Help with monitor connection 5.1

[barnetda]

Guys I need some help please!

I just bought a 2010 5.1 with a ATI 5870

I am trying to connect my 2 displays. Apple 27 Thunderbolt and a new Dell 2715 with a mini DVI to HDMI

I cant get any picture at all on either display. I know they work as they are currently fine connected to my 2013 Macbook pro.

The5870 has 2 mini dvi ports (i think their called ) and a DVI port. The DVI port works fine on an older spare monitor but i need the 2 monitors to work.

If it helps in system prefs under displays i can see a box for the Dell 2715 and can set res but no picture.

I am an old retired guy and not very techie so simple advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[ActionableMango]

There's no mini DVI. The 5870 has 1 DVI port and the rest are Mini Display Port (MDP). There are many different ways to connect these, but the best and most straightforward with no adapters is to plug the Thunderbolt monitor into a 5870 MDP port using its Thunderbolt cable, and the Dell into another 5870 MDP port using an MDP cable.

If you can't get any picture at all on either display, how are you seeing System Preferences?

 

[thats all folks]

Thunderbolt display only works on a thunderbolt signal. that monitor will do you no good. the Dell should work with your adapter. can you test it on another system? I've encountered almost as many bad adapters as good.

 

[barnetda]

Thanks for the quick reply.Sorry my terminology is poor.
I can see the systems prefs when i connected a monitor to the DVI and saw the other monitors specs (i tried each of the 2 large displays seperately) .
I am using the the Apple Thunderbolt displays lead (which also has a mac book pro power adapter) to connect but without any luck. The other Dell display i have plugged into the MDP but cant see a picture at all.
I dont really know what else to do.
[doublepost=1473982387][/doublepost]

Thunderbolt display only works on a thunderbolt signal. that monitor will do you no good. the Dell should work with your adapter. can you test it on another system? I've encountered almost as many bad adapters as good.

I dont have an adapter , i just plugged into the Mini DVI. It works great on my mac book pro so its definately working.
[doublepost=1473982629][/doublepost]ok, i have a picture on my Dell. I had to change the input !

So is it impossible to get my cinema to work even with a different graphic card?

 

[thats all folks]

a Thunderbolt display will only work on a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt and mini display port use the same connector but they are very different signals. So nope, that monitor will not work with any graphics card.

 

[barnetda]

a Thunderbolt display will only work on a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt and mini display port use the same connector but they are very different signals. So nope, that monitor will not work with any graphics card.

Understood now, Thanks very much .

Last question , If I got a 2nd Monitor (another Dell 2715) can i use the 2nd DVI port so i can utilise both ports with duel 2715s or even better use both MDP ports and the single DVI to drive a 3rd monitor?

 

[thats all folks]

If I got a 2nd Monitor (another Dell 2715) can i use the 2nd DVI port so i can utilise both ports with duel 2715s or even better use both MDP ports and the single DVI to drive a 3rd monitor?

I don't know why you would want your monitors to duel, ports wont make a difference for that. but you can connect up dual monitors on that card, and up to 3 monitors though that is a little trickier. 3 is really only guaranteed to work if they are all the same model monitor and over native connections. so one DVI and the other two over display port. best to stick with two. you can add a second video card if you really want more monitors.

 

[barnetda]

I don't know why you would want your monitors to duel, ports wont make a difference for that. but you can connect up dual monitors on that card, and up to 3 monitors though that is a little trickier. 3 is really only guaranteed to work if they are all the same model monitor and over native connections. so one DVI and the other two over display port. best to stick with two. you can add a second video card if you really want more monitors.

[doublepost=1473990003][/doublepost]Thanks again for your help. Its my terminology thats incorrect.When i said Dual I meant run 2 monitors (2 dell 2715) one in each MDP. I just dont want to buy another and it not work.

I would then love to run a 3rd Dell but it would be a 2405 via the DVI .