If I power on my HTPC with both my Sony HS20 and my 17" TFT connected the TFT displays Out Of Range and I don't get the bios screen or the XP MCE start up screen, nothing in fact!.

This happens with both my ATI cards (9200SE and 9600SE) but not with my nVIDIA FX5200.

Has anyone else had the same problem? Can I do anything to get it working properly?

I can't get 1:1 pixel mapping with the FX5200 so I'd prefer to get the ATI working as I'd stand a better chance with that card.

The cards works fine when the HS20 isn't connected!

Thanks

Dave

[KraGorn]

I've experienced no BIOS screen with an ATI 9600 in the past, though it does come on once Windows starts booting. As far as I can see it's caused by inaccurate video generation parameters being set by the BIOS or the card's firmware and some digital displays seem sensitive to it .. my Sharp Z200 didn't like it but the Hitachi LCD TV dual-attached was perfectly happy.

My H77 does manage to sync but reports some bizarre resolutions and refresh rates during this time.

I nver bothered trying solve it, if a solution is at all possible, but if I hadn't got the Hitachi I may not have been content to leave it.

[severnsource]

"out of range" implies that the scan frequencies are too high or too low for the TFT to lock to.

I've seen this with VGA TFTs that are trying to lock to TV display rates, 15.625KHz H and 50 Hz V.

Bill

I believe that you should be able to achieve your objective as follows...

Using the Nvidia card that does give you a picture, uninstall the Nvideo drivers. Reboot and allow Windows to intall the standard PCI VGA adaptor. Reboot and you should find that your desktop settings will be at the lower end of the refesh rate/resolution scale. Shut down, swap out the Nvidia for the Radeon, start up, load the ATI drivers and reboot. You now should be able to configure your tft. The usual refresh rates are 60 or 75Mhz and resolution for a 17" monitor 1280 x 1024, 32 bpp.

As I recall I had a similar problem when I first swapped a 19" CRT for a 17" tft a year or so ago. However, the guarantee for my memory ran out years ago!

Thanks for the input guys.

KraGorn, maybe you have a point there. I think I'll have to learn to live with it.

If I ever need to get to the Bios I can always just disconnect the pj.

leporello, thanks for taking the time o explain the process.

Dave