Combine 4 LEDs as 'one TV' - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

jasnb · 2011-08-03, 11:19 AM

Hey Digihome.

Have a question I'm hoping you can help me answer. I'm setting up a visual installation for a friend and they would like to link four flat screen TVs to display a single screen (i.e. each TV displays 1/4 of the total image). This would be running off of a laptop with an HDMI out.

Question is whether a standard 1x4 HDMI splitter would be the solution? Or do I need something more (i.e. specific program on the laptop)?

Thanks!

ScaryBob · 2011-08-03, 12:01 PM

A standard HDMI splitter will not do it. A laptop won't either unless it has some sort of video add on, such as a high end external video card or processor. Some PCIe video cards and software drivers have the capability to handle screens in this way. It may require two video cards for 4 screens. There may also be some high end HDMI video processors that will. They are usually quite expensive compared to DIY PC solutions.

audacity · 2011-08-03, 12:07 PM

Take a look at AMD's Eyefinity feature. I haven't seen any 2x2 configurations though. They have 3x1 and 3x2 configurations in the demos that I've seen.

Gino Cerullo · 2011-08-03, 03:12 PM

I don't think you'll be able to accomplish this with a laptop but you can with a desktop and the correct video cards.

The problem with a laptop is that they only have one video out and even if you connected it to a splitter the splitter would deliver the same video output to all the inputs, essentially you'd be seeing the same source repeated on all four displays. (The exception here is the new MacBooks Pros with 15" or 17" displays and Thunderbolt and two Apple 27" Thunderbolt displays. The MacBook Pros can drive the two displays daisy chained using Thunberbolt cables but the limit is two displays.)

A desktop on the other hand with a couple of video cards with two outputs each or a single video card with four output could handle this easily.

tvlurker · 2011-08-03, 03:18 PM

A laptop with a docking station can handle two external displays, with the laptop screen disabled (or mirroring one of the external displays).

I doubt a docking station could do 2x2, though.

Civuck · 2011-08-03, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DancesWithLysol

Take a look at AMD's Eyefinity feature. I haven't seen any 2x2 configurations though. They have 3x1 and 3x2 configurations in the demos that I've seen.

2x2 is supported in Eyefinity. See here.

jasnb · 2011-08-04, 02:30 PM

Thanks for the help so far.

I looked that the AMD solution. I have an old tower I bought for my parents with an AMD processor in it. Going to see whether it supports 'crossfire' so I can buy a couple of Radeon graphics cards and 'connect' them to give me the 4 screens. Otherwise I'm looking at upwards of $1000 for a proper Quad video card.

ScaryBob · 2011-08-04, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Eyefiniy is supported on systems with more than one graphics card. However, each display group must reside on its own video card. For example, a display cannot span across multiple graphics cards.

It looks like a single card that supports 4 displays must be used.

Quote:

For configurations using more than two displays, additional displays must have DisplayPort connectors.

The monitors must accept DisplayPort as well.

Gino Cerullo · 2011-08-04, 03:00 PM

A quad-head video card shouldn't cost $1000. I was looking into those when you asked your question. I saw ATI FireMV and nVidia Quadro cards that supported 4 displays in the ~$500 range.

spensar · 2011-08-04, 03:53 PM

How big are the 4 displays?

Gino Cerullo · 2011-08-04, 04:09 PM

He mentions "TVs" in his post so I'm presuming he means 1080p displays which are 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution so actual size doesn't matter. They could be as small as 19" or as large as 70", as long as they are 1080p the same card will drive them.

spensar · 2011-08-04, 07:54 PM

Not asking for resolution, just wondering how big an area they are trying to cover.

ScaryBob · 2011-08-04, 08:33 PM

It could be cheaper and much easier just to buy a larger display, unless they are already very large.

recneps77 · 2011-08-04, 09:02 PM

If you're just displaying video, you can do eyefinity(4) with as low as a 6850 - some high end laptops with DP may also support 4 monitors (need a high end 6-series card).
You'd need a displayport splitter and native displayport monitors or active DP->HDMI adapters.

However, for gaming, you'll need a significantly better card, unless you run it at lower res (i.e. 1920x1080 despite it being 3840x2160 natively)

I'd recommend one single display.
However, going the eyefinity route, this gives you the option to display 4 separate things at once or one combined image. That may be an advantage to this set up.

spensar · 2011-08-06, 11:28 PM

2 x 2 with 5 50" screens on the back of the cottage for the warm summer evenings.

2011-08-03, 11:19 AM	#1
jasnb Rookie Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 6	Combine 4 LEDs as 'one TV' Hey Digihome. Have a question I'm hoping you can help me answer. I'm setting up a visual installation for a friend and they would like to link four flat screen TVs to display a single screen (i.e. each TV displays 1/4 of the total image). This would be running off of a laptop with an HDMI out. Question is whether a standard 1x4 HDMI splitter would be the solution? Or do I need something more (i.e. specific program on the laptop)? Thanks!

