CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Hey all,

I'm fairly new to messing with powerstrip so bare with me... Smile

I'm trying to set up my Barco Data 801s with a PC with Vista and a GeForce 7800 GTX.
I get a good image if I output 1024x768 at 60 hertz (no powerstrip), but when I fire up powerstrip and try to get it to show 1280x720, I get banding.

To me it seems like I have tried every possible combination in powerstrip, but all I get is more or less banding.
1280x720 at 72hertz seems to be the least worst combination, but it is still banding.
I have attached a screenshot of that particular powerstrip setting. I dunno if it will tell you anything but at least its something Smile

The PC is connected to port 5 with a 6 feet VGA to BNC cable which in turn is connected to a 80 feet VGA cable which is then connected to a DVI to VGA adapter on the video card.
Both the cables are of the really thick sort (I'm sure it has a really nice name but I wouldn't have a clue as to what).

If anyone here run a similar setup, I'd love to hear how you did it! Smile

/Jesper

CRT_Ben · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1684 Location: Northern Virginia

Even though 80ft is a long-ish run of VGA without a booster, the fact that you get a good pic without powerstrip at 1024x768 rules out cable troubles.

I don't know what you mean by banding, though, can you take a picture of what you're describing?

Ben

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

By banding I mean that the picture is being stacked upon itself and scrolling up or down.

I took a picture of it, you'll have to excuse the circumstances, no screen, no convergence fixes, the PJ isn't even mounted properly in the roof yet, just mucking about with it atm Smile

Jes.

CRT_Ben · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1684 Location: Northern Virginia

I gotcha now - so it looks like the PJ can't get vertical hold. Offhand I don't know much about the custom timings but that's probably where your problem is.

Ile · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:52 pm Post subject:

Clic vertical sync to - and see what happen.

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Ile · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject:

Nvidia drivers have same kind sync problems with Barco, but I'm not sure how things goes with Powerstrip.

Have you tried to remove v sync cable and use negative composite sync from Powerstrip?

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Ile · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:03 pm Post subject:

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Ile · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:03 am Post subject:

[quote="Celeborn]And yeah I'm running the latest NVidia drivers. I actually re-formatted and reinstalled earlier today (not related to this), so the computer is completely fresh Smile

Jes.[/quote]That's probably your problem, when I installed latest Nvidia drivers I couldn't get any picture without sync box from my two Barcos. Chance few step older drivers and sync problems could be gone. Or if Powerstrip works without Nvidia drivers installed it's even better.

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Well I went back as far as 158.24 in Nvidia drivers, and also tried running without nvidia drivers, but there is no difference. 1024x768 works great, but 1280x720 does not. and Composite Sync is always grey, no matter what I do so I'm starting to wonder if Vista is the cause of that.

Jes.

Zebu Fellenz · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 2567

Welcome to the Forum,

Do you have another computer you can use to test with; I don't think Vista could be causing it if it is an analog output. have you connected a monitor at 720p to see if it works?

Erik

Ile · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:25 pm Post subject:

Used sync box would be easy and cheap solution. That's how Barco have designed 801s to work with pc.

You could also test Port3, it should convert syncs to negative. But don't count on that.

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Well I plugged it into my laptop(WinXP, Radeon 9000 Mobility) and set up 1280x720 and low and behold, it worked right off the bat.

I tried copying the powestrip parameters to my main PC but all I got was more banding... I dont get it..

Jes.

Zebu Fellenz · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 2567

It could be the video card; do you have onboard graphics on your main PC that you could try. I had a lot of trouble trying to setup my Barco 801s with a Nvidia Geforce 5500FX card a while back.

I also agree with Ile, a sync box would be an easy fix to the problem

Celeborn · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

I had the bright idea of installing an old AGP Geforce I had lying around next to the PCI-E Geforce currently in the computer, however I quickly realised that the mobo didn't have a AGP port...So much for backwards compability.

So I guess the only options left now are either buy a new graphics card, a sync box or try port 3.

I'm thinking the sync box looks pretty good right now... Any idea where I could find one? Do they have a more specific name other than "Sync Box"?

Thanks a lot for all the help guys, I really appreciate it! Smile

Jes.

Ile · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject: