Custom Resolution Guide for 1080i HDTV-HTPC-POWERSTRIP-RADEON - Page 56

You need to check the PowerStrip forum if your gfx card is supported....not all are.

Well, I've posted this in other forums and had good response....thought it should be here too. I have a Radeon 9600XT card in my HTPC and use PowerStrip so I think applicable. This How-To is to show a example of alternative way than having to deal with clone mode, etc. The idea is to have one debug/viewing FP monitor on your HTPC and one (or more since I go thru a 8x4 component matrix switch) TVs/PJs.

I have a Home Theater PC Video Server that runs TheaterTek software player with XLobby front-end to make it nice and clean looking to user. However, for me and anyone else that wants to solve the physical connection to my/your MULTI Mon/TVS/PJ setup here is how I achieved it. For me I use this setup because my HTPC is in another room from the TVs/PJs so I want to have a Monitor at the HTPC which will be exactly what I see on the TV/PJ without all the hassles of trying to get clone modes to work.

1) Buy a VGA video active (do not get simple RGB Y cable) splitter....they are cheap...$24. This will allow you to hook up your current PC monitor and have a second output. This is simply connected to the VGA 15pin DSub connector on the back of your gfx card. The first output of this splitter goes to the monitor located at the HTPC. Here is one link but if stale just do web search on "Tripp Lite VGA/SVGA Video Splitter B114-002-R - video splitter - 2 ports". http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...MP=OTC-INKTOMI
2) Buy this VGA to Component Transcoder. Hook the second output of the above splitter to this unit. The output of this unit goes to say the 2nd component input of your TV.....or if you are like me into a Matrix switch that feeds all my TVs. Again here is one link but if stale just do a web search on "Audio Authority 9A60 VGA to Component Video Converter". http://www.digitalconnection.com/pro...video/9a60.asp
3) Lastly, on the PC you can change your video driver to 720P. Most Gfx cards have this driver setting...it is merely 1280x720 60Hz. Your PC monitor should accept and the TV will be driven (via the transcoder).

Lastly, as you know from this forum you'll need to tweek the above driver thru PowerStrip to reduce the overscan of component (~7%). I'm sure everyone here knows the links but for FYI:
PowerStrip Software: http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm
FAQ link on built-in util to correct overscan: http://forums.entechtaiwan.net/viewtopic.php?t=2089

I hope this helps.

P.S (Matrix Switches). If interested like I achieved you can drive many TVs/PJs in the house thru a component matrix switch. There are alot of them out there but beware the cheap ones do not have the video bandwidth or low noise you need....you get what you pay form. Video Storm makes a very nice series (6in-2out or 8in-4out). This is a full matrix to you can route ANY input to any output all independently. You can program the IRs it recognizes to anything you want, even split the audio from video if you want. For me, I have all my A/V hardware in a single rack downstairs in my Home Theater (settop boxes, HTPC, DVD player, XBox360, etc.) connected to this and it routes to all my TVs/PJs....thus any TV can access any piece of input hardware with only one component cable set going to a TV. Since component can run 100ft+ it allows for support of remote TVs without any hassle. If your comment is "yeah but I want one of my TVs HDMI" then OK....the CRM84 (8x4) even has a extra card to matrix HDMI/DVI. Now, remember HDMI/DVI is only speced for 15ft. and beyond that you risk pixelation....however you can add a repeater which will extend to 200ft....this is much cheaper and better than the HDMI optical cables or cables with repeaters built in. Here is a couple of repeaters:
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2939
http://www2.dvigear.com/accaexhd.html

Lastly, in all this if you are like me and have distributed TVs around the house and the rack is somewhere else you'll need to put in IR sensors in the rooms. These are very small and only few small wires running back to a small box near the rack. Out of this box will have the translucent IR emitters that go over the IR windows of the electronic components....even the matrix switch. This way any IR command from the remote goes to the sensor, down the wire, to the pickup box, broadcasted out over the emitter wires to all your electronic components and the one that knows/understands the code responds. So, with a little programming of IR macros on your universal remotes you can have one button for say "DVR settop" that changes the matrix switch to route to that box to that TV, turn on the DVR, etc. Makes for a great WAF. There are many IR pickups/etc. out there but one of the easiest is by Xantech: http://www.xantech.com/products/ir_products.htm

