Widescreen Gaming Forum

Setup under examination: as titled

Has anyone tried or is using this setup?

I have quickly scanned the sig of many members here but I dont seem to find anyone with this type of setup. For those who are using analog or digital TH2G, they are using either CRT or LCD monitors. Maybe the closest setup is having 3 LCD monitors with native resolution of 1920 x 1200 or 1680 x 1050. If so, can anyone how you setup your 3 widescreen monitors?

The concept is: feeding 3 x 1280 x 720 (or 3 x 1360 x768) signal to the three HD LCDTV via the DTH2G. Each LCDTV will use its internal scaler to scale the 1280 x 720 up to its native 1920 x 1080 resolution so that the image fills up the whole panel.

I am new to TH2G and so please excuse my elementary questions.
(BTW, is there a 'hotkey' or something on the keyboard that I can hit and the desktop will collapse from 3 displays and 'converge' into the centre monitor at 1920 x 1080 ?)

TIA

What you speak of is possible, there is no hot key that I know of but some intense googling should yield the results you require, altho getting it to work on the center screen will be tricky, matrox had released a firmware update to allow you to do this but then they recalled it because it could brick your unit.

I would have a four screen setup if I were taking this route.

Relevant Spec:
OS: Vista 32-bit
Display Card: ATI HD3870 (with CCC 8.3)
Display: three Toshiba Regza 46" HD LCDTVs (1920 x 1080p 16:9 panel)
Display card-to-DTH2G cable: the supplied dual link DVI-to-DVI cable
DTH2G-to-Display cable: three DVI-to-HDMI cables
Powerdesk SE version: 2.03.00.009 (downloaded from Matrox site)

After connecting all the hardwares, I booted into Windows desktop which is stretched across 3 displays. However, entire destop spills over the 4 edges of the panel (looks like overscanning but I am not sure if this is the cause). Eg, only the top half of the taskbar is visible as the bottom half sinks below bottom edge of the panel.

[Problem #1] Checking Windows' Display Setting, the resolution is set at 1920 x 480. I tried to change resolutions here but each time the desktop blanked out about 10 seconds and came right back with 1920 x 480. Neither increasing the resolutions to 2400 x 600 or 3072 x 768 nor decreasing to 1280 x 1024 has any effect. It seems that the resolution of 1920 x 480 is somehow stuck. However, at that moment I was hoping that once the DTH2G software is installed, I could change this resolution to my desired one.

(I cannot use CCC to change resolution because of Problem #2 as described below.)

I installed next the GXM Compatiblity software downloaded from Matrox site. It reported back that the System, the Display Driver and the Max Resolution Supported (3 x 1280 x 1024) are all green ticks. Good!

So, I proceeded next to install the latest Powerdesk SE software (version 2.03.00.009 but is reported as 11.10.300.9 from within the Powerdesk software. I have checked the supplied CD and the version inside is an older one 11.9.200.5) downloaded from Matrox site. The installation appeared to go smoothly. Upon rebooting, the Matrox Icon was shown on the System Tray. I located my 2 desired resolutions (3 x 1280 x 720 @60Hz 16:9 and 3 x 1360 x 768 @60Hz 16:9) and added them into the Display Modes box (the one having a maximum of 4) from GXM Setup.

(Here, GXM Setup also confirms that the stuck resolution is 1920 x 480 @60Hz 32bpp. And the 3 monitors are reported as "Toshiba-TV (Digital) on GXM connector 1, 2 and 3. So, it appears ok.)

[Problem #2] As the current resolution is stuck at 1920 x 480 (I suppose this means that each 1920 x 1080 HDTV panel is now displaying at a lowly 640 x 480), the bottom part of this "Edit Mode List" Window falls below the bottom edge of the screen. And I have no way to click the "Apply" box or the "OK" box in order to make any change in this Window effective.
[Note: I admit I am not sure at all that even being able to click the "Apply" box will change the current resolution from 1920 x 480 to 3 x 1280 x 720. But, I am not able to find out as I cannot click the "Apply" box!)

SO, here are my 2 hurdles (so far). Problem #1 seems to be more serious and fundamental.

Can anyone think of any reason why the resolution appears to get stuck at 1920 x 480 in Windows desktop? Any suggestion is welcome.

(PS I seem to remember that Matrox used to have a forum at their site to provide Technical Support and it was canceled for some reason. Correct? Do they now provide email tech support?)

