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Well I've run into so many unusual things setting up and running 3D surround I felt like i should start my own thread. Many of the situations I've been running into don't seem to be well documented, or mentioned at all, online, so I'm planning on using this thread to share my solutions as I come upon them.
To begin with, here is my configuration:
3 Acer GD235HZ mounted on my Obutto Ozone. System configuration is as indicated in my signature. Of course I'm using the Nvidia 3D vision kit as well.
With Bezel correction, I am running at a resolution of 5960x1080. Desktop mode is running 5760x1080.
The first thing I wanted to point out that may be complicating my configuration is that my second video card is not a normal GTX275, but the EVGA CO-OP, meaning it's a single GTX275 with a GTS250 dedicated for physx. Prior to running surround, I have had 0 problems running GTX275+GTS250PPU. However, the drivers always show a virtual analog monitor connected to the GTS250, and I'm curious if that's impacting my surround configuration experience.
*Solved*Firstly, I cannot seem to get a peripheral display working. Beside the 3 monitors, I also have a 40" LCD hdtv I use for watching blu-rays. Connected to the remaining DVI port, 3D surround configuration recognizes the monitor, but does not list it under additional displays. Instead, it only shows under surround displays. However, that virtual monitor does show up as an option for an additional display. Has anyone gotten a 4th display working on their remaining DVI port? According to this article from Nvidia, the only means of getting an additional display running is with an entirely separate video card that's not part of the SLI configuration. I feel that's a bit misleading, as it's not really a feature of their 3d surround software, but just an additional gpu in the system. But at least I know to stop trying.
Also, I've had some monitor/DVI plug assignment weirdness, even before adding the 4th display into the equation. I see from the [H] article they also received this message:
"Your HDMI 1.4 display is not compatible with 3d Vision." I'm guessing this is just in error and can be disregarded. However, the first time I set up 3D vision, i had my monitors connected as indicated. When applying the settings, the 3rd monitor (connected independently to the second card) goes blank and the monitor goes to no signal mode. After some trouble shooting, I found the signal was being routed to the lower DVI port, not the one indicated. I thought, "no big deal, they're just mixed up on my card". After a reboot or two, the same problem happens AGAIN, but now i have to move back to the top port. It then seems to be fine after several reboots. I've reproduced this problem several times by disabling and re-enabling 3d surround. Anyone else see their 3rd monitor signal move around from one DVI port to the next?
For reference, here's some screenshots from the setup process, indicating how it identifies the different gpu's and their assignments:
*Solved* Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 work fantastically in surround mode, however, will not run in 3d. They revert to 2D surround, but with a brief message in red text in the middle of the screen that says simply "Out of memory."
This is presented in the same fashion as the message when you have your anti aliasing set too high. I have not tried running a lower resolution yet, but it runs so well at full resolution i'd like to keep it there. I haven't found much of anything online regarding this "out of memory" error, so any input would be appreciated. *edit* Lowered resolution to 4600x900 and 3d surround works. Looks like the 896MB isn't enough to run 3d surround at full resolution. Probably worth noting for those folks thinking about getting 768MB GTX460's. The extra memory of the 1GB version would definitely be worth it in this case!
Oddly enough, Team Fortress 2 (also a source game) works just fine at full resolution in 3d surround. Something about the way L4D and L4D2 is coded prevents it from working right. Maybe a future driver/game update will fix the issue...
Battlefield Bad company 2 works exactly as one would hope in both surround and 3d surround, however, if you start the game with 3d disabled and tray to enable on the fly with ctrl+t shortcut, the game will crash to dekstop. Alternatively, if you start a game with 3d enabled, you can disable/reenable without issue. 3D supported at full resolution, however had to drop settings to low to get playable frame rates, or drop resolution.
Alien Vs Predator works great in surround mode. Pre-rendered cut scenes don't stretch to all the screens so they remain on the middle monitor in the correct aspect ratio. Some overlay effects in game, such as for the sniper scope or getting electrocuted from an exploding combat android, only apply to middle monitor or don't completely render on side monitors. However, 3D surround virtually doesn't work. The game has to be started in 3D, trying to enable it mid game causes the game to lock up. When running in 3d, the gun is entirely misrendered (looks split apart) crosshair lighting, and I think shadowing is rendered 2d. Pretty close to entirely unplayable, which is a shame cause this would be an excellent game for 3D. I found best performance for my setup was running at the equivalent to 3x720p with ambient occlusion and motion blur disabled (depending on the level, those features could have been enabled with little impact on gameplay, but for overall smoothness I run with it off).
Dirt 2 looks awesome in Surround. 3D surround is an option but many of the lighting/water effects render incorrectly. Turning settings to low mostly corrects this. In 2D comfortably running all settings at highest.
