HDMI vs VGA

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#130801 14-May-2008 09:46

buzzy: I've got a Pioneer panel that suffers from the same VGA tearing that Steve mentioned. Last night, I tried to a DVI-HDMI adapter to see whether HDMI resolved the tearing issue.

HDMI does resolve the tearing, but the windows desktop looked awful. It was best at 1280x720, but was still a long way short of the VGA input. It looked like an early LCD monitor being run at a non-optimal resolution. Text had blurred/coloured edges and was fatter or narrower depending on the location on the screen. For me, HDMI was a big step down from VGA.

As others have indicated, your mileage may vary.
Buzzy

This is because the panel can't do 1:1 pixel mapping via HDMI.

If you're wanting to use the display for text/web surfing then VGA is the way to do. For video the lack of 1:1 pixel mapping isn't really that noticeable.

Nety

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#130803 14-May-2008 09:58

sbiddle:
This is because the panel can't do 1:1 pixel mapping via HDMI.

sbiddle, what are you basing that statment on? Are you talking about HDMI in general or the particular pannel?

I am getting 1:1 pixel mapping via hdmi on my Sony or if it is not then it has me fooled. I cant see any reason why 1:1 pixel mapping would not be possible providing your video card gets the right informantion from your TV as to what it can handle. For me I found it easier under HDMI as the video card then recognised that it was plugged into a Sony TV and knew what the TV would accept where as using VGA I had to tell it what it could handle (no Plug and play info).

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#130813 14-May-2008 10:42

sbiddle: This is because the panel can't do 1:1 pixel mapping via HDMI.

If you're wanting to use the display for text/web surfing then VGA is the way to do. For video the lack of 1:1 pixel mapping isn't really that noticeable.

Agreed; video through HDMI was okay. There was some overscan, which I found odd as the resolution was set to match the panel's capabilities. I can't get my head around overscan when the resolution matches what the panel's expecting.

I use the HTPC for web surfing as well as video, so the 1:1 mapping is important for a decent desktop display. Unfortunately, as you know the VGA tearing issue makes the video look pretty crummy, so neither VGA nor HDMI is a great solution :(

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#130827 14-May-2008 11:19

Hmmm ok looks like some TV's you can get 1:1 via hdmi some you can't...

http://pixelmapping.wikispaces.com/

Looks like I may have been lucky or I am not really getting 1:1 pixel mapping...

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#130832 14-May-2008 11:42

OK have just found what looks like a VERY good tool for testing your media centre output. I will be running it on mine tonight that is for sure.

http://tft.vanity.dk/

Nety

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#131027 14-May-2008 22:55

Well I stand corrected. I was not running 1:1. I am now but now have a new problem. Setting the settings in Nvidia control pannel using custom resolution I can get 1:1 pixel mapping without over scan but it is not centralised. It is too high and to the left.. anyone delt with the custom resolution pannel that may know if there is a way to move the whole picture? is about 15 mm up from the bottom and 10 mm in from the side... so close and yet so far...

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#131041 15-May-2008 06:57

there is another place that allows you to move it around, look though the other tabs

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#133160 25-May-2008 18:34

For anyone considering the HDMI/DVI option

FYI:
Just checked my Samsung 32" LCD using the aforementioned test pattern and have found I am getting perfect 1:1 pixel mapping.
When I first connected the TV I had the same blurry text and graphics over HDMI as previously mentioned here.
This was initially due to me selecting the 720p HDTV option in NVidia's software which must have resulted in my TV scaling in some way.

After finding a resolution of 1360x768@60Hz was the 'preferred' resolution of my TV (through the EDID data accessed through the HDMI cable), I was able to set this resolution through Vista's 'Display Properties' which seemed to overide the NVidia HDTV options.
All text and graphics now crisp and sharp.

Only downside is I think I lose 3 pixels per side at 1360 versus 1366 but who really cares!

Nety

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#133271 26-May-2008 11:16

Well that is interesting. In the end I found that the nVidia control pannel was setting my desktop up for 1:1 mapping but I had used the resize to shrink the desktop to fit the screen (get rid of the over scan) and that was what had stuffed up the 1:1 mapping.

I am now getting perfect 1:1 pixel mapping. However I could not for the life of me get it using powerstrip which is what other people had used with my TV.

1gkar

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#137949 14-Jun-2008 11:23

breny: For anyone considering the HDMI/DVI option

FYI:
Just checked my Samsung 32" LCD using the aforementioned test pattern and have found I am getting perfect 1:1 pixel mapping.
When I first connected the TV I had the same blurry text and graphics over HDMI as previously mentioned here.
This was initially due to me selecting the 720p HDTV option in NVidia's software which must have resulted in my TV scaling in some way.

After finding a resolution of 1360x768@60Hz was the 'preferred' resolution of my TV (through the EDID data accessed through the HDMI cable), I was able to set this resolution through Vista's 'Display Properties' which seemed to overide the NVidia HDTV options.
All text and graphics now crisp and sharp.

Only downside is I think I lose 3 pixels per side at 1360 versus 1366 but who really cares!

Breny,

Just curious: what model Samsung LCDTV & HDMI graphics cards are you using?

Reason is because I just purchased a 32" Samsung LCDTV. I thought I was buying the LA32R81BX model & realised when I got home that it was the model number LA32R81BH. I'm beginning to hate the way manufacturers model their products with the variances in closely titled model products.

The only differences I could find that my model does not appear to have:

wide colour enhancer (should be able to sort with screen calibration)
optical sound out

both of which don't appear to be of major issue: I hope

I got it at a very good price: $1099 @ Stereo World. And, they only have their demo left but they have excellent pricing at the moment across the board. eg. I think the 40" Sony D-series was $2000.

