HDMI connection problems from Inspiron to projector

Question

I have an Inspiron 9400 and have just bought a Panasonic projector PT-AX 100E which is equipped with an HDMI port  (as well as the following ports: serial, pc in, component in, s-video in and video in).   I cannot find a way of getting the two to communicate for high definition.  A VGA cable works but not with high def.  A DVI - D/HDMI cable does not work although the lap top gives a recognition beep when I connect it to the projector.   Dell support tells me that the graphics card should support high def. and they have checked that there are no faults with the Inspiron (even installing a new mother board!) Panasonic tells me that the projector is designed to take high def.   No one seems to know what I should do. Has anyone got any suggestions?   John

Entropy42 · Answer

@johnchater wrote:

I have an Inspiron 9400 and have just bought a Panasonic projector PT-AX 100E which is equipped with an HDMI port (as well as the following ports: serial, pc in, component in, s-video in and video in).

I cannot find a way of getting the two to communicate for high definition. A VGA cable works but not with high def. A DVI - D/HDMI cable does not work although the lap top gives a recognition beep when I connect it to the projector.

Dell support tells me that the graphics card should support high def. and they have checked that there are no faults with the Inspiron (even installing a new mother board!)

Panasonic tells me that the projector is designed to take high def.

No one seems to know what I should do. Has anyone got any suggestions?

John

More details? (Such as which of the three video options you have?)

The E1705/9400 do support high definition resolutions. My E1705 has no problem driving my 24" widescreen monitor at 1920x1200. The PT-AX100 is only 1280x720, so if the E1705 can drive my monitor it should have no problem driving the projector unless you have some sort of cabling problems.

VGA cable should work at high definition resolutions - My E1705 can also drive my LCD monitor at 1920x1200 via the analog VGA output. (Again, a far higher resolution than the PT-AX100's 1280x720 resolution, which is barely high-def by the way).

Or are you trying to play Blu-Ray discs or HD-DVD with an external BD or HD-DVD drive like the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive? If that is the case, then there is a good chance your system doesn't support HDCP encryption, in which case VGA output is your only option. Fortunately the ICT (Image Constraint Token) which forces downscaling of analog outputs is not set on any current BD and HD-DVD discs, and may possibly never get set on any disc released.

I can confirm that my E1705 with the NVidia 7800 Go (older than the currently available 7900GS) has no problems with HD-DVD playback at full resolution via the VGA output if I overclock my video card. (The 7800 Go at normal clock speeds is too slow for smoth HD decoding, the 7900GS that replaced it in all systems sold after last April or so should not need any overclocking for smooth HD playback.)

To me it sounds like either you have a cabling problem or the Intel GMA950 for video. If you've got the GMA950 - you get what you pay for. It should support 1920x1200 but in reality I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't.

Edit: Or you could be trying to drive the Panny (with a 1280x720 native resolution) at the same resolution as the TrueLive WUXGA screen (1920x1200) and the Panny can't handle it. Try dropping the resolution to 1280x720, as any higher resolution will be downscaled by your projector or will simply fail because it is too high.

Message Edited by Entropy42 on 01-26-200708:47 AM

johnchater · Answer

Andy, Thanks very much for your help.  As a layman in IT matters, I think you are asking me for  the ports on the back of my Inspiron.  These are VGA, DVI - D, and what I think is video in/out - it is a smallish circular port with 6 pins arranged as two rows of 3 pins and has a diagram of a TV screen with an arrow pointing out of it. As for the projector, on p.41 of the manual, it gives a list of compatible signals.  One of these is Mode 1125(1080)/50p which has a display resolution of 1920 times1080 with an H scanning frequ. of  56.3 and V of 50.0 - a dot clock freq. of 148.5. Its format is COMPONENT/PC/HDMI.  This gives the highest res. but there are lots of other compatible signals listed.   As already mentioned, the HDMI/DVI - D cable does not work.  Can I use any to the pc ports to feed into  the HDMI port or for that matter any of the ports on the projector in order to get the maximum resolution that it is capable of? Any help gratefully received and not just from Andy.   John.

