Help with HDTV Windows XP inf

[mhouston]

Okay, I have a plasma HDTV I need to drive via VGA (not DVI or HDMI). The display doesn't put out any DDC info, so I want to override with an INF. If I use powerstrip, I can get the resolution added, but I need a more general mechanism to hand off to users. I've attempted to have powerstrip dump out an INF for 1360x768@60Hz, but installing it doesn't seem to work on other systems. Has anyone figured out how to hack the default monitor or plug and play monitor to add resolutions not supported by default? All the standard 4:3's are available, but no 16:9'ish resolutions come up. Absolutely maddening...

 

[Bludd]

Maybe you could try to make the INF with RivaTuner?

 

[Zaphod]

What's the native resolution? 1024x768 non square pixels? This is quite a normal issue with plasmas (i.e. that they don't expose any resolutions not in the native pixel aspect ratio over VGA, while the digital connections also (or only[*]) allow for the scaled HDTV widescreen resolutions). [Edit: Should the solution work irrespective of what video card is used?] I don't think you will get a more 'generic' solution than Powestrip to do what you want. If it is for 'users', perhaps you could whip up a screenshot-accompanied PDF with the appropriate settings.

Why can't you use/suggest a different connection? Even a video card with component out would probably be better for 720p.

[*]Ironically, many 1366x768 LCDs end up with the opposite problem: You want 1:1 pixel mapping over a digital connection but can't bypass the scaler properly so VGA gives the best result.

 

[mhouston]

The short answer is that access to the plasma runs through Extron boxes so that we can route multiple signals to the plasma over the DB15 (VGA) cable running into the TV. The Extron boxes don't forward the EDID line correctly. Powerstrip isn't viable for every user to install, so we need to figure out a more generic solution. Annoyingly, since Windows sees the display as "default monitor", even choosing list all modes in the adapter tab in the display control panel doesn't list the modes. The native resolution is 720p, but the plasma spec lists 1360x768@60HZ as native. If I directly attach without going through the switching hardware (not practical in general), I get this as an available option. What I need is a way to convice Windows to add this to the "default monitor"'s list of available options. When using powerstrip, I can "add resolution" and it seems to do exactly this (and I can give all the exact timing information from the specs). But what I really need is a way to do this in general.

 

[Zaphod]

Ah, sorry then. I though you were working with a plasma with non-square pixels. Have you tried hooking it up directly to read out the recommended timings at the native resolution from EDID and working from there?

Edit: You have that information from the specs... I should read better before I post.