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GTX 670 Triple Screen / Clients

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Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#1 - 2012-12-12 13:44:01 UTC
Okay so I've spent literally DAYS searching for a fix for this issue. TBH, I never post on the forums for anything, just hope I can find a solution for my problem.. but I'm honestly stumped.


Basically.. I have three clients that I run on a rig with three screens.
All three clients have a junction / symbolic link from one install, so when I open a client, it automatically opens to a screen that I prefer.

I use EVELauncher and all clients are on FULL high, high AA and interval one with 1920x1080. I have two 32 " Panasonic TV's and a 24" Dell Widescreen monitor.

GTX 670,
16 GB RAM,
AMD Six-Core 3.9ghz,

My issue is that when I start up my clients in fixed window mode, they will ALL sit at 30 FPS. Sometimes rise up to 40. Every now and then, they'll pop up to 60 FPS and hover for a bit then cruise back down to 30. I am one of those people that prefer ultra smooth action so I'd love to have them all at 60 FPS.
I know my GPU is capable, because whenever I keep pop one client into full screen with interval one, it shoots up to 150+ FPS, plus I use DXTory to record BF3 in ultra graphics so it's a pretty decent rig.

I HAVE V-SYNC ON ( IN NVIDIA PANEL IT IS ON, NOT ADAPTIVE )

Things I have tried from memory:

Setting priority in task manager.
Using Windowed Mode ( Not fixed )
Adjusting down my graphical settings in-game.
Playing with V-Sync settings, in-game ( assuming that's intervals ) and in NVIDIA Control Panel.
Running three clients without using the links / junctions.
Updating my drivers.

I've done several things.

It seems to sit at 60FPS for a time before dropping again, should I say, change AA from disabled, then put it back up to HIGH it'll sit at 60FPS then drop again in a few minutes.

So far as I cna tell, this happens when running one, two, three and / or four clients.

Any suggestions would be more than appreciated. Even if you think I may have tried it, let me know because I may have slipped on something.


Thank you
Thokia
CCP Paradox
#2 - 2012-12-12 15:44:34 UTC
You mentioned v-sync from nvidia. Have you tried disabling it from your control panel and giving the v-sync control to EVE to handle? Likewise, have you tried disabling v-sync in EVE and running adaptive V-Sync from the nvidia control panel?

CCP Paradox | EVE QA | Team Phenomenon

Space Magician
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#3 - 2012-12-12 20:23:20 UTC
CCP Paradox wrote:
You mentioned v-sync from nvidia. Have you tried disabling it from your control panel and giving the v-sync control to EVE to handle? Likewise, have you tried disabling v-sync in EVE and running adaptive V-Sync from the nvidia control panel?


The only options in EVE's interval settings whilst in fixed window mode is Interval Immediate and Interval One.

Whilst when I put my clients on Interval Immedate, they will shoot up to near 200 FPS. However I have noticed that my GPU temps still sit at around 56 degrees when three clients are doing that FPS.

So I'm not entirely sure if it is still damaging the card.
Also, when it's on interval immediate and at a high FPS, I don't notice the smoothness when it's on interval one and doing 60 FPS.

It's almost like Interval Immediate is doing a really fast but fake FPS count.

I have tried Adaptive V-Sync in the control panel, with interval immediate and one and to no avail.

Likewise I have tried V-Sync off, with interval immediate and one. No changes.

Thokia
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#4 - 2012-12-12 20:49:53 UTC  |  Edited by: Thokia
CCP Paradox wrote:
You mentioned v-sync from nvidia. Have you tried disabling it from your control panel and giving the v-sync control to EVE to handle? Likewise, have you tried disabling v-sync in EVE and running adaptive V-Sync from the nvidia control panel?



So I think I have isolated this problem.

I run three monitors, two DVI, one HDMI.
My corpie said to unplug my HDMI and see what would happen. I did so, and I'm running three clients, FULL GFX, FULL AA full everything at 60 FPS no sweat. As soon as I plug in my HDMI, it drops to 30.

