GeForce MX Intergrated Dual View

[razor5000]

Hello

I have brought two Nec 17" LCDs monitors to use with my AOpen SFF (as it has two video outputs)

But when changing the resolution to 1280x1024 the colour depth changes to 16bit!!! when I want 32bit!!

I need that res because of the NECs as their native res is 1280x1024 on analogue

I also have another machine with the integrated GeForce MX video and that works fine with two 17" monitors in 1280x1024 32bit.

I have tried different driver packs including 61.77, 56.72 and 44.03.

PLEASE HELP because I can not see why it won?t work

Specs:

AOpen EZ18 SFF
AMD 2500+ Mobile
512Mb of RAM
40Gb Maxtor
17" NEC LCD1760NX *2
Windows XP Pro

If any more info is needed please ask

I don?t want to be stuck in 1024x768 :-(

Thanks for any help

 

[kamranziadar]

Well 16 is not bad. Well your LCD might does not allow you because of your Graphic chip.

 

[razor5000]

thats what I thought but the other SFF computer with the same GeForce MX video chip
can display in 32 bit??

 

[Peter]

It might be the same chip, but the RAM array on the card might be of lower bandwidth.

 

[razor5000]

good point

do you think it is possible??

I think I will contact the manufacture and see what they say

thanks for the help

razor

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Peter
It might be the same chip, but the RAM array on the card might be of lower bandwidth.

But it shares system ram.

 

[razor5000]

with both the have 512mb of ram

so it cant be that

I dont understand it because when I change the res form 1024 to 1280 the colour depth does down to 16bit??

I'll see what the manufacture says

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Same DDR speed and timings on the ram in both systems? Also both dual channel or single channel?

 

[razor5000]

single channel one has two sticks of 256Mb at PC2700 (the one with the res that goes to 32bit)

and the problem one a single slick of 512Mb PC2700

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: razor5000
single channel one has two sticks of 256Mb at PC2700 (the one with the res that goes to 32bit)

and the problem one a single slick of 512Mb PC2700

That is a typo right? your SFF should have only 2 slots and if both are occupied then it is dual channel 128bit and the single channel 64bit, so that Peter nailed it just with IGP instead of add-in. Because the lack of dual channel probably prevents you from having the necessary bandwidth for DD 32bit.


just checked your rigs, the SN41G2 with 2 sticks is running dual channel, you have found your problem I think, you need dual channel for DD 32bit support it looks like.

 

[razor5000]

so if I were to buy another slick of 512Mb it "should" work

at 1280x1024 at 32bit??

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: razor5000
single channel one has two sticks of 256Mb at PC2700 (the one with the res that goes to 32bit)

and the problem one a single slick of 512Mb PC2700

That is a typo right? your SFF should have only 2 slots and if both are occupied then it is dual channel 128bit and the single channel 64bit, so that Peter nailed it just with IGP instead of add-in. Because the lack of dual channel probably prevents you from having the necessary bandwidth for DD 32bit.


just checked your rigs, the SN41G2 with 2 sticks is running dual channel, you have found your problem I think, you need dual channel for DD 32bit support it looks like.

Maybe, but Matrox has been doing 2x (and even 4x) 2D with SDRAM since the G200.

I'd check the framebuffer settings (shared memory) first - if there's only 16MB shared, there's physically not enough video RAM to allow for two double-buffered 16bpp displays at 1280x1024.

- M4H

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Good point/catch M4H :beer:

 

[razor5000]

32mb shared as far an I can remember

if not where do i check in the BIOS??

 

[kamranziadar]

well might be your LCD does not support 32bit at this resolution. SO you are saying if you change it, it will change it back to 16bit

 

[razor5000]

the monitor definitely does support 32bit

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: razor5000
32mb shared as far an I can remember

if not where do i check in the BIOS??

Should need to set AGP aperture size and/or frame buffer size, set them to 128mb since you have a 512mb stick and see if it works, after M4H pointing that out it makes the most sense. If not it's the bandwidth thing.

 

[razor5000]

I changed it to 64mb and then 128mb but still the same problem

 

[DAPUNISHER]

are there both aperture and frame buffer settings? Both will need to be increased if so. If that is covered then you probably just don't have the bandwidth in SC necessary to drive two displays at 32bit. You can just swap ram over to confirm or refute the theory.

 

[razor5000]

yea both at 128Mb

Do you think if I buy another 512mb that will make a difference?

 

[razor5000]

I was just woundering if I brough a cheap graphics card with dual view capabilities would
this solve the problem?

I will try changing the memory around next week

thanks for your help

 

[kamranziadar]

Check your Refresh rate, if its to high which your LCD cannot support it tries to setup automatically which suites.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: razor5000
I was just woundering if I brough a cheap graphics card with dual view capabilities would
this solve the problem?

I will try changing the memory around next week

thanks for your help

I'm certain it would solve the problem but with 512mb of ram runnin' $80 I'd go that route since extra ram would be more important to me since I like having planty 'o ram, it will give a slight performance increase overall because of DC, and nearly double the IGP performance. I also prefer not using up a slot in a SFF.

 

[razor5000]

both at 60Hertz

 

[razor5000]

well I'll order another 512mb PC2700

and hope that i'll solve the problem

thanks you all for the help and time you have given me

razor