Best video card for custom resolution support?

[Zebu Fellenz]

Hi Everyone,

Are there any current generation cards that play nicely with custom resolutions?

I need to run a CRT display at 1920*800p @60or72hz and doing this with onboard Ati 4290 graphics seems like a exercise in futility. I'm looking for a card that either has good OEM drivers or is fully compatible with Powerstrip or similar software.

I have four displays to run, the CRT and three LCD monitors. I'm thinking I'd probably be best off with two matched cards for simplicity sake?

Can I get anything new that will be dead reliable, easy to configure, and under $200 for the complete package?

Custom resolution support is by far the most important feature, I don't game so speed in less of a concern.

 

[jacktesterson]

In my opinion, I don't think it will make a difference getting a discrete card. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but every ATI card out there supports them same Resolution scheme, 6990 to 4250.

In my mind I don't see how Nvidia would be any different, but like I said, I'm curious to know.

I'm very curious on this though. Can I ask what your doing, and where did you get a CRT that can display 1920 x ??

 

[Ben90]

Nvidia has the functionality you are looking for in their driver manager. As of last time I checked, ATi still needs third party programs to create custom resolutions. Downloading the newest cats to see if things have changed.

It is alarming to me that Powerstrip doesn't work with your 4290. I thought that program was the do all end all when it came to custom resolutions. Where does the program fluke out on you? Is it having problems loading, or just that your 4290 is not supported.

I am decently confident that you can create custom resolutions on even the lowest IGPs from Nvidia, if someone could confirm that would be great. If it works on the lowest of the low, then it will obviously be there for low end discretes. This is the screen we are looking for:

 

[OVerLoRDI]

What screen is this? 1920x800? crazy talk!

I'm pretty sure NVidia gives you the custom options you need.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the replies, I'll answer the questions in the order received.

What I'm doing is running a multipurpose PC that gets used for both work and entertainment (HTPC). For work I have three LCD monitors two Dell 2007FP's (1200*1600) and a Dell 3007WFP (2560*1600).

For my theater I'm running a Sony VPH-G70Q CRT projector that I run on a 92" wide 2.40:1 aspect ratio screen at 1920*800p resolution.

So to do this with one PC I need to be able to run the three LCD screens and be able to support the G70 as a fourth screen at whatever wacky resolution I need to run.

The issue I'm having with Powerstrip right now is creating the custom resolution. I define my resolution and have to restart Windows to be able to accept it. When I restart Windows the custom resolution is not available or is only available for the wrong monitor.

I have had it working before with much trial and error so I'm thinking I might have a software/driver? conflict that keeps kicking out the resolution. Apologies if that doesn't make any sense, I'm not nearly as tech literate as I would like to be!

Ben90,

I remember using that Nvidia window to create custom resolutions back when I was running a Geforce FX5500, if that functionality is still available I think I'm sold on a Nvidia card(s).

Everyone,

The other option is to build a second dedicated PC for the theater. Doing this would mean only needing one video output and being separate from the work PC would also make it less likely to be messed up accidentally. With hardware prices where they are these days is this possible for <$300? I need to be able to playback streamed BD rips, 1080p MKV files, and a Flac music collection.

Thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks everyone!

Erik

 

[Ben90]

Hmmm, I'm guessing you are on Windows 7 or Vista? These newer operating systems pulled a lot of privileges away from us users. Especially so when it comes to drivers.

Forgetting everything about Powerstrip, lets try a more straightforward solution:

Bring up the registry editor by typing "regedit" into the start menu or run menu.
Hit "Ctrl+F" to bring up the find box and type "DALNonStandardModes"
Open any of the entries and add a new line containing: "19 20 08 00 00 00 60"
Restart and hopefully its a new selectable option.

To explain the numbers I put in above, the first 4 are the horizontal resolution "19 20", the next 4 are vertical "08 00", the next 4 are something with the colors that doesn't matter "00 00", and the last 4 are the refresh rate "00 60". Make sure you enter "
08 00" and not "80 00" for vertical resolution as I used to make that mistake a lot. You won't break anything, it just wont work.

If that does indeed work, you can try adding in the 72Hz refresh rate as a new mode. Try 60Hz at first though because it has a better chance of working.

 

[EliteRetard]

Cant the G70 run 1920x1080 (did a quick google and it said max supported 1700x1200)? If not, is there a reason not to use a standard 1280x720 (would probably be sharper and higher refresh rate too)?

 

[taltamir]

OEM drivers

OEM drivers are terrible. They take the official driver from nvidia or amd and give it to you... only its very outdated.

For AMD get your driver here http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
For nVidia get your driver here http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

I recall using an unusual customer resolution successfully with an nvidia card before. So you might have better luck there... you can always return it if it doesn't work.

The actual card doesn't matter as long as it is new enough to run the latest driver from whatever company you choose.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

Hmmm, I'm guessing you are on Windows 7 or Vista? These newer operating systems pulled a lot of privileges away from us users. Especially so when it comes to drivers.

Forgetting everything about Powerstrip, lets try a more straightforward solution:

Bring up the registry editor by typing "regedit" into the start menu or run menu.
Hit "Ctrl+F" to bring up the find box and type "DALNonStandardModes"
Open any of the entries and add a new line containing: "19 20 08 00 00 00 60"
Restart and hopefully its a new selectable option.

To explain the numbers I put in above, the first 4 are the horizontal resolution "19 20", the next 4 are vertical "08 00", the next 4 are something with the colors that doesn't matter "00 00", and the last 4 are the refresh rate "00 60". Make sure you enter "
08 00" and not "80 00" for vertical resolution as I used to make that mistake a lot. You won't break anything, it just wont work.

If that does indeed work, you can try adding in the 72Hz refresh rate as a new mode. Try 60Hz at first though because it has a better chance of working.

Thanks for the suggestion, I've already tried the Regedit suggestions with varying success. I was able to add 1920*1080 but 1920*800 doesn't seem to work?

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

Cant the G70 run 1920x1080 (did a quick google and it said max supported 1700x1200)? If not, is there a reason not to use a standard 1280x720 (would probably be sharper and higher refresh rate too)?

Yes, the G70 can run 1080p (that's actually the resolution I'm running now. Issue is that my screen is physically 2.40:1 ratio and running 1080p gives me image above and below the screen.

1080p also uses more bandwidth and gives me a softer image. 720p is too low a resolution as scanlines become annoyingly visible, and again the aspect ratio is wrong.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

OEM drivers are terrible. They take the official driver from nvidia or amd and give it to you... only its very outdated.

Whoops, when I said OEM drivers I meant the official latest Ati or Nvidia drivers, not the drivers from the chip manufacturers. Mistake on my part!

 

[taltamir]

Whoops, when I said OEM drivers I meant the official latest Ati or Nvidia drivers, not the drivers from the chip manufacturers. Mistake on my part!

nVidia and AMD are the chip manufacturer. You mean not the card makers (and often they just rebadge a card made by nvidia or AMD)