Widescreen Gaming Forum

Hello everyone, it seems that after the hardware failure my account was deleted or something bad happened to it. I had created a thread asking you some advice, check bellow.

Hello everyone, my first post here.
I have recently decided to go eyefinity because i love my racing sims. I would like to keep the 2 monitors i currently own and buy a new one and do a 3 monitor eyefinity setup. I have some questions though....

Is eyefinity possible with 3 monitors with different timings?
1x 1920x1200 26" @ 60hz
1x 1920x1080 24" @ 60hz
1x 27" 1920x1080 @120hz

Here is the story,
I recently built a racing simulator rig and i am trying to choose the better option for a triple monitor setup for it without breaking the bank.

Right now, i have a Samsung T260 @ 60hz which is a 16:10 monitor with quite a bit of input lag and a 5ms response time. It was fine for gaming for the last 3-4 years and the picture quality after calibration wasn't bad either.

I also got a 23" Samsung P2370 which i am planning to use in this eyefinity setup also, it runs at 1920x1080 @ 60hz.

My PC is an i7 950 with an ATi 6950 2GB ( an upgrade is also possible if needed but i think i will be ok)

I was more interested in going for a 27" 120hz monitor for my racing rig, for obvious reasons.
Another option is to get a nice IPS panel monitor with the lowest possible input lag numbers and a low response time.
So here are my options considering i don't give a ***** about 3D and i am actually focusing on speed.

1) Get a 24" Benq 2420T 120hz - This way i can use this one for my center screen, my old 26" and the 23" i got for the other 2 monitors. The problem here is that the old 2 monitors are only 60hz, which brings us to my next question, i know you can mix different resolution monitors in an eyefinity setup, but can you also mix different timings? (such as 120hz and 60hz)

2) Get a 27" Asus VG278HE which is 120hz or 144hz - The same as #1
3) Get a 27" Dell U2713HM which is 1440p and 60hz - Same as above but they will all be 60hz so i dont think there will be a problem.
4) Get 3x 24" Benq 2420T ... this is the most expensive option but surely will be nice having 120hz while racing.

If the idea of having a 120hz monitor fails because its not possible to combine it with the 60hz monitors there is also another question , is it possible to have a 1440p monitor in eyefinity with 1080p monitors?

So, what do you guys think, please let me know in your comments. Any recommendations / advice are welcome.

p.s. The samsung 120hz monitors are not available where i live for some reason.


UPDATE

I finally bought the Asus VG278HE which is 144hz @ 1080p

I want to match it with my old 27" screen which is 60hz @ 1080p and....
my other old 24" which is 60hz @ 1080p also.

I am connecting my 144hz monitor on the 1st dvi connector of the gfx card using a dual link dvi cable
I am connecting the 27" on the displayport output of the graphics card using an active adapter
I am connecting the 24" monitor to the 2nd (bottom) dvi connector of my gfx card.

I can enable ATi eyefinity just fine.
The problem is, as expected, all 3 monitors run at 60hz.

I have tried the instructions given in this thread : http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1602727 ( about in the middle of the page) and i could not get powerstrip to launch AFTER setting up eyefinity.
I guess it does not work as he described it anymore, keep in mind that post is like 2 years old.

Any thoughts on getting the middle monitor to run at 144hz while the other 2 stay at 60?

Any help much appreciated.

AMD and NVIDIA solutions for spanning are all symmetrical in design. They need to be the same resolution, hz and polarity.

_________________
Brad Hawthorne
Product Manager
Nthusim Pty. Ltd. | www.nthusim.com

Not true. only resolution, not refresh rate.



When following my guide from [H]ard forum, make sure to plug in the middle one first through the display port adapter.

If the refresh rate is high then low when the rest are plugged in, replug the single middle monitor, make a custom driver with only that refresh rate+resolution and delete all other drivers.


Copy of guide in case hard forum is ever down:

=======================================================================================

Ok, praise Entech!!!