Entropy42 · Answer

@johnchater wrote:

Andy,

Thanks very much for your help. As a layman in IT matters, I think you are asking me for the ports on the back of my Inspiron. These are VGA, DVI - D, and what I think is video in/out - it is a smallish circular port with 6 pins arranged as two rows of 3 pins and has a diagram of a TV screen with an arrow pointing out of it.

As for the projector, on p.41 of the manual, it gives a list of compatible signals. One of these is Mode 1125(1080)/50p which has a display resolution of 1920 times1080 with an H scanning frequ. of 56.3 and V of 50.0 - a dot clock freq. of 148.5. Its format is COMPONENT/PC/HDMI. This gives the highest res. but there are lots of other compatible signals listed.

As already mentioned, the HDMI/DVI - D cable does not work. Can I use any to the pc ports to feed into the HDMI port or for that matter any of the ports on the projector in order to get the maximum resolution that it is capable of?

Any help gratefully received and not just from Andy.

John.

Not what I was asking. When you ordered your system you had the option of one of three video chipset options:
Integrated Intel GMA950
ATI X1400 HyperMemory
NVidia 7900GS (or if you ordered before April 2006, Go 7800).

External physical ports will be the same no matter which of these you use, but their functionality may differ slightly depending on the video chipset. I am quite familiar with the capabilities of the Go7800/7900GS, but not with the others.

Still, while your projector may list compatibility with 1920x1080 input signals, its native resolution is 1280x720 (look at the product specifications). As a result, any resolution greater than this will be downscaled to 1280x720 by the projector and it is pointless to use any higher resolution. (The projector supports high resolutions with downscaling for compatibility with devices that are less flexible than PCs.) Most likely while the projector supports a 1080p input, it is VERY picky about the refresh rates and such at that resolution and your computer is outputting a slightly different refresh rate. (In fact, I'm fairly positive that standard 1080p is a 60Hz refresh rate, but for some reason your projector can only handle a 50 Hz refresh rate at that resolution.)

Set your resolution to 1280x720 (the native resolution of your projector's LCD) and see if that works. As I said, there is absolutely no point of going beyond this resolution with your particular projector. In fact, there is a good chance that downscaled 1920x1080 will look worse than non-scaled 1280x720.

In short: The Dell supports high-def 1080p (and beyond) resolutions well, but your projector does not.

Note that some high definition playback applications (such as any Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player software) will disable digital video output if you are using a non-HDCP compliant display/video card. The GeForce Go 7800 does not support HDCP, I am not sure about the 7900GS. VGA will work fine, and I have in fact played back HD-DVDs with Cyberlink PowerDVD Ultra to my 24" monitor at 1920x1200.

johnchater · Answer

Andy, The only item which approximates to your list of three is 'Intel Media Accelerator 950 graphics Up to 128MB shared system memory.' As you rightly point out, theLCD panel pixels are 1280 by 720.   I have reduced the resolution on this lap top to these figures but still cannot get it  to communicate with the projector via the HDMI - DVI-d cable.  As previously stated, the VGA cable works.  Does this mean that this is likely to be the best resolution  and there is little point in using any other cable?   John.

Entropy42 · Answer

@johnchater wrote:

Andy,

The only item which approximates to your list of three is

'Intel Media Accelerator 950 graphics Up to 128MB shared system memory.'

As you rightly point out, theLCD panel pixels are 1280 by 720.

I have reduced the resolution on this lap top to these figures but still cannot get it to communicate with the projector via the HDMI - DVI-d cable. As previously stated, the VGA cable works. Does this mean that this is likely to be the best resolution and there is little point in using any other cable?

John.

Sadly, you have the Intel GMA950, which is probably the least featured of all of the graphics chipsets. I know nothing about the GMA950's drivers/configuration.

If VGA works fine, it could be one of a few things:
a) Your DVI-to-HDMI cable isn't quite up to the task. I know my Gateway 24" monitor had MAJOR problems with the DVI cable I was using with my old Dell 1800FP monitor, swapping cables fixed everything
b) For some reason, the computer is not being properly set to output via DVI. With NVidia video chipsets, this is easy (the NVidia drivers have a nice tray icon that gives you right-click access to almost any configuration setting.) The GMA950 may or may not have something similar. One of the F keys (F6 or F7??? I don't have my E1705 with me at the moment)) should have a blue "CRT/LCD" label on it. Try hitting the blue Fn key and this key a few times.

