[Ivan8192]

I got a high density 15-way D-plug from Maplin plus a metal backshell. This has all the pins. Only trouble is, you have to solder BOTH end of the lead

Prior to that, I used an AA battery!

Ivan.

[CodeThief]

Eh?? You don't need pin9??

Dave

Ivan, Thanks for the tip! I have just ordered everything I need (hopefully!) from Maplins.

Dave, I know what you mean!! I'm totally confused as to how it works given as nothing is output to pin 9!? (as far as I know!) I have just ordered a HD 15-pin D-Sub connector though which does have all 15 pins. I'll let you know how I get on when I have everything.

Thanks guys,

Russ

[Ivan8192]

Graphics cards tend to route +5V out on Pin 9 (use a multimeter to check), probably left over from old standard. However, modern monitors don't seem to make use of this and monitor leads have the pin missing.

Anyway, if you have a connector with all the pins, you can use the +5V supply. For example, there are small circuits that provide a composite sync, e.g. when using graphics cards that do not have that facility, that can be powered from it.

Ivan.

Eeeeek! Stop the press!! I've just been looking into the instructions on http://ryoandr.free.fr/english.html for building this cable and have noticed a mistake. The instructions clearly say...

Scart 17 wires to VGA 10
Scart 20 wires to VGA 13

... however, the diagram shows...

Scart 17 wires to VGA 13
Scart 20 wires to VGA 10

... i.e the VGA connectors are reversed!!

I believe that the diagram is in fact wrong and the text descriptions correct but if somebody could confirm this before I go ahead and make this, I would be very grateful!

Many Thanks,

Russ.

[groovyclam]

Which is why I said:

"Use the pin connection table from..." http://ryoandr.free.fr/english.html

at the start of the thread.

( i.e. the text is correct, the diagram is wrong )

Ah ha!! Ok, understand what you meant now. I thought you meant use the pin connection table from the first link as apposed to the table on the second link.

Sorry, my bad!!

Thanks for clearing that up.

Russ.

[stlic]

I've been using a cable for a few months now at 720x540 without any untoward effects. Just wondering if it was possible to get a progressive signal displayed as it would be nice to see if it would result in a better image.

[MikeTV]

I believe Powerstrip has PAL progressive timings built-in. Has anyone had any success with these timings?

[stlic]

Originally Posted by MikeTV

I believe Powerstrip has PAL progressive timings built-in. Has anyone had any success with these timings?

No luck here.

kraven thanks for the settings above. I tried out 1024x568 and expereinced the same amount of overscan. Giving 960x540 a go now and have got a display without overscan a few pixels all the way round is perfect. Gonna tweak some more to see if I can improve the image.

[Archos27]

I´ve made a cable that I used with my Radeon 9000. I´ve now upgraded to a Gforce 5700. Can I use 720x576i with that card?

[MikeTV]

With the Radeons, for interlaced resolutions (eg. 576i), with PowerStrip 3.4, you MUST explicitly disable tiling, which is a hidden setting: PowerStrip menu > Display profiles > Configure > Advanced timing options > Custom resolutions. Then double-click on the "New resolution" *bar*

It took me weeks to figure out what was wrong!

[Chris Muriel]

I believe pin 9 was used in the outmoded form of VESA 15-pin VGA pNp connection known as DDC (Display Data Channel). The presence or absence of 5 volts was used as the detection mechanism.

Unless you know better.......

Chris Muriel, manchester.

[Archos27]

I know how to use 720x576i with my Radeon, I´ve done that. My question is: can my Gforce fx 5700 Ultra do such a resolution?

Hi everyone.

So I have finally got my cable and I can successfuly use it to run in a resolution of 720x576 by using the guide found on http://ryoandr.free.fr/english.html but, I am unable to get power strip to correctly show a 16:9 resolution like 1024x576 or even 940x540 on my 28" Sony Wega Trinitron set.

The closest I have got is using Kravens advice and that does show me a 1024x576 desktop but it is actually cheating me because it doesn't show the entire desktop at once. Instead, the desktop is actually larger than the screen and it lets me move the desktop about like a virtual desktop. I think the real resolution was actually still 720x576.

Could anybody please help or offer me some advice? I'm far more computer literate than I am CRT tube literate and therefore, things like front porch and back porch baffle me!?!

Many Thanks for any help you can offer!

Russ.

[groovyclam]

Exactly the same thing happens to me on my Panasonic CRT.

I suspect we are stuck with 720x576 on CRT tellies.

I think larger "true" widescreen resolutions are for LCD TVs, Plasmas or projectors that can use the DVI connection.

Anyone got a 1024 res working on a CRT telly ?

[MikeTV]

Originally Posted by RussKing

The closest I have got is using Kravens advice and that does show me a 1024x576 desktop but it is actually cheating me because it doesn't show the entire desktop at once. Instead, the desktop is actually larger than the screen and it lets me move the desktop about like a virtual desktop. I think the real resolution was actually still 720x576.

It does sound like the dreaded virtual desktop. From memory, I think the solution is to convince the graphics card that your monitor (TV) supports higher resolutions than 720x576. I think you can do this by creating a custom "monitor.inf" file in powerstrip (see "Monitor Information"). In the dialog, you create the monitor.inf file, specifying the maxmimum resolutions, and save it to disk. Next, install the new monitor file using device manager. Finally, create the 1024x576 resolution in powerstrip, and it should work without creating a virtual desktop. Of course, this all requires that your TV supports such a resolution - which is uncertain.

Well I have just managed to get 856x482 working. It does have a black border all the way around though.

Here are the settings I used for it. Perhaps someone will be able to make it fill the screen or even use it as a base for a 1024x576 res!?


