Mixed Rotation Eyefinity Dissapointment (PLP) no Freesync

Discussion in 'Videocards - AMD Radeon Drivers Section' started by GhostriderJnr, Jul 28, 2015.

  1. GhostriderJnr

    GhostriderJnr Guest

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    Mixed Rotation Eyefinity Dissapointment (PLP) loaded with problems

    Sorry about the lengthy rant but I hope it explains why I am frustrated. You can skip to the issue highlighted in bold if you would just like to help without the background.

    First for some background info:
    I have been dreaming of Mixed Rotation (PLP) Eyefinity for many years, with 1 large monitor surrounded by 2 smaller monitors in portrait giving both good height view but also the immersion of Eyefinity when gaming.
    I have had triple landscape monitors for a few years and just find that the view in game is restricted height wise and wasted at the outer edges. PLP for me is the solution!

    Ok, so I here rumours of the Fury X is coming and it will support Mixed Rotation Eyefinity. The price is way over my budget but I decide to start saving and build the system I have been dreaming of for many years.
    I work 45 hours/week but I am in the low income bracket in Australia. My well maintained but crappy car cost less than a new Fury X to give you an idea. I spend my money on the things I use the most..

    So I start to build the rig and also contact AMD and post on forums to get a confirmation that Mixed Rotation is possible. Finally I get a response from AMD tech that YES the Fury X will support PLP Eyefinity.

    So I order the Fury X but I also decide to break the bank and get a 27" 144hz Acer Freesync Gaming monitor to replace my 10 year old monitor in my triple set up.

    THE ISSUE
    I now have:
    -1 x 27" Freesync monitor (2560x1440) with Displayport, DVI or HDMI
    -2 x 19"(900x1440)with DVI or VGA.
    -Fury X with 3 x Displayport and 1 x HDMI

    So I Connect the 27" via displayport and the 2 x 19" via Active Displayport to DVI adapters.
    I turn on Freesync in Catalyst for the 27" monitor.
    Enter Catalyst to create an Eyefinity group and as soon as I select the 27" monitor in the group then the option for Mixed Rotation is removed.



    After many hours and a lot of messing around I eventually discover that if I connect the three monitors via any mix of DVI, HDMI of VGA using active or passive adapters I am able to create Mixed Rotation Eyefinity 4360x1424.

    The Problem
    I spent extra money buying a monitor with AMD Freesync technology that I can not use!
    Freesync is only available with a Displayport connection, Fury X's main connections are Displayport! Why can I not use Displayport in the Mixed Rotation Eyefinity?
    I only get 60hz unless I use displayport.
    AMD tech gave me no information that there were connection restrictions with Mixed Rotation!
    I do not have and can not afford to buy two more displayport monitors to test if Mixed Rotation works with three Displayport monitors.

    While I am happy that I have PLP Eyefinity I am so pissed off at the lack of information available regarding Mixed rotation on AMD's website and when I contact AMD tech with lengthy questions they give me a one sentence basic response.
    I understand there is always compromises, my issue is the lack of support information. How can I make an educated decision when making a very expensive purchase when the knowledge is not available.
    Why is it so hard to provide updated information.

    If anyone has any knowledge in this area and can give me advice as to if or how I can use Freesync with mixed rotation then I would appreciate it.
    It would be nice if AMDJoe or AMDMatt could contact there tech support and check on this. Maybe they wont get a generic response.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2015
  2. DrunkenDonkey

    DrunkenDonkey Master Guru

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    Tbh I don't see a problem having 1 FS monitor and the rest. Sure, that can only work if vsync is disabled for good, so the card shoots out frames at the speed of the FS monitor and the rest will just tear, but will be playable. I'm curious of this as well, as I plan on doing something like it.
     
  3. Fox2232

    Fox2232 Guest

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    Mixed rotation going away is what happened in my testing back then. If it works when DP is not natively used, then it should work even if it is used. That's likely driver limitation.

    Then using Freesync at 144Hz for middle and vsync for sides is again software limitation, nothing prevents driver from handling each screen in different way.

    Btw, have you try to use middle screen on DP and before creating eyefinity group setting it only to 60Hz mode? Maybe another driver limitation which checks for refresh rates.
     