So far as I cna tell, this is an EVE only issue. None of my other games do this, and the card is more than capable of running three screens.

Is there a way, I can stop this cross connection issue? The card only has two DVi, or two HDMI slots, so doing three of the same connection will be a little difficult.

EDIT: I have also noticed that when I have three clients up, on one screen each, it will sit at 60 FPS no sweat. However when I bring up another window, like google chrome or teamspeak on a screen ( So two EVE clients on a screen each, then a browser on a third screen ) , they'll all drop to 30 FPS. So I think there's a setting somewhere in my GPU, saying that when another window is up ( that isn't a game ), the GPU stops working at the proper potential or the v-sync halves the FPS. Something like that anyway. IF you have a more precise technical side to it Paradox, it'd be appreciated. I'd like to get this fixed.
CCP Vertex
C C P
C C P Alliance
#5 - 2012-12-13 10:57:30 UTC
Hi Thokia,
Thokia wrote:
Whilst when I put my clients on Interval Immedate, they will shoot up to near 200 FPS. However I have noticed that my GPU temps still sit at around 56 degrees when three clients are doing that FPS.


Interval Immediate (v-sync off) will increase the stress on your GPU and subsequently the heat, however the thermal barrier for modern GPUs is around 80+ degrees so if your GPU sits at 56 then all should be fine.

Also note that while the EVE Clients are in windowed mode you will see fluctuations in frame time depending on which client is in focus (selected). If you select one client you will notice it gets a higher FPS count than the other eve clients that are not in focus.

**CCP Vertex  |  Senior Development Manager ** | @CCP_Vertex
CCP Paradox
#6 - 2012-12-13 11:14:30 UTC
Thokia wrote:
CCP Paradox wrote:
You mentioned v-sync from nvidia. Have you tried disabling it from your control panel and giving the v-sync control to EVE to handle? Likewise, have you tried disabling v-sync in EVE and running adaptive V-Sync from the nvidia control panel?



So I think I have isolated this problem.

I run three monitors, two DVI, one HDMI.
My corpie said to unplug my HDMI and see what would happen. I did so, and I'm running three clients, FULL GFX, FULL AA full everything at 60 FPS no sweat. As soon as I plug in my HDMI, it drops to 30.

So far as I cna tell, this is an EVE only issue. None of my other games do this, and the card is more than capable of running three screens.

Is there a way, I can stop this cross connection issue? The card only has two DVi, or two HDMI slots, so doing three of the same connection will be a little difficult.

EDIT: I have also noticed that when I have three clients up, on one screen each, it will sit at 60 FPS no sweat. However when I bring up another window, like google chrome or teamspeak on a screen ( So two EVE clients on a screen each, then a browser on a third screen ) , they'll all drop to 30 FPS. So I think there's a setting somewhere in my GPU, saying that when another window is up ( that isn't a game ), the GPU stops working at the proper potential or the v-sync halves the FPS. Something like that anyway. IF you have a more precise technical side to it Paradox, it'd be appreciated. I'd like to get this fixed.


I am aware of an issue with using a CPU that has integrated graphics, and having something plugged directly into that. Just to rule that one out, you are not doing something like that? You just have the monitors connected via the 670?

CCP Paradox | EVE QA | Team Phenomenon

Space Magician
Matthew
BloodStar Technologies
#7 - 2012-12-13 11:58:29 UTC
What refresh rates are the three monitors showing as being connected at (particularly the one connected over HDMI)? I've got a dual-monitor setup with one at 120Hz and one at 60Hz, and the two different refresh rates cause VSync to do some interesting things.

When 2 clients are entirely contained on the 120Hz monitor, then Interval One will cap out at 120fps and hold it solidly. However, as soon as one of the clients is either partially or fully on the 60Hz monitor, then Interval One will cap out at 60fps across all clients.

