adding a fourth independent monitor to eyefinity

[poiopopo]

Hi

 

Currently i have 3 21.5 inch monitors set up as eyefinity. I plan on adding a fourth monitor which is a 22 inch in order to export the panels on it through helios. While, its not a touch screen, I plan on adding a USB connected touchscreen overlay (anybody tried this before?) for the monitor. The eyefinity monitors are connected by 2 dvi ports and 1 display ports. If I connect the fourth monitor to the remaining display port will windows see it as a separate monitor, while maintaining the eyefinity for the 3 monitors?

Edited September 6, 2013 by poiopopo
Correction to monitor size

[PeterP]

Should be no problem. If all four outputs can work independent at the same time ,you are able to create a "Eyefinity+1" group

- and this works just like Two screens in extended mode . - Windows sees your Eyefinty group as a single monitor. - so you will have Two monitors reported in the desktop properties.

[SkateZilla]

It'll show Up as Eyefinity Array + 1 Extended.

[poiopopo]

Ah thanks guys, I'll be looking forward to hellos touch panels provided everything works out!

[Hadwell]

yes my gtx780 supports 4 monitors, but its like 3+1..

 

if you're in a windowed game that automatically fixes the FOV depending on how u stretch the window, u can run windowed mode across all 4 screens acting as seperate screens, but not many games do that...

 

otherwise ur stuck with 5760x1200(3 grouped 1920x1200 monitors) + 1920x1200(1 lonely monitor)

 

and playing games across 4 screens isn't that fun anyway, monitor bevels in the center... 3 is better, unless your using projectors or something...

 

also you have to be careful about some games not liking being minimized, or not at the front... dcs won't let you use a different program on a 4th screen while you're playing, it'll minimize itself every time you click on something outside the game window... you can watch movies and stuff, but thats because they'll still play if not at the front.

Edited August 29, 2013 by Hadwell

[Thick8]

Make sure you can find an overlay for your monitor. I don't think they come in a 22" size. If you have to buy the monitor and the overlay, a touchscreen would be cheaper.

John

[flyco]

I also have 3 monitors in an eyefinity set-up with a touch screen, running helios, below it. It runs well but I have found adding a monitor to a working eyefinity display is a hassle. I lost the combined display and the three original monitors all showed identical main screens. The eyefinity set-up is still there but you have to go and look for it. It is not helped by the Catalyst Control Centre which I find counter-intuitive - I usually have to use a combination of the CCC and the Windows screen resolution set-up.

 

Then of course, when I added a fifth display, a Lilliput to display the CDU, I had to go through the whole rigmarole again! It took me a little less time on this occasion - practice makes perfect. I just wish I could remember how I did it.

 

Still it's worth it - luckily I find the setting up almost as engrossing as the flying. Perhaps that's why DCS like to reset all my mods when they issue an update - it's their way of keeping me busy now I'm retired.

[SkateZilla]

I also have 3 monitors in an eyefinity set-up with a touch screen, running helios, below it. It runs well but I have found adding a monitor to a working eyefinity display is a hassle. I lost the combined display and the three original monitors all showed identical main screens. The eyefinity set-up is still there but you have to go and look for it. It is not helped by the Catalyst Control Centre which I find counter-intuitive - I usually have to use a combination of the CCC and the Windows screen resolution set-up.

 

Then of course, when I added a fifth display, a Lilliput to display the CDU, I had to go through the whole rigmarole again! It took me a little less time on this occasion - practice makes perfect. I just wish I could remember how I did it.

 

Still it's worth it - luckily I find the setting up almost as engrossing as the flying. Perhaps that's why DCS like to reset all my mods when they issue an update - it's their way of keeping me busy now I'm retired.

 

 

When you add a Display/Remove a Display, Eyefinity groups must be cleared and re-made.

 

As Display IDs will change depending on Port and Desktop Arrangement.

 

So, Disable Eyefinity. Plug In All Displays.

