Poor HDMI Image Quality on HD2600XT

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bobbyr

n00b
Joined
Apr 29, 2008
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I've run through all the basic troubleshooting with ATI support and they've now told me to come to the forums to find a solution...

The problem:

Over the HDMI connection:

1) Colours appear washed out, or overly bright.
2) Text is difficult to read/ annoying/ blinding after long use.


Here's the story:

I've had this problem since December when I bought a new Westinghouse L2410NM 24" monitor:

http://www.westinghousedigital.com/details.aspx?itemnum=105

The monitor has both HDMI and DSUB connections, and I noticed that the DSUB looked strikingly better at reproducing colours and also made fine text much more readable when hooked up to my HD2600XT.

Interestingly, the same problem occurred with a Nvidia 8400GS i also had around. (The HDMI connection had the exact same poor image quality as the hd2600xt). However, I was able to fix this using the following driver hack:

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=58483&view=findpost&p=330319

Which involved editing an .inf file before installing the Forceware drivers.

Finally the Nvidia 8400GS was displaying perfect image quality over HDMI, unfortunately, my more expensive HD2600XT is still not capable of giving me good HDMI image quality.

Can anyone offer a suggestion how I might modify the Catalyst drivers to get my HDMI quality on par with my Nvidia card, or even the DSUB from the same card?

I have uploaded a full size demonstration of the difference between the HDMI image quality vs the DSUB image quality here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CXNIHYOS

Smaller versions can be found below

Take notice to:

1) How the colours change within the different lands on the map.

2) How the black text on the left side is much easier to read on the DSUB picture.

I've also found another person who is having the exact same issue with this same combo of video card and monitor:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13142644#post13142644

DSUB


HDMI
 
wow, typically people complain about the nvidia cards image reproduction in comparison to the ati's. have you tried a newer hdmi cable?
 
I don't think a new cable is the issue, as the same cable works fine with my Nvidia card.
 
i have the same ati card displaying to a samsung lcd panel, but the panel doesn't have a dvi in. before i bought a hdmi cable, i bought one of those dvi/hdmi cables to display to the monitor. once i got audio streaming through the video card i went with the typical hdmi 1.3 cable. switching between the two, i didn't notice any differences in clarity. do you know someone who might have a dvi/hdmi cable to test with?
 
bobbyr, have you read my thread on the ATi Black level bug? http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1297273

I too have noticed the same problems as you, basically ATi are processing the output of the HDMI to video levels, which is a compressed colour and contrast range.

I found that by using the 8.2 drivers, that fixed the black levels, and I also noticed the colours were much better too. Give those a try, and see what you think.

Sadly, I had to go back to using the VGA connection if I want to use newer drivers. I hope ATi fix this, but as me and you are the only ones reporting this issue, it seems unlikely.
 
Hey Stimpy88

Someone over on these forums:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13757839#post13757839

has reported that the ATI supplied dvi-hdmi dongle is causing him to have the poor image quality over HDMI. When he switches to using a generic dvi-hdmi dongle, the problem goes away, albeit, you also lose the ability to transfer sound over the HDMI cable.

do you have a generic dongle to test this on and report back ?
 
Also Stimpy88,

I am using a black dongle with "ATI RADEON GRAPHICS" and "REV A" molded on it.

Is yours also a Rev A? I know that Rev B exists and I wonder if it would make a difference.
 
Hi Bobbyr. I am using the supplied ATi adaptor, but I have no other DVI to HDMI adaptor to try. It would be kind of funny if that is what's causing the trouble! I have a DVI to HDMI cable coming in a week or so, so we will find out then for sure. I will post here right away.
 
I have discovered a partial solution for the problem: (fixes the image quality over HDMI, but breks audio over HDMI).

In researching the problem, I found others having a curiously similar problem, and the belief was that the ATI dvi-hdmi dongle was outputing Video levels=16-236 instead of PC levels=0-255.

Following another's recommendation, I bought a generic dvi-hdmi dongle; I then attached it, restarted the computer, and then witnessed that the colours were FINALLY as they should appear. The HDMI connection now matches the same image quality as the DSUB connection and that of an Nvidia card's HDMI output.


However, because of this fix, you will lose the ability to send aduio over HDMI.

Thanks to all who helped me by providing input, and I hope this information helps anyone else experiencing the same problem.
 
Yes Bobbyr, I can personally confirm that the ATi supplied DVI-HDMI adaptor IS the cause of the card outputting the wrong colour levels, I have just installed a new DVI-HDMI cable (with no adaptors obviously) and the black level bug is gone, as well as a return to the lovely, vibrant image I was used to before the swap to HDMI.

So there you have it, the ATi dongle IS the problem, go buy yourself a DVI-HDMI cable, and your good to go! Even if you don't notice the black level problem, you will be getting muted colours using the ATi adaptor, so it really pays to buy a cable instead.

Oh, and personally, I could not care less about the clock-radio audio quality that used to come out of my monitor using the ATi adaptor. I would rather have deep blacks and vibrant colours over that anytime!
 
have any of you tried he hdmi adapter from any other video cards other than the one that comes with the 2600? i used the one that came with the 2900xt and i don't notice a difference in picture quality between the adapter+hdmi 1.3 cable ad the dvi to hdmi cable.
 
bobbyr said:
Also Stimpy88,

I am using a black dongle with "ATI RADEON GRAPHICS" and "REV A" molded on it.

Is yours also a Rev A? I know that Rev B exists and I wonder if it would make a difference.
Click to expand...

Hey Stimpy88, is your adapter Rev A or Rev B ?
 
I don't know which revision it is Bobbyr, the only marks on it is an ATi logo, and a serial code embossed in the plastic. Oh, and it's colour is grey.

I'm enjoying life much better now I have this DVI-HDMI cable!
 
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