In terms of interactions with a non-Eve app, with the Eve client on the 120Hz monitor and the non-Eve app on the 60Hz monitor, and the Eve client having focus, the impact seems to depend on how "busy" the non-Eve app is. For example, if the non-eve app is Firefox displaying a relatively static web page (e.g. the "post a reply" page of these forums), then the Eve client will generally maintain 120fps, but will drop to 60fps if anything happens (e.g. the "autosave" pop-up on the "post a reply" page appears), returning to 120fps when the activity ceases. If I make firefox constantly "active", e.g. by playing a Youtube video, then the Eve client is capped at 60fps constantly.

So it looks like VSync will be capped to the refresh rate of the slowest monitor that is currently receiving active draw updates to it, at least on my current setup.

However, there is also an effect whereby an Eve client that does not have focus will run at a lower frame rate than one that does have focus. But this occurs even with Interval Immediate as well, so doesn't seem to be directly related to VSync. I've always assumed that this is more about the priority scheduling being done by Windows and/or the graphics driver, to ensure that the application with focus is given priority and avoid it being swamped out by background processes.
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#8 - 2012-12-13 14:00:12 UTC
CCP Paradox wrote:
Thokia wrote:
CCP Paradox wrote:
You mentioned v-sync from nvidia. Have you tried disabling it from your control panel and giving the v-sync control to EVE to handle? Likewise, have you tried disabling v-sync in EVE and running adaptive V-Sync from the nvidia control panel?



So I think I have isolated this problem.

I run three monitors, two DVI, one HDMI.
My corpie said to unplug my HDMI and see what would happen. I did so, and I'm running three clients, FULL GFX, FULL AA full everything at 60 FPS no sweat. As soon as I plug in my HDMI, it drops to 30.

So far as I cna tell, this is an EVE only issue. None of my other games do this, and the card is more than capable of running three screens.

Is there a way, I can stop this cross connection issue? The card only has two DVi, or two HDMI slots, so doing three of the same connection will be a little difficult.

EDIT: I have also noticed that when I have three clients up, on one screen each, it will sit at 60 FPS no sweat. However when I bring up another window, like google chrome or teamspeak on a screen ( So two EVE clients on a screen each, then a browser on a third screen ) , they'll all drop to 30 FPS. So I think there's a setting somewhere in my GPU, saying that when another window is up ( that isn't a game ), the GPU stops working at the proper potential or the v-sync halves the FPS. Something like that anyway. IF you have a more precise technical side to it Paradox, it'd be appreciated. I'd like to get this fixed.


I am aware of an issue with using a CPU that has integrated graphics, and having something plugged directly into that. Just to rule that one out, you are not doing something like that? You just have the monitors connected via the 670?



All three monitors are connected via the 670. However I bought an HDMI to DP adapter, as I heard the DP connection has a more stable connection than the HDMI.

Also, for the above. I could understand that the refresh rates are being capped to the lowest monitor.

It might also be that the HDMI cable, gives a lower refresh rate ( if that is even possible ) than the two DVI. hence when I am going to try one DP, and two DVI connections.

All three monitors are 60Hz refresh rate, so I'm not sure if one TV ( becauese I use two Panasonic 32" TV's and a 24" Monitor ) is capping the other two screens.
Matthew
BloodStar Technologies
#9 - 2012-12-13 15:11:36 UTC
Thokia wrote:

All three monitors are connected via the 670. However I bought an HDMI to DP adapter, as I heard the DP connection has a more stable connection than the HDMI.

Also, for the above. I could understand that the refresh rates are being capped to the lowest monitor.

It might also be that the HDMI cable, gives a lower refresh rate ( if that is even possible ) than the two DVI. hence when I am going to try one DP, and two DVI connections.

All three monitors are 60Hz refresh rate, so I'm not sure if one TV ( becauese I use two Panasonic 32" TV's and a 24" Monitor ) is capping the other two screens.


