NVidia Limits Linux to Three Monitors

[EChondo]

http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Tech/Things-make-you-go-hmmmm-NVIDIA-edition

 

Today some oil was tossed on the fire with the revelation that NVIDIA is specifically limiting the functionality of its hardware on Linux. Just after we praised their release of documentation for Nouveau, their open sourced driver, we find out from a post at The Inquirer that NVIDIA limits the number of monitors used in Linux to three so as not to outdo their functionality in Windows. For a brief moment it seemed that NVIDIA was willing to cooperate with the open source and Linux communities but apparently that moment is all we will have and once again NVIDIA proves that it is willing bow to pressure from Microsoft.

This has been brought to attention in a NVidia Developer forum.

Here is the thread in question: https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/579449/?comment=3962397

If this is the driver "support" we will be receiving from NVidia, then I guess my Steam Machine will 100% have a AMD GPU in it.

[helping]

typical scumbag nvidia 

 

I was neutral before but they're doing a really bad job at PR

[TheSLSAMG]

*womp womp*

 

They had a chance, but they failed.

[Drown]

This comment sums up my thoughts :

That legal situation is as it should be. Companies have no right to withdraw features already sold to users, for any reason. To do so is stealing.

 

GG Nvidia

[upliftsleet1974]

Why do they keep doing stupid things like this?

[Bluejay0]

Guys.... NVIDIA is becoming EA+Apple.... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Freaky_spider]

Why do they keep doing stupid things like this?

no idea, BUT THAT PICTURE DHOO, i was like, why a windm... ow thats why

[LonliestofAll]

Looks like AMD will have a monopoly in consoles!

[soggyfatman]

I saw this coming. EA owns Nvidia now... Welp, time for suicide.

[nokturrduk84]

it must be some linux issue itself. not Nvidia

[upliftsleet1974]

no idea, BUT THAT PICTURE DHOO, i was like, why a windm... ow thats why

Yup that is what I was thinking

[Opsilon]

Ow come on guys, you had to expect this, Nvidia is always late with multi monitor support, that's where AMD shines, they may add that later, you make it sound like they're clubbing old lady's with baby seals...

Eyefinity for those that really NEED more than 3 monitors, personally i don't really care about multi monitor gaming, not my thing, but guys there is always AMD if you need them anyway, it's not like Nvidia supports multi monitor in windows the same way as AMD does...

[Drown]

it must be some linux issue itself. not Nvidia

 

Oh oh oh, your avatar is telling me someone's not being objective here ..

Read the LTT thread, read the Nvidia forum topic, it's not deactivited by Linux 

 

 

 

For feature parity between Windows and Linux we set BaseMosaic to 3 screens on GeForce

[Mooshi]

I use a single 24" 1920x1200 monitor because of space. If I had more room, the most I would go would be a 3 monitor set up...isn't more than 3 the point of getting ridiculous?

 

I'm not excusing Nvidia (at least in Linux, Nvidia drivers are painless), just saying.

[Mooshi]

it must be some linux issue itself. not Nvidia

 

Actually, no. I've read on another forum from a Linux user that with older drivers, they could drive more than 3 monitors and it was only after upgrading, they realized one of their monitors wasn't powering on. When they rolled back to their older driver, all was well again. It isn't Linux, it's Nvidia purposely capping.

[EChondo]

 

I use a single 24" 1920x1200 monitor because of space. If I had more room, the most I would go would be a 3 monitor set up...isn't more than 3 the point of getting ridiculous?

 

I'm not excusing Nvidia (at least in Linux, Nvidia drivers are painless), just saying.

My primary goal for my personal setup is 4 monitors(single or three monitor gaming, and a fourth for chat programs) and a 5th display, a TV for guests and whatnot.

Sure 3 is getting to be a bit much and the average consumer won't use more then one monitor even, but the average consumer doesn't install and use Linux, but we, the more advance power users do.

[nokturrduk84]

they gonna fix it soon then. Everyone makes mistakes, except God

[Drown]

I use a single 24" 1920x1200 monitor because of space. If I had more room, the most I would go would be a 3 monitor set up...isn't more than 3 the point of getting ridiculous?

 

I'm not excusing Nvidia (at least in Linux, Nvidia drivers are painless), just saying.

 

For gaming yes, but people who are getting more than three monitors are getting them for workstations (ex: audio editing), even people making racing or flight simulators in their man cave would need more than three monitors. (you use three for display of the game, but a lot of people are using a fourth monitor for gauges and various displays - sometimes way more than 4)

 

It's true that for the average gamer, you won't need more than three, but limiting the number to three is not right for a company like Nvidia's who's expensive GPUs are supposed to be the top of the top for gaming. They are proning performance, that doesn't scream performance to me IMO.

[Guest]

nain nain nain this is UNACCEPTABLE 

*imagines the medic saying this* tf2

[Mooshi]

 

My primary goal for my personal setup is 4 monitors(single or three monitor gaming, and a fourth for chat programs) and a 5th display, a TV for guests and whatnot.

Sure 3 is getting to be a bit much and the average consumer won't use more then one monitor even, but the average consumer doesn't install and use Linux, but we, the more advance power users do.

 

I'm well versed in things not known as Facebook and can easly blow through 8+GB of ram without trying too hard. I'm just saying I'm having a hard time fathoming on utilizing more than 3 monitors without being at a Nasa console or something.

[Guest]

besides im sure they will bring out more display support as time passes maybe they f$£"ed up some drives stuff

[Mooshi]

Doesn't matter too much aside from Nvidia losing ground to AMD. If you use Linux and are running more than 3 monitors, don't upgrade the driver, simple as that.

[acepro71]

 

My primary goal for my personal setup is 4 monitors(single or three monitor gaming, and a fourth for chat programs) and a 5th display, a TV for guests and whatnot.

Sure 3 is getting to be a bit much and the average consumer won't use more then one monitor even, but the average consumer doesn't install and use Linux, but we, the more advance power users do.

 

 

what gpu do u  have which lets u setup 5 monitors? 

[Drown]

besides im sure they will bring out more display support as time passes maybe they f$£"ed up some drives stuff

 

They might have to back down, but still, read the Nvidia forum thread, it's not a mistake, they limit it on purpose for 'feature parity between Windows and Linux

[EChondo]

 

I'm well versed in things not known as Facebook and can easly blow through 8+GB of ram without trying too hard. I'm just saying I'm having a hard time fathoming on utilizing more than 3 monitors without being at a Nasa console or something.

Well again, it just seems like the wrong thing to limit. More advanced users will be using more than three screens, and most of the people using Linux are also most of the people that will be using more than three displays as well.

And I agree, there isn't much to Linux currently that will need more than three displays, but why limit it in the first place? It just doesn't make any sense.

what gpu do u have which lets u setup 5 monitors?

Pretty much any AMD GPU. One of my 7870's can have a displayport splitter come off of it, power three monitors, then I can use my DVI for my fourth monitor and then HDMI for my 5th display.