Let me first qualify that I don't do much gaming. However, yes, one 5770 can power 3 desktops. Aero doesn't require much horsepower. You would use the DP port and the two DVIs as you described. If one of your displays does not have a native DP, then yes, a DP to DVI adapter would be needed.
With the second 5770, you would still have all of your outputs hanging off the primary card. The second card would be headless. No need to reconfigure anything--leave it in xfire mode 24/7. As far as the HDMI output, I don't know if that's an independent output on Sapphire's implementation or not. The chip itself supports up to 6 outputs though, so I would suspect you could use the HDMI as a 4th output if you so desired. And yes, Win7 with WDDM1.1 does better in all things video. > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:hardware- > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Winterlight > Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 3:13 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [H] Gaming in Vista or Win7..does it matter? > > both my older and brand new Sapphire 5770 come with two DVI, a DPI > port , a HDMI . So you are saying use one of the DPI ports with an adaptor to > power the third monitor . so now I guess I could support up to six 24 > monitors. I never thought of this. I always thought three large monitors need > three cards. > > At 11:50 AM 3/19/2011, you wrote: > >Unless something has changed, the last I knew, xfire mode disables the > >second card's outputs. > > well back in 8/08 when I built this I had two Asus 4970s which had terrible > fans. The first 4970 fan died in six months, was replaced by Asus and died in > 48 hours, was replaced by ASUSand died in week. ( all of this taking a couple > of months) After that I gave up with ASUS and used a third party cooler but > by then the chip had over heated so many times the card died before a year > was out. I replaced it with my first 5970 in 11/09. The second 4970s fan died > shortly after that, and that one I immediately put my own Masscool fan on > and it has been OK. But it runs hot and is too large in the case and gets in the > way of everything. I needed two 4970s for three DVI ports and when both > 4970s were running, I occasionally used crossfire for gaming. I was told they > had to be the same chip and I had to use the dongels. > > When I got the 5770 to replace the bad 4970 I didn't realize it would support > three monitors. Which is why, last week when I saw I could pick up a second > 5770 up for 95 bucks I bought it thinking it would run cooler, take up less > space and allow me to use all three monitors in gaming. I am not by any > stretch of the imagination a gamer, but I thought it might be interesting to > try. > > If I use a single 5770 for three monitors I assume I would use the two DIV > ports, and a DPI port with a DVI adaptor for the third monitor? This would > have enough processing power for three desktops? > > If I go ahead and install the second 5770 card, I could then dongle them for > xfire to run three monitors for single view 3 monitor gaming ... correct? But it > is a hassel to switch the desktop back and forth, which is why I thought dual > booting, one standard use and one xfire use. > > and for HDMI output to my TV I could do that off both of the cards? > > So Windows 7 as a second boot is going to do better in Vista for three > monitor gaming? > > How exactly would you set this up Greg > > Thanks > > > > > > > >The 5770 should have 3 digital outputs by itself though (DP and 2x DVI > >is the reference design), so I'm not sure why you would even bother > >using a second card just to handle mundane output. You could then, > >however, xfire the two 5770's together, and even use eyefinity for > >games that don't explicitly support multi-monitor. > > > >Dump Vista. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:hardware- > > > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Winterlight > > > Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 1:32 PM > > > To: [email protected] > > > Subject: [H] Gaming in Vista or Win7..does it matter? > > > > > > > > > I have a 3 monitor setup.... one 30 and two 24. I run Win7 Pro 64 > > > bit. My previous OS was Vista 64 and when I upgraded to 7 I did a > > > clean install, > >but > > > kept Vista on a separate partition and now I dual boot. I always > > > like a > >second > > > OS in case something goes wrong. It makes it very easy to tell if I > > > have a hardware or software issue, or if things go south I can keep > > > working until > >I > > > have the time to deal with it. > > > > > > > > > I have been running a Sapphire 5770 for the 30 inch and a ASUS 4970 > > > for > >the > > > two, 24s. I just picked up another Sapphire 5770 so now I have two > > > near matching video cards. I am not going to change anything in my > > > primary > >setup > > > other then to replace the too big, too hot 4970, but I am thinking > > > about > >my > > > Vista setup as Crossfire. That way I can boot into it to play > > > games, and hopefully, I can play across the three screens... or is > > > this not doable? I > >am not > > > a gamer particular but this might be interesting. > > > > > > Is Vista 64 just as good for multi monitor gaming, or just gaming in > >general, as > > > Windows 7 Pro 64? Or would I be better off removing Vista and > > > installing a clean Win7 64 Pro?... or maybe 32 as more compatible? > > > > > > Does anybody know if I still have to use the connecting dongle(s) to > >support > > > Crossfire in a 5770 setup? thanks