The reason I thought of the refresh rate issue is that I've heard of cases of some combinations of graphics card and TV falling back to a 30Hz mode when connected over HDMI, whereas the same device combination defaulted to 60Hz when using a DVI or VGA connection. As you indicated that eliminating the HDMI connection got you back up to 60fps, I thought that might be happening. It's worth checking the actual refresh rates being reported, both on your PC via the NVidia control panel, and by the on-screen menus of the monitor/TVs, in case they aren't actually running at the 60Hz they are capable of.

If the screen on the HDMI cable is syncing to 30Hz, and you can't get the Nvidia control panel to force it to a 60Hz mode, then assuming both the TVs and Dell monitor could take either HDMI or DVI, it might be worth swapping them around to see if the other type of device behaves better over HDMI.

Of course, if they are all actually synced at 60Hz, then ignore me! Smile
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#10 - 2012-12-13 22:26:37 UTC
Matthew wrote:
Thokia wrote:

All three monitors are connected via the 670. However I bought an HDMI to DP adapter, as I heard the DP connection has a more stable connection than the HDMI.

Also, for the above. I could understand that the refresh rates are being capped to the lowest monitor.

It might also be that the HDMI cable, gives a lower refresh rate ( if that is even possible ) than the two DVI. hence when I am going to try one DP, and two DVI connections.

All three monitors are 60Hz refresh rate, so I'm not sure if one TV ( becauese I use two Panasonic 32" TV's and a 24" Monitor ) is capping the other two screens.


The reason I thought of the refresh rate issue is that I've heard of cases of some combinations of graphics card and TV falling back to a 30Hz mode when connected over HDMI, whereas the same device combination defaulted to 60Hz when using a DVI or VGA connection. As you indicated that eliminating the HDMI connection got you back up to 60fps, I thought that might be happening. It's worth checking the actual refresh rates being reported, both on your PC via the NVidia control panel, and by the on-screen menus of the monitor/TVs, in case they aren't actually running at the 60Hz they are capable of.

If the screen on the HDMI cable is syncing to 30Hz, and you can't get the Nvidia control panel to force it to a 60Hz mode, then assuming both the TVs and Dell monitor could take either HDMI or DVI, it might be worth swapping them around to see if the other type of device behaves better over HDMI.

Of course, if they are all actually synced at 60Hz, then ignore me! Smile


Hehe, I checked on TV settings and it stated that both were at 60Hz and in the NVIDIA CP that all screens were at 60Hz. :P
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#11 - 2012-12-15 07:17:39 UTC
bump
Kai Crichton
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#12 - 2012-12-16 12:33:32 UTC
Hi,

I have quite the same solution as you, but all my monitors are 24" BenQ monitors. 2x dvi and 1x hdmi.
I have the GTX 670, run 3 Clients and all runs at 60 fps With no drops what so ever.

My settings:
1) Disable AA
2) Post Processing: NONE (it kills fps as hell)
3) All Clients run on 1920x1080 Fixed window mode
4) Interval One
5) Make sure Nvidia has V-sync (let 3d Application decide) setting

I do use Windows 8, for better monitor management (far superior then Win7 on that topic).

Check if you are running full-screen or aspect ratio in Nvidia Control panel, i do use full-screen.

I would also suggest not to use Junction and have 3 separate EVE installations. (I had lots of strange issues With Junctions in my time).

There are also some threads in the forums about 3 Clients, and they all drop to 30 fps... I think they found a solution that 2 x Clients run Interval One, but the last Client ran Interval Imediate. Then the last Client cycled at 60fps With the 2 other monitors.
At least Worth a shot.

Regards!
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#13 - 2012-12-20 07:17:07 UTC
Kai Crichton wrote:
Hi,

I have quite the same solution as you, but all my monitors are 24" BenQ monitors. 2x dvi and 1x hdmi.
I have the GTX 670, run 3 Clients and all runs at 60 fps With no drops what so ever.

My settings:
1) Disable AA
2) Post Processing: NONE (it kills fps as hell)
3) All Clients run on 1920x1080 Fixed window mode
4) Interval One
5) Make sure Nvidia has V-sync (let 3d Application decide) setting

I do use Windows 8, for better monitor management (far superior then Win7 on that topic).

