[v1rtuoso]

I just purchased a Sceptre X20G-NagaIII LCD. It is a 20" widescreen running at 1680x1050.


Since installing the monitor, I've noticed jerkiness and tearing in any video playback as well as 3D games. At first I thought it was my video card, but I narrowed it down to the LCD after attaching to my laptop and seeing the same problems.


I downloaded the judder test ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=318096 ) and ran it and the tearing is very obvious if the speed of the bars is increased. I ran the same test on my laptop using its lcd and the bars are totally solid. So I guess my question is..has anyone else experienced this with this monitor? Is this a defect of my LCD or a "bug" affecting all Sceptre monitors?


Just wondering if I should do an exchange or outright return.

 

[dripgoss]

I just got this monitor for Xmas and see this behavior also. It's more than a little annoying in FPS games and watching videos. Kind of disappointing for a supposed 8ms (GTG), 8bit, 1680x1050 panel with otherwise great picture and claiming 1080p support (I know it's not true 1080 pixels but the box says...). Same thing here with the judder test.


So I'm curious, are you using the Sceptre.inf driver file from their website by chance and are you using the DVI or VGA connection? I have a theory that because the refresh rate on this monitor is actually a touch under 60Hz (more like 59Hz per powerstrip), it causes the tearing to appear worse. But here's an interesting thing - when I opened the newest driver file supplied by Sceptre, I noticed the T200 section which defines the refresh and resolution for this monitor is wrong and I emailed their tech support about it. Here's the section in the INF:


;T200

[T200.INSTALL]

DelReg=DCR

AddReg=200.AddReg


[200.AddReg]

HKR,"MODES\\1600,1200",MODE1,,"24-82,56-85,+,+"

HKR,"MAXRESOLUTION,,"1600,1200"

HKR,,DPMS,,1


Notice the problem with the res and refresh? Assuming a DVI connection and given the specs on the website, it SHOULD read:


;T200

[T200.INSTALL]

DelReg=DCR

AddReg=200.AddReg


[200.AddReg]

HKR,"MODES\\1680,1050",MODE1,,"31-80,50-75,+,+"

HKR,"MAXRESOLUTION,,"1680,1050"

HKR,,DPMS,,1


I installed this modified driver and it does seem to work, but it won't let me play games like BF2 for some reason (a touchy prog when it comes to res and refresh)


I have a dual DVI video card and no adapter so I can't test VGA and am "stuck" with DVI for now. But I'm going to continue to play around with powerstrip and juddertest to see if it's a refresh thing or some other problem like (gasp) a response thing...

 

[zjclimber]

Hi dripgoss; You may want to check out the thread under[ display devices]

(plasma lcd,s) x37 naga sceptre review. there are a lot of posts regarding this issue with sceptre,s 37 inch 1080p lcd.

One weak work around is to set the refresh rate to 53.3.

Sceptre is working on the problem but its not known if they can fix it at this

time. Sorry I was not able to hyper-link.

 

[dripgoss]

Thanx ZJ - I actually found that thread after finding this one but I couldn't figure out how to change the refresh without jacking up the Advanced Timing settings. I'll ask there next...


But I did find out from Powerstrip reading the hardware that while in 1680x1050, my 20" naga3 actually runs at 50Hz instead of the advertised (and widely accepted as LCD failsafe refresh) 60Hz and I can't force it higher. However, at 1280x720 (the other officially supported rez), it jumps to 60Hz and things smooth out. I even stopped getting dropped frames from the juddertest. But 16:9 looks pretty goofy on a 16:10 native panel.


I have plenty of GPU to push that res and refresh (512MB Quadro FX4400 NV48) and I've tried different drivers to no avail. I need to read up on what makes the refresh number and what tweaks I can do driver wise...

