Graphics card

[efxmaster]

Can someone please help me understand why a brand new Mac pro with an Nvidia quadro 4000 graphics card cannot support what my 2008 Mac pro with an Nvidia geforce 8800 can?

1 triple head to go running a 3 projector blend at 1280X800 each projector, and then a single screen running at 1280X800. I had mine running this configuration for 5 weeks, with no problem. Now this one is in here and I can't make it work to save my life.

[NevBull]

Have you updated all of the drivers from the Nvidia website? 10.6.7 broke their drivers bigtime

Nev.

[Mr_P]

It should be able to do this...

What specifically 'is not supported' - what are you trying to do?

Different graphics cards will work in different ways - you should not assume that new hardware will identically to old hardware.

There are a number of things that need to be configured for catalyst to work successfully on any MacPro, not least the new 5,1 (2010/2011) Mac Pros. Its not a simple case of unpacking the box and expecting it to work flawlessly...

Tell us what you need to do - and we can try to help

S

[efxmaster]

Thanks for the help guys. Here is the setup. 3 panasonic projectors running off of a triple head to go. Resolution is 1280X800 each, so 3840X800 total. That runs fine. So I have another projector I need to run by itself. So I plug it into the other out of the card which is a display port. So the Nvidia card came with a display port to Dvi cable. Now, the other projector does not have DVi in, only RGB? So I have a Geffen DVI to VGA converter. So from display port to dvi in on the Geffen to RGB out of the Geffen to the projector in.

Now when I try to turn it all on, all I get is static on the single projector. The 3 projectors on the triple head work fine. If I change the resolution on the single projector down to 480P, I get an image. No other resolution works. Now, if I plug in only one of the projectors to the triple head to go and set the resolution to something like 1920X1080, then the projector that was static, will work at any resolution.

My 2008 Mac with an 8800 card, ran 6 of these projectors at 1280x800 fine with no issues. The only difference is that I used apple DVI to via cables since they work with the 8800 card and triple head to go.

I did install the latest drivers. I did set the computer to run in 32 bit mode. I had to since I hace a phoenix card. What else should I do? Are there other things I need to change or setup?

Also, I have posted this before, but never received an answer, but the phoenix card glitches. It still stutters, just like my decklink did. I have been told that this is because the signal coming in is 59.94 and the computer output is 60. Any fix for that?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Mr_P]

Hi

I think the problem you are seeing here with the projector on output 1 is related to HDCP and/or EDID

It would be better to us a DP-VGA adaptor, rather than DP-DVI and a converter:
LINK (http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=dp-vga&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=Lx7iTZeoL8_GswbGxvT8BQ#client=safari&rls=en&q=dp-vga&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm=shop&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wf&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=8675bca0919d22df&biw=1455&bih=886)

You could also use a DVI Parrot to strip out the EDID before the your gefen DVI-VGA converter

Or, if you have another Matrox unit spare - try programming it as a single head device at the desired resolution. The Matrox TH2G-D and DH2G-D does not enable HDCP and can also convert from DVI input to VGA output. The TH2G-D edition will work on a DP output, but only at single-link resolutions. (which is fine for a single 1280x1024 output)

I think this is the only change you will have to make to get it working - as it sounds like you've got the rest of the system configured ok.


General info about EDID & HDCP:
In OC 10.6.x Apple changed the way in which they deal with HDCP compliance.
Essentially, any HDCP compliant equipment connected to the MacPro will enable the HDCP signal
Many LCD monitors and DVI distribution amplifier are HDCP compliant and will enable the Mac HDCP signal, irrespective of content.
However - you can get round this by adding a Pharos DVI Parrot EDID emulation tool - this stops the HDCP signal from being enabled - thus allowing connection of other non-HDCP compliant equipment.

You may wish to consider using either Pharos DVI ParrotDVI EDID Emulator / Gefen DVI Detectives if HDCP is un-desirable...

The use of a Pharos DVI ParrotDVI EDID Emulator / Gefen DVI Detectives is essential if you are connecting to NON-HDCP devices. (ie led screen controllers or DVI extenders)

Matrox DH2D-D, TH2G-D and Datapath x4 also disable HDCP - and non-compliant kit can be connected to their outputs without requirement for further DVI Detectives or Parrots

http://www.dviparrot.com/
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4714

Please see notes on the catvx support forum:
http://chaldee1.gotadsl.co.uk/~richardb/upload/showthread.php?t=1925&highlight=hdcp


S

[Mr_P]

Check post: http://chaldee1.gotadsl.co.uk/~richardb/upload/showthread.php?t=1987

re Phoenix card

s

[efxmaster]

Ok, I do have another triple head 2 go. It is a digital edition. So if I plug it up, don't know how to configure the 2 seperatly from each other. I don't see any options in the GMX software to switch between them. That is the only way I know how to set them up. When I plug both in, and then plug the single projector into the first slot on the second triple head, I get nothing on the projector at all. It sees no signal. I thought that was because I was using a triple head 2 go digital edition on a display port out put. Isn't the display port a digital only signal? Can the triple head convert from digital to analog? Is the Geffen dvi to RGB converter not needed?