Check if you are running full-screen or aspect ratio in Nvidia Control panel, i do use full-screen.

I would also suggest not to use Junction and have 3 separate EVE installations. (I had lots of strange issues With Junctions in my time).

There are also some threads in the forums about 3 Clients, and they all drop to 30 fps... I think they found a solution that 2 x Clients run Interval One, but the last Client ran Interval Imediate. Then the last Client cycled at 60fps With the 2 other monitors.
At least Worth a shot.

Regards!


I did try some of these and it didn't make a difference. Still an issue though I have noticed using a DP adapter for the HDMI TV has made it not drop as much.

Windows 8 looks horrible, but I'm honestly not sure. It might be good. But just thought I'd offer my opinion on it, incase there was something you could add to that. :P
Kai Crichton
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#14 - 2012-12-20 11:05:22 UTC
Thokia wrote:
Kai Crichton wrote:
Hi,

I have quite the same solution as you, but all my monitors are 24" BenQ monitors. 2x dvi and 1x hdmi.
I have the GTX 670, run 3 Clients and all runs at 60 fps With no drops what so ever.

My settings:
1) Disable AA
2) Post Processing: NONE (it kills fps as hell)
3) All Clients run on 1920x1080 Fixed window mode
4) Interval One
5) Make sure Nvidia has V-sync (let 3d Application decide) setting

I do use Windows 8, for better monitor management (far superior then Win7 on that topic).

Check if you are running full-screen or aspect ratio in Nvidia Control panel, i do use full-screen.

I would also suggest not to use Junction and have 3 separate EVE installations. (I had lots of strange issues With Junctions in my time).

There are also some threads in the forums about 3 Clients, and they all drop to 30 fps... I think they found a solution that 2 x Clients run Interval One, but the last Client ran Interval Imediate. Then the last Client cycled at 60fps With the 2 other monitors.
At least Worth a shot.

Regards!


I did try some of these and it didn't make a difference. Still an issue though I have noticed using a DP adapter for the HDMI TV has made it not drop as much.

Windows 8 looks horrible, but I'm honestly not sure. It might be good. But just thought I'd offer my opinion on it, incase there was something you could add to that. :P



One question though, instead of using 2x dvi and 1x hdmi cable, did you ever try an active dp -> dvi cable? So all Your Three monitors will be using dvi cables?

I know a lot of People complain about WIndows 8, and I had a long argument With my self before I did the installation. I never use the Metro UI anyway, always in desktop mode. And it runs very smooth, still no issues, and havent met any game issues yet.
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#15 - 2012-12-20 19:49:33 UTC
Kai Crichton wrote:
Thokia wrote:
Kai Crichton wrote:
Hi,

I have quite the same solution as you, but all my monitors are 24" BenQ monitors. 2x dvi and 1x hdmi.
I have the GTX 670, run 3 Clients and all runs at 60 fps With no drops what so ever.

My settings:
1) Disable AA
2) Post Processing: NONE (it kills fps as hell)
3) All Clients run on 1920x1080 Fixed window mode
4) Interval One
5) Make sure Nvidia has V-sync (let 3d Application decide) setting

I do use Windows 8, for better monitor management (far superior then Win7 on that topic).

Check if you are running full-screen or aspect ratio in Nvidia Control panel, i do use full-screen.

I would also suggest not to use Junction and have 3 separate EVE installations. (I had lots of strange issues With Junctions in my time).

There are also some threads in the forums about 3 Clients, and they all drop to 30 fps... I think they found a solution that 2 x Clients run Interval One, but the last Client ran Interval Imediate. Then the last Client cycled at 60fps With the 2 other monitors.
At least Worth a shot.

Regards!


I did try some of these and it didn't make a difference. Still an issue though I have noticed using a DP adapter for the HDMI TV has made it not drop as much.

