8400gs overscan issue?

[bradlewa]

Does anyone here use nvidia's 8400gs card? I just recently installed it (upgrade from a 7300gs - i wanted a low profile card and figured i might as well get an 8 series - couldn't beat the price after rebate on newegg). Anyway, all of a sudden I'm getting a lot of underscanning, and I can't find the option in nvidia's control panel to correct it. I'm almost positive this option existed for the 7300. Is it possible that you can't change overscan/underscan with this card?

Also, I had previously been using the 7300gs in overlay mode, but the 8400 didn't look as good in that mode. I switched over to vmr9, which looks better on playback, but i can't stand the fade it uses when switching between menus. Is there any way to disable that?

[mangriotis]

How are you connecting the display? With analog (VGA) connection overscan/underscan compensation no longer exists in the drivers.

With digital (DVI or HDMI) connections, I believe nVidia put back in some overscan tools into the advanced options with the latest beta drivers (163.44).

I agree that the default timing of the menu fading sucks (too long), but you can change this within the detailed setup area (I forget which sub-menu). I use 300ms I think, and it looks and feels great.

[bradlewa]

s-video, it's sdtv. any clue if the overscan/underscan options are there for it? it doesn't look like it to me, but i could be missing something. thanks for the info though.

[Crashless]

There are settings in the NVidia Control panel. Right clicking your desktop usually gives you an option to launch it. Otherwise, go to your display properties, ->Advanced->NVidia tab then launch it from there.

[bradlewa]

i know that's where they normally are. i've used the overscan options before with my 7300gs. but for some reason they are not there for the 8400gs. i was wondering if anyone else has any info on this. i.e. does nvidia not support overscan for this card?

thanks.

[Crashless]

Hmm. Have you installed the latest beta drivers? I have a 8600 gts via dvi and I have the option available. I seem to remember the non-beta drivers didn't have the option.

http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_do...etadriver.html

It's worth a shot.

Otherwise, I'm not sure what your options are. Have you checked the nvidia forums? [H]ardOCP?

[bradlewa]

i'm running windows xp. is the link to the driver for vista or xp? i just posted on the nvidia boards as well, if i hear anything i'll post back here too.

[bradlewa]

nevermind, just saw that both xp and vista drivers were there. i'll load them up and see if it makes a difference. thanks.

[bradlewa]

i just loaded up the beta drivers, and there's no difference in options in the nvidia control panel. so still no overscan option. i'm stumped. is it possible that they disable certain options in lower end cards like the 8400?

[Crashless]

I'd be surprised if it were disabled because of it's price bracket, it's more likely that it is because of the s-video connection.

Have you given the nvidia forums a shot?

Otherwise, the only other thing I can think of is Powerstrip:

http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm

It might give you what you need, but it costs money. (free trial though) It is usually used by people trying to get their displays on HDTVs, but I don't see why it wouldn't work for you.

[mangriotis]

S-video is an analog connection... because the info cannot be read from the device you are connecting to (like it can with a DVI or HDMI digital connection), the overscan options are not available.

If you have the ability, connect to a monitor using DVI or HDMI. The options for overscan adjustment will be there.

I have a similar setup, and am connected to a 50" plasma via analog VGA and cannot adjust overscan or position. Hence, I am stuck at 1024x768, and Sage makes all aspect corrections, but windows is strecthed out.

[bradlewa]

i could have sworn that the option to overscan was there using my old 7300gs via a s-video connection. i think i'm going to pop that card back in and see what i can find.

the nvidia boards have been unresponsive so far.

if all else fails, i'll try out powerstrip. thanks again for the help.

[mangriotis]

Just FYI - Powerstrip didn't do it with the 8 series cards either... Custom Resolutions are unavailable even in Powerstrip using these drivers. I have yet to be able to crack this one (although I haven't tried the latest version of Powerstrip yet).

[bradlewa]

just to update - i had a lengthy support ticket in with xfx in which they wouldn't answer my question about whether or not the 8400gs can overscan for more than a week (this includes numerous messages back and forth in which they danced around the issue). in the end, they finally said that right now, the 8400gs cannot overscan. so it's up to nvidia to add the feature in their drivers.