3D Vision Surround on PG278Q and R models *Resolved*

[Necropants]

For a while now I have been unable to get 3D Surround working.
So today I did a deep dive into trying to get to the bottom of it. My configuration was working in the past, and I suspect the issue began when I upgraded to a 2080ti which means its likely a driver problem.
I am unsure if anyone is running this tech anymore around here so I thought I would just make a post with my findings in case anyone still uses it.

2080ti
3x Rog Swift PG278Q
Windows 10 1809 and latest Windows 7pro 64bit
Drivers tried. - Latest, official last 3d supported driver 425.31, and bare minimum driver versions for 2080ti. 411.63, 411.70, 416.34, 417.58 (at this point I gave up)

Interestingly Surround will not even work without hard crashing the system until version 416.34. So I wonder if on the release of the 2080ti brand drivers they broke something and did not fix 3dsurround with the fix for surround.
I manage to get the test app to display the green 3d vision profile information for a moment before hard crashing, and every game does the same then does a CTD. Occasionally I will get a generic driver fail message in windows 10

Maybe I am the only one using a 2080ti with surround at this point I do not know.
It would be interesting to know anyone elses experiences or if it's working for you.
I guess worst case scenario I have plenty of backup 3dvision hardware. /facepalm.

[helifax]

I haven't tested 3D Surround lately.
I can try to run it if this helps. Last time I used it (last year) it wasn't making hard crashses. It just took 1-2-3 minutes until the monitors changed to 3D mode. ( I also had to "arm" the monitors to get into 3D Mode by using a spare GTX 780Ti card and connecting each monitor over DVI-DL and launching the 3D Test application. Once that was done, I just swapped them to the DVI-DP adaptors. Each monitor will lose the "3D arm mode" if it is physically unplugged from power. Had no issue with pressing the power button on the monitor, as long as they remained plugged in to the current socket.)

I am running the following:
- Win 10 1909.
- 445.87 Driver Set
- I have access to 3x Asus 3D 27" Monitors (Can't remember the model now, but they are the 27'" 3D Vision 2 version from 2014 - with lightboost)
- RTX 2080Ti and all monitors are connected with active DVI to DP adaptors.

Give me some time and I can give this a try

Cheers,
Helifax

[Necropants]

Ahh thanks a lot Helifax, would be great to get some more data on this at least. in case it is just something funny with my configuration but I would be surprised.

Much appreciated

[russellk]

I'm still using 3d surround and it's not crashing for me.
I tried a couple of games last night and had a couple of issues with the emitter not activating (which I've had before) but Max Payne 3 and some others worked fine.
Same driver version as Helifax. I was sure I was on 1909 but looks like I'm still on 1903.
I'm running 3x Benq XL2420T direct via display port.

[bo3bber]

If you haven't already- be certain to do a DDU driver removal, and a Clean install of 425.31. Changing video cards will often kinda/sorta work, but leave behind broken pieces that can cause problems like this.

If that doesn't seem to be it, it would be worth doing a completely fresh install of Win10, maybe as a dual boot. Win10 does still corrupt the registry over time, and their forced updates have been known to break stuff like this. Since russellk has it working presently, 1903 would be good to try, although if you can stay on 1809, I'd expect that to still work well. The fact that it doesn't seem to work in Win7 either is suggestive that something changed in 2080ti hardware to make this not work anymore, but it was still supported when that came out.

Does 2D Surround work? 2D Surround is supposed to be fully supported today.

[Necropants]

Thanks for the feedback Bo3b. But since I actually already have a dual boot (as per OP) and so have tested it on both win7 and 10. since it's not working in 7 either, I am a bit reluctant to reinstall 10 at this juncture.
I of course always do a full clean install using DDU, and yes standard 2D surround works perfectly. (as mentioned at least after 416 version drivers)

But what GPU do you have russelk? It was working for me when I was using 1080ti.... The difference seems to be I'm now using a 2080ti.

Just because it could be an issue, as I have to be honest I was initially surprised it worked but I actually have main screen;
1xPG278QR
2xPG278Q

So I am not ruling out the refreshed model of the monitor for the primary screen as a factor, but like I said it was working before perfectly.
All running natively on Display ports btw.

Be interesting to see helifaxs results since he definitely is using asus monitors and a 2080ti.
and I guess it's a waste of time asking nvidia about this now even if I do roll back to the officially supported driver.

[bo3bber]

Yeah, have to agree that failing on both Win7 and Win10 in the same way rules out pretty much all the driver problems.


