Video out problem with ASUS V8200dlx GF3

[Cainxinth]

When I boot up with my s-video out hooked up to the TV I can?t do better than 800x600 and 3D programs run with a flicker. I couldn?t find a support message board on the Asus site, so is anyone familiar with this problem? Thanks.

 

[AnAndAustin]

You may need to unplug your TVout lead from the back of your GF3 when booting up. 800x600 is the limit of your TVout chip, it is a quirk and there should be a way around it, but you may simply have to only attatch the TVout lead when wishing to send the output to the TV. If 3D progs run with a flicker this would most likely be the refresh rate is set too low, it could be you need a refresh rate fixing prog to stipulate the rr to use in each res but most probably it's simply that the TVout chip is limiting the available refresh rates to either 50Hz (PAL) or 60Hz (NTSC) as well as 800x600 res.

 

[Cainxinth]

I tried plugging in the video after I booted up and the TV wouldn't pick up the signal. Strangely enough the flicker problem was gone, but I hadn't tried outputting to the TV since I upgraded to win2k which might have solved that problem. Refresh was set at 60hz, and color at 32 bit, and the driver recognized that it was outputting in NTSC, but resolution was still locked at a max of 800x600. It seems ridiculous that I would be limited to this when the laptop I bought four years ago and sold to help pay for this comp could do 1024x768 or better on a TV.

 

[Cainxinth]

I did a little checking and it seems my extremely expensive video card has a rather crappy TV chip, the Phillips SAA7108 which has a maximum resolution of 800 x 600. Is there any way to hack this limitation? I need to run some music visualizers that look shite at 800 x 600.

 

[AnAndAustin]

I seem to rem the Philips TV chips nVidia cards use are actually the best, I believe they often have no black border at all in some NTSC modes ... the only downside is that they are limited to 800x600 in hw so hence can't be hacked. The Conexant CX871 is the only (IIRC) TV chip nVidia use which has 1024x768 ability. I'm afraid if you do want 1024 in TVout you'll have to upgrade your gfx card, prob worth it as your system seems to be really quirky with that GF3.

 

[Cainxinth]

Thanks for the info, do you happen to know of a good Ti4200 card that has 1024x768 TV output?

 

[AnAndAustin]

From personal experience Innovision's Inno3D GF4TI4200-128MB uses the Conexant CX871 TVout chip with 1024x768 and it also uses 4.0ns which should permit an o/c from 250/444 to about 300/550. Inno cards are mostly European though, I'm unsure of their availability in the US. If you look around for the cheapest 3 or 4 4200 cards, then email the manus with the specific link and product code they should get back to you with the name of the TV chip used, and if they don't bother it's best to avoid that manu anyway. You could also try the reseller asking for either the specific TVout chip or 1024x768 TVOUT ability, if they can't confirm/test it then they should at least offer you a free exchange/refund. Philips and Chrontel are other common TVout chips used by nVidia and I think the newest Philips chip does 1024x768, but Conexant CX871 definitely does because that's what I have LOL!

 

[Cainxinth]

Thanks for all your help AnAndAustin. I think I'm going to pick up an MSI Ti4200 128MB for $160 at newegg, unless you know something dreadful about that particular card. I've read some very positive reviews of it (but then I read positive reviews of my existing card).

 

[AnAndAustin]

MSI are a decent company and their 4200-128 uses the usual 4.0ns which should be good for a 300/550 type o/c beating 4400 def perf. I believe MSI's customer service isn't what it was (it was excellent) but I don't think it's bad even so. MSI in the past have been known to have below par 2D image quality, but this doesn't matter for GF4TI as they're all very good, so that's not an issue. In fact I seem to rem MSI's GF4TI o/c very well indeed. In your shoes I'd get it, it doesn't hurt to check with another review or two but it should be very fine indeed.