Eye Infinity / Nvidia Surround Question

[UaVaj]

Monitor - 3 Asus VS239P-H 1920x1080
Configuration - Landscape 5760x1080
Video Card - Dual HD 7970 CrossFire

currently have a gtx580 (love it) and wanted to add another gtx580 for dual sli or go two gtx680 for dual sli. then found out that with "SLI Enabled", nvidia only support: 2 monitor in extended mode (pretty pathetic of nvidia and not interested in adding a third card) and 3 monitor in surround mode.

so jumping ship and going with amd. base on my reading. with "CrossFire Enabled", amd supports up to 6 monitor in both extended mode and in surround mode. monitor 1 and montor 2 connects to any of the output on card 1. monitor 3/4/5/6 to the displayport on card 1.


question. note - sli or crossfire is always ENABLED - so power of both GPU can be harness at all times.

1. with games that do not utilize the full resolution of 3 monitor (only center monitor is used) or when I only want play on one center monitor. can the other two side monitor be used for desktop task simultaneously?

 

[BrightCandle]

I can't speak for the 580 but the 680s when paired up support 3 screens very well. Nvidias surround mode is so good in windows I never swap out of it, not for games using a single monitor nor for desktop work. Its not quite extended mode but its so close that you really don't need it.

The same is not true on the 7970s, with those I had to swap profiles continuously. I also had to remake the extended and eyefinity profiles repeatedly on driver upgrades which gets boring quite quickly as they don't always work. Its also notable that starting a game when in the wrong profile really messes things up. You can make catalyst apply profiles automatically but it often doesn't detect games due to launchers etc so you end up switching profiles by hand.

In practice Nvidias solution is better IMO.

As to the desktop usage thing the only way to use it is to run windowed. Some games do support running in that mode but only Nvidia cards and sli works windowed, crossfire does not. But if by use you simply mean see then AMD has the edge because in extended monitor mode the game is on centre and the two side screens show what was on them. Its sometimes messed up after the game resolution change but you will get used to that and place apps appropriately. Nvidia however in surround will just send no signal to the side monitors.

 

[Keysplayr]

I've used GTX570SLI and GTX590 (for the 5xx series) in surround mode. It wasn't just extending the desktop but added to it in both cases.

Maybe this will help.
http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/3dvision-surround/system-requirements

 

[UaVaj]

in a nutshell. i simply want to migrate two monitor usage to three monitor. want to keep it simple as possible.



crossfire or sli enabled 101% of the time.

1. if a game can take advantage of all three monitor. obviously all three get used.

2. if a game only take advantage of center monitor (not all game are surround capable). simply allow the two side monitors to continue to recieve signal for desktop stuff (of course alt tab to access) and don't mess up the icons either.

3. for desktop usage. definitely in extended mode (3 monitor for three window functionality).



is this too much to ask for?
i simply want to set it up one and forget about it. just has to work.

 

[BrightCandle]

Doesn't exist from either company. Sorry you can't have it.

NVidia surround will give you 1, some of 2 and 90% of 3.
NVidia extended will equally give you 2 and 3 but not 1.
AMD eyefinity profile will give you 1 not 2 and not 3.
AMD extended will give you 2 and 3 but not 1.

The all of it without swapping profiles doesn't exist.

 

[KingFatty]

I use AMD eyefinity, and just use the windows key + P shortcut that's built into windows, to switch between when I want mode 1 or not.

So I think with eyefinity, you can get 1, 2, and 3 if you are willing to press win+p to use the built-in windows toggle between eyefinity and extended.

 

[UaVaj]

bright candle - i think you are suggesting a third video card for that 90% of 3.
my understanding is with "SLI ENABLED" (which it will be 101% of the time). that means 2 display only. not interested in a third card.
http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/sli/faq#s1

kingfatty - windows key + p sound like a winner. I can live with that.
according to AMD. with "CF ENABLED". i can still have up to 6 monitors.
http://www.amd.com/us/products/tech...y/how-to/Pages/faqs.aspx#crossfire-technology




my biggest gripe is the fact that when CF or SLI is "enabled" - i am limited to 2 monitor with nvidia. so unless someone has something else to add (something like the nvidia 700 series got me covered). nvidia just lost a loyal customer since the introduction of the RivaTNT. ordering a pair of 7970 tonight. perhap i will reconsider nvidia when the 800 series comes out. hopefuly by then nvidia got it straight.

 

[Keysplayr]

The link I provided plainly states that 4xx SLI or better gives 3 monitor surround in both gaming and the desktop. So, not really sure why you keep saying only 2 monitors are supported. Wires are officially crossed.

 

[UaVaj]

Keysplayr - think you are confusing surround mode and extended mode.


http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/sli/faq#s1

then link i posted clearly states that when "SLI ENABLED" it default down to two monitors which are connected to card #1. the third monitor on card #2 get no signal. this is in extended mode. aka desktop mode.


http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/3dvision-surround/system-requirements

as for you link. this is in surround mode. aka game mode. if the game is capable of using 5760x1080. you get surround with 3 monitor. OTOH if the game is not capable of using 5760x1080. then what?





you have a pair of 680 sli. forget what is on nvidia website. tell us your actual experience.

it would be grateful if you could answer the questions in post #4.
that will be the nail in the coffin.