After you setup the Surround configuration, take a look with DXDiag and see if there are any errors reported.

Maybe try some weird resolutions that might suggest something or give different results, like run the monitors at 800x600 or even 640x480. That forces different code paths and might be informative.

Check the Event Viewer for any errors reported while Surround is active.

Make sure you aren't using any driver hacks or 3Dmigoto or anything when trying this out. If there is a common Surround demo that is known good, that would be a good test case.


What do the error messages actually say? CTD will be written somewhere in a log, I'm not sure where. To solve this, you'll need more information.

[russellk]

@Necropants
Sorry, just updated my sig. Bad form on my part, that said it seems that most people have no sig setup on this board
We should all do at really, it will save time in the long run.

Can you actually complete the surround config wizard? I assume you can without it crashing? Surround has a history of being problematic and I had my fair share of issues too. One thing that I found helpedwas turning off all the monitors at the mains and leaving them off for a few minutes. Then try running windows with with all displays active, and verify that each one is running properly at 120Hz. Then try and enable surround.
I also had another possibly related issue where I managed to get it working by switching the monitors between different ports. I also tried different cables but in the end it seemed like the monitors were getting stuck in the wrong refresh rate somehow. Also make sure you have no other displays plugged in.
Good luck.

[Necropants]

Yeah, we all definitely should. I will get around to mine soon as I had on the old forums.
Well, at least it works for you which rules out the 2080ti being a problem. Also, note I was running SLI and just got rid of one card so that should rule out GPU hardware since I've tried on two separate SLI cards as well as each one separately.
yes and as I mentioned surround works perfectly fine otherwise in the right refresh rate, but yes you are definitely right switching ports around seems to affect things a bit. but I think I've tried every configuration. =( Will definitely trying leaving them powered down tonight though. Often after it crashes it defaults everything back too 60hz. I have also gone to the extent of forcing each monitor into 120hz before I enable surround.

I also checked that 3dvision was still working normally on each monitor separately, and I tried another emitter, all okay.
Removed all overlays overclocking utilities and the like to make it default as possible.

So I do notice occasionally I can get it running without a crash but get the red "Warning attempt to run stereoscopic 3D in a non stereo 3D mode. " error.
Checking my displays both the older revision monitors are running in 3D but the primary screen is still in normal mode. Is there any known way to force this in windows 10? What governs which mode the monitor is in?. Interestingly the left monitor is in 3d with dual images when this happens but the other two are not.

I wonder if I could try removing all other refresh rates other than 120hz with the utility Masterotaku uses.
basically alot of questions....

@Bo3bber

Thanks for all the suggestions, yeah I will look at this all a bit further and see if I can get answers. Normally I would write it off to the slight differences in my screens, but it was all working fine before.
basically, if it crashes it seems like a generic TDR hard crash but ill try get more information.

Finally is there a recommended game people suggest using that works natively in surround 3D without 3dmigoto and such?
I guess maybe GTA5 but I think that doesn't use 3dviosion direct and its always been a bit fiddly for me. What game do people recommend using?

Again thanks alot for your help guys this is actually keeping me up at night thinking about it. XD

[helifax]

Any of the 2013 onwards Tomb Raider games should work fine in 3D Vision in Surround. (I played all of them in 3D Surround and they use Automatic mode).

I did plug in all my 3D Monitors using the DVI to DP adapters. It took 1:40 seconds for the screens to go in 3D Mode, but all 3 of them worked fine and 3D Surround was working for me. I only tested Tomb Raider 2013 (as I had the monitors lying all over the place and my wife wasn't happy I stole 2 of "her" monitors ^_^).

I didn't experience any crash or anything strange except the "long activation" time that I had to deal with before, which is due to the DVI to DP adaptors: If I plug them on DVI directly in my old 780Ti they work and switch instantaneously!

Not sure how much this helps.

[Necropants]

Not much but thanks alot for the effort at least I know it's something to do with my specific configuration =(
I am leaning more towards the issue with Haveing the refresh version of the monitor along side the orginal ones. maybe broken with a driver update that I am forced to use now.

[helifax]

Are you using different monitors? I know 3D Surround specifically asks for the same monitor Make & Model, otherwise it wouldn't work. I have 3 identical monitors never tried to mix in variants of the same type of monitor.

[russellk]

Are you using different monitors? I know 3D Surround specifically asks for the same monitor Make & Model, otherwise it wouldn't work. I have 3 identical monitors never tried to mix in variants of the same type of monitor.

