I recently purchased a Sony LCD RPTV (50A10) and I think I have near perfect timings set up through my 6600GT using the VGA PC input. I think these settings will work on both the 50A10 and the 42A10 with most video cards. There have been a couple people that have had problems, but I suspect that there might have been problems with Powerstrip not applying the resolution properly.
I've posted my results on the A10 thread in the RPTV section, but I've been getting lots of questions. I'd like to set up a "Tutorial" for setting up this TV (and maybe help others setting up other TV's).
This only works when using the VGA PC input on the TV. When using the HDMI input, I cannot yield satisfactory results (see below). If you are able to yield 1:1 pixel mapping with HDMI, please reply to the post with your timings and settings!
First, you'll need to have powerstrip installed. If you aren't familiar with Powerstrip check out Karnis's custom resolution guide in the HTPC section, it's stickied on top.
Now, FYI, for those who don't know what 1:1 pixel mapping means:
It really has little to do with how much of the screen the picture fills. It has everything to do with one single pixel of the computer output matching exactly with a single pixel on the display device. Even though the sony LCD's have a total 1280x720 resolution, some of the pixels are "hidden" outside the visible screen area. Because of this, a special screen resolution must be created to fit the screen with little/no overscan.
This is what the screen should look like with 1:1 pixel mapping:
Notice how the pixels in the text and the mouse match exactly the pixels on the display.
And this is what it looks like when I either don't have 1:1 pixel mapping and/or when I am using HDMI:
Notice how the pixels are blurred. What should be one pixel is blurred across a few pixels.
______
Edit:
JMV was nice enough to share a bitmap he made to verify 1:1 pixel mapping, and he's given me permission to share with everyone. You can download it here:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9.../720P_test.jpg
Just set it as your background image, centered not stretched.
The left section has individual alternating black/white pixels and the right region is divided with half 1 pixel wide vertical lines and the other half 1 pixel tall horizontal lines.
______
I'm going to try to go through this step by step. Please let me know if you have any corrections/additions. Please don't PM me with questions, but rather post here in this thread. It helps everyone solve their problems as well.
Well...Here we go!...
First, you'll need to have powerstrip installed. If you don't have it, you can get it here:
http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm
If you aren't familiar with Powerstrip check out Karnis's custom resolution guide in the HTPC section, it's stickied on top. That's a great source for info about Powerstrip.
Now, copy the ENTIRE section between the lines (__________) to the clipboard:
________________________________________
PowerStrip timing parameters:
1224x688=1224,104,128,208,688,45,5,58,79393,274
Generic timing details for 1224x688:
HFP=104 HSW=128 HBP=208 kHz=48 VFP=45 VSW=5 VBP=58 Hz=60
VESA detailed timing:
PClk=79.39 H.Active=1224 H.Blank=440 H.Offset=88 HSW=128 V.Active=688 V.Blank=108 V.Offset=45 VSW=5
Linux modeline parameters:
"1224x688" 79.393 1224 1328 1456 1664 688 733 738 796 -hsync +vsync
___________________________________________
You should be doing this:
Now, Open the display profiles section of Powerstrip:
Open the "advanced timing" section:
Then go to "custom resolutions":
Now click the "paste timings from clipboard" button:
Then click "add new resolution"
Depending on your video card and drivers, you may or may not have to reboot.
If you did not have to reboot, you can say "ok" to letting it switch to the resolution. If you did have to reboot, go back to the display profiles screen and select the new 1224x688 resolution. You should have 1:1 pixel mapping that just fits the screen!
TV Setup:
You may not have 1:1 pixel mapping yet depending on how the TV responded to the timing.
Make sure you are using "zoom" mode and not "full 1" or "full 2".
Select "text" mode, video mode crushes blacks and whites and turns the advanced iris on (to high, I think).
I noticed that if it looks like the pixels are close but don't match exactly you may have to adjust the "Phase" setting to line it up. My TV "auto adjusted" incorrectly the first time but hit it right when I made it readjust again.
You can make small tweaks to the horizontal adjustment on the TV settings. I used this to fix my screen being offset by a few pixels. If you need to make larger changes, use the "arrows" in the "advanced timing" of Powerstrip. DO NOT CHANGE THE SCREEN SIZE USING THESE BUTTONS!! See below for instructions if you have overscan/underscan.