As far as the Phoenix card goes, that post that you linked me to was my post. I know what the problem is, I just don't know how to fix it? I was just wondering if you knew anything that might help.

[Mr_P]

The TH2G-Digital does DVI to analogue conversion internally.

Disconnect the 3way working one and connect the other just to program it and test it. Also worth downloading the new software from the matrix site if not already using it.

Once you've configured the new one - then reeboot and re connect
Always try to do one thing at a time...

I assume that you've tested the projector on a working output anyway...

DP supports analogue - so long as you use an analogue adaptor. A passive DVI-VGA adapror connected to a DP-DVI adaptor won't work...

The TH2G will also remove HDCP, which may be the problem here - so the gefen DVI-VGA converter may not be required in this scenario - unless you want to use the 'parrot + gefen' solution instead

S

[efxmaster]

Ok. So I tested this all tonight. I think I may have a bad VGA cable. Will know in the morning when I can get another one. The one thing I noticed is that when I disconnected the working triple head ( I mean the one already in use ) and connected the other one, the only options it would give me for resolutions in the matrix software was 3 wide at a low resolution. If I went into system preferences it gave me a few more resolutions, but none that was the projectors native. So I went a head and plugged it all back up with the other one, and then tested the output on a local monitor, and it worked. Still not at the resolution I wanted, but it was there. When I connected it to the cable that ran to the projector, I got a very strange image. That is why I think the cable is bad.

So next question. It will be possible to add other screens right? Granted, this will probably not happen, but my 2008 catalyst ran 6 screens fine and that ability is something I might need again. Just want to make sure 2 triple heads will work since matrox's website says it 2 will only work under windows.

Thanks

[Mr_P]

As I said above

The display port to DVI adaptor only supports SINGLE LINK resolutions - so probably only 3x 800x600 - not 3x 1280x1024 if you are using a standard TH2D-Digital edition.

Higher resolutions are only available if you use the DISPLAY PORT edition connected to the DISPLAY PORT on your graphics card.

When working with VGA - there are sync issues on output 2 of the TH2G due to lower sync levels. Depending on your kit, this sometime create 'messed up' images. The way round this is to use a VGA DA that correctly buffers the signal before it gets to your projector / screen. (Kramer VGA DA's seem to work well) This might be what you are seeing?

The difference between your Macs is the graphics card.... not all graphics cards support all these TH2G resolutions.

DisplayPort and Mini-Diaplay-Port will only support SINGLE LINK resolutions natively with passive adaptors - so when connecting a TH2G, you wont get the same FULL resolutions that you do when you connect TH2G to a DVI-D output from the graphics card (which supports DUAL LINK - hi res)

If you want to use a DP or MDP output from the graphics card - you have to use a TH2G-'Display Port' edition to get access to the full resolutions.

To give an example:
MacPro 5,1 with Quadro8000 (DVI-D + DisplayPort)
1x TH2G-Digital
1x TH2G-Display Port

I can get:
6x 1280x720@60hz
6x 1280x1024@60hz
4x 1920x1080@60hz
as well as other lower resolutions

hope this helps

S

[efxmaster]

Ok. For some reason when you said single link I thought you meant single output. The Matrox site says not to mix the different types. Since you have done this, can you give me a quick step by step of how to program each one? Sorry for the stupidity here, but my old ones I never had to do this with.

Thanks for the help.

[Mr_P]

Single-Link refers to the type of DVI singnal - basically the bandwith / resolution it will go up to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

- Connect one at a time to the relevant output from the graphics card
- open the matrox GMX Control Panel
- select the resolutions you want to use (refer to the matrox instructions)
- reboot as necessary

do again for 2nd TH2G
(probably re-boot again)

-set the resolution in display preferences for the output 1 first

- then connect the 2nd TH2G and set the resolution in display preferences for that

hopefully it will work as required.

It is worth running remote desktop just incase you cant see the desktop at any point - then you can access it from another mac

S