Worse results over HDMI than VGA

[mikeymikec]

My server/home theatre PC has a 32" LG wide-screen television connected via VGA and an analog audio lead. This works reasonably well except for two (not show-stopping) niggles.

One of the niggles is that I need to turn the sound volume way up on the TV (at least triple the volume I would use the DVD player at), despite the audio driver being set to near-100% volume level*.

I thought it would be a good idea to use HDMI instead, but while the audio works as I hoped, the video quality isn't very good: If I set the television to standard aspect settings, I lose all four of the outer borders of the desktop (I can't see the clock any more, for example), even though the TV screen is entirely used up. If I set the TV to 'Just Scan' (as the LG menu refers to it), it gets the desktop dimensions right, however on either setting the colour reproduction isn't as good as with VGA and also it's like some sort of image enhancement setting is being used because the desktop text has a speckly-whiteness around it, almost as if someone took a screenshot and saved it with really poor JPEG encoding.

I've tried resetting the image settings on the television, but it made no difference. The DVD player also uses HDMI and I haven't noticed any visual anomalies with that. The display driver (Intel HD Graphics) doesn't appear to be doing anything 'clever' as far as I can see, and unfortunately I can't upgrade it as there only seems to be one Intel HD Graphics driver that works on Win2k8 Server. I might try swapping HDMI connections on the TV but I don't have any other ideas.

* - or if anyone has any tips for fixing this problem, feel free to make suggestions.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[fralexandr]

computer specs, tv model #?

you should be able to adjust some settings on the PC, which might fix the problem. Perhaps undo the just scan and look through your video settings in your intel hd graphics properties.

 

[mikeymikec]

Celeron G1610
ASUS P8Z77-M PRO
4GB DDR3
CX430
Crucial M4 128GB SSD
Win2k8 Server

LG 32LD450

I've connected a laptop up to the TV via HDMI and I get the same problems.

 

[destrekor]

My server/home theatre PC has a 32" LG wide-screen television connected via VGA and an analog audio lead. This works reasonably well except for two (not show-stopping) niggles.

One of the niggles is that I need to turn the sound volume way up on the TV (at least triple the volume I would use the DVD player at), despite the audio driver being set to near-100% volume level*.

I thought it would be a good idea to use HDMI instead, but while the audio works as I hoped, the video quality isn't very good: If I set the television to standard aspect settings, I lose all four of the outer borders of the desktop (I can't see the clock any more, for example), even though the TV screen is entirely used up. If I set the TV to 'Just Scan' (as the LG menu refers to it), it gets the desktop dimensions right, however on either setting the colour reproduction isn't as good as with VGA and also it's like some sort of image enhancement setting is being used because the desktop text has a speckly-whiteness around it, almost as if someone took a screenshot and saved it with really poor JPEG encoding.

I've tried resetting the image settings on the television, but it made no difference. The DVD player also uses HDMI and I haven't noticed any visual anomalies with that. The display driver (Intel HD Graphics) doesn't appear to be doing anything 'clever' as far as I can see, and unfortunately I can't upgrade it as there only seems to be one Intel HD Graphics driver that works on Win2k8 Server. I might try swapping HDMI connections on the TV but I don't have any other ideas.

* - or if anyone has any tips for fixing this problem, feel free to make suggestions.

Any help would be much appreciated.

I can pretty much say with certainty it IS the display driver doing some clever things.
Sadly, I have not connected an Intel HD device up to my TV with HDMI. My HTPC (with an AMD 7750) had serious problems at first (on two TVs), so I knew it was internal. Drivers had to have different settings changed, such as Pixel Format / Color (YCBCR/RGB 4:4:4 or 4:4:2, etc) and resolution/overscan. Getting the pixel format set correctly, if possible, seems to sometimes help get rid of any overscan that is sticking around even with the seemingly right resolution settings.

However, I have no idea how to change such settings under Intel.

 

[NutBucket]

My HTPC runs Intel HD graphics and looks fine. Maybe I'm just lucky?

I do have overscan but I don't really care considering my usage.

 

[T9D]

Most TV's have a 1:1 pixel mapping setting. They almost always turn this off for some lame reason. It was hard for me to find mine in the settings but after I did everything was crisp and clean and looked very nice. Text looks as good as any monitor even. Some TV's don't have that setting though from what I hear (unless people just can't find it). One you find that (which I guess you did) there are plenty of other settings to change and adjust the colors. Keep tweaking with colors and eventually you'll get it.

 

[destrekor]

Most TV's have a 1:1 pixel mapping setting. They almost always turn this off for some lame reason. It was hard for me to find mine in the settings but after I did everything was crisp and clean and looked very nice. Text looks as good as any monitor even. Some TV's don't have that setting though from what I hear (unless people just can't find it). One you find that (which I guess you did) there are plenty of other settings to change and adjust the colors. Keep tweaking with colors and eventually you'll get it.

You can achieve the same thing without enabling that setting, however.
For some, it is important to do just that - like in my case, I only have one HDMI port on the TV being used, which is connected to my AV receiver. Everything else connects to the receiver, of course.

I don't want to mess with perfection, which is what exists right now between the TV and every device. I had some problems at first, failing to figure out how to get everything "perfect", to look as if the HTPC was just another media device, no pixel difference or anything. Sure enough, it is that way now without needing any specific setting on the TV.