[Custom Resolutions]
856x482=856,144,56,232,482,31,7,64,19590,312

[Modelines]
856x482="856x482" 19.590 856 1000 1056 1288 482 513 520 584 interlace +hsync +vsync

I really hope somebody works this out soon as I would loe to have a nice, widescreen res working.

Many Thanks,

Russ.

[MikeTV]

Did you try the "monitor.inf" thing and Kraven's 1024x576 timings?

Why 856x482?

I have tried the monitor.inf and tried creating my own inf to no avail. I did try Kravens 1024x576 timings but these did not work. It would give me a virtual desktop of that size but the real resolution was actually 720x576 at the time.

I believe that these virtual desktops are cused by a desired resolution being in the [custom resolutions] section of the powerstip.ini but not having a corresponding line in the [modelines] section. I do not know why some of my custom resolution create a modelines entry as well and some don't!? I guess this has to do with what you were saying about the monitor driver not supporting these resolutions perhaps!?!

Getting a headache now!! I'll keep trying but if you have any other ideas?!

Cheers,

Russ

Oh yeah, and I tried 856x482 as it was one of the resolutions that was suggested while I have been reading as much info as possible. I've also tried 950x540 but again, this ended up being another virtual desktop where the mode wasn't inserted into the powerstrip.ini file.

[stlic]

Hmm.. not had any of these scrolling issues. Running 960 x 540 (16:9) with no overscan or black borders on my Philips (9308 Pixel Plus) CRT TV.

The timings are below:

PowerStrip timing parameters:
960x540=960,88,72,168,540,21,9,58,20222,312

Generic timing details for 960x540:
HFP=88 HSW=72 HBP=168 kHz=16 VFP=21 VSW=9 VBP=58 Hz=25

Linux modeline parameters:
"960x540" 20.222 960 1048 1120 1288 540 561 570 628 interlace +hsync +vsync

Thanks Stlic,

I'm going to wipe the machine and try your timings as even my timings for 848x480 fails to work now where they did before!?

I'll let you know if they work for me.

Oh, btw, what monitor drivers are you guys using? I've tried the standard default monitor driver that gets installed and this should be ok as it has a max res of 1600x1200. I've even tried using Powerstrip to write my own but I get pretty much the same results I think.

Additionally, what catalyst version are you using (if applicable!) i've been trying this with v4.7 but I think I saw somewhere that v4.1 was the last version where this worked correctly!!?! Any comments?

Thanks again,

Russ.

[groovyclam]

Russ - if you get any success I'd appreciate you emailing me ( stick @hotmail.com after my screen id here ) with how you achieved it as I would like to break out of little old 720x576.

We seem to have similar setups apart from the model of CRT TV and seem to be getting exactly the same problems.

I have been using catalyst 4.7 with default monitor and a powerstrip written monitor.inf but get the same "scrolly" wide desktop problem as yourself.

Likewise if I get any success I'll post here about it.

Have you searched/posted in the PowerStrip user forums ? I'm just about to investigate over there more seriously.

Will do Groovyclam!

I did have a look at the powerstrip forum at EnTech. I searched for 1024x576 and got back a few results. There were a couple of leads but nothing has come of them for me yet. As soon as they do, I'll let you know.

Best Regards,

Russ.

[stlic]

I'm using the ATI 4.7 Catalyst. I've never specifically installed a monitor driver and currently it shows default monitor as the only monitor connected. I've used those timings on a AIW 9800 SE and currently have a 9800 non-Pro installed in the PC.

[MikeTV]

According to a reknowned guy called "Karnis" (who wrote the book on custom resolutions), the trick to defeat the virtual desktop is:

1. Switch your MONITOR driver to a hi-res model capable of displaying that resolution, I recommend SONY GDM W900.

2. Try uncapping rez restrictions in Powerstrip by double clicking on the monitor icon next to the rez slider in PS display profiles.

In addition, I have also heard that you may need a reboot or two. Also reinstalling powerstrip may help.

Sorry I can't be more precise, but stick with it, because this is a common problem that can usually be overcome. The PC doesn't know what kind of display you are using, except via drivers, and so there is nothing special about 1024x576 should requires it to be a virtual desktop (as compared with any other resolution). Eg. I use a resolution with 1776x1000 (16:9) myself (as do others) without any problem. Hence, it's not a consequence of the aspect ratio. As I understand it, it's a consequence of what the radeon believes your display is capable of. The radeon driver version could be a factor.

Stlic, thanks so much for the timings you posted for 960x540. They are working a treat!!!

Groovetclam. This is what I did.

Only have the S-Video connected to the TV.
Uninstalled all ATi software (driver and control panel).
Uninstalled PowerStrip
Reboot
Reinstall Catalyst 4.7
Reinstall PowerStrip
Paste in the custom timings as provided by Stlic
Shutdown the PC.
Disconnect the S-Video TV-Out and connect the VGA to RGB Scart.
Turn on the Computer.

Ta Da!! 960x540 resolution filling the entire screen!! Beautiful!!!

Thanks so much everybody for your help! I have learnt a lot from you all!!

What's next!! I will be trying to see if I can connect both the VGA scart and the s-video tv out at the same time.

I will also be attempting the holy grail of 1024x576 as well.

Thanks again everyone for getting us this far!!

Best Regards,

Russ.

[groovyclam]

I am happy for you Russ.

Sadly my TiVo has just been screwed by a big EM pulse from a lightning clap directly overhead. I am going to hijack the drive from my HTPC to see if I can repair it!

So it will be a while before I get to see if I can get this to work.

Why me? Sob.

[groovyclam]

Russ, which monitor driver were you using in the end when you started the "correct" procedure and which res did you have your desktop on during s-video steps ?