*This is a work in progress, will be adding more later*
To begin with, here is my configuration:
3 Acer GD235HZ mounted on my Obutto Ozone. System configuration is as indicated in my signature. Of course I'm using the Nvidia 3D vision kit as well.
With Bezel correction, I am running at a resolution of 5960x1080. Desktop mode is running 5760x1080.
The first thing I wanted to point out that may be complicating my configuration is that my second video card is not a normal GTX275, but the EVGA CO-OP, meaning it's a single GTX275 with a GTS250 dedicated for physx. Prior to running surround, I have had 0 problems running GTX275+GTS250PPU. However, the drivers always show a virtual analog monitor connected to the GTS250, and I'm curious if that's impacting my surround configuration experience.
*Solved*Firstly, I cannot seem to get a peripheral display working. Beside the 3 monitors, I also have a 40" LCD hdtv I use for watching blu-rays. Connected to the remaining DVI port, 3D surround configuration recognizes the monitor, but does not list it under additional displays. Instead, it only shows under surround displays. However, that virtual monitor does show up as an option for an additional display. Has anyone gotten a 4th display working on their remaining DVI port? According to this article from Nvidia, the only means of getting an additional display running is with an entirely separate video card that's not part of the SLI configuration. I feel that's a bit misleading, as it's not really a feature of their 3d surround software, but just an additional gpu in the system. But at least I know to stop trying.
Also, I've had some monitor/DVI plug assignment weirdness, even before adding the 4th display into the equation. I see from the [H] article they also received this message:
"Your HDMI 1.4 display is not compatible with 3d Vision." I'm guessing this is just in error and can be disregarded. However, the first time I set up 3D vision, i had my monitors connected as indicated. When applying the settings, the 3rd monitor (connected independently to the second card) goes blank and the monitor goes to no signal mode. After some trouble shooting, I found the signal was being routed to the lower DVI port, not the one indicated. I thought, "no big deal, they're just mixed up on my card". After a reboot or two, the same problem happens AGAIN, but now i have to move back to the top port. It then seems to be fine after several reboots. I've reproduced this problem several times by disabling and re-enabling 3d surround. Anyone else see their 3rd monitor signal move around from one DVI port to the next?
For reference, here's some screenshots from the setup process, indicating how it identifies the different gpu's and their assignments:
*Solved* Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 work fantastically in surround mode, however, will not run in 3d. They revert to 2D surround, but with a brief message in red text in the middle of the screen that says simply "Out of memory."
This is presented in the same fashion as the message when you have your anti aliasing set too high. I have not tried running a lower resolution yet, but it runs so well at full resolution i'd like to keep it there. I haven't found much of anything online regarding this "out of memory" error, so any input would be appreciated. *edit* Lowered resolution to 4600x900 and 3d surround works. Looks like the 896MB isn't enough to run 3d surround at full resolution. Probably worth noting for those folks thinking about getting 768MB GTX460's. The extra memory of the 1GB version would definitely be worth it in this case!
Oddly enough, Team Fortress 2 (also a source game) works just fine at full resolution in 3d surround. Something about the way L4D and L4D2 is coded prevents it from working right. Maybe a future driver/game update will fix the issue...
Battlefield Bad company 2 works exactly as one would hope in both surround and 3d surround, however, if you start the game with 3d disabled and tray to enable on the fly with ctrl+t shortcut, the game will crash to dekstop. Alternatively, if you start a game with 3d enabled, you can disable/reenable without issue. 3D supported at full resolution, however had to drop settings to low to get playable frame rates, or drop resolution.
Alien Vs Predator works great in surround mode. Pre-rendered cut scenes don't stretch to all the screens so they remain on the middle monitor in the correct aspect ratio. Some overlay effects in game, such as for the sniper scope or getting electrocuted from an exploding combat android, only apply to middle monitor or don't completely render on side monitors. However, 3D surround virtually doesn't work. The game has to be started in 3D, trying to enable it mid game causes the game to lock up. When running in 3d, the gun is entirely misrendered (looks split apart) crosshair lighting, and I think shadowing is rendered 2d. Pretty close to entirely unplayable, which is a shame cause this would be an excellent game for 3D. I found best performance for my setup was running at the equivalent to 3x720p with ambient occlusion and motion blur disabled (depending on the level, those features could have been enabled with little impact on gameplay, but for overall smoothness I run with it off).
Dirt 2 looks awesome in Surround. 3D surround is an option but many of the lighting/water effects render incorrectly. Turning settings to low mostly corrects this. In 2D comfortably running all settings at highest.
*This is a work in progress, will be adding more later*
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