ATI 3D Drivers?

[RAJ-rios]

Hey everyone, I've been searching around like crazy and can't get any confirmation on this. I'm buying a new video card to support 2 VGA monitors and my HDMI 1.4 3D HDTV. Does ATI now support 3D displays? Or are they still making you pay 200 for Tri-Def software?

I am setting up a triple display machine with 2 matching 19'' LCD screens, and a 47'' PASSIVE 3D HDTV. I've asked for a lot of help in other forums, please don't mock the TV, it actually works great and I don't get ****ty FPS in each eye because it is PASSIVE, I repeat PASSIVE.

My budget is 100-250 USD, 100-250€, or 100-220£. I have only 1 PCI-e slot.

I understand that NVidia offers better 3D support, but they don't have support for 3 monitors like ATI does. There is one, the GF GTX 560 MULTIVIEW 1GB DDR5, but it only supports 3 monitors if 2 are HDMI.

I am used to ATI drivers being sub par, but I am hopeful that with the new wave of 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx etc. they have upped their game, and read a rumor they no longer required you to buy 3rd part software. I currently am using a 4650 so I am 1 series too low to test this.

I am not a hard core PC gamer, I just want some pretty graphics on games like Tera or Diablo or some older flight simulators.

Please help! Thank you!

[ipredator]

All I can say is you can only hope for newer games supporting native 3D like Crysis 2 does, or BF3 but only for Nvidia cards (I could really bitch about it). TriDef works fine for some games, but since they have not released a 64-bit version of TriDef you will be CPU bottlenecked everywhere, like getting 20 FPS in Skyrim when you would get 60+ without 3D. However, when watching Blu-rays HD3D works fine, and native 3D support is not that much of a performance hit.

[RAJ-rios]

Originally Posted by ipredator

All I can say is you can only hope for newer games supporting native 3D like Crysis 2 does, or BF3 but only for Nvidia cards (I could really bitch about it). TriDef works fine for some games, but since they have not released a 64-bit version of TriDef you will be CPU bottlenecked everywhere, like getting 20 FPS in Skyrim when you would get 60+ without 3D. However, when watching Blu-rays HD3D works fine, and native 3D support is not that much of a performance hit.

So am I out of luck if I don't want to pay for 3rd party software like Tri-Def? And BF3 only works in 3D if I have an NVidia card?

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by ipredator

TriDef works fine for some games, but since they have not released a 64-bit version of TriDef you will be CPU bottlenecked everywhere, like getting 20 FPS in Skyrim when you would get 60+ without 3D.

How does not being 64bit affect CPU bottlenecking?

OP- if the game doesn't natively support 3D and you don't have active 3D display then you need the 3rd party software.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/techn...ages/hd3d.aspx

http://www.amd.com/us/products/techn...raphics.aspx#1

[ipredator]

It seems to do.

http://www.tridef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1815

http://www.tridef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2163

http://www.tridef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1962

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by ipredator

It seems to do.

http://www.tridef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1815

http://www.tridef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2163

http://www.tridef.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1962

Nah it has no effect on the CPU, only difference it would make is being able to use over 3GB memory.

The threads you linked to don't mention anything about CPU bottlenecking that I can see.
Those guys posting there don't know what they're talking about....there are only around 4-5 64bit games out and that's it.

[RAJ-rios]

Originally Posted by Pill Monster

How does not being 64bit affect CPU bottlenecking?

OP- if the game doesn't natively support 3D and you don't have active 3D display then you need the 3rd party software.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/techn...ages/hd3d.aspx

http://www.amd.com/us/products/techn...raphics.aspx#1

So should I give up my three monitor dreams and just go with NVidia for better 3D support?

[teleguy]

The new Geforce 600 series supports 3 monitors.

[RAJ-rios]

Originally Posted by teleguy

The new Geforce 600 series supports 3 monitors.

They're also well out of my price range :S

[pato]

I am not sure, but would 2 cards help in your case? You don't even need to run em in CFX or SLI, but I am not sure. It's just an idea I had, maybe somebody can clarify?

[RAJ-rios]

Originally Posted by pato

I am not sure, but would 2 cards help in your case? You don't even need to run em in CFX or SLI, but I am not sure. It's just an idea I had, maybe somebody can clarify?

I only have the 1 PCI-e slot though. I think I'll just get an NVidia card now, then if I have to have 3 displays add on another card later, with a new motherboard. It seems like my only viable option. Or can I use an NVidia for my main gaming display and 3D TV, and a cheap PCI card for my browser?

[Mikedogg]

You could always try IZ3D, it's free and supports many makes of cards.

Just expect the usual frame drops.

[Thalyn]

Just for reference, AMD does support HD3D. Developers don't, though, so only Deus Ex HR has it built in, and a selection of BluRay players. Rather remeniscent of PhysX, if I'm to be honest....

LG's 3D Flatrons come with TriDef3D, though, if that helps you. They're passive screens - which may or may not be something that bothers you.

[The Creator]

Originally Posted by Mikedogg

You could always try IZ3D, it's free and supports many makes of cards.

Just expect the usual frame drops.

iZ3D is not free. It just has a free trial period.

[Mikedogg]

It must have a hell of a trial on it. Unless I have a free beta version.

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by Thalyn

Just for reference, AMD does support HD3D. Developers don't, though, so only Deus Ex HR has it built in, and a selection of BluRay players. Rather remeniscent of PhysX, if I'm to be honest....

LG's 3D Flatrons come with TriDef3D, though, if that helps you. They're passive screens - which may or may not be something that bothers you.

AMD don't support HD3D at all, not through drivers, software or hardware (except a very few gfx cards), this is all done by 3rd party sources namely iZ3D.

It doesn't really matter if game/app developers don't endorse it either it because Stereoscopic 3D can be added afterwards except in the case of PDVD I think...

Just seen a statement from iZ3D and it seems they're not going to be working on the drivers much longer trying to get it open source....

[Thalyn]

Originally Posted by Pill Monster

AMD don't support HD3D at all, not through drivers, software or hardware (except a very few gfx cards), this is all done by 3rd party sources namely iZ3D.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/techn...ages/hd3d.aspx

*cough*

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by Thalyn

http://www.amd.com/us/products/techn...ages/hd3d.aspx

*cough*

Wow so you found a webpage on HD3D good for you, doesn't mean a thing because none of it is developed by AMD.

[ralphjayson]

if amd doesnt support hd3d then why could I play crysis 2 on 3d mode side by side and bf3 in 3d without iz3d or tridef?

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by ralphjayson

if amd doesnt support hd3d then why could I play crysis 2 on 3d mode side by side and bf3 in 3d without iz3d or tridef?

Obviously you have an active 3D display. Nothing to do with AMD.

[Thalyn]

Well, you're entitled to your opinion. But I think I'm going to go use my AMD Radeon 7970 and my passive 3D LG D2342 screen to play some 3D Deus Ex HR using its internal HD3D settings.

Why? Because apparently I can't...

[THEBIG360]

Dirt 3 is another game that has AMD HD3D. Along with the soon to be released Dirt Showdown.

http://blogs.amd.com/play/2012/05/07/dirt-showdown/