2011-08-03, 12:01 PM	#2
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	A standard HDMI splitter will not do it. A laptop won't either unless it has some sort of video add on, such as a high end external video card or processor. Some PCIe video cards and software drivers have the capability to handle screens in this way. It may require two video cards for 4 screens. There may also be some high end HDMI video processors that will. They are usually quite expensive compared to DIY PC solutions. __________________ At 20 I had a good mind. At 40 I had money. At 60 I've lost my mind and my money. Oh, to be 20 again. --Scary

2011-08-04, 03:53 PM	#10
spensar Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 1,113	How big are the 4 displays? __________________ Panasonic TH-42PX60U, Harmony 670, Rogers HD 8300, 3250HD, Denon AVR-591, Chartwell SL3-5A, Venturer SHD-7000, Samsung 1600 BR.

2011-08-04, 07:54 PM	#12
spensar Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 1,113	Not asking for resolution, just wondering how big an area they are trying to cover. __________________ Panasonic TH-42PX60U, Harmony 670, Rogers HD 8300, 3250HD, Denon AVR-591, Chartwell SL3-5A, Venturer SHD-7000, Samsung 1600 BR.

2011-08-04, 08:33 PM	#13
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	It could be cheaper and much easier just to buy a larger display, unless they are already very large. __________________ At 20 I had a good mind. At 40 I had money. At 60 I've lost my mind and my money. Oh, to be 20 again. --Scary

2011-08-03, 12:07 PM	#3
audacity Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: 127.0.0.1 Posts: 1,806	Take a look at AMD's Eyefinity feature. I haven't seen any 2x2 configurations though. They have 3x1 and 3x2 configurations in the demos that I've seen.

2011-08-03, 03:12 PM	#4
Gino Cerullo Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 582	I don't think you'll be able to accomplish this with a laptop but you can with a desktop and the correct video cards. The problem with a laptop is that they only have one video out and even if you connected it to a splitter the splitter would deliver the same video output to all the inputs, essentially you'd be seeing the same source repeated on all four displays. (The exception here is the new MacBooks Pros with 15" or 17" displays and Thunderbolt and two Apple 27" Thunderbolt displays. The MacBook Pros can drive the two displays daisy chained using Thunberbolt cables but the limit is two displays.) A desktop on the other hand with a couple of video cards with two outputs each or a single video card with four output could handle this easily.

2011-08-03, 03:18 PM	#5
tvlurker Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Craig Henry (Greenbank/Hunt Club), Nepean, ON Posts: 2,729	A laptop with a docking station can handle two external displays, with the laptop screen disabled (or mirroring one of the external displays). I doubt a docking station could do 2x2, though.

2011-08-04, 02:30 PM	#7
jasnb Rookie Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 6	Thanks for the help so far. I looked that the AMD solution. I have an old tower I bought for my parents with an AMD processor in it. Going to see whether it supports 'crossfire' so I can buy a couple of Radeon graphics cards and 'connect' them to give me the 4 screens. Otherwise I'm looking at upwards of $1000 for a proper Quad video card.

2011-08-04, 03:00 PM	#9
Gino Cerullo Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 582	A quad-head video card shouldn't cost $1000. I was looking into those when you asked your question. I saw ATI FireMV and nVidia Quadro cards that supported 4 displays in the ~$500 range.

2011-08-04, 04:09 PM	#11
Gino Cerullo Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 582	He mentions "TVs" in his post so I'm presuming he means 1080p displays which are 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution so actual size doesn't matter. They could be as small as 19" or as large as 70", as long as they are 1080p the same card will drive them.

2011-08-04, 09:02 PM	#14
recneps77 Veteran Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Whitby Posts: 2,815	If you're just displaying video, you can do eyefinity(4) with as low as a 6850 - some high end laptops with DP may also support 4 monitors (need a high end 6-series card). You'd need a displayport splitter and native displayport monitors or active DP->HDMI adapters. However, for gaming, you'll need a significantly better card, unless you run it at lower res (i.e. 1920x1080 despite it being 3840x2160 natively) I'd recommend one single display. However, going the eyefinity route, this gives you the option to display 4 separate things at once or one combined image. That may be an advantage to this set up.

2011-08-06, 11:28 PM	#15
spensar Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 1,113	2 x 2 with 5 50" screens on the back of the cottage for the warm summer evenings. __________________ Panasonic TH-42PX60U, Harmony 670, Rogers HD 8300, 3250HD, Denon AVR-591, Chartwell SL3-5A, Venturer SHD-7000, Samsung 1600 BR.

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