Eyefinity confusion...

[greenmoose]

Hi All, this is my first post so go easy...

I'm looking to upgrade my HD4870X2 to a 5870.. mainly to bring the power consumption down but i'd also like to be able to use the 3 monitor hookups.. for the purposes of this query this is mainly for productivity work and not eyefinity (i game on a single panel)..

The models i'm looking at come with 2xDVI 1xHDMI and 1xDP. I realise i cant use both DVI's and the HDMI due to hardware limitations, however.. is it possible to use 1xDVI, 1xHDMI and a VGA adaptor on the second DVI to enable 3 monitor output?

Also i seem to remember seeing reported somewhere there was a 5870 card made by someone that DOES allow use of 3xDVI/HDMI.. but i cant find it now, i may have dreamt it?!

I've got money burning a hole in my pocket for some new hardware and its hot hot hot.. someone help!

Kris

 

[blastingcap]

No. Gotta use the DP for the third monitor. DP->ACTIVE DVI adapter (~$100 for dual-link, or ~$30 for single-link but that only works up to 1920x1200x3) or DP->VGA adapter (~$30, and typically has the 1920x1200x3 limit as well; all DP->VGA adapters are active.)

Sapphire did make a single-link DVI card, the 5770 FLEX edition (http://lanoc.org/review/hardware/video-cards/4200-sapphire-hd5770-flex), but once again, that only goes up to 1920x1200x3 and thus if you have 3x30" monitors you will have to use a DP->ACTIVE DVI Dual-Link adapter for ~$100.

Possibly the HD6xxx series may have hardware that gets around the above issue.

Hi All, this is my first post so go easy...

I'm looking to upgrade my HD4870X2 to a 5870.. mainly to bring the power consumption down but i'd also like to be able to use the 3 monitor hookups.. for the purposes of this query this is mainly for productivity work and not eyefinity (i game on a single panel)..

The models i'm looking at come with 2xDVI 1xHDMI and 1xDP. I realise i cant use both DVI's and the HDMI due to hardware limitations, however.. is it possible to use 1xDVI, 1xHDMI and a VGA adaptor on the second DVI to enable 3 monitor output?

Also i seem to remember seeing reported somewhere there was a 5870 card made by someone that DOES allow use of 3xDVI/HDMI.. but i cant find it now, i may have dreamt it?!

I've got money burning a hole in my pocket for some new hardware and its hot hot hot.. someone help!

Kris

 

[jackstar7]

What Blast said is all correct. Do you already have the 3 monitors? What rez?

If you don't have all threee, then it could be worth it to spend a little time picking up a monitor with a DP port. There are several of varying panels out there.

 

[Ben90]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3879/active-singlelink-displayport-adaptors-available-soon

Single link DVI has the bandwidth for 1920x1200@60hz

 

[greenmoose]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I've got 3 monitors, 2x28" 1920x1200 and 1x46" 1920x1080.. basically i want my dual monitor setup to work while chucking video out to the TV.. to be honest it might be as easy for me to stick another graphics card in! i just wanted the power saving of of the 5000 series as my 4870x2 is a power sucker even at idle!

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Well you can get an HD 5870 and the required adapter for your setup (mentioned above) or you can wait and see what the HD 6000 series will offer.

What you want to do is feasible and any option is really just as easy as others. You will get pretty significant power savings with the HD 5870. The HD 6800 series should give you even more power savings.