3 monitors on GA-Z77X-UD5H (Ivy Bridge)

[zordex]

I am trying to connect three monitors at once. All three are identified on windows, but at most I can make any pair work in tandem, but not all three at once.

The monitors are:
1 x NEC 2490WUXi (1920x1200) (on HDMI port, using an HDMI to DVI converter)
2 x Smasung 214T (1600x1200) (one on DVI, one on VGA)

Using Windows 7 64bit, driver is Intel HD Graphics 40000, version 8.15.10.2696

Gigabyte tech support said I cannot use an adapter. Can someone confirm this before I purchase a new monitor?
Would a DisplayPort -To-DVI adapter work better than HDMI-to-DVI?
I know some graphic cards which allow 3 monitors require DisplayPort to be one of the ports, could this be the case also here?

Thank you!!

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

Basically I am using a bit of guesswork here as you didn't give a lot of information on your graphics setup apart from that you have the onboard graphics available. Are you trying to use just this output ?

If so then I am not sure but as you mention under normal circumstances you could run two monitors off the ports that you choose but the third would have to use the Display Port output. In that case an adapter would work fine as long as it was a active adapter. Sapphire sell a reasonably priced active adapter lead for around £18.

If you require any more help a few more details about your hardware setup would be a good idea.

[zordex]

I am not sure what other hardware setup information would help...

I am just using the motherboard (no graphics card) and using three video ports on three monitors.
I'm using the VGA port, DVI port, and HDMI port (with an hdmi-to-dvi adapter).
My three monitors do not have HDMI or display port.
Resolutions are 1600x1200 for two monitors and a 1920x1200 for the third.

The HDMI-to-DVI adapter works fine.
However I cannot get the three monitors to run simultaneously (any two will work together).

Are you saying that DisplayPort MUST be used to get three monitors to work?

Thanks!!

[alllala]

Are you saying that DisplayPort MUST be used to get three monitors to work?

Thanks!!

Yes, only with the DisplayPort you can run 3 Monitors on the integrated Graphics. If you use an Adapter is has to be an active one.

[Dark Mantis]

Are you saying that DisplayPort MUST be used to get three monitors to work?

Thanks!!

Yes, only with the DisplayPort you can run 3 Monitors on the integrated Graphics. If you use an Adapter is has to be an active one.

Yes as allala has just said there is no option it MUST be a Display Port thropugh an active adapter if your monitor won't accept the natural connection.

[zordex]

I just got a DisplayPort to DVI Active adapter: "Startech DP2DVIS"

I was hoping for the best, unfortunately I can still only activate 2 out of 3 monitors in windows.
Setup now is:
- Monitor 1: NEC 1920x1200: DisplayPort w/ DisplayPort to DVI active adapter
- Monitor 2: Samsung 1600x1200: DVI port
- Monitor 3: Samsung 1600x1200: VGA port

HELP!?

[zordex]

Just read in the manual page 21:

"Dual Display Configurations for the On board Graphics:
This motherboard provides four video output ports: D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI, and DisplayPort. Dual monitor
confgurations are supported in operating system environment only, but not during the BIOS Setup or
POST process."

So even though Z77 and Ivy Bridge CPU support 3 displays, the motherboard does not?!
Is this something that can be fixed in a future firmware or driver upgrade?
Does any Gigabyte motherboard take advantage of IvyBridge 3 displays?

One of the primary reasons I upgraded to IvyBridge is to be able to run 3 displays. I had no reason to doubt it would work as every Z77+IvyBridge article mentioned this feature. Sigh.

[zordex]

More information?
"One other interesting addition to Intel HD 4000 Graphics is the ability to drive triple monitors. Unfortunately some limitations exist and only motherboards supporting two DisplayPort outputs and one other output would allow you to use three monitors. There are some additional limitations as well but we will cover those in a future article. In short, I would not count on Intel HD 4000 Graphics for triple monitor support for now on the desktop, particularly since no motherboards I have been able to find have two DisplayPort outputs."
(from http://brycv.com/blog/2012/ivy-bridge-processor-guide/)

Can you confirm if that's the case?

[YoJembo]

I can't confirm it Zordex but after searching around for a few hours now I reckon your right. You did the work, you've answered your own questions, I couldn't do any better... that and the fact no-one has replied to you.

I found you by trying to find the answer myself. I just built a rig for someone using a GB-Z77-D3H mobo. It appears if it's not advertised a board can do 3 monitors, then it can't. He'll be disappointed. I feel a tad mislead by Intel.

Someone found this:     http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/desktop-motherboards/desktop-board-dq77kb.html
Maybe:    http://www.ibase.com.tw/2009/MB970.html

Both use the the Q77 chipset. Perhaps that has something to do with it? It seems destined to mainly benefit laptops. The only demonstration of IvyBridge triple monitors I found on YouTube was a lappy. Even that DQ77KB had HDMI, DP....  a eDP or LVDS!!! Those last embedded connectors are typically suited for laptop type screens only. A bit odd for that mini-itx, I dunno. Can you get eDP to DP, DVI, HDMI adapters, active or otherwise? ... I couldn't find any.

