DVI Converter 8500DV. I can't get 1600x1200 resolution.

[Dr. J]

Hello.
I recently bought a display, the SamSung SyncMaster 955DF. It has
1600x1200 maximum resolution. This was supposed to be well within the
8500DV's resolution limmits. I frist tryed my moniter on someone's
computer with a standard analog connection, and I was able to take
full advantage of this display's abilities. I then tryed it on my
Radeon 8500DV with a DVI converter, as it has no analog connector, and
my maximum resolution was limmited to 1280x1024. Is this because of
the converter?

I am running Catalyst 3.ten and the SyncMaster's latest drivers.

I have already called SamSung tech support, and they had no ideas.


Thanx
jacobdrj

 

[Guest]

Hi Jacob

Same monitor, different card- 9800Pro, same problem -sorta

I just got the Samsung 955df - sadly my 21" Optiquest died last week.
With the Optiquest I ran at 16x12 with no problems at all.... (Cat 3.8's)

Now, with no other changes to my system, I installed the new Samsung monitor
and when I select 1600x1200 - I get the resolution but it is a scrolling
res - to explain that a bit, the monitor is in 16x12 but I have to use the
mouse to scroll around to get to all the edges! Strange.

I have been unable to find an answer - so I hope that someone responds to
this thread with some usefull information.

Sorry I couldn't help you.

Cheers
==--==

 

[Read]

Have you tried:
Drop the refresh rate and/or color bit from 24 to 16

 

[Darthy]

There seems to be a bit of an problem with DVI for some reason.

1 - the 955DF (good monitor) is your standard flat tube monitor, your
video card does NOT know what the limitation are. The 955DF, while
good - it is a low-end monitor ($200, not bad - mine was $400
orginally) and will only do 1600x1200 in 60hz (if I am correct).

In Windows, go to control panel and REMOVE your monitor, reboot or
re-fresh for NEW hardware. If you have Win98, reboot into safe mode
and remove ALL monitors! Your monitor should not be using the DVI
port.

2 - DVI has some odd specs that kinda limits it to 1280x1024, the
converter could be an issue ;( On a friends Samsung 24" LCD screen,
he's using the DVI port in 1920x1200 rez without problems on the ATI
9000 and 9600se card (9000 failed).

 

[Guest]

Interesting thoughts Darthy

Actually the 955df is supposed to do 16x12 @ 70hz - which is the reason I
bought it - 60hz makes my eyes water.

I have gone through the monitor cleanup process (remove all monitors and
then let Windows re-install the driver) - No change.

Also... the drivers DO seem to be able to recognize the monitors limits as I
no longer have to use a third party software to manage the refresh rates -
they are now recognized properly.

Of interest is the fact that when I change to 16x12 res..... the monitor
'timing display' reports that the monitor is in 1280x1024 res - that's why
you have to scroll around to see all of the edges of the 16x12 screen! I
have never seen this before in 22 years of computer work.

I'm baffled - but I do like the monitor and the 1280x1024 res is really
quite nice.
I do miss 1600x1200 though for GPL and Falcon4

Again... the Optiquest V115 run on the EXACT same system/drivers/card/etc.
worked beautifully at 1600x1200 !? This is through the DVI/VGA converter -
which I have no choice about using with the 9800Pro since that is the only
connection available.

Cheers
==--==

 

[Darthy]

Interesting thoughts Darthy

Actually the 955df is supposed to do 16x12 @ 70hz - which is the reason I
bought it - 60hz makes my eyes water.

Okay... wasn't so sure. My Samsung does 85hz in 1600x1200, 60hz in
2048x1536... hmm... I think I'll try 1792x1344 for a while, it does
70hz... a bit blurry..

Of interest is the fact that when I change to 16x12 res..... the monitor
'timing display' reports that the monitor is in 1280x1024 res - that's why
you have to scroll around to see all of the edges of the 16x12 screen! I
have never seen this before in 22 years of computer work.