Now, when watching movies, I use Theatertek and set 16:9 movies to 1280x720. This give you some overscan and allows you to scale the vertical resolution of the movie exactly by 1.5. 4:3 movies I set to 960x720.
If you are using other software, or if you don't want to customize your aspect ratios, you can also use the following timing. It give you some overscan, and you probably won't be able to see the task bar or scroll bars, but it is a "perfect" 1280x720 resolution
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PowerStrip timing parameters:
1280x720=1280,80,128,176,720,27,5,44,79392,2050
Generic timing details for 1280x720:
HFP=80 HSW=128 HBP=176 kHz=48 VFP=27 VSW=5 VBP=44 Hz=60
VESA detailed timing details:
PClk=79.39 H.Active=1280 H.Blank=384 H.Offset=64 HSW=128 V.Active=720 V.Blank=76 V.Offset=27 VSW=5
Linux modeline parameters:
"1280x720" 79.392 1280 1360 1488 1664 720 747 752 796 -hsync +vsync
---------------------------------------------------------------------
There may be other timings that yield 1:1 pixel mapping, but I like this one because I can achieve a "perfect" 59.94Hz refresh rate. This is very tough to achieve with nVidia cards because the clock that controls the timings doesn't have the "resolution" that many other cards have.
Problems?
A few people have been having problems getting these to work. I think sometimes it has been that Powerstrip just isn't communicating with the drivers properly or a previous (incorrect) timing had already been applied that is still "sticking" in Powerstrip. One way to fix this seems to be to REMOVE the custom resolution and then re-create it. Another option that seems to work is to uninstall and then reinstall your video drivers.
To remove the resolution, go back to the "custom resolutions" screen, select the "user defined" bullet, select the resolution, and click "remove resolution"
Overscan/Underscan Issues
If you still have overscan/underscan you can modify this timing and still yield the same results.
Go to the "custom resolutions" screen, paste the current timing in (if it isn't already there). Now check the "lock total geometry" box. Most of the timings should be grayed out, but the resolution on top can be modified. Increase the numbers if you have underscan, decrease them if you have overscan. I believe that the numbers must always be multiples of 8. Once you have a resolution that you think will work, click the "add new resolution" button just like before.
I hope this helps you, and I'll try to update the information as people give me feedback.
I've posted my results on the A10 thread in the RPTV section, but I've been getting lots of questions. I'd like to set up a "Tutorial" for setting up this TV (and maybe help others setting up other TV's).
This only works when using the VGA PC input on the TV. When using the HDMI input, I cannot yield satisfactory results (see below). If you are able to yield 1:1 pixel mapping with HDMI, please reply to the post with your timings and settings!
First, you'll need to have powerstrip installed. If you aren't familiar with Powerstrip check out Karnis's custom resolution guide in the HTPC section, it's stickied on top.
Now, FYI, for those who don't know what 1:1 pixel mapping means:
It really has little to do with how much of the screen the picture fills. It has everything to do with one single pixel of the computer output matching exactly with a single pixel on the display device. Even though the sony LCD's have a total 1280x720 resolution, some of the pixels are "hidden" outside the visible screen area. Because of this, a special screen resolution must be created to fit the screen with little/no overscan.
This is what the screen should look like with 1:1 pixel mapping:
Notice how the pixels in the text and the mouse match exactly the pixels on the display.
And this is what it looks like when I either don't have 1:1 pixel mapping and/or when I am using HDMI:
Notice how the pixels are blurred. What should be one pixel is blurred across a few pixels.
______
Edit:
JMV was nice enough to share a bitmap he made to verify 1:1 pixel mapping, and he's given me permission to share with everyone. You can download it here:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9.../720P_test.jpg
Just set it as your background image, centered not stretched.
The left section has individual alternating black/white pixels and the right region is divided with half 1 pixel wide vertical lines and the other half 1 pixel tall horizontal lines.
______
I'm going to try to go through this step by step. Please let me know if you have any corrections/additions. Please don't PM me with questions, but rather post here in this thread. It helps everyone solve their problems as well.
Well...Here we go!...
First, you'll need to have powerstrip installed. If you don't have it, you can get it here:
http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm
If you aren't familiar with Powerstrip check out Karnis's custom resolution guide in the HTPC section, it's stickied on top. That's a great source for info about Powerstrip.