This works well with the above How-To obviously connected to the output of the VGA trasncoder box. Here is the one I have:
http://www.video-storm.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CRM84
__________________

Can anyone help me setup my lcd. I have a Sony Bravia 32" (32S3020 i think) and a VAIO XL100 htpc. The tv, according to the specs support 1080i. Should I go for 1080i? or 720p? Also, whichever of these two i select, the desktop appears to be larger than the screen size, so I have to reduce it by creating a custom resolution (1824x1004). However it appears a bit blurry with these settings. The Media Center is fine but the desktop picture is not sharp enough. Any ideas? Should I set these timings to something? Thanks

I have an ATI 3850 video card and am using HDMI to connect it to my Samsung LNT 4069 LCD TV.

I'm having a problem where no matter what resolution I pick, the output doesn't use up the full screen (there is a 1" unused black border between the edge of my screen and the edge of the output). This is effectively making my TV only 37".

I've just been using the Catalyst drivers/software to fiddle around with this. Will installing Powerstrip be able to help me?

Or this more a TV issue than a video card issue?

Dunno if this has been shared, but I have an 8600gt and I just installed it. I downloaded the most recent drivers from nvidia's website for XP.

I was able to get to a 1080i resolution on my 50" Sony LCD rear projo by clicking the custom resolution button. It scaled perfectly to my tv. I have never been able to display at 1080i until this new card/patch combo.

Previously I had a 6800gt and a 9700pro in my HTPC and neither card did this.

Hope this helps someone and isn't worthless clutter.

Bubbakja,

What is the model of your Sony TV? I have an A10 model from about 2 years ago, and have been struggling as to which graphics card I should get for my new HTPC build. Everything I've seen so far, has said you can't do custom resolutions with Nvidia, so was sure I just had to go with ATI. Did you have to enter a custom resolution or did the card just automatically pick the right resolution? Also are you using HDMI?

I just started playing with a 6600 GT and my Mits WS-55909 and at first had ZERO ability to do custom resolutions. Getting the latest NVidia driver 94.24 let me start playing, and I now have a nice 1120x500p desktop. I got the specs from GSR's posts in another thread. Nothing I tried on my own would fly, nor would half of his timings, but this one was sweet, so it will work.

Were those the 163.75 drivers or a beta driver? I tried and tried both ATI and Nvidia and never could get my rear projection CRT to go. using component or HDMI/DVI?

First i would like to thank everyone that posted information!!!

Here is my question/ delima

Im setting up a htpc to view divx/rmvb movies/ and play dvd movies

I have a powercolor 9550 radeon card Coming
Its DVI output and Vga

Here is the problem
Should i use DVI>DVI monitor link(Mistu ws-55315 has dvi in no VGA)
Or should i use the ATI dongle (dvi to Component)

Or Should i Use a VGA-breakout cable?



Thanks
Tony

Thanks

I have done all 3, and I think the picture looks a little better with DVI using monitor link. The VGA breakout box looked the worst.

awesome, u have PM

what DvI Cable do i need?
the dvi-d?I?

im assuming the dvi-d 24pin+1 is what i need

Hi,

I have the Sony KDL-40 W2000. This device accepts 48HZ but I do not know how to find the exact Powerstrip parameters. I have an ATI 2600 PRO and this should work with the latest 3.76 release of Powerstrip. But wehre to find the timings ? What I did before is using the 50HZ predefined parametrs and changed the vertical refresh rate to 48. I have a picture but evry 3 - 5 minutes I get a black screen. Does anybody know these parameters or at least where I can find it.

