[momsbasement656]

UPDATE: IT WORKS! PERFECTLY! (See bottom of Page 2 for details and pictures)

So, I'm going to be hooking up a 5770 to 3 CRTs for a low cost Eyefinity setup.

I think this is a good solution if you have the deskspace, for a few reasons:

1. You can change resolutions depending on your situation, with no degradation in image quality. LCDs only have ONE native res they are good at. CRTs look good in ANY resolution. Play Crysis with all monitors set to 1024x768 for good framerates, then use 1600x1200 on the desktop to surf the web.

2. Some of the disadvantages of CRT are covered up by Eyefinity. Any issues with smaller screen size, narrower aspect ratio or lower max resolution don't matter as much when you have THREE of them.

3. FREE! CRTS are being given away by the dozen! They cost money to dispose of, so companies, hosptials, schools, individuals... would LOVE to have you take a few off their hands!

Eyefinity, making CRTs AWESOME again.

 

[E_man]

Interesting, never thought of that. Power usage and desk space would be HUGE though, and they have non-small bezels (though bezels aren't a big issue with eyefinity as some claim)

Good idea though

 

[momsbasement656]

After using 2 monitors for years for productivity, I'm VERY happy we can use 3 now, because it makes more games useable for multi-monitor.

I don't understand the people who have never used multi-monitor setups and how they dismiss them, like it's a fad. The fact is, practically everyone who gets to use a multi-monitor setup will NEVER go back to a single monitor setup. It's a fact.

 

[E_man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by momsbasement656 I don't understand the people who have never used multi-monitor setups and how they dismiss them, like it's a fad. The fact is, practically everyone who gets to use a multi-monitor setup will NEVER go back to a single monitor setup. It's a fact.

I always feel so cramped when I can't throw a window on to another screen and compare the two, or throw a temp/usage monitor, or a chat client, or all three, etc. Multi-monitor FTW!

 

[momsbasement656]

Quote:

Originally Posted by E_man I always feel so cramped when I can't throw a window on to another screen and compare the two, or throw a temp/usage monitor, or a chat client, or all three, etc. Multi-monitor FTW!

Exactly! "Cramped".... that's the perfect description of how single-monitor usage feels to me now. Preach on.

 

[Deathclaw]

hmmm crt with dvi and hdmi? gonna cost more for adapters than monitors

 

[Jack Pepsi]

I thought it was mandatory for Eyefinity to work you needed a DisplayPort monitor?

 

[jammo2k5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Pepsi I thought it was mandatory for Eyefinity to work you needed a DisplayPort monitor?

Or an active DP to DVI adapter then use a DVI to VGA adapter on that for complete adapting fun

 

[momsbasement656]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deathclaw hmmm crt with dvi and hdmi? gonna cost more for adapters than monitors

Actually, if you are using VGA monitors, (as I am) the adapters are cheap. DVI-VGA adapters are 5 bucks, and one usually comes with the video card. Active DisplayPort-VGA adapters are less than $30. For those who don't know, *ALL* DisplayPort-VGA adapters are ACTIVE adapters. They all have a microchip powered by the Displayport that converts the DisplayPort digital signal to an analog VGA signal.

There is no such thing as a PASSIVE DisplayPort to VGA adapter.

The confusion and expense comes when you try to convert DisplayPort to DVI or HDMI. Then, you run into a mix of passive and active adapters that can get confusing.

Bottom line, I'm paying $35 for the adapters that let me use my VGA monitors with my HD 5770.

That's the way you gotta do things these days... cheap..

 

[Nautilus]

How can you use 3 monitors with one DisplayPort-VGA adapter? Don't you need three?

 

[Paradigm Shifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nautilus How can you use 3 monitors with one DisplayPort-VGA adapter? Don't you need three?

One CRT on the DisplayPort-VGA adaptor, other two on a DVI-VGA adaptor each.