 

[KingFatty]

I'll defer to Keysplayr on this, but any additional info is welcome. I'm still deciding which card I'll upgrade to when Haswell comes out, so I have a long time to collect info, so any help is appreciated!

 

[Keysplayr]

Keysplayr - think you are confusing surround mode and extended mode.


http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/sli/faq#s1

then link i posted clearly states that when "SLI ENABLED" it default down to two monitors which are connected to card #1. the third monitor on card #2 get no signal. this is in extended mode. aka desktop mode.


http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/3dvision-surround/system-requirements

as for you link. this is in surround mode. aka game mode. if the game is capable of using 5760x1080. you get surround with 3 monitor. OTOH if the game is not capable of using 5760x1080. then what?





you have a pair of 680 sli. forget what is on nvidia website. tell us your actual experience.

it would be grateful if you could answer the questions in post #4.
that will be the nail in the coffin.

Ah I see. You ask far too much. Not all games support wide screen gaming. I'll give you a quick example. I LOVE Call of Duty (the original) and CoD2. It's my super legacy game that will never die.
I tried playing CoD2 in surround (not 3D, just surround on 3 monitors). Everything Stretched so badly it was not even close to playable. I had to use a 3rd party app called widescreen fixer to run it and not be stretched or squished. Still didn't look quite right.

I'm afraid you're going to have to actually use the tools at your disposal if you want to play a game only on 1 monitor and have the two outer monitors the regular desktop. In order to utilize surround, SLI has to be enabled on 4xx or 5xx GPUs. The 680 can do surround all by itself with a 4th accessory monitor for windows desktop use.

What you want is to have SLI enabled 24/7 and have every game you play that doesn't support surround/eyefinity gaming only play on the center screen while you have windows desktop on the side monitors. You'll have to disable SLI and configure each monitor independently.

Brightcandle above was on the right track.

 

[KingFatty]

Does the Win+P thing work for NVidia, say to toggle between surround mode and extended or other modes? I haven't tested that, but I'm hoping it will seeing how it's a windows thing and not a brand-specific hotkey. Anyone try that can speak to your results?

 

[BrightCandle]

I don't seem to have a similar way to set profiles on Nvidia in the same way.

In surround full sli is enables for both 3 monitor and single monitor gaming and windowed gaming. So you can have both worlds working perfectly with surround and still see your side monitors with windowed. You couldn't have the main game game full screen and see the side monitors but that shouldn't be a big deal. So all in all you can get it all working without profile switching.

But the problem is actually that surround mode on Nvidia under Windows is almost right but not quite. Some apps when they maximize go to all three monitors (steam). The other problem is that full screening video goes to 3 screens as well instead of just one. But when you think about it this is what you told it to do! So its not perfect but its also so close to it that I don't ever swap out of it. Having owned both honestly I much prefer how this works on Nvidia, its hard to state just how much FAFF AMD is with its profiles and the amount of maintenance they take.

 

[Durvelle27]

If you ask me i suggest AMD Eyefinity as its supported in a wide range of games and the AMD HD 7000 Series does amazing at high resolutions

 

[mizzou]

been running eyefinity on 3x 17" old square LCD's and I love it. I've thought about tossing them and going with one large widescreen LCD...but having an effective 4112x1024 makes me spoiled with horizontal gaming space

 

[Final8ty]

I don't seem to have a similar way to set profiles on Nvidia in the same way.

In surround full sli is enables for both 3 monitor and single monitor gaming and windowed gaming. So you can have both worlds working perfectly with surround and still see your side monitors with windowed. You couldn't have the main game game full screen and see the side monitors but that shouldn't be a big deal. So all in all you can get it all working without profile switching.

But the problem is actually that surround mode on Nvidia under Windows is almost right but not quite. Some apps when they maximize go to all three monitors (steam). The other problem is that full screening video goes to 3 screens as well instead of just one. But when you think about it this is what you told it to do! So its not perfect but its also so close to it that I don't ever swap out of it. Having owned both honestly I much prefer how this works on Nvidia, its hard to state just how much FAFF AMD is with its profiles and the amount of maintenance they take.

Again your generalising your issue with AMD profiles as if everyone is going to have the same as you just as you do with your AMD CF experience.

I have already showed others how to successfully set Extended and Eyefinity Hotkeys and switch at OCUK.

 

[UaVaj]

I. clone mode:
this one is self explanatory. all monitor display the same thing. (just putting it here incase someone ask).

II. extended mode:
(a) all 3 monitor are independent of each other working as a group side by side. the math: 1920x1080 + 1920x1080 + 1920x1080 and no bezel compensation.
(b) maximize a program in one monitor and it only stretch in that particular monitor.
(c) run a windowed program and you can put it in any monitor you want. simultaneously while the two other monitors is recieving desktop signal.
(d) run a non-windowed program and it will default to running on monitor #1. simultaneously while the two other monitors is recieving desktop signal.


