DVI - Arrrgh!

[Webini]

Help! Got a new Samsung 191T flat screen LCD today. Analog and DVI inputs. Connected to a Visiontek Geforce 500ti that has both analog and DVI. Running 41.09 dets.

My problem is that I cannot get DVI to work! If I go into the Nvidia driver and tell it to detect devices only analog is available. DVI is not.

Yes my cables are connected. Any ideas? I really want to use DVI and this is driving me nuts!

Mark

 

[Generalen]

I'm not familiar with the display in question but make sure there isn't any switch on the back of the 191t, or in the "on screen settings".

 

[Webini]

That was my first thought too. I can't find a switch, and the menu is of no help. The docs are terrible too.

There are two lights on the front panel "A" and "B". "A" lights when in analog.

Mark

 

[Generalen]

If you connect it to the DVI-connector, does the B led light up, or does the screen become "dead"?
Edit: What the member below said I took for granted, you can only have the DVI-Cable connected, not both.

 

[Lord Evermore]

You do have it only connected DVI to DVI, right?

 

[Webini]

Originally posted by: Generalen
If you connect it to the DVI-connector, does the B led light up, or does the screen become "dead"?

I have tried DVI only (no "B" light), analog only ("A" light), and both cables connected (no "B" light, but "A" is on). DVI -> DVI gives me nothing on the screen at all.

Mark

 

[Webini]

Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
You do have it only connected DVI to DVI, right?

Yup! And I'm using the cable that came with the monitor.

My thinking at this point is:

1) 41.09 Dets are not WHQL certified and maybe the digital input was disabled. Going to try to go back to the last WHQL release.

2) Hidden switch on the Samsung for DVI?

3) Getting a DVI to analog converter and connecting the DVI output from the vid card to analog in on the Samsung. At least that way I could prove/disprove that the card's DVI output was working.

Mark

 

[Generalen]

You might be on the right track when you say "Hidden switch for DVI"

I took a quick look in the online manual for the 191t.
It said something about the 3rd button, the exit button function as a switch for analog vs digital as long as the OSD is off.
So try to connect DVI cable only, and press the exit button on the front and see if something happends.

Maybe I understand the manual wrong, but it might be worth a try.

As for the dvi to analog adapter. Don't bother just run the ananlog cable, the result will be the same.

 

[RichieZ]

Isn't there a button to the immediate right of the A-B LED's? (I have the dell FP1900 which is an OEM 191T, and instead of A B I have 1 2 and there is a button to the right that switches between them, my laptop on analog, and desktop on DVI)

 

[Webini]

I'll try the Exit button immediately to the right of the "A" "B" lights without the OSD when I get home from work and then post an update.

I must have missed it in the manual. Thanks everyone!

BTW, the image via analog is great. Will I notice a big difference with DVI?

Mark

 

[Generalen]

Some people seem to notice a difference between analog and digital. Mostly when looking at text.
If you run Win XP make sure to visit Microsoft homepage and search for "cleartype set up" or something similar. Makes wonders on LCD displays, at least it did on my laptop.

 

[Webini]

Well, here is the update. The exit button on the Samsung does indeed toggle between the inputs. Can't believe I missed that in the docs. RTFM!

The Visiontek card only outputs DVI if the analog cable is disconnected from the card. OK, no problem I disco the cable and switch the LCD to the B input. Bingo, we have display of the POST process and the Windows XP splash.

Then lockup. [SIGH] Never get into XP. Back to analog, into XP fine.

Remove 41.09 dets, go with generic XP Geforce driver, remove analog cable, boots into Windows fine via digital.

Now we are getting somewhere. Install 41.09 dets, reboot, same lockup. Arrghh!

My theory at this point is that the 41.09 dets default to analog input. When presented with a digital input by default they barf. They have a button in the drive UI to detect displays, but since my Visiontek card won't display both analog & digital at the same time I cannot switch to digital.

Thanks for everyone for their ideas!

Looks like no DVI for me with this card unless someone has another idea. At least I proved the DVI input on my new monitor is OK.

Mark

 

[ElFenix]

how bout a different set of dets? i think 41.09 was pretty buggy, i'm running 40.72 from guru3d with no probs, though

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: Webini
I'll try the Exit button immediately to the right of the "A" "B" lights without the OSD when I get home from work and then post an update.

I must have missed it in the manual. Thanks everyone!

BTW, the image via analog is great. Will I notice a big difference with DVI?

Yes, the switch will toggle between inputs. And yes, Windows drivers for some DVI/VGA dual cards seem to suck.

With a good card, VGA will look very good on that monitor, esp. after you press the auto button. However, DVI does indeed look significantly better.

My Mac PowerBook laptop has DVI, and it's noticeably crisper than my Radeon's VGA in my XP desktop. I've got a Samsung 172T.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: Webini
Well, here is the update. The exit button on the Samsung does indeed toggle between the inputs. Can't believe I missed that in the docs. RTFM!

The Visiontek card only outputs DVI if the analog cable is disconnected from the card. OK, no problem I disco the cable and switch the LCD to the B input. Bingo, we have display of the POST process and the Windows XP splash.

Then lockup. [SIGH] Never get into XP. Back to analog, into XP fine.

Remove 41.09 dets, go with generic XP Geforce driver, remove analog cable, boots into Windows fine via digital.

Now we are getting somewhere. Install 41.09 dets, reboot, same lockup. Arrghh!

My theory at this point is that the 41.09 dets default to analog input. When presented with a digital input by default they barf. They have a button in the drive UI to detect displays, but since my Visiontek card won't display both analog & digital at the same time I cannot switch to digital.

Thanks for everyone for their ideas!

Looks like no DVI for me with this card unless someone has another idea. At least I proved the DVI input on my new monitor is OK.

Mark

Ok it ISN'T locking up. Or at least I don't think so. It sounds like the same thing that happens if you have an onboard video card and an add on card. It defaults to the onboard after the splash screen unless you set it up for the other video card(This happens on a Dell Optiplex with a TNT2 video card in a PCI slot under Windows2000).

Here is what I would do. Plug the monitor up via DVI and let it boot. When the splash screen stops moving plug the monitor back up via analog connection. right click on the desktop and click on properties. Hopefully it will have "seen" the digital connection and let you set it to that in the properties and you can switch it back to the DVI connection.

 

[Webini]

Tried that already. Apparently the Visontek disables the analog port at boot if the DVI is used. So the switch does not work.

Good idea though!

Mark

 

[arswihart]

hey bub, try installing the digital 191t driver from the cd, I had the same problem today.

Got my 191t, but first I realized I should install the driver. I used my old moniter plugged into the VGA to do this using the Samsung drivers cd. Then I rebooted and plugged the 191t into the dvi output on my gf4 and nothing, still the check signal cable going around my 191t's huge black screen. So, I figured I'd hit some buttons, and exit switched me over to DVI, and I lived happily ever after.

BTW, this monitor has lived up to my highest expectations, and it rocks for FPS's and movies, so quit being anal all you people out there who think 25ms response time is too slow

 

[Webini]

What are you using for a video card and driver version?

Actually, I have tried using the digital driver from the CD. FYI, there is an updated driver here.

Mark