Windows 8 looks horrible, but I'm honestly not sure. It might be good. But just thought I'd offer my opinion on it, incase there was something you could add to that. :P



One question though, instead of using 2x dvi and 1x hdmi cable, did you ever try an active dp -> dvi cable? So all Your Three monitors will be using dvi cables?

I know a lot of People complain about WIndows 8, and I had a long argument With my self before I did the installation. I never use the Metro UI anyway, always in desktop mode. And it runs very smooth, still no issues, and havent met any game issues yet.


Problem is, my GPU has two DVI, a HDMI and a DP so it's kind of difficult, otherwise I would be using all DVI :P


Yeah it just looked to me with that ' UI ' to be confusing :P
Kai Crichton
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#16 - 2012-12-20 23:34:25 UTC
Don't think I explained my self good enough.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270274 -> DP to DVI converter. Hence you can use 3 dvi cables.
Instead of DP to HDMI or 2x dvi and 1x hdmi cable.
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#17 - 2012-12-21 01:13:25 UTC
Kai Crichton wrote:
Don't think I explained my self good enough.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270274 -> DP to DVI converter. Hence you can use 3 dvi cables.
Instead of DP to HDMI or 2x dvi and 1x hdmi cable.


Oh the other way around/. my mistake. :P

But will that really make a difference?

Because it's still DP at the GPU end, which is where the data is developed.

If this makes such a big difference, then I might tell you that I ACTUALLY have

Monitor -> GPU

DVI -> DVI
HDMI -> DVI
HDMI -> DP


I was under the imrpession that it didn't matter what was connected at the monitors, only at the GPU. :P
Tara VanSkye
Binary Capital Group
#18 - 2013-03-02 07:02:45 UTC
ever get this sorted out? I'm going to test the same exact setup tomorrow (GTX 670, 2 monitors via dvi, 1 1080p 24" TV via HDMI).

I know when I was playing around getting the dual monitors going, I initially tried running one of them off the on-board card (HD 4000) and it brought both windowed Eve clients down to 30fps, even the monitor / client hooked up to the 670. Once I got both monitors running off the GTX 670 (I had to keep one finicky monitor on specific DVI port for some reason) both clients jumped back to a solid 60 FPS.

Anyway, I'll post back after I've tested it out with the results.
Tara VanSkye
Binary Capital Group
#19 - 2013-03-02 16:58:18 UTC  |  Edited by: Tara VanSkye
OK, all tested.. 60 fps across the board running 3 windowed clients.. Had to knock a few settings down to medium, it was pegging the GTX 670 @ ~76F, though not full utilization of GPU or memory.. (I have a micro ATX case, so not a lot of cooling room).

1 Asus VW246H @ 1920x1080 (DVI)
1 Toshiba 24L400U @ 1920x1080p (TV - HDMI)
1 Sceptre old POS @ 1680x1050 (DVI)

Latest drivers from EVGA (I have the standard GTX 670 (2GB), not FTW), Windows 7 x64.

Not sure if I'm going to keep it though.. I have a small area to work with and I think all the neck rotating is making me nauseous..
Thokia
Illuminati Pirates
#20 - 2013-03-20 23:03:57 UTC
Tara VanSkye wrote:
OK, all tested.. 60 fps across the board running 3 windowed clients.. Had to knock a few settings down to medium, it was pegging the GTX 670 @ ~76F, though not full utilization of GPU or memory.. (I have a micro ATX case, so not a lot of cooling room).

1 Asus VW246H @ 1920x1080 (DVI)
1 Toshiba 24L400U @ 1920x1080p (TV - HDMI)
1 Sceptre old POS @ 1680x1050 (DVI)

Latest drivers from EVGA (I have the standard GTX 670 (2GB), not FTW), Windows 7 x64.

Not sure if I'm going to keep it though.. I have a small area to work with and I think all the neck rotating is making me nauseous..


You got a full 60FPS across the board? I kind of learnt to liver with mine, still dropping to 30 every now and then, but by God is it noticeable.