Trouble with 4 monitors

[spixel]

I am trying to connect 4 monitors to my 6870 flex. It is meant to support 5 so this shouldn't be a problem but I can't get the 4th one to connect.

I have been using 3 monitors for a while (2 dvi and 1 hdmi) but I recently bought an active display port to dvi adapter.

The monitor is detected in windows but when I click extend desktop and then apply it says 'unable to save display settings'. What could be the problem?

2 dvi
1 hdmi to dvi
1 displayport to dvi

The adapter seems to work ok as I tested it using 2 dvi and 1 displayport.

 

[Phusius]

I only have 1 monitor... wow, I must be missing something, lol

 

[digibucc]

did you try your OTHER displayport? i know with my 5850s for example, one dvi and the hdmi are linked, so in order to use 3 you actually need to use the displayport, not the hdmi.

the specs for your card says:
5 outputs: DL-DVI + SL-DVI + HDMI 1.4a + 2 mini-DisplayPort
Integrated Active DisplayPort Adapter for Eyefinity on DVI + DVI + HDMI outputs

but i don't see where it says you can use 5 at the same time - and for that you may need 2 dp adapters.

i'm sorry i don't know for sure, but i know i thought mine would have no issue for how it's worded, but it ended up not being able to use all ports at once even though they were physically present.

 

[spixel]

I have the 6870 flex edition though which lets you to use eyefinity without any displayport adapter. I can use both dvi's and hdmi at the same time. I can get 3 monitors working in any configuration but I can't get the desktop to extend onto the 4th, it just keeps saying unable to save settings.

I tried the other display port but the same thing happens.

It says it supports 5 here

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1037&lid=1&pid=1084&leg=0

 

[digibucc]

are you using CCC or the windows display dialog? the window's one says "unable to save settings", i don't think CCC does. you want to be using CCC.

 

[Aquinus]

The HDMI is shared with one of the DVI ports, and both can't be used at once. That is how it works on both of my 6870s and I can't imagine it differs a whole lot between vendors.

 

[spixel]

are you using CCC or the windows display dialog? the window's one says "unable to save settings", i don't think CCC does. you want to be using CCC.

windows, I will try ccc

 

[spixel]

The HDMI is shared with one of the DVI ports, and both can't be used at once. That is how it works on both of my 6870s and I can't imagine it differs a whole lot between vendors.

the hdmi is not shared on my card, as I said I can use 3 monitors on both dvi and the hdmi but I can't get the 4th working

 

[Aquinus]

the hdmi is not shared on my card, as I said I can use 3 monitors on both dvi and the hdmi but I can't get the 4th working

So just to clarify so I understand what you're describing. You're saying that you can get 3 displays to work using the HDMI and two DVI ports, however when you connect a 4th display to either of the mini-DisplayPorts, it isn't recognized.

 

[spixel]

So just to clarify so I understand what you're describing. You're saying that you can get 3 displays to work using the HDMI and two DVI ports, however when you connect a 4th display to either of the mini-DisplayPorts, it isn't recognized.

Yep that's it. It's recognized though but set as disabled in windows control panel and CCC and when I try to enable it it says unable to save settings.

3 monitors works with 2 dvi and 1 displayport also, or 1 dvi 1 hdmi and 1 displayport.

 

[Aquinus]

Yep that's it. It's recognized though but set as disabled in windows control panel and CCC and when I try to enable it it says unable to save settings.

3 monitors works with 2 dvi and 1 displayport also, or 1 dvi 1 hdmi and 1 displayport.

You're not doing all of this with Eyefinity on, right? Would you also happen to have 2 DP adapters so you can try using both mDPs too?

 

[spixel]

You're not doing all of this with Eyefinity on, right? Would you also happen to have 2 DP adapters so you can try using both mDPs too?

Eyefinity is off. I only have 1 adapter, bought it specifically so I could use a 4th monitor.

 

[HossHuge]

Are you using a mini-displayport to displayport adapter? My Asus 6850 has a displayport that works without issue with my d-sub-displayport adapter. But it doesn't work with my Sapphire 6850 when I use the mini-displayport to displayport adapter. And then the d-sub-displayport adapter. The monitor kept going blank.

 

[Aquinus]

Are you using a mini-displayport to displayport adapter? My Asus 6850 has a displayport that works without issue with my d-sub-displayport adapter. But it doesn't work with my Sapphire 6850 when I use the mini-displayport to displayport adapter. And then the d-sub-displayport adapter. The monitor kept going blank.

http://img.techpowerup.org/120406/charles_446__55996_zoom.jpg

That is because active DisplayPort adapters don't carry an analog VGA signal, it is strictly digital.

 

[spixel]

Yes I am using the minidp to dp adapter that came with my card then added a displayport to dvi adapter. It works ok with 3 monitors though, 1 dvi, 1 hdmi and 1 dp.

 

[MN12BIRD]

I think the Flex edition means you can run 3 monitors without a DP monitor or an active DP adapter. You can usually only run 2 non-DP monitors without an active DP adapter but you need a DP monitor or an active DP adapter for the 3rd monitor on a normal GPU. To run more non-DP monitors on a Flex edition video card I would still think you need an active DP adapter for the 4th and beyond monitor.

It's confusing but this might be why. Most video cards (GPU's) can only sync 2 monitors at once. DP doesn't need a dedicated sync like other monitors/video signals do. Flex cards go the extra step in that they can sync 3 monitors and therefore run 3 normal non-DP monitors without active DP adapters but any extras beyond that still have to be DP or have active DP adapters.

I could be wrong but that's how I understand it. This would explain why your DP adapter works when it's the 2nd or 3rd monitor but not the 4th.