See it all the time with improper settings of a monitor on DVI... It
seems the adaper is causing quite a bit of a problem. I've actually
hooked up 4 montors to one computer for fun with a friend.

Again... the Optiquest V115 run on the EXACT same system/drivers/card/etc.
worked beautifully at 1600x1200 !? This is through the DVI/VGA converter -
which I have no choice about using with the 9800Pro since that is the only
connection available.

Try swapping the monitors on the video card...

 

[Barry Watzman]

First, the 8500DV has an analog output. It's "burried" in the pins of
the DVI-I output, so you need a "connector adapter" to use it, the
adapter plugs into the DVI socket and gives you a conventional 15-pin
analog VGA connection. It's ONLY a connector adapter, it "does
nothing", the analog VGA signals are already in the DVI-I interface.
This adapter came with the 8500DV, but if it's been lost, they are not
expensive (under $10, perhaps under $5). Note that it's not
automatically true that ALL DVI video cards are "DVI-I" and have the
analog signals present. However, all "Built By" ATI cards do, as far as
I know.

Second, your problem could be a cable issue. Above some resolution
(1280x1024 I THINK), it's necessary to use DUAL CHANNEL DVI. The
connector is the same, but for SOME of the signal, two channels are
provided. However, some DVI cables only connect one channel, so that if
the second channel is required, it won't be connected by those channels.
I can't say for sure that this is your problem, but it's a possibility.

 

[Barry Watzman]

You are running in a lower physical resolution with a "virtual desktop".

Have you tried installing drivers for the DISPLAY (the Samsung LCD display)?

Alternatively, see if you can "force" 1600x1200 in the 8500DV
resolution. For whatever reason, it's running at something less than
this (probably 1280x1024).


wrote:

 

[Barry Watzman]

Color depth should not matter, but refresh rate might.

 

[Barry Watzman]

It's not correct that the computer (video card) doesn't know what the
monitor is, at least when using a DVI interface. The DVI interface
incorporates a "DDC" channel (Display Data Channel) which is a serial
port over which the monitor and vidoe card "talk" to each other, and the
monitor communicates ALL of it's parameters back to the video card, so
that the video card can select a mode that is compatible with both the
display and the video card. This causes as many problems as it solves,
and at times, I've wished that the DDC could be disabled. Actually, I
have seen an "Ignore (or Disable) DDC" in some drivers (even some ATI
drivers), but most of the ATI drivers don't have it, or don't have it
unless you do an undocumented registry tweak.

 

[Darthy]

You are running in a lower physical resolution with a "virtual desktop".

Have you tried installing drivers for the DISPLAY (the Samsung LCD display)?

Alternatively, see if you can "force" 1600x1200 in the 8500DV
resolution. For whatever reason, it's running at something less than
this (probably 1280x1024).

That model of Samsung is a 19" CRT.

 

[Dr. J]

My moniter IS a CTR. I do not have the luxury of trying an LCD. As I
said before when I tryed the moniter on another machine it worked
perfectly (an old VooDoo3 3000) I also do not have the luxury of
trying a moniter with that type of resolution.

 

[Dr. J]

That was kind of confusing. So my 8500DV has analog built into the
DVI? Ok. As I said before, the moniter worked perfectly on an
ANALONG ONLY card, a VooDoo 3 3000 AGP. I am not useing any special
cables, only the converter from ATI that allows me to put my 15 pin
male into the DVI.

Your hypothisys seems reasonable, but how would I go about CORRECTING
the situation?

 

[Dr. J]

Well, the problem persists. ATI has been of little help in this
situation. I recently bought a Radeon 9600XT. It works pretty nice.
However, whether I have it on the DVI or on the analog, the same issue
remains. I tryed the combination with XP, 98, & 2000. I repete, this
moniter goes up to full spec when I have it connected to my old
VooDoo3 3000 AGP and even an old GeForce 2. ATI seems to have a bit
of compatibility problems as of yet.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Jacobdrj