Tag Archives: Surround Game

Surround Game Setup

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This is the lesson I learned about setting up Surround Game (and for anyone else thinking of doing the same):

  1. Buy a computer with Radeon 5xxx series (with DirectX-11 Eyefinity capability) – or buy the cards and add it yourself.
  2. (Optional) Buy 2 cards if you want CrossFire capability. (like SLI for NVidia)
  3. Buy 3 monitors (HDMI-capable) of the same make and brand (so the color and contrast are consistent).
  4. (Optional) You may want to consider getting monitors that can do portrait mode (this allow some interesting configuration choices).
  5. Buy a Display Port to HDMI adapter, which is usually not included with monitor purchase.
  6. (Optional) You may need to buy a DVI to HDMI adapter, but this is often included with the monitor purchase.
  7. (Optional) You should have 3 HDMI cables (1 short, 2 long). [Short = at least 3 ft, Long = 6']
  8. Connect the monitors to the Radeon card (using ports from 1 card only), using the following configuration:
  • One of the 3 monitor must be connected using Display Port (ATI refer to this as the 3rd monitor)
  • Since the card is now left with 2 DVI, and 1 HDMI ports, the available configurations are DVI & DVI, or DVI & HDMI. I recommend the DVI & HDMI option because in this way, you will get HDMI Audio (which is not available in DVI & DVI option)
  • So connect a second monitor using the HDMI cable, and
  • The last monitor using the last HDMI cable passing through a DVI to HDMI adapter

In this way, all 3 types of ports on the Radeon will be used.

  1. Now, on to the software side. Using the ATI Catalyst Control Panel, select a new Profile under Profile manager.
  2. Configure all 3 desktop as a Single Display.

Voila! And you are done. Enjoy your surround game environment!

Playing WOW with 3 monitors in surround game mode (Internet image)

Playing WOW with 3-monitor in surround game mode (Internet image)

Aurora ALX

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Alienware Aurora ALX Desktop (Gaming Rig)

The Alienware Aurora ALX for the V-Lab arrived today! Yay! :twisted:

The thing is a monster! It is easily 1.5 time bigger than my Dell XPS.

Here’s a comment from someone who received their first extended ATX case:

This thing is HUGEEE. My jaw hit the floor when i took it out of the box.

(Heheh! I felt the same way.) The thing is heavy, too. I need help just to lift the chassis up to the trolley in order to cart it back to my office.

My purchasing officer commented that the big box that house the chassis (alone) is like a small house.  Noticed I did not say anything about a monitor? That’s because I did not order one!

I was hoping to try out some of the screens before I commit on which monitor to purchase.  However, I do have two 28″ Hanns monitors with me right now, so I can begin testing…

The fins on the top of the chassis (mothership?) actually fan out (open up wider) as you boot up the machine — it also changes position according to the fan speed. You can also change the color of every LED panel on the chassis, with matching (or not) color on the keyboard and mouse. (COOL!) No wonder people said this is a toy!!! (Let me add, big toys for big boys!) :mrgreen:

Alright, need to calm down… and get on with more important business…

Setting it up was easy. Then I installed Resident Evil 5. (Oh, why is it in Japanese? Turn out there was a bug as Konami left it default Japanese language.) Go figure! So now everyone else (including us here in US) have to guess at the installation process on screen.)

Now, since I have two monitors (1900×1200) side by side, I should be able to get 3800×1200… Errm, I can;’t find 3800 x 1200 at all. In fact, the game’s highest resolution is just 1900×1200. This is not cool. What went wrong?

Let’s see: the ATI’s are in Crossfire mode, and I do have DVI to HDMI for both monitors. (Changing one of them to HDMI/HDMI doesn’t make any differences, except I do get HDMI audio while playing BlueDisc.) Something is not right…

A search on WideScreenGamingForum (WSGF) revealed that Dragon’s Age has released a patch for Eyefinity users! (Patch 1.01b). So this means, no every game will pick up the resolution automatically.

Further search on Anandtech revealed something about “grouping the monitors into a Single Large Display”. Hmm, I will try that tomorrow, and ask G. to purchase Dragon Age.

Found the problem: It seemed that not only do I need 3 monitors, but I also must have 3 different cables in order to run surround game mode (see this post for more information). Aiyayah!

Alienware

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I have put in an order for a new Alienware computer for the V-LAB.

