TV-OUT -> Reboot = Invalid Sync

Dyre Straits · Aug 6, 2003, 09:05 PM

From the ATi FAQ:

Computer monitor loses sync when TV OUT feature is enabled
Some monitors may lose sync when TV OUT is enabled. Generally, one of the following resolutions is affected:
320x240
640x480
800x600
Other monitors may power down, display an error such as "frequency out of range", flicker badly, flash on and off, or snap between different screen sizes. The TV display looks fine.

This symptom may occur with VGA, fixed frequency or multi-mode monitors, including:
31.5kHz standard VGA-only monitors
31.5/35.5kHz dual mode monitors
31.5/35.5/48.0kHz multi-mode monitors
This issue occurs because enabling TV OUT (e.g. by booting with a TV attached) changes the horizontal frequencies output by the ATI graphics controller, as shown below:
........................

The default horizontal frequency must be altered in order to create the proper display on the television. Since ATI's TV OUT technology sends exactly the SAME horizontal and vertical frequencies to both the TV and the computer monitor, any monitor which does NOT support the altered horizontal frequency will lose sync.

The TV OUT feature is working as designed, in order to provide a proper display on the Television set.

If the PC monitor will not sync while TV output is enabled try one of the following:
Detach or turn off the computer monitor when using TV OUT
Use a multi-sync monitor which DOES support the required frequencies
Disable the TV OUT feature
___________________________________________

I'm aware of, and have read this on several occasions. However, it does not address WHY the CAT 3.4 drivers work just fine when I reboot my computer with TV-OUT enabled, but NEITHER CAT 3.5 or 3.6 do.

My monitor is capable of a wide-range of frequencies and should pose no problem when the computer is booted with TV-OUT enabled. It DOES work just fine using CAT 3.4....why not the newer ones?

Shrink · Aug 6, 2003, 09:50 PM

Clean out your private messages - I couldn't respond to your PM because your mailbox was full.

Here is what I tried to send:

Quote:

That's wierd - I am using my TV Out and, aside from having to reboot after I enable it, it is working okay. Theater mode is a problem and it's best to disable it until you specifically want to use it. Otherwise, try enabling tv out, rebooting with it enabled and see if that works. Can you see the clone of your computer screen while your computer is rebooting?

Dyre Straits · Aug 6, 2003, 10:00 PM

Shrink,

Thanks. I've gone through these steps several times already. It fails every time (so far) to properly reboot even after the initial reboot to activate the new drivers/settings.

As for the Private Messages Mailbox: Why isn't there some indicator as to how much room is left? I've been watching the list grow more recently, but there's neither a warning nor an indication of how much space is left. Would be a good idea to incorporate such.

Dyre Straits · Aug 6, 2003, 10:42 PM

UPDATE:

I've reinstalled the CAT 3.6 Official ATi drivers.

With the CAT 3.4, when I reboot the computer I can see the initialization screen on the TV OUT connected video as well as the subsequent screens all the way into Windows.

With CAT 3.5 or 3.6, once I reboot the computer....with TV OUT connected and active, I see NOTHING but black. No initialization screen...zip, nada.

In some cases I've even had Windows XP do a Recover from Fatal Error. That hasn't happened on this latest install of CAT 3.6, but if the TV OUT connector is plugged in, it will not boot into Windows and give me a screen on either the monitor or the TV Out screen.

Everything works just fine with CAT 3.4.

I CAN activate TV OUT in CAT 3.5 and 3.6 once I'm in Windows XP....but I have to get up and down and unplug the cable each and every time I wish to reboot the computer.

Shrink · Aug 6, 2003, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dyre Straits
Shrink,

Thanks. I've gone through these steps several times already. It fails every time (so far) to properly reboot even after the initial reboot to activate the new drivers/settings.

As for the Private Messages Mailbox: Why isn't there some indicator as to how much room is left? I've been watching the list grow more recently, but there's neither a warning nor an indication of how much space is left. Would be a good idea to incorporate such.

We're all in the the same boat when it comes to the private messages. Contact an admin about it - I have nothing to do with configuring the bulletin board.

As for the driver problem - do you have the same problem with a clean install of XP with the latest Catalysts? I haven't experienced the problem you are having with any of the drivers - beta or otherwise.

Dyre Straits · Aug 6, 2003, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shrink
We're all in the the same boat when it comes to the private messages. Contact an admin about it - I have nothing to do with configuring the bulletin board.

As for the driver problem - do you have the same problem with a clean install of XP with the latest Catalysts? I haven't experienced the problem you are having with any of the drivers - beta or otherwise.

I've posted a note in Feedback about the PM Storage matter.

I'm not going to go through another clean install of XP on this issue. All I do know is that I can simply revert to CAT 3.4 and everything works again just fine. I've done so several times now after using CAT 3.5, Omega's-based CAT 3.5s, the CAT 3.6, and the Omega's-based CAT 3.6s (even the latest 'a' release).

Going back to CAT 3.4 works.