Also, you're video card: what model? Thanks.

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#138064 14-Jun-2008 22:08

Hi 1gkar,

I checked and mine is the R81BX model.

My video card is an MSI 8500GT with HDMI (passive cooling):
http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=5072

Not sure about the 'wide colour enhancer' as I don't understand what that is but my LCD definitely does not have an optical out.
When I want some audio grunt I use the TV to decode the digital audio from the HDMI cable and have my 2ch stereo connected to the TV RCA outputs which works fine, albeit with a very slight lag behind what you hear on the computer speakers..

To be honest most of the time I just use the inbuilt speakers in the TV as the sound quality is more than sufficient for my purposes.
Very happy with the result all round. Picture is miles better than using the inbuilt tuner in the TV!

One thing to mention is that you have to use the HDMI 2 input as this seems to be set up for DVI differently somehow.
(The TV manual states this also)
I remember having an issue with this but I can't remember what it was...

Good luck

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#138068 14-Jun-2008 22:43

breny: Hi 1gkar,

I checked and mine is the R81BX model.

My video card is an MSI 8500GT with HDMI (passive cooling):
http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=5072

Not sure about the 'wide colour enhancer' as I don't understand what that is but my LCD definitely does not have an optical out.
When I want some audio grunt I use the TV to decode the digital audio from the HDMI cable and have my 2ch stereo connected to the TV RCA outputs which works fine, albeit with a very slight lag behind what you hear on the computer speakers..

To be honest most of the time I just use the inbuilt speakers in the TV as the sound quality is more than sufficient for my purposes.
Very happy with the result all round. Picture is miles better than using the inbuilt tuner in the TV!

One thing to mention is that you have to use the HDMI 2 input as this seems to be set up for DVI differently somehow.
(The TV manual states this also)
I remember having an issue with this but I can't remember what it was...

Good luck

Thanks for the info. I am using an Asus EN8500GT card at present. I'm thinking of using that in my recently upgraded desktop for my minimal games' fix -mainly Richard Burns Rally & V8 Supercars. I'm just using a spare DVI>VGA cable & the image is awesome. I tried to set the refreh rate to 50hz but definitely got tearing as I found out that VGA 1:1 is only supported with 60hz on this panel.

Most of the special features are turned off by default when using the PC source, at any rate. So they are pretty much a waste of time.

One thing: when I tried setting up my basic settings with a co-ax aerial, I was unable to set plug & play in the setup area of the menu: it was greyed & so was the TV area, so I can't tune the TV channels etc. Did you have any issues with this during initial install. Thanks.

1gkar

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#147097 12-Jul-2008 12:51

breny: Hi 1gkar,

I checked and mine is the R81BX model.

My video card is an MSI 8500GT with HDMI (passive cooling):
http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=5072

Not sure about the 'wide colour enhancer' as I don't understand what that is but my LCD definitely does not have an optical out.
When I want some audio grunt I use the TV to decode the digital audio from the HDMI cable and have my 2ch stereo connected to the TV RCA outputs which works fine, albeit with a very slight lag behind what you hear on the computer speakers..

To be honest most of the time I just use the inbuilt speakers in the TV as the sound quality is more than sufficient for my purposes.
Very happy with the result all round. Picture is miles better than using the inbuilt tuner in the TV!

One thing to mention is that you have to use the HDMI 2 input as this seems to be set up for DVI differently somehow.
(The TV manual states this also)
I remember having an issue with this but I can't remember what it was...

Good luck

Have just installed & setup HDMI. To be honest, at this early stage, not sure if there is that much difference between that & PC input.

Thanks for the tip on HDMI 2. Didn't notice it at first. But connecting to HDMI caused major overscanning & no optimal 1360x768 resolution (definitely not running 1:1 pixel mapping). Had to try & create a custom one, which was not that successful. When I tried changing to HDMI 2 I had to reset back to PC as I could not get a signal after HTPC bootup: although there was image at POST & OS loading. But got it back. HDMI 2 behaves exactly as you stated.

There is no audio lag running via SPDIF to my AV receiver. Cheers.

breny

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#147209 12-Jul-2008 19:03

So you have now got 1-1 mapping on the HDMI 2 input?
If I remember correctly I think I was getting overscan on HDMI 1 with all my initial attempts. I remember trying to correct that by using the appropriate NVidia tool.
When I changed to HDMI 2 and set the resolution correctly it all seemed to fall into place nicely without any other corrections necessary...
Sorry couldn't help you with the channel setups or much of the menu structure stuff as I bought my LCD second hand and all that was already done for me luckily...

1gkar

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#147338 13-Jul-2008 11:22

breny: So you have now got 1-1 mapping on the HDMI 2 input?
If I remember correctly I think I was getting overscan on HDMI 1 with all my initial attempts. I remember trying to correct that by using the appropriate NVidia tool.
When I changed to HDMI 2 and set the resolution correctly it all seemed to fall into place nicely without any other corrections necessary...
Sorry couldn't help you with the channel setups or much of the menu structure stuff as I bought my LCD second hand and all that was already done for me luckily...

Yeah, well, you were lucky. I looked through the manual three times, emailed & phoned & none could assist.

It turns out this model's TV software is not originally for sale in NZ, that is why there is no NZ in the channels setup. Everything should be done manually otherwise the stations will get all screwed up. Also, to acitvate the channels inside the menu, you first have to set the R8 to a TV channel. That was why it was greyed out. Typical today's manual: a total piece of crud -wanted to use a much stronger colourful expletive: but this is a family show

- poorly written & edited. Apart from that, am happy with my purchase.

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