Yes, as above he's using:

1xPG278QR
2xPG278Q

Like you say, surround was always locked down to having exact same displays. I remember this being a bone of contention compared to AMD/ATI Eyefinity, which was much more forgiving....

[Necropants]

Yes but the difference being, 3D surround used to work fine on a 1080ti, it's not like it never worked. and it still works perfectly in standard surround.
I swapped out for an R revision mainly because it had an HDMI port for my console.
When I found (and was honestly surprised) that it worked fine I just sold the old base version monitor.

So yeah it probably is that and the 2080ti drivers broke it maybe, but Standard surround works fine on every game until I try to engage 3D.
I guess only way forward maybe I will try and source a PG278Q.

Spent all day trying to get this to work basically going through every suggestion on this thread but no luck.
and yes the crashes are generic game.exe crashes or a BSOD generic Video TDR fail on nvlddmkm.sys but Don't see anything helpful in the event log.

Anyway thanks for the help guys I guess trying to source another monitor and trying it is my only way forward.
*edit* found one on the secondary market, will update this thread with my findings when it arrives.)

[Necropants]

Well, well well.. I was kind of on the right path with the idea of using CRU to fix this problem but was not sure how to go about it. Enter the legend Kaimasta...
He suggested and spent some time to help me out with this, and basically it involves changing the PID of the monitor and timings of the QR to match the older versions. then forcing the sync polarity to +/+

Low and behold it worked. I am really damn happy, and very appreciative of Kai for the assistance.

Only interesting side effect seems that in surround I can only now choose a maximum of 100hz, but have some more things to try.
Interestingly normally I have only ever been able to select 120hz in surround mode, so now it just seems to have dropped one more level. If anyone knows why this might be?
Worst case I can live with 50fps max in 3D surround since I really see games hit 60fps in 1440p there anyway. hah.

Really happy right now. Only problem is I jumped the gun and got a second hand PG278Q that I was too late to cancel... =(

[helifax]

Well, well well.. I was kind of on the right path with the idea of using CRU to fix this problem but was not sure how to go about it. Enter the legend Kaimasta...
He suggested and spent some time to help me out with this, and basically it involves changing the PID of the monitor and timings of the QR to match the older versions. then forcing the sync polarity to +/+

Low and behold it worked. I am really damn happy, and very appreciative of Kai for the assistance.

Only interesting side effect seems that in surround I can only now choose a maximum of 100hz, but have some more things to try.
Interestingly normally I have only ever been able to select 120hz in surround mode, so now it just seems to have dropped one more level. If anyone knows why this might be?
Worst case I can live with 50fps max in 3D surround since I really see games hit 60fps in 1440p there anyway. hah.

Really happy right now. Only problem is I jumped the gun and got a second hand PG278Q that I was too late to cancel... =(

Nice!!
I am really glad that you managed to get it to work an thank you Kaimasta for all the help!
I never tried different models of a monitor in 3D Surround I was always picky and always bought 3 identical display (model down to the last letter) just to make sure it works!
It seems that was the issue in your case! I am amazed it worked in the first place! (Probably something that Nvidia fixed later or you were very very lucky ^_^ to begin with).

In any case, I am really glad that you sort it out and managed to get it to work (minus the caveats ^_^).

Cheers!

[Necropants]

yeah I am over the moon honestly even if it's not quite perfect yet, and thanks for your time to test for me!

Okay, after further testing I uncovered something that is interesting, to say the least.
Resting everything back to default and then only updating the PID of the old monitors to the new one in CRU.....
The problem completely resolved. Needless to say, I laughed very hard. (no times no polarity change nothing, just updated the PID's)

Interesting if this holds any implications of using other unsupported monitors and situations ... food for thought.

[russellk]

Funnily enough (or not!) I can't seem to get 3d surround working now!!

No crashes, nothing untoward. I'm just finding that the emitter won't activate and I'm not seeing the normal double images (without glasses) when I try the 3d test or try a game.

The 3d setup will complete perfectly and 3d works perfectly if surround is disabled, but I'm not getting any 3d with surround enabled.
I'll double check, but I think even when the emitter activates (bright green), I'm still not seeing double images without glasses, which is clealy a telltale sign that 3d is not enabled properly.

Any ideas?
I can't explain what has changed.

[helifax]

Normally when I got that in the past, I always DDUed and reinstall the driver.
Sometimes, something breaks (after spending 1 days trying to figure it out, I just wasted 5 minutes on a reinstall and the problem was fixed. I ended up, doing the same thing every other time I encountered this issue afterwards).