No signal error after switching LCD TV on + off in Vista

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#22127 17-May-2008 13:57

Hi

I'm running Vista SP1 onboard Gigabyte AMD 780G graphics (HD3200). The onboard graphics is connected either by HDMI -> HDMI or HDMI -> DVI Adaptar -> DVI to my 1080 Samsung LCD. When I turn on the computer with the LCD attached there are no problems. However if I switch my TV off or switch to another source, when i switch back to the HTPC i get a no signal error. I have spent a long time researching this on google. Apparently when the TV switches off or to another source it sends a signal to the HTPC letting the computer know it has turned off/switched source. This enables the HTPC to power down the graphics card to save power. When the TV is switched back on it doesn't send a proper EDID signal to wake up the graphics card on the HTPC. Apparently lots of people have these problems and apparently updating all the drivers etc does not help the problem. I can also confirm that adjusting the power saving features in Vista also doesn't fix the problem. The only solution that i have found is.

(1) unplug the HDMI cable for a few minutes then replug it into either the HDMI or the DVI (via adaptor).

(2) Apparently assigning a short cut key to change the screen res to different res and then back again will get the graphics to start working again

(3) Turning the HTPC off and then on

(4) Installing a "DVI Detective" cable. Basically this is a little adaptor that you can program with the EDID signal of your monitor, once programmed it automatically continuously sends EDID information so the HTPC never knows that the monitor has been switched off. If you google "DVI detective" you can find a lot of information on this issue.

Just wondering if other people in the forum have this problem, and if so what solution do they use? I'm thinking of order the DVI Detective, it will cost about $120-$130 NZD including postage on ebay.

Cheers!

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

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176 posts

Master Geek

#131437 17-May-2008 14:51

Long shot here as I'm not on Vista.

In control panel>device manager>display adapter if you right click and go to properties isn't there a tab relating to power management? Something along the lines of 'enable power saving features for this device'? I'm sure I've seen it on some of my hardware properties tabs. If it's there you might be able to switch off power saving.

Vorbis

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Master Geek

#131439 17-May-2008 14:58

Right-click an empty space on your desktop and then select Personalize.
Click Screen Saver.
Click Change power settings under Power Management in the Screen Saver Settings window.
Click Change plan settings for the power plan you want to configure.
Click Change advanced power settings in the Edit Plan Settings window.
Before you can edit advanced power plan settings you need to click Change settings that are unavailable to unlock them.

Have a tinker in here too anything relating to graphics power savings or pci-express etc

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#131459 17-May-2008 16:30

Hi,

thanks for the reply. i have already tried those changing the advanced power settings and they havnt helped.

i am using the htpc via the lcd tv to type this reply.
if i click off on the lcd tv and then click on again within 10 seconds i will still loose picture, ie when i turn the lcd tv back on i get the no signal error. to rectify i have to unplug for a few mins and then replug it back in. the lcd tv is expecting a signal from the htpc and just waits and eventually sez "there is no signal here", however if i leave it unplugged for 5 mins when i plug the htpc back in the tv sez ahh you have just made a new connection so it sends the edid signal again saying hello here i am which wakes up the htpc. atleast that is my understanding of the problem.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

Vorbis

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Master Geek

#131460 17-May-2008 16:36

Lost for words? )

Do you have a vga input on your tv? Try it and see if the problem goes away. I've read someone solved a similar problem by buying a better hdmi cable.

There is also an F4 bios for this board available from gigabyte website.

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#131464 17-May-2008 16:42

No problem with vga. I think it is a reasonably good hdmi cable, its a pudney gold one. I just reconfirmed the problem I had the HTPC going then i changed to C4 then straight back to HTPC and there was no signal. I'll try updating the bios to F4, if that isn't work im gonna buy the DVI Detective from ebay. It will be a pain having to use DVI though instead of HDMI because right now i can have sound through the TV if i don't want the hifi going, if I go the DVI Detective route I will have no choice but to have the hifi running for sound.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

Vorbis

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Master Geek

#131466 17-May-2008 16:46

My samsung has an audio input next to the vga port. If you have to use dvi/vga, you can just run a 3.5mm stereo lead from the pc audio out to the tv. 'Tis what I do when I dont want the amp on.

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kiwijunglist

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#131467 17-May-2008 16:47

I should ask...

Have you updated your BIOS any problems?
Should i use the QBIOS to update the bios directly over the internet?

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

Vorbis

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Master Geek

#131469 17-May-2008 16:55

No, I'm not even sure what bios is running or if the board is rev1.0 or 1.1 :)

I'm running XP as well....

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#131477 17-May-2008 17:21

I'm running F3 it tells you when you reboot the computer.
Im not sure if i'm rev 1.0 or rev 1.1 either, i can't be assed taking the case off to check either!
Do you know if the bios update is different between rev 1 and rev 1.1?

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Vorbis

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Master Geek

#131491 17-May-2008 18:16

Unsure. I think gigabyte still use dual-bios so you should be ok either way.

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#131520 17-May-2008 20:41

I bought the DVI-Detective, hopefully this should solve all my woes and I will still be able to use all the Vista powersaving features =)

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

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stubacca

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Wannabe Geek

#132026 20-May-2008 12:17

have you tried updating the video card drives. I have the same mobo/OS and have it
connected to my sumsung TV via HDMI and it works fine ;o

Edit:

I just tested this on another HTPC which doesn't have the video card driver update and after changing signals it wouldn't display the HDMI connection unless i unplugged it then plugged it back in.

After installing the latest video card drivers it works~ drivers can be found here

http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=vista32/integrated-vista32

note this link will link you to ATI Catalyst™ 8.4 Display Driver for Windows Vista (32 bit) - Motherboard/IGP Drivers

Vorbis

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Master Geek

#132122 20-May-2008 18:03

Lots of hdmi related issues resolved with these drivers, just reading release notes...

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#132170 20-May-2008 21:03

Hi

I'm already running 8.452 Catalyst 64bit Vista drivers.

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#132972 24-May-2008 11:46

Problem solved =)

Bought the Gefen DVI Detective from Ebay for about $120 shipped (only took about 5-7 days to arrive from U.S.)

Now have no problems and I can switch the TV on and off and change sources and have the computer going to sleep and wake up with out signal loss.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

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