Sony Grand Wega SXRD, III & IV Tweakers - HTPC Users Thread (ATI/NVIDIA)

** 1/31/2006 **
This thread about to be updated for the SXRD addition to Sony's Grand Wega XBR family of Micro Display Television sets. HDMI and VGA connections will be explored and documented.




Overview
The purpose of this thread is to provide GWIII Users with a difinitive resource for all your GWIII tweaks. I will attempt to keep the 1st message in this thread updated with all the exciting tweaks that the AVS forum GWIII audience contributes.

There are many different techniques and approaches to achieve the best image on the GWIII. There are some things you can do on the set and some things that just won't work. Perhaps with a bit of cooperation we can all create a single source for all our hard work with the set.

Thanks,
Vidkidd


Powerstrip Learning Resources
I started to write an overview of how this works but since there are many excellent guides out there that I used, here they are:

• Powerstrip Guide for the powerstrip impaired - This article is a must read for the new powerstrip user.
• Custom Resolution Guide for 1080i HDTV-HTPC-POWERSTRIP-RADEON - A guide is tailored for Mitsubishi CRT Rear Projection HDTV's. The concepts of Powerstrip and video timings apply apply to the GWIII. Some of the resolutions listed there work. Many do not. I have listed the ones in this thread that I know work.

Powerstrip 1st Steps

• Use the Correct Windows Monitor Driver
  Make sure you change the default Plug and Play Monitor that is selected by windows for your GWIII The standard monitor driver will inhibit you from gaining much more than 640x480.
  
• Get Powerstrip
  You can get a 30 day trial version of Powerstrip from here: PowerStrip Product Page
• Getting Started
  Once you have Powerstrip installed you can start adding resolutions from the ones listed below. Be careful, I highly recommend working with powerstrip in Dualhead Clone Mode. Meaning you are working on a VGA display at the same time you are working on the GWIII. Without further delay, here are the timings that are known to work:

GWIII Resolution Timings
This section details timings that are known to work on the GWIII in Powerstrip from Entech Taiwan. It's a great utility that allows you to add timings to your HTPC that are not supported by the standard monitor drivers.

• 480P Powerstrip Timings
  720x480=720,16,62,60,480,9,6,30,27000,7
  
• 720P Powerstrip Timings
  800x600=800,248,24,232,600,40,2,111,58712,1 Needs Refresh Lock
  1280x720=1280,80,40,248,720,18,19,30,75600,2310
  1280x768=1280,80,136,240,768,1,12,6,79740,7
  1304x734=1304,32,40,272,734,11,5,23,74250,7
  1312x744=1312,64,136,216,744,1,3,26,79096,2304
  1320x744=1320,64,136,200,744,1,3,22,78140,1
  1344x734=1344,168,48,160,734,24,5,21,78923,2308 *updated 3/4/04
  1376x768=1376,64,136,336,768,9,3,0,86946,2304
  1384x768=1384,128,144,216,768,0,3,0,84203,2304
  1384x784=1384,72,144,216,784,1,3,23,85421,1
  
• 1080i Powerstrip Timings
  640x480=640,50,56,46,480,38,30,14,26730,1
  1776x1000=1776,121,56,239,1000,32,5,88,73980,9
  1920x1080=1920,169,56,295,1080,2,5,38,82350,9 (broke in cat 4.2)

UMR's GWIII Home Theater Calibration
What can I say? This thread says it all. The expert UMR speaks on how to set up your GWIII for optimal Home Theater Usage

UMR Does GWIII XBR & WE

Test Patterns
Here are a couple of test patterns you can use to "assist" in you low level image calibrations. The best way to use them is to use them as a desktop pattern - set to Centered. The 1x1 Vertical and 2x2 Diagonal test pattern illustrates of the the problems with the GWIII that we will figure out.

