8400GS looks blurry - Anyone else have a blurry card?

[itakey]

A few months back I purchased 2 xfx Nvidia 8400GS cards. I purchased them since I wanted to run dual monitor setups, but do not to any gaming at all.

For some reason, this card seems to display blurry. Can't really put my finger on how to explain it, but clear type, standard, and no font tweaking all looks odd, and is hard to stare at for long periods.

I have one card in a Windows XP machine, and another in Vista and they both do the same.

Anyone ever experience anything like this? I read this article on some chip:
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=9448

Could this be my issue?

I have an ATI Radeon card in my other computer and it does not look blurry.

What gives?

 

[nyker96]

I think all the Nvidia cards has blurriness. Not sure why maybe their 2D system is sub standard.

 

[itakey]

Originally posted by: nyker96
I think all the Nvidia cards has blurriness. Not sure why maybe their 2D system is sub standard.

I've never heard that, is it true they are blurrier in 2D? I've mostly had ATI Radeon cards, and actually have one in one of my machines and it works nice and crisp.

Anyone else know if Nvidia's are known to be blurry in 2D?

 

[ashishmishra]

Are you using the DVI-D output hooked up to a DVI-D input of a LCD or are you using a DVI to VGA converter and a crt/lcd with VGA input?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: itakey
Anyone ever experience anything like this? I read this article on some chip:
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=9448

Could this be my issue?

Yes, if you have an 8x00GS in a notebook, and it has failed. Did you not read the article you linked? BTW, I have two nVidia cards, and both of their 2D output is superior to my ATI card's 2D output. Admittedly, they are both slightly newer than the ATI card, though.

 

[F1shF4t]

If you are using a DVI to VGA converter try setting refresh rate to 70hz. I had a similar issue with my 9600gt the display was slightly blurry, after setting to 70hz it was a lot better (Still some bluriness if you really look for it). DVI conection monitor worked fine though.

 

[itakey]

Thanks for all of the replies.
No, I am not using a DVI to VGA Converter.

I have tested just about everything under the sun. From trying the DVI, to the VGA, swapping between monitors since each monitor has one DVI, and one VGA. Changing the refresh rate from 60, to 70. One monitor accepts 72 and 75 but neither has helped. I've tried the small auto configure button on the monitors in VGA mode too.

The monitors are a dell 1905FP, and a Hanns-G HC194D.

Seems like the DVI might to a tiny bit clearer than the VGA on the xfxforce nvidia 8400gs, but my other computer running a ATI Radeon 7000 series card looks much better on both monitors and both VGA and DVI.

At my office I have the exact 2 monitors and the computer is running Vista with the Nvidia 8400GS and it looks like crap too.

And to myocardia, I DID read it, and I saw 8400 so I wasn't sure if that applied to Desktop computers. Mine is NOT a laptop.

I've swapped the cables all around. I think at this point my only choice is to buy another video card and test it out.
Anyone have any other ideas.

 

[IlllI]

how much blurry are you talking about? like teeny bit?

 

[itakey]

Yes, a teeny bit at a quick glance, but if you had to sit down and read email, or read a forum like this, you would have to stop after a few minutes because it gets irritating to look at. At first I thought it was a clear type issue so I played with all of those settings and it got worse/better in some ways. I know it is there though because I can run one monitor on VGA from my ATI Radeon 7000 series card, and the DVI on another monitor with my Nvidia 8400GS and pull up the same web page and see the difference.

Both machines are running Windows XP.

 

[IlllI]

have you tried different drivers?

 

[itakey]

Originally posted by: clandren
have you tried different drivers?

Simple, but great point. Yes, I tried the latest, and even downloaded older versions from Nvidia with no luck.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I know what you're talking about. I posted a thread about it last week. My GeForce 6600GT is much blurrier (slightly) than my Radeon X1950Pro cards. Just enough that text is annoying to read.

 

[itakey]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I know what you're talking about. I posted a thread about it last week. My GeForce 6600GT is much blurrier (slightly) than my Radeon X1950Pro cards. Just enough that text is annoying to read.

YES!!! Someone who understand exactly what I am talking about. Have you figured out a solution? I think my only solution at this point is to buy a Radeon card....

 

[itakey]

As a follow up to anyone else out there who may be experiencing a blurry Nvidia card, I ordered a new ATI card and the Blurriness is GONE!!!
I am not a gamer so this was happening while using plain windows.

Glad to be back to crisp 2D text. Anyone want to buy a xfx Nvidia 8400GS???jk

 

[FalseChristian]

Your 8400GS is starting to die. The 2D IQ of my 8800GT is unbelievably clear and easy on the eyes.:thumbsup:

 

[JPB]

I had a 8800GTS 640MB card that did this. The only thing that solved it was using the *other* DVI port. One of them had blurry text, and the other one didnt.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

My 8800GT looks fine. But I wonder why people are having issues with only nV cards?

 

[itakey]

I had tried EVERYTHING!

I have 2 separate monitor's, in 2 different locations and tried it in every configuration. On DVI, on VGA, swapping different cables from other computers, all refresh rates, every driver dating back.

I can say 100% that on a Windows XP machine, and a Vista 32 that the Nvidia card produces blurry text.

Maybe I received a bad batch of cards? It is hard to say, but I have 2 different 8400GS's and they are blurry.

My ATI that is probably 4 years old is what I am used too, which produces clear and crisp text. The new ATI I got produces clear text, and the Nvidia's are going out the door.

 

[tcsenter]

Its not likely an issue with the GPU, itself. More like a resistor value used on the PCB is causing some undesirable impedance on the display output or something. Hardly no one does their own design on the lower-end, so its probably in the reference board design.