[Pagali]

Here's a problem for you experts:


I added a Key Digital KD VTCA2 transcoder to my system about a week ago, using dScaler to process the s-video signal from my DSS receiver. Advice from people here on the forum helped me set up PowerStrip with a Radeon 7000 to find a couple of good resolutions for my Mits WT 46805 16:9 HDTV.


856x484p=856,98,72,94,484,26,1,52,37575,336

960x540p=960,20,40,92,540,7,1,15,37350,336

(both 540p timings)


I was going along very well with a good image, making progress towards learning my way around dScaler and PowerStrip.


Yesterday, I booted up the HTPC to find that the output to the TV had become quite dark. No settings had been changed on the KD, in dScaler, or in PowerStrip. The dark image appears as soon as the desktop appears, even before dScaler is started. The KD's VGA passthrough to the regular 17" monitor is unaffected, as is the output from my HiPix card. I've tried swapping cables and checked all settings, but the condition persists.


Any clue what could have happened? Did the KD suddenly stop working?

 

[Pagali]

Bump!


Still haven't found a solution... what would you check for that I may have missed?

 

[dlarsen]

If you unplugged the power from the transcoder momentarily then plug it back in, does it work? Are you using the KD mode which uses the pot to adjust horiz centering? If so, does it get better when you tweak the adjustment? If so, try using a setting that does not use the horiz centering and do the centering with PS. Have you tried different sync polarities within PS?


I’ve found the KD transcoder to be rather finicky, you can get it so it’s just barely working. (Works one day then not another, like its right on a hairy edge) Having said that, with enough tweaking, I’ve always been able to get it working reliably also.


HTH,


Dave

 

[Karnis]

Mary:

If you have the transcoder connected to your HDTV and your PC monitor at the same time you must enable the VGA Loopthru dip switches on the transcoder....conversely, if you only have your HDTV connected with no PC monitor connected, you must disable VGA passthru. If you have the dip switches set wrong, the impendance will be incorrect, resulting in a too dark image.

 

[Pagali]

Quote:

Originally posted by dlarsen If you unplugged the power from the transcoder momentarily then plug it back in, does it work? Are you using the KD mode which uses the pot to adjust horiz centering? If so, does it get better when you tweak the adjustment? If so, try using a setting that does not use the horiz centering and do the centering with PS. Have you tried different sync polarities within PS? I’ve found the KD transcoder to be rather finicky, you can get it so it’s just barely working. (Works one day then not another, like its right on a hairy edge) Having said that, with enough tweaking, I’ve always been able to get it working reliably also. HTH, Dave

Thank you, Dave! That did it! I had it set on the 540p/1080i format, thinking I would want the horizontal adjustment (which I had played with a little...). I reset it to Auto format, unplugged it momentarily, plugged it back in, and everything's back to normal!


Thanks for your help, too, Wayne... I did have it set to enable VGA passthrough, though, and that always worked fine (and still does, luckily)

 

[falcon]

I installed the key digital transcoder last week and am experiencing the same thing. When I boot the PC the image is dim or darker than normal. One way I found to brighten things back to normal is to go into the adapter settings and increase the brightness setting. Once I move the slider it brightens up to normal levels. I have recently tried increasing the brightness level on the video card and decreased the contrast and brightness settings on the TV. I will see if than stops the "dim" screen I get on boot-up. By the way once the screen "brightens" up it doesn't every dim down again, only if I power off the htpc.

 

[Pagali]

Quote:

Originally posted by falcon I installed the key digital transcoder last week and am experiencing the same thing. When I boot the PC the image is dim or darker than normal. One way I found to brighten things back to normal is to go into the adapter settings and increase the brightness setting. Once I move the slider it brightens up to normal levels. I have recently tried increasing the brightness level on the video card and decreased the contrast and brightness settings on the TV. I will see if than stops the "dim" screen I get on boot-up. By the way once the screen "brightens" up it doesn't every dim down again, only if I power off the htpc.

Falcon, try Dave's solution. It worked instantly for me. I don't want to change the TV settings since the HiPix and the Dish 6000 use the same input. I tried changing the video card brightness setting, but it didn't make enough difference and the color balance was all off. Now it's just fine.

 

[Such]

Mary,

Did you get the HiPix loopback cable configuration working with the KD transcoder? There's another thread that says it won't work - I just got my KD unit yesterday & my Mits RPTV won't sync for the HiPix (works fine with my VGA computer signal)?

 

[Pagali]

I wasn't trying to run the HiPix through the transcoder. I'm using a 3 to 1 component switcher to select from the following sources:


1. Hipix directly from its VGA out via a VGA --> RGBHV breakout cable.


2. VGA from RAdeon 7000 graphics card (NTSC signals processed by dScaler) through the KD transcoder (VGA passthrough to computer monitor)


3. Component from Dish 6000 HD receiver.


Component switcher feeds to 1080i input on my Mits HDTV.

 

[Such]

Thanks - which compenent switcher did you use & how do you like it?

 

[Pagali]

I got this one...

http://www.inday.com/


...Because it was remote controllable, cheap, and very high bandwidth. I must say the HD images are very very good!


Instead of having it's own remote control, it learns from any unused signal on any remote you want to use. It took me a few tries to find one that was dependable and didn't conflict with anything else, but now it's working fine.


I called and ordered from them directly, and the service was very good and delivery was quick.


Edit: it's a 4 to 1 switcher, not 3 to 1!