OP - nice idea; I've not got the desk space for a 3-CRT solution or I'd be on it like a shot!

edit: Only thing I might be wary of is how the card decides what the maximum resolution is. While the latest drivers do offer an "intermediate" EyeFinity resolution, the earlier drivers only allowed you to run EyeFinity at monitors native resolution... I don't know whether EyeFinity would decide that is the CRTs max res or not. Also, FWIW, bezel management seems to have a few bugs with non-identical displays (EDID related...)

 

[Craiga35]

How are you going to deal with the bezels? The bezels on CRT's were like an inch or more thick, which means you'll be having at least 2 inches of beige or black space.

 

[Ysbl]

They should make bezel-less monitors.

 

[computeruler]

How can you use eyefinity with that card? Doesnt it only support the 5xxx series?

 

[Paradigm Shifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craiga35 How are you going to deal with the bezels? The bezels on CRT's were like an inch or more thick, which means you'll be having at least 2 inches of beige or black space.

To be honest, contrary to the opinion of those who have never used a TripleHead2Go/EyeFinity rig, the bezels aren't that intrusive, provided you focus on the centre screen as you should, and use the two surrounding screens purely for peripheral vision.

That said, I'm sure there comes a point where the bezels just become so enormous that they can't be anything but a distraction. In racing or flight sims or FPS's that correctly locate the HUD on the centre screen I can't see it being a huge problem, though.

Also, I've seen bezels painted in such a way that the colour of on the part of the screen next to them sort of bleeds over into the bezel, which helps to make it less obvious again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ysbl They should make bezel-less monitors.

I think Samsung are in the process of trying this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by computeruler How can you use eyefinity with that card? Doesnt it only support the 5xxx series?

Mentions in the first post about getting a 5770.

 

[momsbasement656]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter One CRT on the DisplayPort-VGA adaptor, other two on a DVI-VGA adaptor each. OP - nice idea; I've not got the desk space for a 3-CRT solution or I'd be on it like a shot! edit: Only thing I might be wary of is how the card decides what the maximum resolution is. While the latest drivers do offer an "intermediate" EyeFinity resolution, the earlier drivers only allowed you to run EyeFinity at monitors native resolution... I don't know whether EyeFinity would decide that is the CRTs max res or not. Also, FWIW, bezel management seems to have a few bugs with non-identical displays (EDID related...)

Interesting. I will be using 3 different monitors, so I will test out different configurations and resolutions, and let you know how/if it works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craiga35 How are you going to deal with the bezels? The bezels on CRT's were like an inch or more thick, which means you'll be having at least 2 inches of beige or black space.

Yeah, that won't be ideal, i'm sure. My plan right now is to use it for Eve Online, so the 2 side monitors will just be used for informational displays, so I won't use bezel management for that. I'll test it with a racing game like Dirt and let you know how badly it sucks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ysbl They should make bezel-less monitors.

They are called projectors. True ballers have three of them in a home theater. Get on it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by computeruler How can you use eyefinity with that card? Doesnt it only support the 5xxx series?

I'll update my sig when I actually get the 5770 set up next week. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Paradigm Shifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by momsbasement656 Interesting. I will be using 3 different monitors, so I will test out different configurations and resolutions, and let you know how/if it works.

Yeah, I'm not sure how CRTs will cope... they're not quite as fussy as TFTs are so they might not have the same issues with bezel management.

Equally, they could have some completely new ones that no-one has experienced yet...

Quote:

Originally Posted by momsbasement656 They are called projectors. True ballers have three of them in a home theater. Get on it.

Check out the triple-projector setup one chap has spent a lot of time and money getting right...

 

[Thedark1337]

Omg

that is the best setup i've ever seen

 

[momsbasement656]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter Check out the triple-projector setup one chap has spent a lot of time and money getting right...

My Paradigm has just been Shifted.

That WILL be mine.

(oh and is it my imagination, or is this guy putting AN ACTUAL FIGHTER JET in his game room!!???)

Scroll down to the bottom of his blog:
http://nthusim.com/setup/bhawthorne-...lar-projection

Absolute insanity. I LOVE IT.

 

[Paradigm Shifter]

Hehe.

Yup, you have to give extreme respect to someone who goes out and buys an old surplus fighter to turn it into a flight simulator.