Regards,

Ben

Edit: I just found a small tool cr4v880 but the values I get out of this don't work

Hi all,

I found a solution which should probably work on all W2000 (perhaps X2000 too) Here is the commandline for Powerstrip:

c:\\****\\pstrip.exe /T:1920,532,48,144,1080,7,8,33,143753,528

Unfortunatelly it does not 100% match the right timing for Blu-Ray HD DVD, but it soes not blank any more which is a first step. So if anybody here has an idea would be happy to hear.

Reards,

Ben

Can someone with a CRT based display post the modelines they use for 1080i, standard and with overscan correction? I'm looking for some modern lines to work with.

Thanks!

Hi can anyone help ?
I have built a media pc for hd dvd & blu-ray use, I have installed a radeon hd3850 but my tv resolution(hitachi pd42 9700) is 1080*1024.
There is nothing near this in the catalyst control panel (since installing the hd 3850 there is no 720 * either). So can i use power strip to set up at this res or a 720 res ?
Or does anyone have any suggestions on how i could do it ?

With Powerstrip or Nvidia custom resolutions, is it possible to create a mode that would output as one resolution, but that would be recognized as another resolution to applications?

Here's my example. My HDTV will take 1360x768 native resolution over VGA only, and this is the input/mode that I want to use. However, I have a game (Sam & Max Season Two) that doesn't work in that res at all, but works in 1280x720 (which my TV will take via component and HDMI, but I'm trying to avoid scaling and the need to use those inputs).

Could I create a custom mode that appears as 1280x720p to the OS and to applications, but which would be output as 1360x768 (with black bars) to the TV?

I am trying to setup my Mits ws-55807 using this
guide.

The guide reads,
<<It is also important to note that the monitor you specify in Windows must be capable of resolving the resolutions you present to the display driver in progressive scan mode. I have used the Sony GDM-W900 monitor drivers because it has a max resolution of >1920x1200p as listed in Powerstrip 3 monitor profiles.Make sure to "disable plug & play monitors".>>
I tried to disable plug and play monitors in admin tools>services.I tend went back to device manager to find the dispaly driver,but the device manager
window was empty.
I am using a Gigabyte Radeon HD 2600 XT video card with Windows XP.

You can do everything you need here with the powerstrip software. Most of this thread is out-dated and misleading now.

jayntguru,
Thanks for the info.

Hi all, I am hoping to get somone help in here with my Sony SXRD 60A2020 settings with powerstrip. Has anyone had any success with powerstip? I can get mine pretty close but the picture still rolls (a faint line through the picture) and blacks out a few times every couple of minutes which is pretty annoying as you can imagine. I have an ATI card hooked up to my component input via an audioauthority converter. I cannot get the custom refresh rate to exactly 60hz. I can get 59.075 or 60.075 but never spot on 60, which is why I think the picture rolls with the faint line and blacks out on me. I have been tinkering with this literaly for months and would really appreciate some help. This is a great forum with lots of people that really know there stuff. Thanks in advance.

Cory.

Thanks for all the work. If only I could understand

cccccory -

You need to lock all the timings before adjusting the screen size.

Here are instructions from an earlier post in this thread:
1) Uninstall PowerStrip to clean up the mess it left. Restart Windows.

2) Switch to standard 1920x1080p60 in CCC.

3) Install PowerStrip while in 1080p. Restart Windows.

4) Let PowerStrip load and detect 1080p as default res.

5) Go into PowerStrip "custom resolutions". Check "Lock total geometry" and use the "Design a resolution-in-a-resolution" feature to create a resolution that exactly eliminates your overscan (probably 1856 x 1024 as you say). Click "Add new resolution". Restart Windows when PowerStrip suggests to do so.

6) After restart, use CCC Display Manager to switch to new resolution at 60Hz (1856 x 1024 or whatever). It should work!

7) You can now uninstall PowerStrip as you don't need it. Only exception is if the picture isn't properly centered. In that case use PowerStrip "Advanced timings" and leave PowerStrip installed to force those timings each time the new resolution is selected.

Worked great for me but I'm using it on a KDS-60A2000, not an A2020. I believe the principle remains the same.

agree to that

The powerstrip software is just awesome!!

