PNY's FX 5900 SE (or) digital monitor hardware failure?

[Nick Mirro]

I've lost digital. These 2 display devices go to the one card:

Samsung 173P digital lcd monitor
Proxima dlp analog projector (vga)


First time with this nvidia card, I set it up so the vga output will send 1
res. to the projector (a movie), and digital higher res. to the Samsung. We
watched the movie while the Samsung kepts its own desktop and res.

After the movie, I play with the nvidia utility to try to get back to 1
desktop to only 1 device (the Samsung). Now...


1. The XP's display properties shows only 1 monitor under "settings."
2. The monitor no longer shows a dvi signal if connected and rebooted, even
in dos mode.


Has the video card digital signal failed?
Has the Samsung digital processor failed?
Have I screwed up the card's bios somehow?

I have only 3 days left to return either. How can I find out what is wrong
or which failed?

 

[V Green]

I've lost digital. These 2 display devices go to the one card:

Samsung 173P digital lcd monitor
Proxima dlp analog projector (vga)


First time with this nvidia card, I set it up so the vga output will send 1
res. to the projector (a movie), and digital higher res. to the Samsung. We
watched the movie while the Samsung kepts its own desktop and res.

After the movie, I play with the nvidia utility to try to get back to 1
desktop to only 1 device (the Samsung). Now...


1. The XP's display properties shows only 1 monitor under "settings."
2. The monitor no longer shows a dvi signal if connected and rebooted, even
in dos mode.


Has the video card digital signal failed?
Has the Samsung digital processor failed?
Have I screwed up the card's bios somehow?

NVidia cards, esp. the 5200, seem to corrupt the monitor EDID
string such that it's no longer recognized on the DVI connector.

People using Dell systems have a buncha threads going
on this in their support forum-here's one:

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfo...essage.id=33721&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

(watch URL wrap)

What to try (if you want to):

Uninstall the video card drivers, the monitor(s),
and any nVidia "control panel". Download and run
the "driver cleaner" app from driverheaven.net to scrape
ALL the leftover nVidia crap out of your Registry. Follow
the directions. Reinstall everything and see if it works.

If it doesn't

Get/borrow an ATI based card. If you see your POST screen,
but lose the display at the XP Welcome screen after installing
proper ATI drivers, your DVI side EDID has been trashed.
ATI cards seem to be less picky about the EDID during
POST than nVidia cards are.

But, since you have an opportunity to exchange
both items, it might be wise to get a new monitor
AND a new ATI based card.

If you stick with your nVidia card and replace the LCD,
the EDID will likely just get trashed again.

I had this problem with a Samsung 191T and fixed it
like so: (scroll down to #29):

http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33758908&page=1&pp=30

 

[Nick Mirro]

V,

Thank you for your reply. The viewsonic utility does not seem to be able to
find EDID data, saying that the monitor has not been detected. XP does only
show 1 monitor since the failure of digital.

Beyond this, several links in the instructions do not work. They seem to
have ellipses in them (...). Finally, Dell got rid of most of the threads
on the subject.

I posted to NVidia's forum and sent a pointless plea to Samsung email
support. (truly a waste of time). I suppose all I can do now is pray that
Fry's will take back the monitor 28 days after purchase without a box or
packing materials.

Needless to say I will never use nvidia's nview utility again.

Nick

 

[V Green]

V,

Thank you for your reply. The viewsonic utility does not seem to be able to
find EDID data, saying that the monitor has not been detected. XP does only
show 1 monitor since the failure of digital.

The ViewSonic util. WON'T read the DVI side. You need
the DVI_RECOVER util to do this. See the stuff I posted
in the RAGE3D forum.

Beyond this, several links in the instructions do not work. They seem to
have ellipses in them (...). Finally, Dell got rid of most of the threads
on the subject.

I posted to NVidia's forum and sent a pointless plea to Samsung email
support. (truly a waste of time). I suppose all I can do now is pray that
Fry's will take back the monitor 28 days after purchase without a box or
packing materials.

This is probably your best bet. My 191T is over a year old,
so I HAD to find a way around the problem. Took a lotta
time and effort, tho'

Samsung has NO understanding of the problem. All they did
was email the monitor .INF's to me and suggest I send in my
191T for a "refurb". No way. The one I have has 0 dead
pixels, and who knows what the one they send me will be like...

Needless to say I will never use nvidia's nview utility again.

I always had good luck with nVidia cards, so I'm not
ready to blame them forever...just seems that with certain
configs, bad stuff happens.

Hell, it might even be Samsung's fault with touchy EDID
data storage in the LCD circuitry itself.