  4. DrunkenDonkey

    DrunkenDonkey Master Guru

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    This is more of a bios than driver. The driver is not getting the final picture, it is responsible for the actions that lead to the frame being generated, then it gets send to the monitor by the videocard itself. What is on the outer edge I can only speculate. In order to support 3 monitors with vastly different times needed for the image it needs 3 buffers for the picture and 3 high performance logical blocks to handle that. It might be they lack that, it may be they need just a new bios to handle the issue, we might never know as I doubt someone will share internals.
     

  5. yasamoka

    yasamoka Ancient Guru

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    OP, the post is a bit confusing.

    Monitor #1: 2560x1440 144Hz FreeSync DisplayPort
    Monitor #2: 900x1440 DVI / VGA
    Monitor #3: 900x1440 DVI / VGA

    The following configurations are possible:

    1) #1 - DP 60Hz FreeSync off, #2/3 - DP-->DVI/VGA 60Hz, PLP
    This should work. All 3 monitors are at 60Hz, no Freesync. Is that what the PLP setup is defaulting to when it works?

    2) #1 - DP 144Hz FreeSync on, #2/3 - DP-->DVI/VGA 60Hz, PLP
    This should not work. You cannot have Eyefinity running across 3 monitors with different refresh rates, or with FreeSync on on one and off on others. This applies for Nvidia surround as well. I assume this is the setup you're trying to run? Does this work with Eyefinity PLP disabled?

    3) #1 - DP 144Hz FreeSync off, #2/3 - DP-->DVI/VGA 60Hz, PLP
    This should not work. You cannot have Eyefinity running across 3 monitors with different refresh rates. Does this work with Eyefinity PLP disabled?

    4) #1 - HDMI 60Hz, single monitor
    This is expected. HDMI 1.4 delivers 2560x1440 60Hz and with no FreeSync.


    What I do not understand is:

    -You tested #2 and #3 on DP-->DVI/VGA converters. You did not test either monitor on HDMI. So, how did you conclude that it's DisplayPort that's preventing you from the setup you would like to run, if you did not get the chance to try whether the setup works when HDMI is used instead? Even if you did try, how did you manage to try with only one HDMI port present? The card is almost entirely reliant on DisplayPort for any multi-monitor action. This means that the configuration you could possibly test other than 3xDP is 2xDP + 1xHDMI. Does that work? Do you have a passive HDMI-->DVI dongle / cable?

    Please clarify.
     
  6. Fox2232

    Fox2232 Guest

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    It is 100% software implementation. At time I was using SoftTH I could tell game to render at any weird resolution.
    Cut and resize any part of that rendered image and send it to any output on any graphics.
    Tool was simple to configure via config file, unfortunately it worked only with DX9.
    (But point is, driver can do exactly same if that is in AMD's driver team imagination and ability. But if SoftTH could have been made by one guy hacking & slashing DX9 wrapper, then AMD can do that on driver level easily.)
     
  7. GhostriderJnr

    GhostriderJnr Guest

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    Thanks everyone for your input:)

    Fox2232 hit the nail on the head! They need to be 60HZ.

    What has caught me out is this:
    I had became so use to setting up an LLL display group.
    LLL Eyefinity group has no issues with 144HZ centre monitor and 60HZ sides with Freesync on the centre. When checking my desktop properties in LLL they are 5440x1440 144p HZ with Freesync on.
    Clearly PLP does have an issue, refresh rate must match and Catalyst gives no warning when attempting PLP, would be great if they could include that.

    Hopefully I can answer some of yasamoka's questions.
    -Because I changed the Freesync monitor to DVI it switched straight to 60HZ so I had no issue setting up PLP.
    -Eyefinity does allow different refresh rates with LLL(I have not tested PPP)
    -Eyefinity does allow Freesync ON with one monitor and not on the others but I am not convinced Freesync is working in this case. (Need to test)
    -I have one passive HDMI to DVI adapter, 2 x Displayport to DVI adapters and 1 x Displayport to VGA adapter and I can confirm PLP and LLL work with any combination of HDMI/DVI/VGA as long as all monitors are 60HZ for PLP.

