Dual monitor ghost image?

[Matt]

That's the funky Y-connector setup, right?

[jbw]

That's the funky Y-connector setup, right?
Ummm... not sure. You mean that strange blob of pink plastic that converts dvi to d-sub? I'm not using it.

ta,
jbw

[stephen2002]

Is your 2nd monitor the CRT? That sounds rather strange/annoying but I would guess it would be some sort of interference in the graphics card. You might not be able to do anything about it.

I think what Matt meant about "funky Y-Connector" is does the back of the graphics card have just one big plug that you run a breakout cabel into that has the rest of the connectors.

[jscott]

What happens if you move the monitors far apart? Does it still ghost? If it does your problem is not directly the monitors but the feed to them or something in your system. If the ghosting goes away the two monitors are interfering with eachother.

-jscott

[freeDNA]

Ghosting happens because:

(1) Your display card's analog output quality sucks and/or

(2) The cable sucks or too long and/or

(3) The resolution at which the monitor is running is above the recommendation.

(4) Hub is used to output to several monitors.



Solutions:

(1) If you are using CRT monitor. Get a card with better analog output quality. I find Matrox and Leadtek's cards have EXCELLENT output quality. ATI's cards are very good too.

BTW, I have an Intel mainboard with on-board display. It's output is TERRABLE. Very blur at 1280x1024.

(2) If it is an LCD, use only DVI-D cable.

(3) If your CRT monitor has BNC input, use BNC cable to connect the card to the monitor. Trust me, it helps a lot.

[jbw]

No CRTs are being used. No y connectors either just straight connections from dvi (on ti4200) - dvi (on monitor 1) and vga (on ti4200) - dvi (on monitor 2). All cables came with the monitors, I do have spares so I'll give them a try later today.

My monitors (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=35822)

I just tried moving them further away from each other but no change.

Sat next to them is an external HD and an Ipod. I believe there is also a wireless network floating around here somewhere?

(1) If you are using CRT monitor. Get a card with better analog output quality. I find Matrox and Leadtek's cards have EXCELLENT output quality. ATI's cards are very good too.
I'm afraid I've been down the ATI route only to get burnt. Matrox cards don't offer the 3d performance that I require for 3dsmax (AFAIK).

ta,
jbw

[UrbanFuturistic]

Well, in that case it's possibly an interference issue within the card not handling radio frequency emissions properly or a crossed wire somewhere (although if the signal is accurate enough it could be digital interference rather than analogue). Also while both screens are TFT, one is hooked up via Analogue 15-pin D-sub and the DVI-I connector still carries an analogue signal so as to allow the hookup of CRT screens so improperly shielded monitor cables could mean that the analogue signals from one cable are transferring to the other. It is entirely possible, for example, that despite having 'digital' conectors the TFTs actually only use the analogue signal (strange I know, but apparently cheaper end TFTs do this for bizarro reasons).

The main question is, of course, is it a cheap card, what make is it etc.? The only issue I have with my dual CRT setup is the age (6 years) of my second monitor and its lack of brightness running on a shiny Gainward Ti4200 card.

If you can get hold of/borrow an extra monitor to swap with either of the two screens (swap with both just to be sure) that should confirm or eliminate external interference.

hth, Paul

[Matt]

Wait wait wait... So you have a GeForce 4 that has two DVI connectors? What is this, some nutty card from overseas?

[jbw]

Wait wait wait... So you have a GeForce 4 that has two DVI connectors? What is this, some nutty card from overseas?
The main question is, of course, is it a cheap card, what make is it etc.? The only issue I have with my dual CRT setup is the age (6 years) of my second monitor and its lack of brightness running on a shiny Gainward Ti4200 card.
That's the same card I have - a Gainward ti4200. It's got DVI and VGA ports on it (sorry for any confusion). My cables have DVI(gfx card output) to DVI (monitor input) and VGA (gfx card output) to DVI (monitor input).

They worked fine on my Quadro 750XGL at home... but that did set me back an extra £200 so probably not the best example.


If you can get hold of/borrow an extra monitor to swap with either of the two screens (swap with both just to be sure) that should confirm or eliminate external interference.
I've got two Veiwsonic VP191s at home which I could drag into work to see if it's the same. I think I'll start by getting a normal VGA to VGA cable linked to the 2nd monitor and see if it sorts it.

ta,
jbw

[UrbanFuturistic]

If you look at the specs from the link he posted you'll see the monitors have both DVI-I and 15 pin D-sub connectors so his second screen's probably receiving an analogue signal from the D-sub.

regards, Paul

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