III. surround mode or eye-infinity mode is:
(a) all 3 monitor combines as one big monitor. the math: 5760x1080 and optional bezel compensation available. window taskbar default across all three monitors. start menu is on left screen.
(b) maximize a program and it stretches across all three screen.
(c) run a windowed program and you can put it in any monitor you want. simultaneously while the two other monitors is recieving desktop signal.
(d) run a non-windowed program and it will default to run on all three monitor. (d1) for program that do supports 5760x1080 (48:9). all three monitor gets used. (d2) for program that does not support 5760x1080 (48:9). i.e. old school starcraft with 4:3 ratio. (d2.1) depending on bios/driver settings - the program will stretch itself to fill 5760x1080 making it inoperable. (d2.2) depending on bios/driver settings - the program will centered its self maintaining its aspect ratio. when this happens, the program will be displayed on the centered monitor with black bars on each side to compensate for unused space, also the two side monitor will become full black bars compensating more unused space.




my findings. please make correction if needed.

single gpu amd
extended - up to 6 monitor
surround - up to 6 monitor

crossfire enabled
extended - up to 6 monitor
surround - up to 6 monitor


single gpu nvidia (6xx series)
extended - up to 2 monitor (achilles heel)
surround - up to 4 monitor

sli enabled (6xx series)
extended - up to 2 monitor (achilles heel)
surround - up to 4 monitor

(2xx/4xx/5xx series) support is even worst. again. hopefully this is cure in 7xx series. if not. 8xx series better be.

 

[Final8ty]

In extended mode you can Maximize to fill one screen and drag it to fill all 3.
Personally i leave my task bar on the left screen.

Both AMD and NV allow you to fix the centering of the taskbar in EYE/Surr

 

[UaVaj]

IMHO - in a multi tasking world.

windows should be run in extended mode 95% of the time.

for that 5% when you want to run a program that do supports surround/eye-infinity. the in-program setting should automatically enabled surround/eye-infinity and run on all three monitor so it is transparent to the end-user.

once exit the program. the desktop should automatically revert to extended mode. just like on dual monitor setup. simple do the same on 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 12 monitors.



i can deal with the hot key profile from amd.

final8ty - can you link that tutorial and if not due to forum rules. at least give the title of the thread so I can easily find it.

for single monitor - nvidia all the way.
for multi-monitor support - nvidia needs to mature. amd is a much better alternative.

 

[Final8ty]

IMHO - in a multi tasking world.

windows should be run in extended mode 95% of the time.

for that 5% when you want to run a program that do supports surround/eye-infinity. the in-program setting should automatically enabled surround/eye-infinity and run on all three monitor so it is transparent to the end-user.

once exit the program. the desktop should automatically revert to extended mode. just like on dual monitor setup. simple do the same on 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 12 monitors.



i can deal with the hot key profile from amd.

final8ty - can you link that tutorial and if not due to forum rules. at least give the title of the thread so I can easily find it.

for single monitor - nvidia all the way.
for multi-monitor support - nvidia needs to mature. amd is a much better alternative.

I run in PLP Extended mode 99% of the time.
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3797/dsc00020xt.jpg

Read through to mine and as was mentioned the windows key + p is sometimes is easier, Duplicate= Eyefinity when using windows key + p, but only once you have actually made an Eyefinity group, i prefer the CCC way.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18361533

This may help for other issues.
Sometimes Vsync will not work if the Primary is not Number one.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=19495375&postcount=16

 

[BrightCandle]

NVidia's surround mode doesn't work the same way. You can have it maximise games to either 1920x1080 or 5760x1080 and have the same be true in Windows as well. So actually the same mode does both things in NVidia, it simulates the extended mode from within its surround mode. AMD on the other hand requires changes to the profile, but in the process does a better job of supporting both types of operation.

So you can have 4 monitors in surround mode that acts like extended mode within Windows except for the 2 examples I gave before where it does something different.

 

[Final8ty]

I forgot to mention HydraVision which can be used to set grid boundaries, Maximize boundaries to apps in Extended and Eyefinty as well as having multiple desktops.

 

[supremor]

What you want is to have SLI enabled 24/7 and have every game you play that doesn't support surround/eyefinity gaming only play on the center screen while you have windows desktop on the side monitors. You'll have to disable SLI and configure each monitor independently.

Brightcandle above was on the right track.

As a 670 SLI + Surround user I can confirm this, for games that don't play well with surround you can use the center only but the side monitors will go into standby mode and there is no way around this short of turning off SLI and using the cards+monitors independently each time you want to play a game on just the center.

 

[Final8ty]

As a 670 SLI + Surround user I can confirm this, for games that don't play well with surround you can use the center only but the side monitors will go into standby mode and there is no way around this short of turning off SLI and using the cards+monitors independently each time you want to play a game on just the center.

So you cant have Extended in SLI mode and play just in the Center and have the others in desktop ?

 

[BrightCandle]

So you cant have Extended in SLI mode and play just in the Center and have the others in desktop ?

Correct you can't do that.