URGENT---Help with FX5700 card to TV

[stanger89]

Originally posted by marcw
Is using the TV as a monitor just not a good idea?

I wouldn't say it's not a good idea, it's just hard to do since they weren't designed to be used that way.

Like I said earlier, try 1080i with larger fonts or 540p from the guide I linked above.

Your best bet may be using large fonts.

[marcw]

can't get any of the above to work. I now have an old sony 13" analog monitor configured as a clone to the tv.

the setting that are referenced in the nvidia guide can't be found in the version I have.

Will I be better off with an ATI and go DVI to composite?

[gplasky]

Disconnect your monitor and just use the HDTV. Before you do do this:

Problem: For 480i/p, 640x480 is the native solution, Can NVIDIA support this
resolution?
Answer: Actually, the native resolution for 480i and 480p is 720x480. NVIDIA
does fully support 640x480 also. However, Windows XP hides that mode from
the user. Note that this is a Windows XP feature and, therefore, cannot be
changed by NVIDIA.
To access this resolution, follow these steps:
1 Right click on your Window desktop and select Properties from the desktop
menu. The Windows Display Properties window appears.
2 Click the Settings tab.
3 Click the Advanced option.
4 Click the Adapter tab.
5 Click List All Modes and locate the resolution.

Set it to 640 x 480, 30Hz. Shutdown the PC. Just connect the HDTV-not both. Make it easy on your yourself and have this the only display. You should now get a large size 640 x 480 desktop on your HDTV. Now start changing the resolution. If you have problems don't touch anything for 15 seconds and it will set itself back to your starting resolution. Just step your way up, 720 x 480, 800x600, 1280 x 720 up to the native res your TV supports. My TV will show 1080i but the highest native resolution is 1280 x 720. My is a rear projection with LCD panels and that's the res of the lcd panels. Your hook up should be relatively easy because it should be treated just like a computer monitor.

Gerry

Your TV should be able to scale a picture if it received something in 480p, 720p (maybe). If you set your res to 720 x 480 or 1280 x 720 you should see a pretty good picture on your HDTV.

EDIT: You need to download the 56.64 drivers to follow that manual, even though the manual says 56.66.

Get them here: nVidia 56.64 drivers

[stanger89]

Gerry,

According to the manual, his TV only supports 1080i on the RGB input, it's a CRT so that's as close to native as anything.

marcw,

Hook up a monitor instead of the TV and set it back to 1920x1080i (you did have that working correct?)

[stanger89]

Originally posted by marcw
Will I be better off with an ATI and go DVI to composite?

With the component adapter you only get:
720x480i
720x480p
1280x720p
1776x1000i
1920x1080i

You'll have the same problems (flickering) with 1000i/1080i and 480p is barely enough resolution to do anything, not sure you'd be much better off.

[marcw]

Now that I am understanding this let me explain what has and has not worked.

1080 worked at 30hz when connected as a dual display with the desktop extended to the tv. it did not fill the entire screen. It appears that the only thing that works standalone is 640x480 at 60hz. This is through the analog port on the video card. I have not tried rebooting the machine using the DVI port using a dvi to rgb converter. As Gerry's post I started to try different resolutions but nothing works but 640x480.

In this mode the software thinks it is just an analog display. no hdtv menu access.

[stanger89]

DVI or analog output of the card should make no difference.

You have a PM.

[marcw]

i guess you meant no difference, what is PM

[stanger89]

No I meant to say now difference, just kidding, I fixed it.

PM=Personal Message, click UserCP at the top and then Personal Messages.

[marcw]

it works at 640x480 60 hz and 1920x1080 at 30hz. I have to go and manually set the rate to 30hz on the larger setting. Problem with this is that the desktop is way off the screen. On 640x480 the images are also slightly off the screen.

Once I get this working how will this affect video playback?

also, the nvidia settings make reference to HDTV settings but in the mode I am in I can't get to them. Are these only when S-Video is used?

Marc

[gplasky]

Try this. Go to the advanced properties of the GeForce and go to the troubleshooting tab. Click on the box that says "My connected TV is not being detected". It should ask you to restart. Restart and then see if you get the TV specific details.

Gerry

[stanger89]

If 1920x1080@30 works, the fire up SageTV and give it a shot, I think you'll be pleased with the results, you can use Sage's overscan adjustments to fix the overscan. I would actually suggest running Sage/Video at 1080i, you'll probably get the best picture at that resolution.

As for ATI vs nVidia, I'm not sure what that would get you. The component dongle is nice if you don't have an RGB input on your TV but you do so it's benefit is much less. As I stated above, the dongle is very limited resolution wise, and you should be able to duplicate any of the dongle resolutions on your GF with powerstrip.

