Test: AMD Eyefinity x 3

Hardware & Software

Special requirements for software and hardware, using an AMD Eyefinity solution:

As mentioned, AMD Eyefinity a concept, the consumer builds for his precise and personal needs / budget. Therefore, the only requirements that consumer have for using a Eyefinity solution is:

• A Eyefinity supporting AMD Graphics card
• The numbers of monitors you need and the adaptors as well
• A computer that has the power for an Eyefinity solution
• That any software you want might need to support AMD APP for best performance.
• That the software you need for Eyefinity does support the resolution you want

Requirements for software:

No special requirements here beside from programs and games, of course, they must support the screen resolutions when using Eyefinity. Some of these are rather skewed. Eyefinity runs best on Windows 7. But it does not make sense to run another OS since DirectX-11 as we know, only exists for Windows 7. Small utilities, such as RocketDock I chose to install and set the center of the monitor 2, so I did not have to wring the neck and look on monitor 1 all the time, may be recommended. See below.
 

Under the sections "The Usage of Eyefinity 1-3" is shown examples of software that is built specifically for the AMD APP. If you go for something specific, check the manufacturer's website or on AMD's website Eyefinity (http://www.amd.com/eyefinity).

Examples of things with software and AMD Eyefinity x 3:

UT-3 could not be run in larger screen sizes than 2048x1536 and 2560x1600. Call of Juarez benchmark tool and 3DMark Vantage is not updated for long. They could not see a bigger screen than 1920x1200, or booted with manual enforcement of any kind. The same was true for the game Race Driver GRID - it clonede itself to run on 3 monitors with similar output, although it started up correctly enough in size 2400x600.

For BD-ROM playback software is that this particular must be compatible with Eyefinity, and that you must set the player to NOT turn off Windows Aero from the performance sake (many players do this automatically without we are able to notice it - and some players does not have the option).
 

Here is a little example of a popup windows:

Requirements for hardware:

If you wish to use all AMD's overall functions fully, you have to build up the Eyefinity solution based on a platform consisting of only AMD's products. You need a motherboard with AMD chipset to be able to use the low power function by using the on-board graphics card and only using the big graphics card for games like STALKER:COP or when you operate in Adobe CS5.
 

But that does not mean that Eyefinity can not be used on an Intel-based platform. Since Eyefinity is a comprehensive graphic solution and not a platform, it works excellently with Intel-based PC platforms as well.

Also, there are special requirements for use of disk setup and technology. The graphic artist that gets the gear from their company will of course go for a RAID 0+1 setup with the fastest Solid State Drives. I used a RAID 5+1 in this test, configured in a very special way precisely where graphics performance will bang on the HDDs. See below:
 

Technical requirements for video connectivity using AMD Eyefinity:

Using more than two displays, either an active DisplayPort adapter or monitors with built-in DisplayPort connector is needed. A list of AMD-tested adapters can be found on AMD's website on Eyefinity solution.
 

Do not buy non-Eyefinity certified adapters. There are a lots of active adapters sold that probably works quite as they should, just not in certain parts of Eyefinity. And it actually also depends on the type of port to convert from and to. So check after AMD's Eyefinity website before you buy!

This applies also to monitor cables. They must also be of the right type depending on how and what you want to connect (port type, with or without sound, only with Windows + software, incl. BD-ROM or not, etc.) Read the writer's experiences with the type problems in the bottom of this page.

How a solution can and must be composed purely switching point on screen since quite variable between the Radeon 5000-series and Radeon 6000-series. Technically because the card I used for this test (HiS HD5870 2GB Six Edition with 6 mini DisplayPort outputs) uses a different version of DisplayPort, than the Radeon 6000-series.

AMD has changed this now, so it will be easier and cheaper to use Eyefinity. The new DisplayPort version 1.2 enables that all Radeon HD6870 graphics card can use up to 6 monitors without being a special version like "Six Edition" from the HD5000-serie - even if the card only has 5 physical connectors. They even changed it so you will be able to use older and cheaper monitors. AMD did such an amazing job to expand the compatibility, so you will be able to use monitors with the old VGA port.

This is pure awesomeness and maximum bang for the buck!

Radeon HD6870 has 5 monitor outputs, two MiniDP version 1.2. But this does not mean you can only connect 5 screens up, as it is written anywhere on the internet at the moment.

You can connect moninors that has different kind of inputs on the Radeon HD6870, because the MiniDP version 1.2 has whole other options end the version used on the Radeon HD5000-serie. Just look at the picture below:

As you can see you can make links between the monitors with MiniDP 1.2 or go directly into these in different ways. The distributor for Eyefinity with Radeon 6000-series is called an MST HUB.

Examples of labeling methods for cables and adapters:

"DVI-D Dual Link Active HDCP Compliant", "Works with AMD Eyefinity and BD-ROM play, etc. On Wikipedia can you see diagrams about the different types of DVI. Check the diagram below:

You must remember to check both ends. I had a regular dvi cable that was dual link DVI-D at one end, but sadly only single link in the other end. Only the gods know why. And it even came with an expansion monitor that has DVI-D Dual Link Input. 
 

"Lying" adapters and cables.

There are differents between DVI-D Dual Link and Single Link cables. This also applies to adapters - active or not. It took too long for AMD and me to figure out why BD-ROM and DVD worked fine with 3 screens in cloned mode on Windows Extended Desktop and on my TV was connected with the 3 Monitors from AMD - just not as intended.

By using a wrong adaptor I had immediate crash and strange error messages. Why were we able to start the Blu-ray player using 3 monitors, but with sound and without picture. Other players just crashed without an error message or so. If you used my TV in Extended Mode, I had no problem. It worked with 2 monitors at the same time as well, but nothing on the 3rd one. We tried everything. Maybe the adapters or the cables were defect.

I really do not want to think about how much time I spend trying to make this work. It was a true horror show. But we have a picture just below and even a video that shows how it worked in the end. The engineer I spoke with during all the problems would not believe me.

Does it make sense to you as a reader? No? It did not for me. I spent several weeks to find and solve the problem. I did try exactly 18 different players and read their mysterious error codes and it still made no sense or solve the problem.

But now I have both found and seen every single BD-ROM player software available worldwide, I believe. Definitely a great and lengthy experience - just unfortunately one of those you wish were really fine without.

I personally bought an active Large-DP to HDMI adapter for my HiS Radeon HD5870 1GB and it was active, yes. Unfortunately, just not as it works with Eyefinity x 3 in BD-ROM playback. However it works fine using screens for certain games - but only just until you meet a movie sequence that is encoded with the BD-ROM Protection = crash.