• 2x2 Diagonal Test Pattern
• 1 Pixel Vertical Test
• 2 Pixel Hotizontal and Vertical Test
• GWIII HTPC Block Test Pattern

SM Adjustments
This section will detail the different areas of the GWIII's service menu and how you can use it to improve your viewing experience:

GWIII SM Excel Worksheet
There was a posting on UMR's thread that contained a .PDF file. I have that file in an exel format and this is text output of what I have been able to find documented across all the formums here at AVS. Here is the file in excel format. I should not this is optimized for 1280x720 with 1/2 inch underscan on all sides.

Monitor Driver and GWIII SM Settings - Original and VIDKIDDS's in Excel format Come on everyone Lets conquer this!
Displaying this in Excel on HTPC while making adjustments makes things very easy

NOTE: The settings i have in the .XLS spreadsheet are LIVE and are updated as I adjust my set. They are the "best" I can do for now for 1280x720. These settings take the following User Menu settings into consideration: I can achieve a "clean" patterns with 1384x784 but i am having problems with 1280x720.

• Mode: Pro
• Brightness - 33%
• Picture - 75%
• Sharpness - 100%
• Detail Enhancer - HIGH
• ...(I dont remember all of this so this will be updated.)

Tweakable SM Area Desctiptions

• DCP-USER[/u] - Adjusts the GWIII's User Menu Setting Offsets.
• DCP-ADJ1 - Adjusts the GWIII's White Balance / Color Balance / Contrast Brightness.
• DCP-ADJ2 - Adjusts the GWIII's Detail, Edge and Black Enhancements.
• Mid1 - Adjusts the GWIII's dispay panels. This effects ->ALL<- GWIII Inputs.
• Mid2 - Adjusts 480i Inputs on the GWIII. Changes are specific to the input you are working with.
• Mid4 - Adjusts 480P/720P/1080i Inputs on the GWIII. Changes are specific to the input you are working with.
• Mid5 - Adjusts the GWIII's Image clarity.

Many Details to come....


Useful Software Links
PowerStrip Product Page
Refresh Lock Product Page


This information is made available as a use at your own risk basis. It has been made avaialble by collecting GWIII data from across the form and placing access to it in a single location.

Hey Azmodeus,
I just updated the top of the thread with known working resolutions on the GWIII. You will need to change your monitor driver to the Sony GDM-w900 to access additoinal resolutions.

1024x768 Update
I spent close to an hour this evening trying to get 1024x768 to work on the GWIII. There seems to be some kind of incompatabilty with PS and the GWIII that is similar to the issue I encountered in getting 800x600 to work. Unfortunately, there is no unility available that will allow me to send the GWIII the correct timings to achieve 1024x768. I had all the frequencies exactly where they should be but it is a no go for now. Perhaps the new drivers from Nvidia will correct this issue.

Thanks,
Vidkidd

MadChemst -

Great idea. I can put a link to the .inf file at the top of the thread that I can host on my server. Should we include all the resolutions I listed - or are there too manu? Best question - i what resolutions are missing?

I can create the file - or would you like to?

Thanks,
Vidkidd

Those resolutions should be easy to test. Has enyone out there tried these out yet?

SM Settings / Original and PC Desktop/Game Optimized
I updated the 1st page to include a link to the GWIII's default service mode settings and my current setup. There are a lot of notes based on other AVS posts and my observations. These are Optimized for PC use. I'd be interested in your feedback. I kept it as an excel spreadsheet to make your viewing / editing easier.

NOTE: The original file was a .PDF document from the UMR thread. Credits to follow.

You can grab it here: VidkiddGWIII Exel File

Thanks,

I just added in my test patterns for easy downloading. If anyone has additional patterns, we can add them in.

Thanks,
Vidkidd

Hey iamnaeth:

I have added the following section to the 1st page to point you in the right direction for PS learning resources. This is your best starting point to go from. I can followup with the details on setting the Horizontal signal then finishing with the Vertical by adjusting the frontporch, signal witdth and back porch to get the timing to snap in.

Thanks,
Vidkidd

Hey Chad,

Under my best understanding that the GWIII is a fixed frequency device. If you send the GWIII a signal that is within it's displayable range, it will display it. If it is outside of that range you will get a black screen. I have not seen any adverse effects to date when adding and adjusting resolutions to work on the GWIII. Perhaps someone can add to this?