If it wasn't for PowerStrip I would be forced to abandon the FW900 long ago, but since the ati 5xxx series, they dropped the support, now they finally reverse engineered ati and caught up with the 5 series, the 6 series works too, not for colour, but for our intensive purposes.

This guide should apply to all monitors, not just the FW900, and not just CRTs, probably works for the individuals that have two 60Hz on the side and one 120Hz in the middle.

Some steps may not be necessary at all, may in your case some extras steps might be necessary, don't blame me if you break anything.

1. Step one.
   
   This step isn't really required, at all. Completely optional.
   If you don't have a custom *.inf already installed so you can run the monitor at custom refresh rate over 85, well make one using moninfo ([url="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1091403"]info1[/url], [url="http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1035009057"]info2[/url], and [url="http://forums.entechtaiwan.com/index.php?action=search2"]info3[/url])
   You're welcome to use mine, but mine but it is for 1920x1200@97Hz (actual 94) so if you are trying for a different setup, like 3x 1920x1080 you'll have to make your own for single monitor viewing
   
   Link to my inf: [url="http://pastebin.com/hS1KNTek"]mirror1[/url], [url="http://chopapp.com/#b4gv3bcy"]mirror2[/url]
   
   mirror3 of my inf:
   
   copy to notepad and save as whatever.inf
   
   Code:
   ; INF file generated by Monitor Asset Manager (2.60.0.964), 7/6/2011
   ; Copyright (c) EnTech Taiwan, 1995-2011.
   ; Internet: http://www.entechtaiwan.com
   
   [Version]
   Signature="$WINDOWS NT$"
   Class=Monitor
   ClassGUID={4d36e96e-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
   Provider=%MFG%
   DriverVer=7/6/2011, 1.0.0.0
   ;CatalogFile=YourSignedCatalogFile.cat
   
   [DestinationDirs]
   DefaultDestDir=23
   
   [SourceDisksNames]
   1=%DISC%
   
   [SourceDisksFiles]
   ;YourColorProfileFile.icm
   
   [Manufacturer]
   %VENDOR%=EDID_OVERRIDE,NTx86,NTamd64
   
   [EDID_OVERRIDE.NTx86]
   %PRODUCTID%=OVERRIDDEN-EDID.Install, MONITOR\SNY01E0
   
   [EDID_OVERRIDE.NTamd64]
   %PRODUCTID%=OVERRIDDEN-EDID.Install.NTamd64, MONITOR\SNY01E0
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID.Install.NTx86]
   DelReg=DEL_CURRENT_REG
   AddReg=OVERRIDDEN-EDID.AddReg, MODE1, DPMS
   CopyFiles=OVERRIDDEN-EDID.CopyFiles
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID.Install.NTamd64]
   DelReg=DEL_CURRENT_REG
   AddReg=OVERRIDDEN-EDID.AddReg, MODE1, DPMS
   CopyFiles=OVERRIDDEN-EDID.CopyFiles
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID.Install.NTx86.HW]
   AddReg=OVERRIDDEN-EDID_AddReg
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID.Install.NTamd64.HW]
   AddReg=OVERRIDDEN-EDID_AddReg
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID_AddReg]
   ;Base EDID
   HKR,EDID_OVERRIDE,"0",0x01,0x00,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0x00,0x4D,0xD9,0xE0,0x01,0x01,0x01,0x01,0x01,0x04,0x0D,0x01,0x03,0x0E,0x30,0x1F,0x96,0xE9,0x0C,0xC9,0xA0,0x57,0x47,0x9B,0x27,0x12,0x48,0x4C,0xFF,0xFF,0x80,0xE1,0x19,0xE1,0x4F,0xD1,0x22,0xD1,0xE8,0x45,0x7C,0x61,0x7C,0x81,0x3C,0xB3,0x28,0xF2,0x95,0x00,0x70,0x93,0xA0,0x43,0x50,0xB0,0x00,0x13,0x10,0xDA,0x28,0x11,0x00,0x00,0x18,0x00,0x00,0x00,0xFD,0x00,0x30,0xA0,0x1E,0x79,0x28,0x00,0x0A,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x00,0x00,0x00,0xFC,0x00,0x47,0x44,0x4D,0x2D,0x46,0x57,0x39,0x30,0x30,0x0A,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x00,0x00,0x00,0xFF,0x00,0x32,0x37,0x32,0x31,0x33,0x30,0x38,0x0A,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x20,0x00,0x43
   