As I am basically asking for help in setting up new hardwares, should this thread be moved to Technical Support - Open Tickets ?

If so, would the Forum Moderator please transfer my thread over there?
Thank you.

I understand that DTH2G basically fools Windows to think that my three displays are actually 1 big display. So, I have used a software to extract some EDID data from Windows registry to see how Windows "sees" this 1 big display.

I can see that the so-called Preferred Detailed Timing: gives 3840 x 1024. I wonder if I am stuck at this so-called Detailed Timing #3: which gives 1920 x 480 ???

Anyway, here are the info and see if anyone can shed some light here.


EDID ( Extendid Display Identification Data) Report

Vendor/Product Identification:

Monitor Name :
Monitor Serial Number :
Manufacturer Name : MTX
Product Id : 511
Serial Number : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Week Of Manufacture : 30
Year Of Manufacture : 2007
EDIDVersion : V1.3
Number Of Extension Flag : 0

Display parameters:

Video Input Definition : Digital Signal
DFP1X Compatible Interface : False
Max Horizontal Image Size : 410 mm
Max Vertical Image Size : 310 mm

Power Management and Features:

Standby : Supported
Suspend : Supported
ActiveOff : Supported
Video Input : 1
sRGB Default ColorSpace : False
Default GTF : Not Supported
Prefered Timing Mode : False

Gamma/Color and Etablished Timings:

Display Gamma : 2.2
Red : x = 0.638 - y = 0.342
Green : x = 0.293 - y = 0.609
Blue : x = 0.147 - y = 0.068
White : x = 0.313 - y = 0.329

Etablished Timings :
800 x 600 @ 60Hz (VESA)
640 x 480 @ 75Hz (VESA)
640 x 480 @ 60Hz (IBM, VGA)
1280 x 1024 @ 75Hz (VESA)
1024 x 768 @ 75Hz (VESA)
1024 x 768 @ 60Hz (VESA)
800 x 600 @ 75Hz (VESA)

Display Type : RGB Color Display

Standard Timing:


Standard Timings n¢X 1
X Resolution : 1600
Y Resolution : 1200
Vertical Frequency : 60

Standard Timings n¢X 2
X Resolution : 1280
Y Resolution : 1024
Vertical Frequency : 60

Preferred Detailed Timing:

Pixel Clock : 254.31 Mhz

Horizontal Active : 3840 pixels
Horizontal Blanking : 136 pixels
Horizontal Sync Offset : 16 pixels
Horizontal Sync Pulse Width : 16 pixels
Horizontal Border : 0 pixels
Horizontal Size : 2352 mm

Vertical Active : 1024 lines
Vertical Blanking : 42 lines
Vertical Sync Offset : 1 lines
Vertical Sync Pulse Width : 7 lines
Vertical Border : 0 lines
Vertical Size : 38 mm

Input Type : Digital Separate
Interlaced : False
VerticalPolarity : True
HorizontalPolarity : True

Detailed Timing #2:

Pixel Clock : 195 Mhz

Horizontal Active : 3072 pixels
Horizontal Blanking : 960 pixels
Horizontal Sync Offset : 72 pixels
Horizontal Sync Pulse Width : 240 pixels
Horizontal Border : 0 pixels
Horizontal Size : 2296 mm

Vertical Active : 768 lines
Vertical Blanking : 38 lines
Vertical Sync Offset : 3 lines
Vertical Sync Pulse Width : 9 lines
Vertical Border : 0 lines
Vertical Size : 800 mm

Input Type : Digital Separate
Interlaced : False
VerticalPolarity : True
HorizontalPolarity : True

Detailed Timing #3:

Pixel Clock : 75.52 Mhz

Horizontal Active : 1920 pixels
Horizontal Blanking : 480 pixels
Horizontal Sync Offset : 48 pixels
Horizontal Sync Pulse Width : 240 pixels
Horizontal Border : 0 pixels
Horizontal Size : 2592 mm

Vertical Active : 480 lines
Vertical Blanking : 45 lines
Vertical Sync Offset : 10 lines
Vertical Sync Pulse Width : 5 lines
Vertical Border : 0 lines
Vertical Size : 298 mm

Input Type : Digital Separate
Interlaced : False
VerticalPolarity : True
HorizontalPolarity : True

Detailed Timing #4:

Pixel Clock : 120 Mhz

Horizontal Active : 2400 pixels
Horizontal Blanking : 768 pixels
Horizontal Sync Offset : 120 pixels
Horizontal Sync Pulse Width : 224 pixels
Horizontal Border : 0 pixels
Horizontal Size : 2408 mm

