DVI connection for Quadro4 900 and Samsung Syncmaster

[mattie]

Hi all

I have a samsung syncmaster 191T TFT monitor, which has an analogue and a DVI connection. I currently run an analogue cable from my Quadro4 900XGL graphics card, where I have to use a DVI to analogue connector to switch the digital output (the card has two digital outputs). I want to connect my laptop to the monitor, so that I can switch display between my desktop and laptop. I can only connect my laptop via analogue, hence I need to switch my desktop/monitor connection to digital as I have only one connection of each type on my monitor.

I have got a DVI-D single cable, and have connected it up. However, the monitor can see no input. I checked on the samsung site, where it was recommended that I hold the 'exit' key for 5 seconds. This didn't work either. The analogue link still works perfectly, however. I am aware that there are various types of DVI connection, however the monitor is stated (by Samsung) to handle DVI-D and DVI-I (both single) connections and the graphics card is stated to output DVI-I. What is not stated is whether the graphics card outputs single or dual, the cable itself is single and hence I asumed that it should work together.

Does anyone know if there are software settings etc. that require changing? Are there any other things that I need to do to get the monitor to connect via DVI?

All comments gratefully received

Matt

 

[Kage]

Hmm... by any chance have you checked the video cards settings on the laptop to allow an external connection?

Right click the desktop and go to Properties. Then go to Settings

Now on the laptop it might have up on screen now a box eith all the screen res's for example, but in the middle two blue boxes saying 1,2 on them. These are the monitors, and you might have to activate the second one which will be that port.

If a second one isn't there, go to Advanced, Find a section about displays or monitors in the tabs and activate the one that port would be on, which would see as an external monitor, and yoy should now get those two boxes under settings like i mentioned.

Hopefully now you'd be sorted, as it does need to be activated before it'll see anything.

I hope this helps

 

[mattie]

Hmm... by any chance have you checked the video cards settings on the laptop to allow an external connection?

My apologies, I should have been clearer - the laptop second screen works perfectly, the problem lies with my desktop. It can connect to the monitor through an analogue conversion from digital (done via the use of a converter attached to the end of an analogue cable), but not through a direct DVI connection. I have one analogue and one DVI connection on my monitor, however as my desktop graphics card has 2 DVI connections and my laptop has 1 analogue I have to connect my laptop via analogue (works fine) and my desktop via digital (will not work).

I cannot understand why my desktop can connect via converting a digital output into an analogue, but cannot connect via a digital - this is the native output of the graphics card.

 

[Kage]

Hmm that is weird...

2 DVI connections? I've never heard of that before

It really shouldn't have a problem, especailly if your monitor supports a DVI interface, which has to mean the full digital signal, even though DVI can carry analog too.

By any chance in the settings of the desktop graphics card, there is a DVI switch? One that will start sending out a digital instead of an analog through it?

I ask this, because iof it only has 2 dvi connections, and both monitors you had (for instance) had just analog, you'd have to both use a DVI adapter to convert to VGA, and so, a switch seems logical, as one could act as vga all the time.

So yeah, go into Advanced on that card after going into settings, and to Adapters or Montiors, make sure it is set to be transferring a transfer through the DVI connnection as a digital signal and not a analog one.

I hope this helps

 

[mattie]

Hmm that is weird...

2 DVI connections? I've never heard of that before

It really shouldn't have a problem, especailly if your monitor supports a DVI interface, which has to mean the full digital signal, even though DVI can carry analog too.

By any chance in the settings of the desktop graphics card, there is a DVI switch? One that will start sending out a digital instead of an analog through it?

I ask this, because iof it only has 2 dvi connections, and both monitors you had (for instance) had just analog, you'd have to both use a DVI adapter to convert to VGA, and so, a switch seems logical, as one could act as vga all the time.

So yeah, go into Advanced on that card after going into settings, and to Adapters or Montiors, make sure it is set to be transferring a transfer through the DVI connnection as a digital signal and not a analog one.

I hope this helps

Many thanks for comments.

Yep, it has 2 DVI outputs, it's a pretty good graphics card - we do a lot of CAD, hence money was spent on the hardware!

I can't find a software switch as such, however the display properties indicate that the desktop thinks/knows that it is sending output to an analogue monitor so I might be able to change this. Unfortunatley if it messes up I won't be able to see anything if the DVI doesn't work and I turn the analogue off. I'll see if I can scrounge a second monitor to run off the second DVI (as analogue) just to make sure it stays working.

I'll let you know how it goes, thanks once again for comments.

 

[Kage]

No probs

If things go wrong and you can't get it back, Safe Mode would let you change back settings, since safe mode uses a VGA driver that wouldn't use any settings you've made so you could change them.

Press f8 at bootup.

If you had Windows XP, it would be easier for you, since you could select 'Go To Last Working Configuration' which would remove all the changes you've made.

I hope this helps