   [DEL_CURRENT_REG]
   HKR,MODES
   HKR,EDID_OVERRIDE
   HKR,,MaxResolution
   HKR,,PreferredMode
   HKR,,DPMS
   HKR,,ICMProfile
   
   [DPMS]
   HKR,,DPMS,,1
   
   HKR,,PreferredMode,,"1920,1200,97"
   [MODE1]
   HKR,,MaxResolution,,"1920,1200,97"
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID.AddReg]
   HKR,"MODES\1920,1200,97",Mode1,,"30.0-121.0,48.0-160.0,+,+"
   
   [OVERRIDDEN-EDID.CopyFiles]
   ;YourColorProfileFile.icm for non-sRGB displays
   
   [Strings]
   MFG="EnTech Taiwan"
   DISC="Monitor EDID Override Installation Disk"
   PRODUCTID="Sony GDM-FW900 (SNY01E0 EDID Override)97"
   VENDOR="Sony"
   
   
   
   Go to device manager, monitors, right click fw900, properties, driver tab, update driver, browse my computer, let me pick from list, click Have Disk, browse, and select the inf file your downloaded, install, restart computer
   
2. Step two
   after installing the drivers, im running latest ati 11.10, go to catalyst control center, my vga displays, and under monitor attributes make sure EDID is not checked.
   
3. Step three
   Install [url="http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm"]the latest powerstrip[/url]
   when installing click no for the colour profiles, since colour profiling configuration is still broken with 6000 series
   
   Have only your main middle crt enabled/plugged in, Restart puter, launch powerstrip
   
   right now your crt should be running at the desired regular resolution (1920x1200@94)
   
   right click powerstrip, display, configure, under refresh rate change to custom timing (or standard discrete, whatever is available) then click OK
   write down the values, my pixel clock was 315.000, vertical 94.248 and 119.318Hz horizontal, you might need these for reference
   No change have been made to the current resolution or something like that.will pop up, good click OK. but now it will say Custom instead of Windwos default there, click ok.
   Now change the timings BACK to windows default, and put the slider down to 60Hz
   
4. Step four
   YOU MAY NOW CONNECT THE ADDITIONAL DISPLAYS
   
   go to ati control panel, enable eyefinity, set it up, now when it's on, and both screens on the sides are on and everything is right but the middle screen,
   right click powerstrip, display profiles, configure, it should say 5760x1200 or whatever, click advanced timings and adjust them to increase refresh rate
   
   if you saved the timings from earlier, disable realtimeclcok cahgne checkbox and paste them into the appropriate checkboxes, but they might not be 1:1 with what you had as a single display.
   
   my pixel clock 315.000 became 307.378, vsync went from 94.248 to 95.251 and hsync from 119.318 to 118.587 to match my 'saved geometry settings' in the monitor
   
   if you ever restart your computer (why would anyone need to?) just run powerstrip to re-enable your saved refresh rate. if you need to switch to eyefinity, but your side monitors say 'out of range', switch to 60Hz first, then enable eyefinity then increase the refresh rate via powerstrip
   
   
5. Step five
   
   enjoy! check out http://widescreengamingforum.com/ for individual game fixes
   

TL;DR:
after enabling eyefinity, use the latest version of powerstrip to increase your refresh rate, it will only increase the middle monitor's

[url="http://entechtaiwan.com/store.shtm"]this wouldnt be possible without powerstrip, so if you want to support anyone who still supports CRTs, give your money to Entech[/url]

=======================================================================================

Kohan thank you so much for your reply. I was actually trying to PM you in the HARD forums.