When the order went up to the Purchase Department, our Purchase Manager had a fit. Two days later, my order was returned with a polite suggestion for a Dell Studio XPS as substitute. The reason? Apparently, the Alienware was considered to be a “Toy” (and is therefore, not suitable for higher institution “use”.) Ahhh!

Sorry! No way I am getting a XPS. I picked the Alienware precisely because it IS a Toy!

Don’t get me wrong: I am getting it because it comes with two (very interesting) pieces of hardware – a pair of ATI Radeon 5870 cards with Cross-Fire!

“Why? You ask?” In order to have a 3-monitor surround game setup, that’s why! (Now, if you have read my last couple of posts, you would have already guessed it. No?)

Alienware "Bad Boy": Intergalactic Domination

Eyefinity

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People who likes Surround Games now have an alternative to Matrox TH2G: the ATI Radeon 5800/5700 (an Eyefinity capable card)! The monster card (it is very long) is able to power up 6 screens simultaneously (through DirectX 11) to create a new level of “Surround Gaming”!

An ATI Eyefinity Ad with 3 screens laid out horizontally

Since the card is DirectX 11 capable, it did not have the same restrictions inherent to the Matrox TH2G (DirectX 11, higher resolution limit). The card can easily reach 5760 x 1200 in their 3 x 1 screen configuration — as compared to TH2G’s 5060 x 1050.

A single ATI Radeon 5870 is currently selling at $380.00 (at Newegg.com). Not forgetting that you will need two additional monitors to make a triple display. There is also the CrossFire option for consideration… Or You may want to consider the slightly cheaper “mainstream” product instead: Radeon 5850 is selling for around $260.00 (at Newegg.com). [AnandTech Review on 5770/5750] :mrgreen:

Several YouTube videos of the ATI Eyefinity Launch can be found here. [See photos on Eyefinity Setup.] [Eyefinity review on AnandTech.]

Finally, how about a 24 screens monstrosity — with 4 Eyefinity cards (6 screens each) firing at the same time?

24 screens display (inset: 4 cards powering 6 display port monitor each)

Surround Gaming

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Surround Gaming (as the name suggests) is gaming using multiple screen to create an immersive, or surround-feel (think IMAX theatre). The terminology is primarily used by Matrox to market their TripleHead2Go box. (see another article on this topic).

Up till recently, surround gaming uis only possible through the TH2G: Analog (VGA), Digital (DVI) and Display Port (DP) versions are all available. A Matrox’s TH2G allows the display output from a video card to be splitted/clone into a maximum of 3 streams. When output to 3 separate monitors, this creates a long “surround” screen for the gamer and deliver the illusion of a “surround” game (kind of like the C.A.V.E. for simulation).

Computer Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE)

A Computer Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE)

According to Matrox:

  • 99% of the games on the market today are designed to run on a single screen only. This means that no matter how many graphics cards/outputs you have on your system, you will only be able to play these games on one screen. (I have an NVIDIA SLI-enabled desktop, and Resident Evil 5 only run at 1900 x 1080 on my dual screen setup).
  • TH2G was specifically designed to get around this limitation by appearing to your system as if it were a single screen. When TH2G is connected to your system’s primary output, your game will detect a single ultra-wide display and render triple the content (as if it were destined for a single triple-wide monitor).
  • The beauty of the TH2G is that this extra content will then be divided and displayed on your two additional screens. This unique technology thus allows games that would normally default to one screen to be played across three (and with three times the viewable content!). The same effect cannot be achieved by connecting three monitors to three standard GPU outputs.
  • Whether on a laptop or desktop computer, no other solution offers the true Surround Gaming experience you achieve with TripleHead2Go’s unique technology.

DirectX 9 allowed Windows to display a maximum of 4k (4,096) pixels. When multiply into 3 displays (3 x 1280 x 1024), the maximum allowed resolution is thus 3840 x 1024. Any higher resolution (e.g. 1440×1050) will push the horizontal pixel beyond 4,320 (in the case of 3 x 1440) and is not possible due to the DX9 limitation. DX10 is more forgiving, and will allow the highest achieveable resolution to reach (even with the Display Port model) 5040 x 1050. [link] (DirectX 11 will be available with Windows 7, and should allow for even higher resolution. Matrox will no doubt bridge the gap with a new firmware when the time comes. (Can’t wait for Matrox to post the new firmware? See the post on ATI Eyefinity.)

triplehead2go

Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital (with digital ports)

More resources and articles are available on the Wide Screen Gaming Forum. This is a must visit site for Matrox TH2G users. You can find many tips & tricks, troubleshooting guides, and surround game screenshots here.