 

Disable All but your main/center display, Save a Profile (ie "Single Screen")

 

Enable the Left Display, Extend desktop to it so Task bar is still on your center screen, Save A profile (ie "Left Screen Extended")

 

Reload your Single Screen Profile, Enable Right Display, Extend Desktop to the right screen, Save a Profile (ie "Right Screen Extended")

 

Reload your Single Screen Profile, Enable Both Left and Right Display, Extend Desktop to them, arrange so taskbar is on center screen, Save a Profile (ie "3-Screen Extended")

 

Enable your 4th/5th Displays, Extend the Desktop to them, Arrange them, and Save a Profile (ie "5 Screen Extended)

 

Click "Create an Eyefinity" Group, Select only the 3 Main displays,

if that gives you issues, Cancel, and Load your 3 Screen Extended Profile.

yhen make an Eyefinity Group from that profile. and Add the 4th/5th Screen as an Extension to the Eyefinity Desktop, Save Profile as (ie "Eyefinity+1 or 2")

 

 

I have at least 7 profiles in CCC now,

 

Selecting Single Screen profile Puts the desktop on center screen only and other screens go into standby mode.

 

Selecting Left/Right/3 Screen Extended/3 Screen Eyefinity brings the screens out of standby mode.

 

I Use Single Screen for General Web browsing etc,

Left/Right/3 Screen Extended for 3ds Max, Texture Editing, Video Editing etc (or watching 12 Hockey games on NHL Game Center at once :p).

Eyefinity for Games.

 

If you use a USB Screen, plug it in the back of the System, and arrange like above, when you're not using it, select a profile that has it disabled and it will put it into standby,

Unplugging it (USB or POWER), Changes the systems Hardware Layer and Display ID assignments. So it will make your Eyefinity Array Corrupt, and it will do nothing but show cloned desktops on all Array Screens until you disable it, and re-do the array setup with the new Display IDs

 

 

Set the CCC to show the Tray ICON always (so it dont hide it), and all you have to do is click it, goto profiles, and click it to change profiles.

 

I set my profiles to Hotkeys on a mini Programmable Keyboard.

Edited September 5, 2013 by SkateZilla

[poiopopo]

Thanks for help guys.

 

In the end, I was able to get a 3-monitor, 5760x1080 eyefinity setup working with a fourth, extended display monitor for Helios. But either my display port adapter or graphics card was starting to act up, sometimes causing eyefinity to revert to extended display with one of the monitors to be stuck on the lowest resolution. So now I've ditched the eyefinity for now, less troubles plus i gain better performance with a single monitor.

 

I still plan on getting the touchscreen overlay kit for that helios monitor.. too broke atm

 

 

Make sure you can find an overlay for your monitor. I don't think they come in a 22" size. If you have to buy the monitor and the overlay, a touchscreen would be cheaper.

John

 

I figured since i'm ditching the eyefinity, I might as well make use of my spare existing monitor. The overlay kit I'm looking at is this:]

 

http://www.cyclotouch.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=2565

 

The touchscreens i saw were quite pricey

Edited September 6, 2013 by poiopopo

[GregP]

If you want to give that 4-monitor setup a go again, you could create a T-shaped setup like I have. I describe how to set it up here.

 

N8DLgAd8gF4

Edited September 6, 2013 by GregP

[SkateZilla]

Cheap Displayport adapters do that, mine was $39 each.

[poiopopo]

Okay so a year later, I've finally managed a fourth touch display with Helios. Very Happy Now! :thumbup:

 

 

I just wanted to add that, Ever since my original post, I upgraded from a ASUS 6870 1GB to an XFX R9 280X 3GB in order to better support the resolution.

 

Also an important thing i found out!!!

 

The fourth monitor would absolutely not work until I had gotten another active Displayport adapter. So right now I have 2 active adapters in use for this setup. 1 is being used for one of the Eyefinity displays, and the other is used for the touchscreen. I guess for every three displays 1 active adapter would be needed..

Edited July 20, 2014 by poiopopo