Anyway, i will re-try your guide, what worried me a bit is that when i tampered with the timings of the monitors through powerstrip, suddenly my monitor started fuzzing up the screen and i got a message from the monitor satying the DVI cable is wrong, i guess it didn't support those timing. To be honest i am afraid i might damage my screen, since after that error it started spazzing lol, ill try get a screenshot if it happens again.

It's unlikely you'd damage a screen with incorrect timings.

What could happening is that the timings are slightly different when you plug in the other 2 monitors.



Disable powerstrip and your flickering should go away.

I would just get it working with three screens on different refresh rates first, then finetune the clocks if the middle screen is flickering

The problem is, when i have 3 screens connected powerstrip wont launch, its running at the taskbar but it wont maximize.

Ill give it another try tomorrow and let you know.

Ok, here is an update.
After 8 hours of fiddling i have managed to accomplish nothing and also screw up some sh*t.

Here are some comments after your steps. Please read my comments in red:

If you don't have a custom *.inf already installed so you can run the monitor at custom refresh rate over 85, well make one using moninfo ([url="http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1091403"]info1[/url], [url="http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1035009057"]info2[/url], and [url="http://forums.entechtaiwan.com/index.php?action=search2"]info3[/url])
You're welcome to use mine, but mine but it is for 1920x1200@97Hz (actual 94) so if you are trying for a different setup, like 3x 1920x1080 you'll have to make your own for single monitor viewing
I tried with your .inf and also made my own overridden .inf file, i had the same results you can read bellow with both files.

I installed the drivers by updating through the device manager and restarted my pc.

EDID was not checked.

Step three
Install [url="http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm"]the latest powerstrip[/url]
when installing click no for the colour profiles, since colour profiling configuration is still broken with 6000 series
Installed powerstrip and i clicked no for the profiles.

Have only your main middle crt enabled/plugged in, Restart puter, launch powerstrip
Did exactly that.

right now your crt should be running at the desired regular resolution (1920x1200@94)
Yep, or 144hz which is my monitor's limit.

right click powerstrip, display, configure, under refresh rate change to custom timing (or standard discrete, whatever is available) then click OK
I did this.

write down the values, my pixel clock was 315.000, vertical 94.248 and 119.318Hz horizontal, you might need these for reference
Done.

No change have been made to the current resolution or something like that.will pop up, good click OK. but now it will say Custom instead of Windwos default there, click ok.
Yep, correct.

Now change the timings BACK to windows default, and put the slider down to 60Hz
I am afraid this was not possible, please check the attached picture (1) because the slider was greyed out. I just picked windows default and clicked ok.

Step four
YOU MAY NOW CONNECT THE ADDITIONAL DISPLAYS
Did exactly that.

go to ati control panel, enable eyefinity, set it up, now when it's on, and both screens on the sides are on and everything is right but the middle screen,
right click powerstrip, display profiles, configure, it should say 5760x1200 or whatever, click advanced timings and adjust them to increase refresh rate
I enable eyefinity just fine and get that resolution (1080) , but when i right click powerstrip, the menu pops up but u cant actually click on any option

if you saved the timings from earlier, disable realtimeclcok cahgne checkbox and paste them into the appropriate checkboxes, but they might not be 1:1 with what you had as a single display.
Cant do this because powerstrip is not responding as it should, so i cant really go on.

After many attempts to make this work , fiddling with the drivers and stuff, i managed to screw up windows registry i guess, when i would enable eyefinity, i could only get 5760 x 480. Please check rest pictures and have a laugh.
Something went seriously fuxxed and i had to swap monitors and re-install manually drivers in order for my computer to really understand my monitors can do a 1080 vertical resolution, it was really weird.
Also, i lost the ability to use calibrated profile with my monitor and in the monitors list i get a really funny list, please check my attached pictures and help me bring it back if possible.
So, after 6-8 hours of fiddling around i wasnt able to make it work.

If you have any ideas on how to make it work please do tell, if not i will put this case to rest and probably format my PC since my eyes are used to my calibrated profile

shameless bump, i hope kohan has some suggestion of some sort