3 simultaneous monitors (vga, dvi, hdmi onboard) with Z77 board + 3rd gen i5 3570k

[WaterOnGlass]

Hello,

I have been searching and posting around. It's nice to find a forum assisted by ASRock support!

My Question is about using 3 monitors simultaneously with ASRocks Z77 and Z77M boards which have an onboard vga, dvi, and hdmi outputs. When using a 3rd generation i5 CPU.
Basically is this possible.., and what needs to be done to do it.. What boards can work with 3 simultaneous onboard-connected displays..

Intel states that with the Z77 chipset, there is the feature of "3 independent display support" with 3rd generation Core processors.
Intel® Z77 Express Chipset

The only other information I have found on Intel's site:
"Most Intel graphics products can output to one or two displays at the same time and support several different multiple display configurations.
Starting with the 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ Processors with Intel® HD Graphics 4000/2500, three displays support may be possible depending on your computer's configuration. Check with your computer manufacturer if three displays are supported on your computer and which display combinations are supported."

So far I have found that the ASRock Z77 and Z77M boards have vga, dvi, and hdmi outputs. There may be other boards with all 3 also.

The User Manual for the Z77M board states that
"This mother-board also provides independent display controllers for DVI-D, D-Sub and HDMI to
support dual VGA output so that DVI-D, D-sub and HDMI can drive same or different display contents."
page 26 ftp://174.142.97.10/manual/Z77M.pdf
It doesn't mention if 3 displays are possible or not. Since the dvi and vga are suggested to be independent, it seems it could be possible.


Sorry about the font sizing, copy&paste was creating some issues :)

Thank you for any help you can provide here.

[- wardog -]

Having never tried it I can't speak to the question of triple monitors being supported.

Yet in the Z77M manual you linked there are some indications that only two are supported. The manual for my Z77 Extreme6 which has four display ports, D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI and DisplayPort echoes the same "only two' notes as the Z77M manual you linked to.

Z77M Manual, Pg 7 - Graphics

- Three VGA Output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI (see CAUTION 6)

Caution 6.
You can choose to use two of the three monitors only. D-Sub, DVI-D and
HDMI monitors cannot be enabled at the same time. Besides, with the
DVI-to-HDMI adapter, the DVI-D port can support the same features as
HDMI port

and then at the bottom of pg 26

D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI monitors cannot be enabled at the same time.
You can only choose the combination: DVI-D + HDMI, DVI-D + D-Sub,
or HDMI + D-Sub

[WaterOnGlass]

Thanks, I was just coming here to post that I had found the same notes within the manual.

This page at Intel explains the 3 monitor option in depth, and the applicable configurations
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ Processors with Intel® HD Graphics 4000/2500 — Configuration FAQs for using three monitors
In most cases, three independent displays are supported in the following configurations:

• If two of the displays are DisplayPort* monitors
• If one of the displays is an Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi)
• If the built-in display is an Embedded DisplayPort¹ (eDP)

Unless there are some exceptions (they say "in most cases").