 

[sdifox]

Are you doing dual display extend desktop?

 

[fralexandr]

you might be able to install a newer graphics driver
http://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/topic/311887
thread says to download "desktop experience" then a windows 7/vista driver for your intel hd graphics

how to install "desktop experience" on windows 2008
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772567.aspx

 

[reallyscrued]

1. Use HDMI input in the TV that has (DVI) in parenthesis in writing. That's the rear input, not the one on the side. Yes it makes a difference. Don't ask me why.

2. Set that input on the TV as 'Just Scan' and label the input as 'PC' in the tv's menu. My Samsung TV wouldn't do 1:1 until I labeled the input.

3.

 

[mikeymikec]

Are you doing dual display extend desktop?

Nope.

@ fralexandr

I will give that a try.

Re: 4:4:4 etc - I found an option in the Intel graphics driver properties:

"Quantization setting", I tried setting it to each option available but I can't say I noticed any difference in focus/colour reproduction. I wonder whether it needed a restart but it didn't say it did and it gave the standard "we'll give you a 15-second preview and you have to confirm the change" question.

One thing I wonder is whether (as some people on other sites have said), I haven't allowed for the fact that I'm taking 1080p and stretching it out to almost double what I do on my 21" LCD monitor on my own computer. It doesn't explain the colour oddities though.

I tried the rear "DVI/HDMI" socket on the back. I would try hooking the computer's DVI connection up to that with either a special cable or an adapter, but I don't have either.

This Google search result shows all the screens I've seen in the Intel advanced display settings:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=d...rated-hd-graphics-black-level-setting;623;575

I'm using "Just Scan" already. I watched a film using 'Just Scan" and it was watchable (I doubt I would pass the pepsi challenge between HDMI and VGA, and considering my main requirement for hooking the server up to the TV is to watch movies, perhaps I shouldn't be that bothered about text/desktop quality).

 

[sdifox]

Nope.

@ fralexandr

I will give that a try.

Re: 4:4:4 etc - I found an option in the Intel graphics driver properties:

"Quantization setting", I tried setting it to each option available but I can't say I noticed any difference in focus/colour reproduction. I wonder whether it needed a restart but it didn't say it did and it gave the standard "we'll give you a 15-second preview and you have to confirm the change" question.

One thing I wonder is whether (as some people on other sites have said), I haven't allowed for the fact that I'm taking 1080p and stretching it out to almost double what I do on my 21" LCD monitor on my own computer. It doesn't explain the colour oddities though.

I tried the rear "DVI/HDMI" socket on the back. I would try hooking the computer's DVI connection up to that with either a special cable or an adapter, but I don't have either.

This Google search result shows all the screens I've seen in the Intel advanced display settings:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=d...rated-hd-graphics-black-level-setting;623;575

I'm using "Just Scan" already. I watched a film using 'Just Scan" and it was watchable (I doubt I would pass the pepsi challenge between HDMI and VGA, and considering my main requirement for hooking the server up to the TV is to watch movies, perhaps I shouldn't be that bothered about text/desktop quality).

I am assuming you still have a primary monitor apart from the TV? If so, you should switch to dual view. running 2 displays with independent resolutions will be easier to troubleshoot/fix your issue.

 

[styrafoam]

Every time i have dealt with connecting a computer to a television via hdmi I have had similar issues. I am unfamiliar with the options provided by the intel drivers, hopefully these are of some use,The few catches that i have come to look for are:


-If you are connected with HDMI you may not get perfect alignment of the desktop to the borders of the screen if you use the native resolution of the panel as your desktop resolution. With amd cards i can recall having to go into the catalyst control center and setting the resolution to 720p or 1080p instead of the normal 1920x1080 etc.

-fine tuning of the overscan settings by adjusting it all the way to 0 or 1 click away from zero seems to almost always be required.

-after doing the first two, cycle through the zoom/ratio settings and look for something similar to what you set in your video drivers (16x9 or 1080p in your case). The options provided, the way they are named and the effect these have on the picture can be all over the place from tv to tv.

 

[Midwayman]

Mine did this at first as well. Fortunately there were overscan setting in the AMD drivers on my HTPC card. First step is getting your TV into 1:1 pixel mode. Second is getting your PC to stop messing with the formatting.

 

[spacejamz]

When I connect my Asus N550JA laptop (with an Intel4600 onboard graphics) via HDMI to my LG 47" LH30, it is very crisp...

I have had my share HDMI connected PC's/laptops looking crappy...Usually setting the 1:1 pixel mode resolves the problem, but in some instances, nothing you can do will improve the image...

I have never had an HDMI display issue with an LG tv though...when I travel for work, most of the hotels I stayed at had LG TV's and I would use it as monitor using HDMI and my work laptop (HP Elitebook with ATI graphics using a USB2.0 to HDMI adapter).

I think the trick renaming the input to PC only applies to certain Samsung TV's and will not work for an LG TV.

 

[mikeymikec]

Huzzah, problem solved!

On my LG TV, on the 'input sources' screen there is an option to label each input source. For example, labelling the HDMI connection that my Blu-ray player is connected to as a BR player gives it a nice little disc icon. I thought that's all it did (ie. aesthetic / useful to remind the user about what each connection is connected to), until I labelled HDMI2 as another PC connection.

Thanks for the help everyone.