Honestly I'm kind of fed up with my ATI. I can't say I regret the purchase, but it's unable to do VMR9 due to tearing (hell I even get tearing when I quickly drag windows around the screen :flame. I guess in my oppinion it all comes down to what the companies are doing. If you look at ATI, their main focus lately seems to be gaming/gaming performance, their current cards are designed for max gaming performance, and they haven't done much in the multimedia area. nVidia on the other hand seems to be focusing on quality, they designed their chips to have more advanced pixel shaders, but at the cost of gaming performance, also they are putting a lot of effort into Forceware Multimedia, which is (will be) by a number of accounts the new king of software DVD playback, the next generation of chips (NV40) will have even more multimedia features, and finaly nVidia has a active representative over at the AVSForum.

I don't know if that means anything, all I know for sure is that my next VC will be either a Geforce FX 5700 or something NV40 based.

[gplasky]

I'm with stanger on this one. I stuck with ATI for a long time. But lately I've been impressed with nVidia. I have a GeForce FX5700 and a FX5200 in 2 different machines. My motherboards also happen to be nForce2 motherboards. I've been impressed with how they work together with the latest nVidia drivers and NVDVD. With NVDVD Forceware 3.0 just about out and the new NV40 chips coming with the features being designed more for video playback and HDTV resolution I think this stuff is only going to work better for any HTPC related functions regarding video resolution and performance.

Gerry

[marcw]

Question for both of you, how do I get to the HDTV settings referenced in their latest documnet. 56.64. Do I need to use S-Video to get them. Now the nVidia software thinks it is an analog display, not a TV.

It seems that if I was able to get into TV mode I would have more options. I will get Power strip and give it a try tonight. Will PS let me change the refresh rate to 30 or somewhere there about.?

As for SageTV, if I leave it at 640x480 will that be the resolution Sage Plays at?

Should I just S-Video for Sage.

Thx,
Marc

[gplasky]

See my post a couple or more above this. That should give you the TV settings.

Gerry

[stanger89]

Originally posted by marcw
Question for both of you, how do I get to the HDTV settings referenced in their latest documnet. 56.64. Do I need to use S-Video to get them. Now the nVidia software thinks it is an analog display, not a TV.

Those settings may only be exposed if you have a card with YPbPr output.

It seems that if I was able to get into TV mode I would have more options. I will get Power strip and give it a try tonight. Will PS let me change the refresh rate to 30 or somewhere there about.?

Powerstrip will allow you to create resolutions at 29.97Hz interlaced which are exactly what you're TV is expecting. It should also allow you to compensate for overscan/centering issues. It will basically do what the HDTV options in the drivers would do, except you would have more control.

As for SageTV, if I leave it at 640x480 will that be the resolution Sage Plays at?

Should I just S-Video for Sage.

Thx,
Marc

Sage (or any app) plays at the resolution you set Windows to, so yes if you run at 640x480 then Sage will play there.

I would advise against running S-Video, RGB is far superior.

I don't suppose you could post a picture of what it looks like on your TV. I'm still not sure what the problem is.

[marcw]

I'll try to get some screen shots tonight. The prolem is just that at the different resolutions the windows desktop is off the screen.

Marc

[gplasky]

If that is your only problem you have adjustments in the nVida software to set how much your desk top will overscan. I forget which tab but you'll see a picture with a monitor on it with 4 arrows pointing towards the corner which will let you adjust it. Keep in mind if you have your resolution 1920 x 1080 that is widescreen. Your windows desktop wallpaper is probably 640 x 480, 1024 x 780, whatever it was originally which was for a 4:3 screen. Your wallpaper may not be set up to scale so you think you're not seeing your entire desktop. Change it to scaling or get a wallpaper that is 1920 x 1080. Just a thought.

Gerry

[marcw]

It is not just the wallpaper, all the icons areoff the screen. If I launch an IE window the top and bottom can't be see (in 1080). In 640x480 you can guess where the top and bottom is.

I have tried adjusting the overscan. It allows slight repositioning up/down and side to side but it does will not shrink the picture.

I need to spend soem time undertadning the setting in the nVidia ssoftware. They are soemwhat limited because it sees it as an analog disply.

My TV for that manner sees the input as RGB 31K.

I will try powerstrip tonight.

Marc

[stanger89]

Sounds like overscan is the problem (the desktop is bigger than your screen). Once you get PS installed try this resolution in it:

PowerStrip timing parameters:
1776x1000i HDTV adapter=1776,136,48,240,1000,42,5,78,74250,280

Generic timing details for 1776x1000:
HFP=136 HSW=48 HBP=240 kHz=34 VFP=42 VSW=5 VBP=78 Hz=30
interlace +hsync +vsync