Output 1080i Resolution on an Intel GMA X3100 Graphic Card  

Hello again everyone. As many of you may (or may not ) know, our family has been looking into purchasing a CRT Rear projection television. Many of the ones that are within our budget are older (2001-2007+ish era) that only support 480p and 1080i in for some reason, and not 1280x720p. I've plugged up a computer to a 1366x768 LCD television (dualview setup), and it was pretty straightforward, but beside with a composite plug, I've never output to anything interlaced before (obviously we won't be using the SVideo "TV Out"). I'm planning on using a VGA to Component adapter. The advertising pamphlet for the GMA X3100 card says that it supports 1080i, but I'm curious how you would achieve this. I've never seen any special settings in the standard Windows Display control panel or the Intel control panel to suggest 1080i.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

- 2 Bunny

Its the same as component.


It hasn't got one.


Isn't there an option about that like in the graphic card properties somewhere?


They all have component. A Small handful of newer ones have DVI plug, but it is the crappy kind of DVI with few pins that don't work right with a VGA-DVI Adaper.


Most of them don't have a VGA plug. Component is the same thing as VGA anyway, just with the Green and sync signals combined.

- 2 Bunny

I don't want SVideo, because I want HD.


Woah. My Intel GMA Control panel doesn't look anything like that. Do you know where I can get one like that?

- 2 Bunny

Went there and ran the installer, but it still looks exactly the same. I did however spot a box in the Intel control panel to change the Hz level. I will give it a try when I plug up to the projection (if we ever actually get one, LOL!). Just out of curiosity, does component have two way communication like VGA? I've plugged up to our NEC MultiSync MT830+ SVGA LCD Front projector, and it makes the "you've just plugged something in" sound (even if its not on), and it can identify its model number in the Windows display properties.

Lets say that theoretically it is unable to identify what its plugged in to when/if I plug it up to the CRT Rear projection set. What if it feeds the telly a resolution or refresh rate beyond its capabilities? I won't blow anything up, right? I know an LCD or DLP would just tell you "non supported input" or something, but I'm never quite sure with these CRTs.


Oh I see what you mean now. I counted, and mine is a seven pin variety. They sneak in extra pins in what looks like the SVideo, but really may have hidden component pins in there. Is there any way to actually tell if the extra pins are indeed component without actually ordering that fancy adapter?

I'd pick up one of these if that were the case:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ATi-Radeon-C...item41521c9998

Amazing. I had no idea.

- 2 Bunny

I know, but buying one of those cables might be cheaper than a VGA to Component adapter.

I was like you at first too; but you've gotta go back and read the post. Apparantly, some manufacturers stick extra pins into the SVideo slot that contain other things, like Component and Standard Def composite video when you use an adapter.

It wouldn't change the process, but I doubt that this laptop has the component pins in the "7 Pin SVideo" slot. I'll most likely go with a VGA to Component adapter, but we'll see.

- 2 Bunny

?


The adapter I linked to wasn't a VGA to component adapter. Some graphic cards and laptops have special SVideo slots that you can plug a regular SVideo cable into, but they have extra pins that carry signals completely unrelated to SVideo accessed via a special adapter. I doubt this laptop has that, because it was nothing special back in 2007 or 2008 when it was released, so I'll probably get a VGA To component adapter that I can plug right into the VGA slot on the side. From what I understand, Component is the same signals as VGA minus the extra pins, but the sync and green signals are combined, so I would think it combines the green and sync signals and puts those through to the green, then puts the red on the red and blue on the blue in the component cables. That's the plan, anyway. Now, we actually have to get one of those displays, LOL!

Thanks again everyone.

- 2 Bunny

LOL! I was thinking less of the $175 neighborhood, and more the 2-3 dollar neighborhood. See this eBay link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/15-PIN-VGA-HD15-...item35af8e56c8

- 2 Bunny

So, those cables that I linked to work on the same principle as the fake SVideo port, and not just combining signals like I thought. YPbPr and the color signals on the VGA are not the same thing, and that's where I went wrong.


Gotcha, that's where I was confused in that there is a difference between the signals that VGA carries and those which component carry.

quote=Puwaha;20034150]My suggestion would be to get an older model ATI/AMD Radeon video card with the S-VIDEO/Component output connector. You can probably find a 2400pro, 2600XT, or 3000/4000 series pretty cheap on Ebay.
[/quote]

This would be ideal, but I may have omitted the fact that I'm running a laptop, not a desktop. I guess now we're at a bit of a dead end, and the only answer is expensive adapters that we can't afford. I guess there's always the Xbox Media Center on the original Xbox (component cables, 720p/1080i HD, HD video playback, pretty cool).

Thanks anyway though. Guess I've got a lot to learn.

- 2 Bunny

All righty, I'm back and hopefully a lot more educated on this topic.

At this point, this is what I think we've got figured out:

The Mitsubishi WS-48311 has RGBHV Inputs on the back
My laptop's Intel GMA X3100 video card doesn't work with Entech Powerstrip
The GMA X3100 will however work with another software called DTDCalc.
I've created a few custom modelines in DTDCalc, all of which leave me with similar symptoms:

If I use -hsync -vsync, I can get an image.
But, this image has problems with the colors that are hard to explain, so I made a small PowerPoint file to pinpoint what works and what doesn't. I started with slides containing just solid Black, Red, Green, and Blue, and they all displayed correctly, so I think my cable is fine. The problem lies when I try to display the solid white slide - I just get a near black color instead, and a thin white vertical band at the left of where the image starts.

If I use +hsync +vsync, I can kind of get an image too.
My red, green, blue, and black slides all display perfectly, but if I put up the white slide, the screen will go crazy for a few seconds before shutting off. I can put my mouse on the black slide, and I can even right click to bring up the menu, which causes the image to shift itself up the screen halfway, but it will go back to normal if I bring one of the other solids back.

If I use +hsync -vsync or -hsync +vsync, I'll get a semi working image. Starting with a black background, the black looks kinda brown. The more colors you add to the image, the lighter the black areas will become. If you drag a video to it, it can play, but if you put it in full screen, the image starts going a little bit crazy (not as bad as solid white on the other settings though).

Any ideas as to what might be causing this?

Thanks.

- 2B

That's pretty much what I'm using, but I wasn't planning on getting a new computer yet since I haven't even had this one for a year yet.

I'm making progress and I'm pretty sure it's doable, but I just need to find someone who knows what to do to make it work completely - i'm really close.

- 2B

I think you're a little bit confused, no offense.

I just upgraded a few months ago to this 3D Full HD Television, it's not an "EDTV" (I've seen those, and they look worse than anything you could possibly imagine, nearly quoting Peter Bishop from Fringe).

As far as the telly's instructions go, they are pretty vague and seem surprisingly moot about modelines and custom resolutions for Intel graphics. I've searched the whole internet, and even posted in Mr. Bob's famous half decade old (but still running strong) thread, but nobody was too sure about what to do there.

Thanks for looking though, let me know if you or anyone else find anything.

- 2B

Actually it is. It has 1920 by 1080 resolution (full HD) and the CRTs inside give a 3D effect.

If you can help at all in the situation of the modeline thing, that would be great.

Thanks.

- 2B

Any updates? Anyone?

- 2B