I am trying to use powerstrip to get my radeon x300 and my panasonic th-42pz772u to work properly. Can anyone help me. I am friggin terrible at this.

I am using dvi to hdmi. my native resolution is 1920x1080p. I think.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this thread works, since I dont seem to get the answer I need anywhere else I might try it..

ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics (Gigabyte 780g motherboard)

Pioneer PDP-507XA (1366x768 plasma display)

Catalyst 8.3

Wanted: 1920x1080 at 24 hz without overscan.

So... If I set the refreshrate to 30,50 or 60hz I get a perfect corner to corner picture without overscan, and I can use the "scaling" function in catalyst to set overscan->underscan. Screen reacts with "1080i"

When I switch to 1920x1080 at 24 or 72 hz I get a awesome picture quality and the screen signals "1080p" ADV settings are activated, filmdetection etc works for 24 fps, bluray movies run soooo smoth and colors are vibrant, everythings sharpe etc.

BUT I get overscan and the "scaling" setting for overscan->underscan in catalyst is disabled.

Any way to solve it with Catalyst or do I need something like powerstrip to be able to set 1920x1080 at 24 hz (wich I would like) and correct the overscan??

I also tried to install powerstrip but I couldnt start it even though I uninstalled catalyst... what other components do I need to uninstall to get powerstrip up and running??

If anyone have a Pioneer plasma 1920x1080 at 24 hz powerstrip setup I would really appreciate the numbers needed in powerstrip.

Best regards
Jens, Sweden

How do you plan on getting 1080p on a 1366x768 plasma without overscan? The plasma must be doing the downscaling to begin with so that's the source of your overscan as well.

From my experience, it's never best to let the TV handle the upscaling/downscaling or deinterlacing. This is why you have a nice HTPC.

You can always fix overscan within 1080p timings. Pix a res that you would think fits nicely and then add the number of FP, BP and SW lines to match the exact total lines and scan rates that you had with 1080p. However, I doubt this is really the best way to go with that set. I would give it a 1366x768 res, so you get your 1:1 pixel mapping, and then give it 24hz or better yet, 23.976 Hz.

THANK YOU! I didnt even know this worked, everyone tells me pioneer 1366x768 plasmas cant be pixelmapped 1:1 through hdmi. I learned alot just by reading yar post.

But I'm having problems with getting powerstrip to run.

what components of catalyst and the ati drivers do I need to remove to get powerstrip to run? I tried uninstalling the catalyst + the driver but I might have done it all wronf because powerstrip didnt start anyway..

what settings in powerstrip Is needed to pixelmap 1366x768 1:1 with 23.976 hz through HDMI?

Powerstrip is something for engineers it seems... wich Im not! .(

have an ATI 9800 Pro AGP card with Omega 7.12 drivers and screen controls and Powerstrip 3.75 installed.

I'm having issues with any HDTV resolution. 16:9 horizontal screen geometry is being stretched that I so far can't correct. Looks like maybe 4:3 being stretched to 16:9?

OS is WXP/SP2.

One reason I use Omega drivers is to fix the Radeon AGP problem and I had no problems with the 7.10 version.

I have read thru this thread regarding PS geometry adjustments and don't see anything that really addresses my situiation. Can I somehow use Powerstrip to fix my problem?

There are some scaling and theater function adjustments in the AMD Catalyst Control Center that might be able to fix my geometry problem. Will CCC play nice with Omega 7.12 and PS?

Thank you.

I've got the impression that ATI HD3x00 graphics can do 1366x768 just as the old X1x00 graphics chipsets ie. resolutions that are not dividable by 8.

Can someone help me out with powerstrip timings for

1366x768 at 23.976 hz

I appreciate it... thanks.

/edit

I've now managed to set it to 1366x768 at 60 hz with powerstrip. Wow, 1:1 pixelmapping sure looks much better.

Now, the next task is to set the refresh rate to 23.976 hz. Can someone provide me with the correct timings?