my new computer setup

So I'm trying to finally set up my third monitor, and I've run into the same problem P has, but I have bad news: I bought the $40 DisplayPort adapter, just to find out that it's a "passive" adapter, and for whatever reason, this means that the graphics card cannot handle three displays, even though my fucking 7850 is rated for six displays. Apparently I need an "active" adapter, which runs for about $100.

I bought an active adapter and need a passive lol.

Tradsies?

Mines a MiniDisplay to HDMI converter.

Why would you need a passive adapter if you have an active one? It's just a cheaper alternative that only works for screens that are built to accept DisplayPort.

helvner wrote:

Spekwyse wrote:Anything more than two monitors seems a little much for me. Hell even at work i just have one monitor (Big as fuck though) and im fine with that.

But i'm one of those people that dont like having anything more than two things open at the same time anyway.

you haven't lived then

Oh trust me ive installed many duel monitor setups in many different computer labs. Ive used plenty of duel monitors.

Its just not my thing i only have at most two windows up at a time and my monitor is big enough to deal with it.

Also what are you doing where you need 3 monitors at once? God Damn

Cheaper and thought it would work. I've never had to deal with passive and active adapters and did not know what they really were. Didn't even know what a MiniDisplayPort was till a few days ago. Just always used DVI, AVI, and HDMI.

Active adapters are typically twice as expensive as passive adapters, and always work. Passive adapters are cheaper than active adapters, and only work with screens which already have a DisplayPort (which begs the question, why use an adapter at all?). It sounds like you either bought a piece of shit "active" adapter (there are some "active" adapters on Newegg for like $15-$20 by noname brands that literally don't actually work at all) or a passive adapter.

Anyway, Newegg got me my active adapter in less than 24 hours, which was impressive. I now have three screens running. I use the three screens like this:

Left Screen (1280x1024): Internet pages I want to see while in-game; typically build orders for League of Legends or similar pages
Middle Screen (1920x1080): Primary screen; use for games
Right Screen (1920x1080): Skype

I also run D&D campaigns over Skype, and it's nice to have character sheets on one screen, Skype on another, and .pdf source books on a third.

The adapter I have works and I am using it right now but when I hook up a third monitor one of the three must be disabled.

That would be a passive adapter, then. I had the exact same issue. Use this instead.

Yeeeeah, fuck no.


I bought a 7 dollar thing cause it might be cool to have 3 monitors. Don't give anywhere near enough of a fuck to spend 88 bucks on it.

on my 3 screens i have my
Left: primary, current game or webpage
Middle: xbox/tv/netflix/movie
Right: youtube/netflix while playing xbox

I need a gaming room in my appartment. instead I have have a 36" flat hooked up to a Ps3, to the right of that a 16" hooked up to xbox 360
and two laptop sitting on the coffee table in my living room.

Left Monitor: EVE online/EVE out of game tools/Chrome
Right Monitor: EVE

and then I still have more instances of EVE running behind those =P

Is eve any fun?

EVE is awesome fun! Most rewarding gaming experience I've ever had.

If anyone is looking for a new monitor, you might wanna check out the small korean brands on ebay. They pretty much all use the high end Samsung or LG screens, and then make their own cheap case (case quality will be worse, and their dead pixel policies aren't that great for the most part). Can get a 27" 2560x1440 monitor for $400 or less (plus shipping). Article about them, links to buying guide threads on other forums.