AMD Intros Affordable DP-DVI Active Adapter for Eyefinity Users

[btarunr]

AMD rolled out a reference-design DisplayPort to DVI active adapter today, that lets the masses create Eyefinity setups on existing monitors easier. The adapter plugs into full-sized and mini DisplayPort connectors on ATI Radeon graphics cards, and gives out a single-link DVI signal. The conversion between DP to DVI is active, and conserves video quality, as well as other features such as content protection. This is because when Eyefinity-ready graphics cards with DisplayPorts from AMD came to be, some manufacturers sold cheap $10 DP-DVI dongles that pass DVI signals from the DP directly (passive conversion). Such dongles more often don't work, because Radeon GPUs don't give out DVI signals from DP. Active adapters (those which actively convert DP signals to DVI) were sold at the time in upwards of $100.

AMD has managed to bring the price of such active adapters down to $30. There however, is a limitation. The output is a single-link DVI, meaning that it will support digital resolutions only up to 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz (1080p is supported). It shouldn't matter for the target users, because the DisplayPort on ATI Radeon HD 5000 graphics cards conveys only one TMDS link, so even with a DVI dual-link capable adapter, it would only give out single-link output. At least a bulk of the users are covered, at a very affordable price point. AMD will market this adapter directly, and through its growing network of add-in board partners (in bundles with graphics cards, or directly). PowerColor beat AMD to today's announcement, and released PowerColor-branded AMD-reference DP-DVI adapter last week.



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[xaira]

fianlly, heard so many horr r stories that i didnt know which 1 to get, they should bundle these with the cards

 

[newtekie1]

I still think they should have just put used HDMI in place of DP, would have made it so much easier.

 

[Phxprovost]

I still think they should have just put used HDMI in place of DP, would have made it so much easier.

why do that when they can sell adapters cause 99.98% of people on the market dont have DP enabled monitors

 

[cadaveca]

It shouldn't matter for the target users, because the DisplayPort on ATI Radeon HD 5000 graphics cards conveys only one TLDS link, so even with a DVI dual-link capable adapter, it would only give out single-link output.

Makes you wonder about AMD saying Eyefinity supports up to 3x 2560x1600...how exactly does this work? I've been trying to get my 3008WFP's working for ages with no success...now I don't wonder why.

:shadedshu

 

[TheLostSwede]

eh? why aren't you using the DisplayPort connector on the screen? That wouldn't cause any problems at all, it's just the adaptors that cause problems as DisplayPort uses different signalling than DVI/HDMI.

 

[cadaveca]

eh? why aren't you using the DisplayPort connector on the screen? That wouldn't cause any problems at all, it's just the adaptors that cause problems as DisplayPort uses different signalling than DVI/HDMI.

Actually, no, that is not the case...I cannot get any card to push more than 1920x1200 over DP. I have the cables, adapters, etc...

tried multiple cards, an eyefinity6 card, you name it. I've mentioned these issues previously on the forums here, and even sent in "tickets" to ATi...all to no avail.

I gave up figuring it was some HDCP issue, or something, but then I heard from Dell that only the 27-inch works for eyefinity and DP(2048x1440). They do not recommend the 3008WFP.

Why Dell recommends that monitor, I do not know, but I do know that they've actually been quite helpful with the issues I've had with DP and the 5-series cards. I do beleive that DP is a Dell thing, too...

There's far more to this story, of course, and what AMD was using for thier demos...but I ain't gonna get into that one. The 5-series cards do not support 2650x1600 over DP with 3008WFP, and that's that.

 

[newtekie1]

AFAIK the display output on the HD5000 cards has 6 TMDS links. A dual-link DVI connector takes 2, so if you have two dual-lnk DVI connectors, that only leaves 2 TMDS links available for the HDMI and DP. Now if you only have two DVI ports and a DP then you are fine, because the DP can use both TMDS links. However, throw the HDMI port in there and they have to share the two TMDS links. I would think that the TMDS links would be dynamic based on actual port use, but it sounds like that is not the case.

Perhaps to get 3x 2560x1600 you need the third monitor connected to a DVI port on a second card? Is that even possible, or do all the monitors have to be connected to the primary card?

 

[cadaveca]

Yeah, they all gotta be connected to main card. I can get them to work @ 1920x1200, as I said, but no 2560x1600.

I've had so many issues with these cards, I figured it was just all part of that...but who knows. I gave up on these cards long ago.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

About damn time. DisplayPort adaption rate is extremely slow and will remain slow for the forseeable future. The only scenario, therefore, Eyefinity actually made sense is if you were going to buy monitors specifically for it (and from a limited selection at that). To me, this is simply righting a wrong that should have never been made.

 

[wolf]

to me this is almost a whole year too late, they shouldhave been co-released with the high end 5000 series last year. why on earth they chose to wait frustrates me, perhaps a company that makes DP monitors made a deal.

it's awesome that they are finally here, but with all the AMD has going on a 30$ adapter should have been easy to push out a hell of a lot earlier.

also, they should be bundling these with any card thats a 5850 or better.

 

[kora04]

affordable?

a piece of plastic and some copper and silicon in it shouldn't cost $100.

 

[H82LUZ73]

Guys need to look at the brighter future,At least the cables will come with the new 6800 cards.

 

[wolf]

At least the cables will come with the new 6800 cards.

they're coming with 6000 series cards? I don't see why AMD would do taht when they can sell them separately... maybe bundled with high end cards, I guess to depends on the board partner.

is there info saying they will come with 6800's?

 

[OnBoard]

You can just go with DP->VGA adapter that is very cheap and works by what I've read. But anyhow these are pointless (edit: badly put, these make perfect sense, DP is the pointless one ), I've been looking for monitors a month now and I haven't seen a single one with Display Port in them. Most don't even have HDMI, it's DVI+VGA.

If you are buying 3 displays, I doubt they are top of the range.. (at least I can come up with muuuuch better uses for that sort of money)

 

[Mussels]

the reason AMD used DP because of technical limitations to DVI/HDMI - notice how cards from that generation NEVER support more than 2 monitors? (matrox cards aside)?

Its got something to do with timing crystals/circuitry (google didnt find me specifics), that displayport doesnt need - so it takes up less room on the card, and is easier to implement to add more DP ports.

This is why active adaptors are needed, passive adaptors only work at all because ATI built in a 'failsafe' that shares the timing between one DVI port and the DP port - meaning only one DVI monitor can run off them.

if someone can find a detailed link please do so, i'm having trouble finding specific information.



that said, this is awesome - triple 1080P monitors is exactly what most people want from eyefinity.

 

[inferKNOX]

Guys need to look at the brighter future,At least the cables will come with the new 6800 cards.

+1
I also believe this is extremely likely, considering bta said:

AMD will market this adapter directly, and through its growing network of add-in board partners (in bundles with graphics cards, or directly).

I'm really, really glad they're finally here and can't wait to try out an eyefinity setup.
Do you guys know any of the new Samsung screens that support 1920x1200? All I can find these days is 1920x1080, but I need at least 24 inchers that got my T260's 1920x1200 to be the side monitors.

As I said before, I think that they didn't release these till now because they simply hadn't developed the tech yet, ie, they couldn't. Just my opinion though, no sources.