Vertical Active : 600 lines
Vertical Blanking : 28 lines
Vertical Sync Offset : 1 lines
Vertical Sync Pulse Width : 7 lines
Vertical Border : 0 lines
Vertical Size : 808 mm

Input Type : Digital Separate
Interlaced : False
VerticalPolarity : True
HorizontalPolarity : True

Monitor Range Limit:

Maximum Vertical Frequency : 0 Hz
Minimum Vertical Frequency : 0 Hz
Maximum Horizontal Frequency : 0 KHz
Minimum Horizontal Frequency : 0 KHz
Maximum Pixel Clock : 0 MHz

Stereo Display:

Stereo Display : Normal display (no stereo)

Update:

With just one TV connected, I have managed to click "Apply" at the bottom of the "Edit Mode List" window to add my desired resolution (3 x 1280 x 720 @ 60Hz) into the list. I did a reboot (at 1280 x 720@60Hz) to make the change effective. So, Problem #2 above is solved.

However, when I re-connected the digital TH2G with the three TVs and boot up, nothing showed up on the screens.

Does anyone know how the digital TH2G unit work as far as choosing a mode from that list (which contains a maximum of 4 modes)? How does the unit decide to choose which mode? Or, is there a way that I can 'force' the unit to choose a desired mode?

And, if somehow at the end of the day, the mode 3 x 1280 x 720 @60Hz does work, does this mean the digital TH2G unit is sending out a 720p signal to each of the three HD LCDTVs?


Has anyone ever tried to connect three LCDTVs (with resolutions larger than 1280 x 1024) with a TH2G unit (digital or analogue) ? Or, am I the first one to walk down this path here in this forum?

Has any TH2G user here ever flashed the "EPROM" of the unit?

If so, please share your experience. Thanks.

Does anyone know how the digital TH2G unit work as far as choosing a mode from that list (which contains a maximum of 4 modes)? How does the unit decide to choose which mode? Or, is there a way that I can 'force' the unit to choose a desired mode?

When you add modes to the list and then close the GXM software, the resolutions will be available as Windows desktop resolutions. Select them like you would any other screen resolution (right click the desktop, select Properties, go to the Settings tab, and drag the slider. Matrox triplehead resolutions will be on the right portion of the slider). When you push a triplehead resolution through the TripleHead2Go, the unit automatically puts the image on three screens.

And, if somehow at the end of the day, the mode 3 x 1280 x 720 @60Hz does work, does this mean the digital TH2G unit is sending out a 720p signal to each of the three HD LCDTVs?

Yes.

Has any TH2G user here ever flashed the "EPROM" of the unit?

If so, please share your experience. Thanks.

I flashed my Digital TripleHead2Go firmware so that single-screen resolutions were displayed on the center screen instead of on the left. It was a simple process. Instructions can be found on this page, in bold text in a post of mine.

[quote]Has any TH2G user here ever flashed the "EPROM" of the unit?

If so, please share your experience. Thanks.

I flashed my Digital TripleHead2Go firmware so that single-screen resolutions were displayed on the center screen instead of on the left. It was a simple process. Instructions can be found on this page, in bold text in a post of mine.

Wow! Thank you JKeefe for this info.

May I ask:

a. How do I find out what version/date/number that is currently in my Digital TH2G unit? I dont want to flash back to an older version.

b. Under software download section for Digital TH2G in Matrox website, I cannot find any firmware available for download. Where can I get it? What is the latest version number ?

c. You mentioned single screen resolutions being displayed on middle screen instead of on the left.
While being in a 3-screen mode, how does one switch from it to this single screen mode? (I was warned by a member here that this doesnt work?!)
(Not that my Digital TH2G setup is working now, but I like to get some forward knowledge)

PS
OK, I have scanned thru the "Single Screen Gaming Thread" and found a RapidShare link to the NewOut.zip.pkg (442KB) firmware file. Does anyone know the version number or date of release of this version.

Importantly, I have discovered that guru3d has put up the firmware (that they got from Matrox) in their website. That .pkg file is : THV2_v2.3.32.t6.49.pkg (519KB)

http://downloads.guru3d.com/Matrox-TripleHead2GO-Digital-Firmware-download-2016.html

The size of these 2 firmwares are not the same and so they must be different. Which one of them is newer?