Intel NUC -> HDMI -> Poor Screen Resolution

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nzkiwiman

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#136582 2-Dec-2013 15:44

On Friday I received my new i5 Haswell Intel NUC from Amazon and on Saturday loaded it up with the mSATA SSD and RAM
Loaded Windows 8.1 and installed the current display drivers.

Having connected the mini HDMI (NUC) to HDMI (Samsung 22inch monitor), I found that I had two choices of screen resolution - 1280*720 @ 59 hertz or 1920*1080 @ 59 hertz. The trouble is that my monitor has a maximum resolution of 1650*1050 (being a 22inch 16:10 monitor). Even using 1280*720 I was unable to resize the screen to fit my screen and all sides of the screen are located off the screen.

Updating the drivers and going back to stock 8.1 drivers did not help
Even finding the available resolutions my native resolution of 1650*1050 was not an option

Thankfully I did this early enough in the day that I was able to go down to JayCar and purchase a mini Display Port to DVI cable and once connected to my NUC and monitor worked flawlessly - straight to my native resolution with no changes required.

Seems to be a HDMI issue but not sure if the older nature of my monitor is to blame or the new Intel NUC

Anyone able to give 'guidance'?

*Goes off to purchase DVI to VGA cable for my old system so I don't need to swap DVI cables every 5 minutes.

Hammerer

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#944213 2-Dec-2013 16:20

Your monitor is the problem.

As you know you're using a 16:10 aspect ratio monitor and trying to display a 16:9 aspect ratio so problems are expected. 16:9 is the standard for HDTV and the reason 16:10 is dying out.

TwoSeven

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#944249 2-Dec-2013 16:59

I have never really had a good picture using HDMI out from a computer. At the moment I am using display port to HDMI which seems to be working ok.

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Hammerer

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#944264 2-Dec-2013 17:30

I should have added earlier that your monitor may have a control to allow the HDMI signal to display 720p. So check your monitor menu for options on syncing and overscan.

Batman

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#944268 2-Dec-2013 17:38

I have a Haswell laptop. the intel graphics driver is useless. 100% useless when it comes to resizing to making it fit your tv screen.

I run an htpc off an ati mobility card and it is a breeze via hdmi.

so I'm guessing there isn't a way. if I figure out how to do it I will let you know :D

Ragnor

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#944278 2-Dec-2013 18:16

Hammerer: Your monitor is the problem.

As you know you're using a 16:10 aspect ratio monitor and trying to display a 16:9 aspect ratio so problems are expected. 16:9 is the standard for HDTV and the reason 16:10 is dying out.

The monitor isn't the problem really, the HDMI interface + Intel's drivers = fail.

Hammerer

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#944379 2-Dec-2013 20:59

I still think that the problem is most likely to be with the monitor which, while it has an HDMI port, was probably designed to be used with a DVI to HDMI* cable. I can't say for sure wiithout knowing the monitor make and model but the owners manual should say. The fact that it works with a Display Port to DVI cable also suggests that this might be the case. It is also probable that is an older monitor because 16:10 monitors are in the minority and started being phased out 2 or 3 years ago. The newer the monitor then the more likely it is to fully support both PC and TV interconnects.

[Edit to add a postscript for other readers:
* For this monitor DVI to HDMI is probably just DVI only. HDMI has been DVI compatible from the start although it adds audio, a new colour space (DVI is RGB), HDCP copyright protection, etc.]

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1080p

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#944395 2-Dec-2013 21:28

This simply sounds like a Windows Intel video adapter driver. Try installing Linux on the NUC and see if more options are available. :)

CYaBro

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#944398 2-Dec-2013 21:34

Agree with hammerer. It's using the same intel driver on the mini display port as the hdmi so doubt that's the issue.

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#944426 2-Dec-2013 22:33

Hammerer: I still think that the problem is most likely to be with the monitor which, while it has an HDMI port, was probably designed to be used with a DVI to HDMI* cable. I can't say for sure wiithout knowing the monitor make and model but the owners manual should say. The fact that it works with a Display Port to DVI cable also suggests that this might be the case. It is also probable that is an older monitor because 16:10 monitors are in the minority and started being phased out 2 or 3 years ago. The newer the monitor then the more likely it is to fully support both PC and TV interconnects.

[Edit to add a postscript for other readers:
* For this monitor DVI to HDMI is probably just DVI only. HDMI has been DVI compatible from the start although it adds audio, a new colour space (DVI is RGB), HDCP copyright protection, etc.]

correct

but the driver should allow you to set the resolution and scale up/down the size of the output to fill the screen properly, which intel does not offer

richms

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#944444 2-Dec-2013 23:31

intel drivers are stupid when they see both a CE and a monitor block on the EDID, have seen the same thing in the past, and as you cant override edid with intel you are stuck with it.

nvidia also has some problems with something that pretends to be both a TV and a monitor.

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nzkiwiman

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#944617 3-Dec-2013 11:15

Thanks for the replies

I am waiting for our spare HDMI monitor at work to come back (being borrowed by one of my co-workers) and will test that with the same mini HDMI to HDMI cable I used on my current monitor to see if it is Intel Drivers or Monitor causing the issue

Until then, DVI connection for the win