 

[Haight]

I purchased two Sceptre 20.1" WideScreen LCD Monitors from Costco about 2-3 weeks ago and haven't had any problems. Ones running on an ATi 9700 Pro AIW with an AMD 3700+ 64, 1Gb RAM, ASUS Mobo. The other one is running on a ATi 9800 Pro with a 3.2GHz P4, 1Gb RAM, ASUS Mobo. After reading your thread I downloaded and installed PowerStrip 3.63 and Judder Test. I don't get any dropped frames on Judder tests. I have a Fusion5 HDTV PCI card in the first system and view & record HDTV there. I play DVD movies as well without any problems. I'm running at 1650x1050 32 bit color at 60Hz (~59Hz). Attached are a couple screen shots from PowerStrip.

I wonder why yours is running at 50Hz? Are you in PAL mode or ? I'm using the DVI port on both systems. I don't think I installed any driver (no CD came with it that I remember at the moment or can find laying around here). Using the most current ATi drivers just released this month.

Hope this helps with a couple of extra data points.
Sceptre x20G-NagaIII 20.1" 16:9 8ms LCD


PS: Edit: Additional Info added


Running XP Pro SP2 on both systems.

I don't have a sceptre.inf file on my system.

Judder Test at default speed. Are you increasing "Bar Speed" ?

If so, I don't get any dropped frames, but do see the following image (Judder_Test_sm.jpg)(Had to shrink image for upload size restriction. Screen capture and then modified to show what is actually scene. Capture always shows perfect vertical bars)

 

[dripgoss]

Thanks for the info Haight! Yeah, when I install mine by default, I get "judder" and dropped frames even on the lowest speed setting at the default windows 59.xxHz. When I installed the Sceptre driver, it went to 50Hz I think. I've noticed that I have to let PS control the refresh or Windows keeps trying to crank back up to 60Hz and I get the problems. But when I drop my refresh down to 50Hz, I don't get dropped frames as much in juddertest, but still some website backgrounds or fast vertical motions esspecially will cause tearing.


A few questions though...


I show the same thing when I let windows tell powerstrip what the settings are, but what does powerstrip read your hardware or EID as? (Under options on the monitor info, select "Read settings from monitor" or something similar)


When you open your ATI control panel, do you have Vsync on and Triple buffering enabled? It appears that's an issue with NV and Direct3D apps.


If you visit a page with a semi textured background like http://forum.mkzclan.nl/index.php?showtopic=337 and scroll down quickly, do see the jumping, tearing or whatever?

 

[Haight]

Dripgoss,

Attached is a window capture of PowerStrip Monitor info read from monitor.

From the ATi Catalyst v5.12, Triple Buffering is DISABLED, V-Sync (Hmmmm, where do they hide it now?) ... other settings ...


3D Refresh Rate Override = Disabled

Image Scaling = Scale Image to full panel size (checked)

DVI Settings = Reduce DVI frequency oh high-resolution displays (checked)

Alternate DVI operational mode (checked)

3D section:

Aliasing = Let application decide

Anisotopic Filtering = Let appplication decide

Catalyst A.I. = Disable (Unchecked)

Mipmap detail level = High Quality

Wait for Vertical refresh = Off, unless application specifies

SmartShader Effects = None

Adaptive Anti Aliasing = Ghosted out

API Specific Section:

...Direct 3D Settings:

Enable geometry instancing (unchecked)

Support DXT texture formats (checked)

Alnernate pixel center (unchecked)

... OpenGL Settings:

Triple buffering (unchecked)

Force 24 bit Z-buffer depth (uncehcked)

Video Section:

Deinterlacing Settings = Auto-detect [recommended]

SmartGart Section:

AGP 8x and everything "ON" (fast write, AGP write, AGP read, PCI Write, PCI read)


When visiting the URL you mentioned and scrolling UP/DOWN rapidily, the center section (blue text, white text, shades of gray bkgrd) of the page stays clear. If I widened the page to include dark gray vertical borders on each side of the main display, I see them flicker and see different shades of gray in them (blocks).


You'll need to somehow define tearing & jumping for me.


I don't have any fast action games installed currently. Just Guild Wars and WoW, which are slow, but with a lot of detail, which I'm running them in the 1680x1050 mode as well as my desktop.


Hope this helps.


Edit: BF2 Intro movie plays smooth and game plays smooth at 1024x768 60Hz, High Setting plus 2x aliasing set.