I would say because it implies only dual screens in our manuals that's probably the last word on triple monitors here.

But come on somebody, if you definitely know better then let us know... please!

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

I think that you are correct when using the HD4000 embedded graphics because of the limitations of the ports on the motherboard. I am using a Z77 board (Sniper M3 ) at present and a 3770K chip but I don't rely on the onchip graphics. I have a Radeon 6970 that offers the Display Port option as I run three 27" monitors all the time. It is the only way to get triple monitor support. I would also think that maybe the HD4000 isn't powerful enough to properly run three monitors and that is why the DP hasn't been put on any Intel boards to my knowledge.  By design.....maybe!

[YoJembo]

Dear Dark Mantis,
the DQ77KB I linked is an Intel board. It has FOUR sockets, three advertised as simultaneously usable 1: HDMI 2: DP 3: eDP OR LVDS. see:   http://downloadmirror.intel.com/21339/eng/DQ77KB_IntegrationGuide02.pdf   (Interesting board, I want to build a case for a mini-ITX one day.)

Even though I am a proud owner of a monstrous Radeon HD 5970 dual GPU card myself (OCed), I think Intel HD4000, even  HD2500, could easily handle three 1080p monitors as long as it didn't involve serious gaming. Even with an Autodesk app. People forget that the Intel ondie GPU shares high level ondie cache with the CPU for unparalleled bandwidth. A CPU which also, btw, should assist the integrated GPU, it's down to the drivers.

I once had a Sandy i3 HD2000 rig's Win7 x64 OS complain about having dual 1080p but the reality was that it handled it fine. HD movie playing on one, internet on another whilst transcoding and torrenting... that sort of thing.

Still you're right that a recent GFX card is the practical option for triple monstitors.

[YoJembo]

I had another thought Dark Mantis...

Since Intel has announced that the Ivy-Bridge does support triple monitors mobo manufacturers are loath to mention that most new multi-port desktop boards for whatever reason do not support it. Maybe because it's really only designed for lappys etc. in the limited configuration HDMI, DP and an internal eDP (or LVDS). eDP is not exactly the same as DP, it has a different standard.

Intel are not only trying to supply Apple's lappy's new standards they want to sell the same integrated configuration to Apple's competitors in the form of the ultrabook config. DP or mini-DP is gonna be the default in laps now. I suppose some may drop the HDMI port but the option's there. Intel have a long term plan and nVidia and Radeon are firmly in their sights. Expect ondye GPUs to get a LOT more powerful and sophisticated in the long term.


Btw, VERY nice rig you have going Mantis. OCed SandyBridge i5 is the go actually, shame they're hard to get now.

[zordex]

Looks like Gigabyte has two new motherboards which have 2 thunderbolt / miniDisplayPorts ports (+ 1 HDMI + 1 VGA).
They are saying that 3 displays can be used as long as the two thunderbolt ports are utilized:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4279#ov
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4280#ov

"Capable of connecting up to 12 devices plus 3 digital displays simultaneously"

I may replace my Z77 motherboards with one of these, and sell the old one.

It is too bad that all the early Z77 reviews on the web mentioned that IvyBridge allows 3 monitors with Z77, but none of them has tested this. Neither the motherboard manufacturers nor Intel provided proper documentation or fixed this misunderstanding. This lead me to believe that it is actually the case. Fail.

At least I know why it doe snot work now, and where to go from here...

[bain]

The monitors are:
1 x NEC 2490WUXi (1920x1200) (on HDMI port, using an HDMI to DVI converter)
2 x Samsung 214T (1600x1200) (one on DVI, one on VGA)

Ivy Bridge only supports three monitors where two of them are of the same connection type and resolution (or two are DisplayPort). Your configuration won't work because you have the two Samsung monitors split across DVI and VGA. Instead try your Samsung monitors on the HDMI/DVI and NEC on the VGA. 

[odigity]

Ivy Bridge only supports three monitors where two of them are of the same connection type and resolution (or two are DisplayPort). Your configuration won't work because you have the two Samsung monitors split across DVI and VGA. Instead try your Samsung monitors on the HDMI/DVI and NEC on the VGA. 

IT WORKED!  bain, you're my hero

I registered just to post those for all other poor folks in the same situation.  I have:

Motherboard:  GA-Z77-D3H
OS:  Ubuntu Desktop 13.04
Monitor 1:  Dell 1600x1200
Monitors 2/3:  AOC i2367Fh 1920x1080

I put the Dell on the VGA port and the two AOCs on the DVI port and HDMI port (with DVI<->HDMI adaptor, since my monitors don't have HDMI).  It worked!  My desktop is now stretched across three monitors.