Using Nvidia Surround + G-Sync

[BP]

Anyone here own or has previously owned such a setup? I have this issue with my triple g-sync monitor setup, where the surround monitor plugged into DisplayPort #1 goes blank during certain events:

• whenever there's a resolution change
• whenever I switch to the surround setup
• when a game starts and opens to fullscreen
• when a game ends and goes back to the desktop

When I say it goes blank here's what I mean: When you switch resolutions, all the screens go blank for 1 - 2 seconds (that's normal). However, after they have all come back on, after about 5 to 10 seconds, the DP #1 Monitor decides to go blank a second time. It comes back, then there's no issue until I do one of the things mentioned in the list above.

Just in case it matters: I'm using 3 FreeSync monitors that are G-Sync Compatible according to Nvidia (it's the ASUS VG278Q)

Is this normal when using Nvidia Surround with G-Sync Monitors? I am LOVING this smooth as butter 144Hz non-blurry, tear-free experience...but this one little hiccup with the blank screen gives me cause for concern.

I've posted on several Reddit forums with no response yet. Here's one with all the steps and details I've taken (I don't wanna make this thread look too long and intimidating): https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/col4m2/only_leftside_monitor_in_3_monitor_surround_setup/

 

[Jens Roos]

I have triples with gsync, most of the times the screens goes blank as you describe, sometimes uneven count. But not 2nd time 5-10s later for monitor on dp#1. I run SLI but all monitors are connected to the first card.

Have noticed when in surround but using a smaller resolution (i.e 1 display), sometimes side monitors goes blank and after a while one or two screen seems to be "forgotten" by windows/nvidia so I have to toggle the setup thru 3D/SLI or disable SLI to "find" the monitor.

This behavior have changed over time so it could be windows/driver related. Have you always had this behavior and does it stick to port #1 if switching to another monitor?

 

[BP]

Have noticed when in surround but using a smaller resolution (i.e 1 display), sometimes side monitors goes blank and after a while one or two screen seems to be "forgotten" by windows/nvidia so I have to toggle the setup thru 3D/SLI or disable SLI to "find" the monitor.

This forgotten part is interesting, because I keep getting the "G-sync compatible monitor connected" notification every time I boot up and randomly while using the computer, almost like windows "forgot" about them. It also forgets (it happens most times) that I set the taskbar to show only on the middle monitor. Don't know if that's related.

This behavior have changed over time so it could be windows/driver related. Have you always had this behavior and does it stick to port #1 if switching to another monitor?

Yes, only on port #1 does this happen (i.e. the monitor that the bios shows up on when booting up); I switched cables around to confirm. This is my first week using g-sync with surround; I previously had just regular monitors in surround and they never did anything like that.

 

[Jens Roos]

If you disable g-sync or change when g-sync is active, i.e change from current setting. I currently have it on full screen only.

 

[BP]

If you disable g-sync or change when g-sync is active, i.e change from current setting. I currently have it on full screen only.

Tried all that already, doesn't matter. Actually I think I saw it happen once during the bios so it's not even a Windows 10 issue. Might be something with the GPU itself (I have good DP cables).

 

[Jens Roos]

If you lucky there is a bios update for your gpu card, if you up to date with windows, nvidia, mb & gpu bios then there is not much more I can think of.

 

[RasmusP]

From my experience Gsync is great once it's working but it can have strange bugs randomly or frequently.
Some games always need almost a minute to stop stuttering for me, some don't. Some games make the monitor drop to single digit Hz values when minimizing them, some don't.

Sometimes my monitor goes blank when alt+tab, sometimes it doesn't... It is what it is I guess

 

[BP]

If you lucky there is a bios update for your gpu card, if you up to date with windows, nvidia, mb & gpu bios then there is not much more I can think of.

I'll look into the GPU bios, thanks

From my experience Gsync is great once it's working but it can have strange bugs randomly or frequently.
Some games always need almost a minute to stop stuttering for me, some don't. Some games make the monitor drop to single digit Hz values when minimizing them, some don't.

Sometimes my monitor goes blank when alt+tab, sometimes it doesn't... It is what it is I guess

Yea it's a finicky thing alright (I've had a single G-sync for 4 years before this triple setup) and it's even more so with triples, but mannnn it's so awesome when it works though. Going from managing input lag or tearing on my 60Hz Monitors (not to mention the blur from the slower IPS panels) to this has been amazing...silky smooth, blur and tear free, I'm in heaven

Have you tried (I know it sucks but) a full wipe and reinstall of your GPU drivers using DDU? The other bigger issue I was having when I first got these new monitors was freezes which resulted in the dreaded BSOD (which I had never gotten on this PC before in the 9 months I've had it)...after using DDU I haven't had a BSOD or stutter since...only the blank screen issue.

Also, do you run fullscreen (as opposed to borderless window)? I find coming out of fullscreen first with Alt+Enter and then Alt+tabbing is much less destructive. I couldn't leave AC by directly Alt-tabbing; the whole triple screen game would squish itself to one monitor, requiring a restart.

Which monitors are you using?

 

[RasmusP]

I'll look into the GPU bios, thanks



Yea it's a finicky thing alright (I've had a single G-sync for 4 years before this triple setup) and it's even more so with triples, but mannnn it's so awesome when it works though. Going from managing input lag or tearing on my 60Hz Monitors (not to mention the blur from the slower IPS panels) to this has been amazing...silky smooth, blur and tear free, I'm in heaven

Have you tried (I know it sucks but) a full wipe and reinstall of your GPU drivers using DDU? The other bigger issue I was having when I first got these new monitors was freezes which resulted in the dreaded BSOD (which I had never gotten on this PC before in the 9 months I've had it)...after using DDU I haven't had a BSOD or stutter since...only the blank screen issue.

Also, do you run fullscreen (as opposed to borderless window)? I find coming out of fullscreen first with Alt+Enter and then Alt+tabbing is much less destructive. I couldn't leave AC by directly Alt-tabbing; the whole triple screen game would squish itself to one monitor, requiring a restart.

Which monitors are you using?

Dell aw3418dw
I have gsync at full-screen only because windowed gsync always stutters for me.
Did it all, ddu etc.

It's totally fine and working though apart from very few games that take some time to start running fluidly and some games like Witcher 3 and raceroom which cause the massive slow down when alt+tab.
However raceroom and Witcher 3 both don't jump into windowed mode when you hit alt+enter so I guess there lies the problem...

AC isn't a problem for me, interestingly. If I alt+tab and click on ac in the task bar it will be in borderless though and gsync will become inactive.
Which is in line with what you said about alt+enter first. Ac does it for me on its own

 

[Niels_at_home]

Cables and adapters (DP to HDMI or the other way round) can really cause issues.
What happens if you switch the cables around? Does it change which screen doesn't cooperate? That could point to the cable..

Or just try 60hz and see if that works, typically that doesn't cause issues.. Then you might know if its cable related..

 

[BP]

Cables and adapters (DP to HDMI or the other way round) can really cause issues.
What happens if you switch the cables around? Does it change which screen doesn't cooperate? That could point to the cable..

Or just try 60hz and see if that works, typically that doesn't cause issues.. Then you might know if its cable related..

Thanks for replying...I've tried different cables (at least 5), different ports and different monitors. I don't use any adapters/converters, everything is DP port to DP port using VESA certified DP cables. The only constant is it that it happens on whatever is connected to DisplayPort 1 on the GPU.