Hey UMR.

Thanks for the positive post. Im glad you like the spreadsheet. Anything I can do to help fellow GWIII users in their quest for the ultimate picture. My replies to your questions / comments below:

RE: Anti-Aliasing
I had my excel spreadsheet displayed on the GWIII as I was going through the SM items 1 at a time. As i changed the items labled as "Anti_alaising", additional stray grey pixels that apppeared around fonts, icons, and graphics would either increase of vanish. I was looking for the settings that provided the "cleanest" representation of the image. When we add those additional pixels to our game in an effort to smooth out the edges, we refer to it as anti-aliasing. I wasn't sure what to call - beyond what I was seeing the effect as..

RE: MID5 MHLC, MVLC
Errrr. Ummm. I may have gotten this from somewhere on the the forum. I'll check my notes. I seem to rememeber a short excel spreadsheet that had these labled as such. My laptop with my notes is at the office.

RE: DCP-INT GON, BON, RON
I double checked... Your right - I'm wrong. I'll update the spreadsheet. I must have written down the panel on/off in the wrong spot. I know I hit it and I'll find it again. My GWIII service manual will arrive shortly.

Thanks,
Vidkidd

Hey Be4r:

1:1 mapping is for HTPC philes that want to have the absoluetly best picture on the GWIII and are willing to spend what ever time it takes to get it there. For the average user, using the 1st 4 values values in MID4 to position and stretch the image will work for most.

Specifically for 640x480 - you will notice that the image is cropped on the left and right sides. This is in normal and wide. This bugged me as several of my daughters games run in 640x480 and I wanted to have a full-screen experience.

To correct this, You will need to the following:

MID4: DHPL Increase the number so the screen moves right so that the left edge of the start menu is fully visible. You will end up cropping the right side of the screen more.

MID1: MDHO Increase the number so that the right edge of the 640x480 image is fully visible.

MID1: MDHP Center the image in the screen.

all other inputs / resolutions The image may have stretched and you may have to adjust the width of the MID4: DHSL to get the oeft side of the back to where it belongs. You may also have to adjust the position for the left edge: MID4: DHPL Personally I like a little bit of overscan so I get an edge to edge image.

I have my XBR950 set up perfectly for Standard and Wide in 480P. I believe for WIDE mode, I only had to adjust the MID4 settings so that it fills the image full screen. It's been several weeks since I worked on 480P

Come to think of it. I have a completely different SM setting for 640x480 that really unsoftens the image and improves the image quality. I'll have to update the SM spreadsheet with my 480P settings.

Thanks,
Vidkidd

Hey EugOO,

Thanks for the corrected 1344x734 timing. I updated the timing list to reflect it. If would be OK with you, I'd like to host the files for the thread. The Handheld Games server is in my AV cabinet - as I have a Business SDSL line running to my home & studio. It will make maintaining the main thread a bit easier as I have to cut and paste the all the URL's.

Do you have any other resolutions you are working with that are not in the 1st page?

Thanks,
Vidkidd

Hey iamnaeth,

1280x1024 should be possible. I would say to start with the resolution of 1776x1000 as I know that is a working resolution on the GWIII in the catalyst 4.2 drivers. Ive seen 1280x1024 in the fixed resolution mode of 1920x1080 on those drivers and it does visually work. Good luck..

Thanks - Vidkidd

Hey MadChemst

Thanks for the GWIII.INI file. It has been added to the 1st post.

I looked at the image from the XBR's internal tuner and I see exactly what you are talking about. The noise is very noticable on upscaled content. 1080i feeds look very clean. I will not know until the Primetime HD content this evening. I'm not going to change it back until I completely understand what is going on 1st.

I wanted to see if this is a problem with all video content playback. I fired up a couple of DVD's to check it out @1280x720. ToyStory2 looked awesome so did HarryPotter 2. Harry Potter has a lot of grainy scenes where the noise was not over amplified.

Here are a couple more things I have set in the user menu: sharpness at 100%, clear wite on, detail enhancer high, black corrector low, gamma corrector high.

Thanks,
Vidkidd.