How use ATI Radeon HD 5770 for three monitors?

Question

How use ATI Radeon HD 5770 for three monitors?

Hi,

Have a Mac Pro early 2008. Connected to it, I have two regular computer monitors (via DVI) plus a HD TV (via DVI to HD converter, sound separately in a 3,5mm cable). As the original Mac graphic card only have two DVI outputs, I also have to swap one of them when I want to watch TV from the computer.

Now I bought a new card with several outputs, hoping that I could plug in all three screens at the same time and using the HD output straight to the TV to get the sound through it as well.

The card I bought is Apple Mac Pro ATI Radeon HD 5770 1Gb.

Now I have plugged in all three screens. The computer monitors in the DVI outputs and the TV in the HD output.

However, I can only see the two computer monitors and not the TV in the Mac preferences. Neither can I see anything in the TV (says "no signal").

I have searched hi and lo for some kind of driver, but failed.

Can someone point me in the right direction to find a solution for this?

Thanks

Dan

Posted on Feb 6, 2016 11:47 AM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Feb 6, 2016 12:29 PM in response to Community User

You say you have two monitors connected via DVI output on the card and the other "TV in the HD output"

What do you mean by HD?

What outputs on the graphics card?

Are they DVI monitors 1920x1200 or less?

Because of power limitations you can only have two legacy connection (DVI or HDMI). For more than two you need an active adopter. You can get active mini displayport>HDMI and mini displayport>DVi connections. For resolution greater than 1920x1200 y need a $99 dual-link mini displayport>DVI adopter.

You also may need two active adopters.

ATI Radeon HD 5770 and 3 monitors : 2x mini DisplayPort to HDMI, 1x DVI-D to DVI-D

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Answer 2

Feb 6, 2016 2:53 PM in response to lllaass

Thanks for reply!

Sorry, I meant HDMI to my TV.

The card has 2 DVI, 1 HDMI plus 1 that almost looks like a HDMI.

The card has its own power supply from within the computer.

The two monitors resolutions are 1920 x 1080.

I didn't have a clue what an "active" adapter was so I looked it up and didn't become any wiser.

But if there's a $99 cost, I'm in no mood of getting one anyway.

Oh, I tested only the HDMI to the TV (disconnected the others) hoping I'd get the sound to the TV that way instead of using the headphone 3,5 mm output but that didn't work either.

If you have any advice, that would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Dan

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Feb 6, 2016 3:02 PM in response to Community User

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158351

http://www.amazon.com/Accell-B087B-006B-2-DisplayPort-Single-Link-Certified/dp/B 0098HVZA0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1421443353&sr=8-3&keywords=ACTIVE+DVI

http://www.startech.com/AV/Displayport-Converters/Mini-DisplayPort-to-DVI-Active -Adapter~MDP2DVIS

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Answer 4

Feb 6, 2016 5:23 PM in response to Community User

I didn't have a clue what an "active" adapter was so I looked it up and didn't become any wiser.

simple ACTIVE adapters pick up power from the lead in the Interface to re-Drive the signals at higher levels needed by more than one or two DVI outputs or HDMI outputs from a Graphics card.

Because they have ACTIVE electronics inside, they tend to run about US$40. So you will see the word ACTIVE featured prominently to justify the US$40 price. If it costs US$4, it is not ACTIVE.

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