Now, copy the ENTIRE section between the lines (__________) to the clipboard:
________________________________________
PowerStrip timing parameters:
1224x688=1224,104,128,208,688,45,5,58,79393,274
Generic timing details for 1224x688:
HFP=104 HSW=128 HBP=208 kHz=48 VFP=45 VSW=5 VBP=58 Hz=60
VESA detailed timing:
PClk=79.39 H.Active=1224 H.Blank=440 H.Offset=88 HSW=128 V.Active=688 V.Blank=108 V.Offset=45 VSW=5
Linux modeline parameters:
"1224x688" 79.393 1224 1328 1456 1664 688 733 738 796 -hsync +vsync
___________________________________________
You should be doing this:
Now, Open the display profiles section of Powerstrip:
Open the "advanced timing" section:
Then go to "custom resolutions":
Now click the "paste timings from clipboard" button:
Then click "add new resolution"
Depending on your video card and drivers, you may or may not have to reboot.
If you did not have to reboot, you can say "ok" to letting it switch to the resolution. If you did have to reboot, go back to the display profiles screen and select the new 1224x688 resolution. You should have 1:1 pixel mapping that just fits the screen!
TV Setup:
You may not have 1:1 pixel mapping yet depending on how the TV responded to the timing.
Make sure you are using "zoom" mode and not "full 1" or "full 2".
Select "text" mode, video mode crushes blacks and whites and turns the advanced iris on (to high, I think).
I noticed that if it looks like the pixels are close but don't match exactly you may have to adjust the "Phase" setting to line it up. My TV "auto adjusted" incorrectly the first time but hit it right when I made it readjust again.
You can make small tweaks to the horizontal adjustment on the TV settings. I used this to fix my screen being offset by a few pixels. If you need to make larger changes, use the "arrows" in the "advanced timing" of Powerstrip. DO NOT CHANGE THE SCREEN SIZE USING THESE BUTTONS!! See below for instructions if you have overscan/underscan.
Now, when watching movies, I use Theatertek and set 16:9 movies to 1280x720. This give you some overscan and allows you to scale the vertical resolution of the movie exactly by 1.5. 4:3 movies I set to 960x720.
If you are using other software, or if you don't want to customize your aspect ratios, you can also use the following timing. It give you some overscan, and you probably won't be able to see the task bar or scroll bars, but it is a "perfect" 1280x720 resolution
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PowerStrip timing parameters:
1280x720=1280,80,128,176,720,27,5,44,79392,2050
Generic timing details for 1280x720:
HFP=80 HSW=128 HBP=176 kHz=48 VFP=27 VSW=5 VBP=44 Hz=60
VESA detailed timing details:
PClk=79.39 H.Active=1280 H.Blank=384 H.Offset=64 HSW=128 V.Active=720 V.Blank=76 V.Offset=27 VSW=5
Linux modeline parameters:
"1280x720" 79.392 1280 1360 1488 1664 720 747 752 796 -hsync +vsync
---------------------------------------------------------------------
There may be other timings that yield 1:1 pixel mapping, but I like this one because I can achieve a "perfect" 59.94Hz refresh rate. This is very tough to achieve with nVidia cards because the clock that controls the timings doesn't have the "resolution" that many other cards have.
Problems?
A few people have been having problems getting these to work. I think sometimes it has been that Powerstrip just isn't communicating with the drivers properly or a previous (incorrect) timing had already been applied that is still "sticking" in Powerstrip. One way to fix this seems to be to REMOVE the custom resolution and then re-create it. Another option that seems to work is to uninstall and then reinstall your video drivers.
To remove the resolution, go back to the "custom resolutions" screen, select the "user defined" bullet, select the resolution, and click "remove resolution"
Overscan/Underscan Issues
If you still have overscan/underscan you can modify this timing and still yield the same results.
Go to the "custom resolutions" screen, paste the current timing in (if it isn't already there). Now check the "lock total geometry" box. Most of the timings should be grayed out, but the resolution on top can be modified. Increase the numbers if you have underscan, decrease them if you have overscan. I believe that the numbers must always be multiples of 8. Once you have a resolution that you think will work, click the "add new resolution" button just like before.
I hope this helps you, and I'll try to update the information as people give me feedback.