You will get slightly higher quality even at 1280x720 using the DVI output, which may or may not be noticeable depending on your projector screen.

johnchater · Answer

I have tried two HDMI - DVI -d cables, one costing £45 and the other £33 (Maplins) and neither worked. I have tried using the Fn and F8 keys and they change the output to just the pc, the pc and projector, or just the projector - and nothing else.   Sounds as if I am coming to the end of the line!  It upsets me to think I have spent a lot of money to buy a high def. ready system but no way of connecting to it with my pc other than lower def. VGA.   John.

Entropy42 · Answer

@johnchater wrote:

I have tried two HDMI - DVI -d cables, one costing £45 and the other £33 (Maplins) and neither worked.

I have tried using the Fn and F8 keys and they change the output to just the pc, the pc and projector, or just the projector - and nothing else.

Sounds as if I am coming to the end of the line! It upsets me to think I have spent a lot of money to buy a high def. ready system but no way of connecting to it with my pc other than lower def. VGA.

John.

Unfortunately I have no idea what exactly is going on. My machine has no problems whatsoever talking to a DVI monitor at 1920x1200. The only difference between HDMI and DVI is the connector (which also carries audio signals in the case of HDMI) and the fact that HDCP is required for HDMI but not for DVI. That shouldn't be a problem though, as non-HDCP cards will talk to HDCP displays, such as my E1705 using my Gatewa y FPD2485W as a display. i.e. it SHOULD be working and I have no idea why it isn't for you. :(

johnchater · Answer

Thanks a lot for your help anyway.    John

syn-ack · Answer

If your still having issues please check this: (I'm assuming you have windows xp)   Connect your projector via the VGA connector. Pull up the display properties in windows (right click your desktop and click properties)   You should see two monitors, one labeled '1' and the other labeled '2' Click on the '2' monitor. Now look at your resolution settings for the second monitor.

johnchater · Answer

The resolution on the 2nd screen - in this case, the LCD projector, is something like 600 by 800 - much less than the 1st screen.  All attempts to change this resolution have so far proved fruitless.  I can change the resolution on the 1st screen (i.e. the lap top) but not the second.  This is using the VGA cable to connect the PC and the projector.   A technician with Panasonic says that I should be able to get high resolution with the VGA cable if I increase the resolution of the 2nd screen  - but I can't!!!   John.

syn-ack · Answer

Is it greyed out? or at maximum?   If it's at maximum:  1) open your device manager (control panel, system, hardware tab, device manager button)  2) expand monitors and remove all monitors excpet the correct one for your laptop screen.  3) reboot WITHOUT the projector connected to the laptop.  4) Go back into your Display Properties, to screen 2 and see if you can change the resolution. if so, then plug in your projector (without rebooting) and see if you can get the resolutions you want. if not, you may not have enough video memory to run both screens. You may be able to up that value from the BIOS.   Let me know how that works out.

johnchater · Answer

Thanks for your help.  Unfortunately, I cannot try this now since I am away for a week. When I get back, I will try your suggestion.  Thanks   John.

mariof · Answer

Sorry but HDTV does not means High Resolution ( used for monitors ).   I mean: HDMI supports only 480i, 480p, 720i, 720p, 1080i and 1080p,  but none of the WESA (or similiar) resolution,  like 1240 x 720  etc. developed for monitors !!!!!   All the examples made by Entropy42 do not apply to HDMI protocol.     I saw a GeForce 7600 card to work with a LCD-TV. Its software has a window called HDTV where it is possible to chose among 720p, 1080i  etc.   If you do not find such a window your PC does not have the possibility to connect to a HDMI TV.   Please try to look for the HDTV window and tell us. Up to now I saw it only a non-Dell  notebook I do not like.   Thank you

RiceyZune · Answer

bump for me cus some good info to read up on

seems like if you have an intel graphics card - dvi-d - hdmi isnt an option reading along the lines

just about to jump in and connect my new 22" LCD up via dvi-d but looks like s video is a more likely easier option or have i read this thread wrong ?

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HDMI connection problems from Inspiron to projector

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