For those of you lucky enough to have eyefinity...

[konakona]

A quick question here, is it possible to set separate refresh rates per monitor?

Those emachines 22'' monitors look sweet at $150 + tax for a pair, definitely doable price-wise. The thing is, I am using a 22'' diamondtron as a main monitor at the moment. Eventually I would be moving to something like a 32'' LCD TV, only when I move. Until then, I will hold onto this CRT in good shape as long as I can. Obviously, trying to play a game in 60hz on a CRT would be a total pain in the ass (literally). Just wondering if this setup (2 LCD on sides, 1 center CRT) would work for eyefinity. If not, I will just wait till I get an LCD thanks!

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

It should work just fine but you'll need a displayport converter.

 

[konakona]

It should work just fine but you'll need a displayport converter.

thanks for a quick answer, much appreciated. Can you assign any monitor any input? (e.g. displayport to left, center or right and so on)

 

[Aaluran]

I don't actually own an eyefinity system (or will any time soon), but from what I've read you can arrange your windows any way you like (including rotating them if you want) regardless of where you physically plugged them into the card..

 

[faxon]

the biggest problem i see you running into is the fact that all the monitors in an eyefinity setup have to be run at the same resolution, and running a 4:3 CRT with a 16:10 or 16:9 LCD is going to leave you with some huge gaps between images. on the flipside, you do NOT want to get a 4:3 LCD, as it kind of defeats the purpose of eyefinity lol

 

[soccerballtux]

the biggest problem i see you running into is the fact that all the monitors in an eyefinity setup have to be run at the same resolution, and running a 4:3 CRT with a 16:10 or 16:9 LCD is going to leave you with some huge gaps between images. on the flipside, you do NOT want to get a 4:3 LCD, as it kind of defeats the purpose of eyefinity lol

Wait what?
So I have a 24" display 1920x1200, but everybody's moving to this 1080P standard.

 

[mazeroth]

Wait what?
So I have a 24" display 1920x1200, but everybody's moving to this 1080P standard.

Where do you get that from???

 

[exar333]

Wait what?
So I have a 24" display 1920x1200, but everybody's moving to this 1080P standard.

I am not moving to 1080P...

 

[gorobei]

i suspect the current eyefinity/drivers wont work the way you hope with the crt.

two WS lcd with a 4:3 crt is going to have all kinds of trouble. assuming you set the crt as center at a 4:3 res, the side monitors will have to be at some 4:3 res which will introduce pixel scaling (horizontal stretching) or some sort of 1:1 pixel scale which will put the image in the center with giant black bars around it which will really break the wide field illusion more so than thick bezels.

 

[MarcVenice]

Ya, with a 4:3 crt you're kinda screwed. Also, the ACTIVE displayport-adapter is going to cost you some 80 dollars, maybe even 100 dollars.

Personaly, I've been playing around with eyefinity a lot at work, and although I like it, I havent actually pulled the trigger yet, on three P2310H's, which have displayport.

It would cost me roughly 600 euro's and although it's cool and works pretty well with most games I play, I'm afraid I'll get bored with it to fast, not playing enough games etc. Also, for work 3 screens sounds nice, but I actually also have a 3 screen eyefinity setup for my office pc, with a single U2410, and two 20" generic dells, and I find myself using 2 screens most of the time, instead of 3. Sometimes the third screen is convenient, but I don't think I would really miss it if someone took it away.

 

[konakona]

lol yeah, it's starting to sound like it was wishful thinking at best given my current situation. I get a feeling a super niche setup like that would never get addressed properly, now or later.

Those two 22 inchers for $150 + tax sounded like doable, then with the displayport adapter and all, cost alone is a bit too steep (the 5850 does not come free either )

In the end, I second what Marc has said in his reply, not sure if the cost and hassle is justified though it really has that coolness factor.

 

[konakona]

DP

 

[soccerballtux]

Where do you get that from???

If people want EyeFinity, they're not going to go buy 2 more 1920x1200 displays for $250 each when they could just buy 3 of this display for $225.

 

[Throckmorton]

Ditch the CRT, problem solved

 

[konakona]

Ditch the CRT, problem solved

No, why would I? It is free as is, as in no cost incurred. Superior visuals (in criteria I care about, anyway) to boot. I would do it if my life and world peace depended on it, but like I said eyefinity is marginal to me. The only reason I was considering it is just because there were cheap displays available good enough as secondary screens; replacing the main display is a whole different story and something I definitely won't do.

Please note that I have thought through about my monitor upgrade path, and hence phrased my question in a very specific way. Sorry if I didn't make it very clear that in my personal situation it simply does not make any sense at all to get a nice new monitor NOW, at least something as good as the current one (unless I can live without warranty, maybe you could not me). Eventually I will get a new monitor, but not right now. Not when I know for fact I will be moving out far, far away where the new monitor (if purchased now) is not covered by the warranty.

I am sure you were trying to help me out, but there were no "problems" to speak of. It was just a quick check to see if eyefinity is worth it more than anything.

 

[konakona]

If people want EyeFinity, they're not going to go buy 2 more 1920x1200 displays for $250 each when they could just buy 3 of this display for $225.

Same here, basically the gist of the inquiry in the OP. If it involves replacing good monitors already in use, I would not do it. I simply don't see myself playing using enough of it to justify the tradeoffs (in case I get a cheap one), or substantially higher cost.