Talk:Problem with DVI throughput

Here's some information I found:

Most DVI devices today use single-link DVI which supports a maximum bandwidth of 165 MHz [1]. I suppose that ThinkPads provide a single-link DVI signal.

To calculate the bandwidth of your signal, in theory you just need to multiply the resolution with the vertical frequency. For example: 1600x1200 @ 85 Hz => 1600*1200*85 Hz = 163 MHz. This looks good, but it is outside the specs - because you need to take into account some extra time. CRTs need a so-called blanking time between the data for two display lines. This time is needed for something similar to a carriage return on a typewriter: The electron beam needs to be returned to the start of the next line. Additionally, some extra time is needed to transmit information about the border area around the real picture. About 25% of the bandwidth is used for these additional data. [2]

This means, that there is no specific ThinkPad problem with the throughput - you are just trying to transfer video data at a rate that is outside the specs of DVI. Maybe the DVI transmitter inside the ThinkPad even works at this data rate. But the DVI receiver inside the monitor might be "overclocked".

TFTs don't really need extra time. So there is a chance of writing a display driver with a reduced blanking time. This might explain, why some people were successful with other drivers.

The effective maximum resolution for single link DVI should be around 1600x1200 @ 65 Hz, or @ 60 Hz to be on the sure side. Has anyone solved his problems by lowering the vertical frequency?

--137.226.40.2 14:23, 1 Mar 2005 (CET)

No problem on T41p

I have a T41p with 1400x1040 LCD and a Samsung SyncMaster 213T connected through the Port Replicator II with DVI
After some windows registry hacks I can run the Samsung in 1600x1200 in single, clone display and extend display mode.
Linux requires no such hacks and will happily run at 1600x1200

The picture through DVI is perfect with either desktop applications or running DVD video.

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This is good news. Do you run Linux in DualHead, MergedFB or CloneMode? In Windows you have a clear video overlay all the time (like after every boot)? Which drivers are you using in Linux and Windows, please list the with version numbers.

217.230.177.126 01:31, 10 Mar 2005 (CET)

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Question about DVI/LCD switching on T4x / Radeon M9 / Linux

Has anyone been able to successfully switch back and forth between the LCD output and the Port Replicator II DVI output on Linux? How do you do it? My problem is described below:

[[3]]

No problems here

I installed the new catalyst drivers 5.6 using Patje's Mobility Moddingand it works for all resolutions. My laptop runs at 1400x1060 and my dvi screen at 1920x1200. No problems that I can tell. The omega drivers (based on older catalyst drivers) blue screened my windows xp on boot.

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Thanks for the info, it is a while since i tested with Catalyst and back then it didn't allow 1400x1050.

Corruption and Flickering on T43

No problems changing to 1600x1200 @60Hz on DVI passthrough using stock ATI drivers (6.14.10) and IBM presentation director on T43 and port replicator II. However the image is not stable - green dot artifacts flicker in approximately horizontal lines, while the screen blanks in and out. Completely stable at 1280x1024. Changing to the Omega drivers did not help at all. Also replacing ATI with Omega drivers somehow removed the presentation director key binding Fn-F7 and I had to reinstall it to get it back. Monitor is NEC AccuSync 200VX. Tried what appeared to be both single and dual-link DVI cables (not sure about monitor or port replicator support for dual-link).