NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround is Here
Setting Up
For our 3D Vision Surround testing, we used a triple monitor setup with an LCD desk stand. Here, we'll go over installation details and share our experience in doing so. For those who plan on using projectors, we expect some similarities but unfortunately can't confirm specific details in this article.
One of the most important things to address is desk space. Any multi-monitor setup like NVIDIA Surround demands an astronomical amount of real estate. We can't stress this enough. Our specific setup measured over five feet wide and about 17" deep. If you're serious about this technology and plan on investing in Surround gaming, make sure you have enough room for three monitors to sit basically side by side.
Another option to consider is the use of an LCD desk stand. Ergotech makes a full line of multi-monitor stands that utilize VESA mounts and can expand based on your needs. Another advantage of the desk stand is the additional adjustment capability is provides when positioning the monitors. A three monitor stand that supports 23" displays will cost over $300 and requires assembly, but the space created beneath each monitor might be worth the additional coin.
NVIDIA Surround currently has a limit of three monitors, unlike Eyefinity which has shown expandability up to twelve displays from dual videocards. But an advantage of Surround is that it does not require DisplayPort monitors or special adapters to make it work. Dual link DVI cables are necessary but are affordable widely available. You'll not that portrait mode is not possible with 3D Vision surround. This is not a technical limitation of the hardware, but rather a physical limitation of the displays and shutter glasses. All of the 3D vision-capable displays and NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses currently available have integrated polarization filters. When the glasses and displays are aligned, all is well. Turn one 90 degrees, however, and light can't pass though properly and you won't be able to see anything. To address this issue, new displays or 3D Vision glasses with rotatable lenses will be necessary.
With 3D Vision Surround, the maximum resolution possible is 5760 x 1080 due to the smaller sizes of 3D capable monitors (1920 x 1080 each). Note that portrait mode is possible when using Surround mode, but not in 3D Vision Surround.
To configure NVIDIA Surround, follow these steps:
- Open the NVIDIA Control Panel through the Windows Control Panel or by right clicking on the desktop
- From the NVIDIA Control Panel navigation tree pane, under 3D Settings, select Configure SLI, PhysX, Surround to open the associated page.
- Select Span displays with Surround, and then click the Configure button to launch the wizard.
- The Display status dialog checks the connectors on the cards to determine if the displays are connected properly.
- If the displays need to be moved, do it at this time. The interface will automatically detect the change and show it on the screen.
- Once all three displays are connected properly, press the Apply button to continue the setup procedure.
- Select the orientation of the displays (Landscape or Portrait).
- Click the Identify button to determine the number order of the displays.
- You should see number appear on all three screens.
- Arrange the Surround display order to match your displays by dragging the icons to match the numbers on the displays.
- After the icons are arranged to match the numbers on the displays, click Next.
- NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround includes controls that allow for the adjustment of the displays to compensate for monitor bezel gaps.
- Adjust the width of the pixels between the displays until the image spans the displays so that it looks correct (not stretched).
- Once Bezel Correction has been adjusted, click Next to finish the setup process.
