Viewsonic VPD180 LCD Refuses to Play With FX5600 Ultra

Hi,

I've got a Viewsonic VPD180 LCD panel that currently is connected to
an old ATI XPert card. The cable is a straight DFP to DFP connector.

Now, I want to use this LCD on a new system that has a FX5600 Ultra
card (NO s******ing in the back, please). So, I bought a DVI-D to DFP
cable. But this is not working.

The card works when using either the VGA output or the DVI-I to VGA
adapter.

The LCD works when hooked up to the ATI card.

But when trying to use the DVI-D to DFP cable between the FX5600 and
the LCD, I get NOTHING. I don't even get the BIOS post screen. The
card just doesn't see the LCD. The OS boots correctly and is running.
I just don't see anything. It's not a driver or resolution problem,
otherwise I'd only lose the display when it hits Windows.

Initially, when I talked with BFG's Technical Support (I said NO
s******ing), they thought it was a bad card. So, I went and got it
exchanged for another. No difference.

Then I got myself another DVI-D to DFP cable. Still no difference.

Talking to Viewsonic's Technical Support was no better. If the LCD is
working with the ATI card, then it's the video card or the cable. Did
you buy the cable from us. No. Ah well, after you've bought our
cable, then we can talk again. Click.

After poking around on this NG, I found a post that pointed me at
Dell's site, where it seemed there was a huge problem with FX5200
cards and DVI output. The symptoms were the same as mine. The LCD is
blank, and nothing displays. In that thread I found a program that
would read, and optionally, set the EDID in the LCD to try and resolve
this. When I run that program, it works fine for the VGA port, but
fails on the DVI one, with an error that suggests that there is NO
device attached. But there IS.

Does anyone have any clues as to what might be going on here. Or what
I can do to resolve it.

My last option is to try a completely different video card, probably,
not based on the nVIDIA chipset, in case that's the problem. Any
suggestions for what I should try. I don't mind springing for a few
more bucks than the FX5600 card I have, but try and keep it below
$200.

Cheers, and thanks for reading this epic piece,
Eddie

A lot of these cards, even some Ati cards has
problems with the digital to analog
(DAC) processor. I think it was Anandtech that had
an article on this some time ago.
Anyhow about your only bet is to try and find as
short a video cable as you can possibly
find and use. Some cards just do better than
others, even from make to make and model to model.

Cheers,
Mike



"Trouble@Mill" Trouble@Mill. wrote in message
...
Hi,

I've got a Viewsonic VPD180 LCD panel that
currently is connected to
an old ATI XPert card. The cable is a straight
DFP to DFP connector.

Now, I want to use this LCD on a new system that
has a FX5600 Ultra
card (NO s******ing in the back, please). So, I
bought a DVI-D to DFP
cable. But this is not working.

The card works when using either the VGA output
or the DVI-I to VGA
adapter.

The LCD works when hooked up to the ATI card.

But when trying to use the DVI-D to DFP cable
between the FX5600 and
the LCD, I get NOTHING. I don't even get the
BIOS post screen. The
card just doesn't see the LCD. The OS boots
correctly and is running.
I just don't see anything. It's not a driver or
resolution problem,
otherwise I'd only lose the display when it hits
Windows.

Initially, when I talked with BFG's Technical
Support (I said NO
s******ing), they thought it was a bad card.
So, I went and got it
exchanged for another. No difference.

Then I got myself another DVI-D to DFP cable.
Still no difference.

Talking to Viewsonic's Technical Support was no
better. If the LCD is
working with the ATI card, then it's the video
card or the cable. Did
you buy the cable from us. No. Ah well, after
you've bought our
cable, then we can talk again. Click.

After poking around on this NG, I found a post
that pointed me at
Dell's site, where it seemed there was a huge
problem with FX5200
cards and DVI output. The symptoms were the
same as mine. The LCD is
blank, and nothing displays. In that thread I
found a program that
would read, and optionally, set the EDID in the
LCD to try and resolve
this. When I run that program, it works fine
for the VGA port, but
fails on the DVI one, with an error that
suggests that there is NO
device attached. But there IS.

Does anyone have any clues as to what might be
going on here. Or what
I can do to resolve it.

My last option is to try a completely different
video card, probably,
not based on the nVIDIA chipset, in case that's
the problem. Any
suggestions for what I should try. I don't mind
springing for a few
more bucks than the FX5600 card I have, but try
and keep it below
$200.

Cheers, and thanks for reading this epic piece,
Eddie

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 23:31:35 +1300, william bell
wrote:


He is referring to Digital to Digital not Analog at all.

DVI is a Digital Interface and so is DFP, but he might be getting the cable
the wrong way around, so is it a DFP to DVI or a DVI to DFP..


Duhhh, the cable will only fit one way round 'casue the plugs are
different. It's DVI-I on the card, to DFP on the monitor.

Cheers,
Eddie