How can I tell what resolutions my video card will do via DVI?

[tboo]

Im thinking of going LCD, but I have no idea what resolutions my Leadtek 5900 ultra will support via DVI. Can anybody help on this?

 

[EarthwormJim]

DVI is supposed to be able operate at a frequency around 165mhz to support resolutions up to 1600x1200x32. Not all graphics cards comply perfectly with the DVI spec, so you may see color problems or other screen anomolies when running at the maximum resolution of 1600x1200x32.

 

[tboo]

After some digging I found that my card will suport up to 1600X1200 via DVI

 

[Auric]

But as EarthwormJim sez, support does not equal compliance.

See extremetech.

 

[Peter]

It's more complicated. Above 1600x1200, the graphics cards pull some tricks to extend resolution support. "Reduced blanking period" timings, as well as generally lowered frequencies, let a single-channel DVI reach further.

I've seen stock NVidia cards do 1920x1200 no problem (Apple CinemaDisplay). ATi cards know those tricks too. At least NVidia has added more trickery to the 50 series drivers, to support even those displays properly that have really odd resolutions - like the smaller Apple display that is 1680x1050 natively. Works like a charm.

With the DVI engine being integrated into the main chip in both NVidia and ATi solutions, there's little a card maker can screw up in that area. Drivers more so.

 

[hans007]

i have to this day not been able to figure out how to get ANY nvidia card to work at 1280x768 (widescreen) DVI in winxp.




i will keep trying though

 

[Peter]

Try the 50 series driver releases, then. They have that resolution out-of-the-box, and even if they hadn't, would add it for you because the panel requests that resolution.

_IF_ that panel's embedded plug&play "EDID" data record is correct, that is. Plenty of room for the panel makers to screw up. I've seen that happen more than once.

 

[tboo]

Well, as long as my card can do 1600X1200 via DVI, im halfway there. As far as its DVi compliance-thats an unknown

 

[Peter]

The compliance problem is MUCH more often in the displays than in the card and its drivers - not electrically, but in the PnP self-description of the panel's capabilities.

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: Peter
Try the 50 series driver releases, then. They have that resolution out-of-the-box, and even if they hadn't, would add it for you because the panel requests that resolution.

_IF_ that panel's embedded plug&play "EDID" data record is correct, that is. Plenty of room for the panel makers to screw up. I've seen that happen more than once.

see whats odd is it works in analog.