    I have a couple questions:
    -At high resolutions and max settings I am only getting 40-80 fps on my favourite games so my understanding is I should run at 60HZ any way. Is this correct?
    -Am I right in my understanding that Freesync works at whatever refresh rate you have set?

    Thanks again every one:)

    EDIT
    It turns out that it IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CREATE MIXED ROTATION EYEFINITY WITH A DISPLAYPORT CONNECTION WITH A 144HZ MONITOR EVEN IF ITS SET TO 60HZ.
    What I did after reading the above posts was after already creating a PLP display group using adapters and all monitors were set at 60HZ I shut my system down and connected up the displayport cable to my centre monitor, fired the rig up and it all worked as intended PLP.
    I was using Displayport connection with Freesync at 60HZ.
    It only worked because I had previously created the PLP display group while connected via DVI adapter.
    As soon as I disabled the eyefinity display group and tried again it would not allow it.
    So it seems that by accident I discovered a workaround.
    Create PLP display group without Displayport cable using adapters then connect Freesync monitor with Displayport cable and Freesync is available again. I will post back later if creating presets helps.
    I guess this is a Catalyst issue and I should contact AMD.
    It's late so I will test further tomorrow and post my results!
    Did I mention my head hurts!
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2015
  8. The Mac

    The Mac Guest

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    it may be present, but i doubt it will actually work.

    Im pretty sure all monitors have to be freesync.
     
  9. GhostriderJnr

    GhostriderJnr Guest

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    UPDATE TO CLARIFY THINGS
    Well this is completely doing my head in!
    Yesterday I was using a PLP eyefinity display without displayport connection to my centre monitor just adapters to all 3 monitors. Did some gaming/internet etc.
    Then after reading the above posts I shut the computer down and swapped the adapter for the displayport cable and fired the computer up.
    The PLP eyefinity display remained the same and the Freesync option had returned and was already ticked. Didn't test freesync though. I now have a test I can do if the opportunity arises.
    I got all excited and came back and posted what I thought was happening making a few to many assumptions.

    Now for the bad part, in the interest of testing I disabled the display group and tried creating a PLP Eyefinity group with all monitors set to 60HZ.
    This would not work and I ran out of time last night to test further.

    This morning I tried duplicating what I did in the first place to create PLP eyefinity with adapters then switch to the displayport cable. NO JOY
    I have tried repeatedly and I can not duplicate it!

    When I get time I will try doing a clean install of drivers/catalyst etc but at this stage I am pulling what's left of my hair out:bang:
     
  10. GhostriderJnr

    GhostriderJnr Guest

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    I have done some further tests!
    I can find no method to create PLP display when using a standard Displayport Cable.

    Also Freesync will not work with Eyefinity with only the one Freesync monitor, even though in CCC it allows you to tick the Freesync check box.
    Therefore what I have been trying to achieve is a complete waste of time other than trying to eliminate the need for an adapter.
    Purchasing a single Freesync monitor when gaming in Eyefinity is a complete waste of money!

    If any one is interested or AMD would care to attempt to fix Catalyst/Drivers so that you can create a PLP Eyefinity display when using a Displayport connection then this is how I got it to work if it helps.

    This is with a Fury X.

    -Express uninstall Drivers etc via Windows Control Panel, run DDU in safe mode.
    -Reinstall 15.7 Driver
    -Connect all 3 monitors via Displayport adapters to either DVI, VGA or HDMI (no Displayport connection at monitors).
    -Create an LLL Eyefinity Display Group (may not be needed but this is what I did).
    -Disable Eyefinity Display Group.
    -Create PLP Eyefinity Display Group as required.
    -Shut down PC and connect the Displayport cable.
    -Start PC and now the PLP display should be the same as you left it but using one less adapter!

    The problem is that as soon as you switch out of the Eyefinity display then its broken again and the whole process is required again:bang:

    So basically its pointless for me as I switch from an extended display when working to an Eyefinity PLP when gaming.

    I am becoming increasingly pissed of at the lack of support documentation from major manufacturers.

    No one can tell me I should have done more research as I went over and above what is normally expected from the consumer and at no point did the manufacturer or the supplier indicate there would be an issue.
    If I operated the small business I manage like this I would be terminated or we would go out of business.
    Thankfully we make an effort to make sure our customers are better informed.
     

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