + HDMI Cable + DVI/D-sub dongle

 

[purple stain]

Sapphire always packs their cards with goodies,even the low end models.Their should be no reason why any maker wouldn't supply you with all the cables you need when you buying a 6970.

 

[ilysaml]

Sapphire always packs their cards with goodies,even the low end models.Their should be no reason why any maker wouldn't supply you with all the cables you need when you buying a 6970.

XFX doesn't do so

 

[purple stain]

I mean your paying close to $400 for a graphics card.The least they could do is include some extra cables that they know your probably gonna use because you have a really powerful card.Cheap bastards.

 

[jfmorrison]

These are saphire cards 🙁

 

[jfmorrison]

Interesting comment in this thread: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/321653-33-monitor-turn that you can use both DVI, a DVI and an HDMI, or a DVI and a display port.

I have 2 cards installed though. I fully expect to be able to use an HDMI on each or a DVI on two, etc.

The issue, moreover, is that the 2nd card is "dead" to output and the remaining ports on the primary card are dead as well. The card is clearly recognized and I can crossfire it.. I just can't get a display from it..

 

[megamanx00]

You need to use an active display port adapter to use a third monitor.

 

[ilysaml]

DVI is exactly the same as HDMI but without a sound output...
your eyefinity should run as the following 1 monitor VIA regular DVI, 1 monitor VIA HDMI, 1 monitor through the DisplayPort adapter
what do you mean by dead ? if a signle output in the card not functioning you should RMA

 

[Ninja Pants]

You need an ACTIVE display port to DVI cable. Your card should have included a mini DP - DP adaptor as mentioned above to enable the third monitor.

The reason is due to signalling, DVI/HDMI (VGA uses the same clock as well I think) requires a special clock which the cards only provide two of, DP uses a different clock.

Why active over passive? because; passive adapters are merely a cable to go from displayport to DVI/HDMI/VGA, Active adapters, on the other hand, receive a displayport signal from the video card, and convert it to DVI/HDMI/VGA. They include an on-board DAC or video converter with its own signal clock generator.

 

[Ninja Pants]

Interesting comment in this thread: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] nitor-turn that you can use both DVI, a DVI and an HDMI, or a DVI and a display port.

I have 2 cards installed though. I fully expect to be able to use an HDMI on each or a DVI on two, etc.

The issue, moreover, is that the 2nd card is "dead" to output and the remaining ports on the primary card are dead as well. The card is clearly recognized and I can crossfire it.. I just can't get a display from it..

All monitor must be plugged into the one (master) card.

 

[purple stain]

I think he wants to use all the ports on each card.Sorry to say that's not how it is with AMD.You can only use the top card for display output and only certain combination.That's just how it is and how AMD chose to set it up.
It's the same wierd configuration for Nvidia Surround but you have to use 2 cards for it to work.I think like 2 DVI's in the top card and 1 DVI on the bottom or something like that.

 

[Earnie]

I think he wants to use all the ports on each card.Sorry to say that's not how it is with AMD.You can only use the top card for display output and only certain combination.That's just how it is and how AMD chose to set it up.
It's the same wierd configuration for Nvidia Surround but you have to use 2 cards for it to work.I think like 2 DVI's in the top card and 1 DVI on the bottom or something like that.

finally someone said it
all monitors on AMD cards MUST be plugged into primary card only.2 on DVI and one using an active display port