Can't install VGA monitor on DVI-I port!

[Brandoggydog]

I have two LG Flatron E2211 monitors, that both run only on VGA. I want to dual monitor with them however only the one that's plugged into the VGA port on my graphics card will is installed, the other is on DVI-I port using a converter and says Generic Non-Pnp Monitor and has awful resolution etc. (for the record the dual monitor does work)

I have switched them over and still the one thats plugged into DVI says the same thing. So individually they work fine.
I tried to install drivers from disc and always get message saying "installation aborted".
When I "update driver" it just says I have best driver already installed

At the moment it's pointless using the other monitor until I can get this fixed. Does this sound like an easily fixable issue?

I'm using windows 7 and my graphics card is ASUS Nvidia GT520 1GB. (P.S. maybe I should have had "Comp wont recognise VGA monitor on DVI-I port" as title, anyway hope you know what I'm trying to say)

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated guys? I'm flipping out here

Cheers

[jman98]

Welcome to the forums and thank you for starting a new thread instead of just digging up an old one and adding to it (we hate that).

Do you have Win 7 32 bit or 64 bit? If you bought this PC, what's the brand and model? If you built it, what's your motherboard? I don't do dual monitors so others will have to help, but providing the information I asked about is a good idea.

[nic2k4]

You must have a bad converter, the monitor being recognized as generic non-PNP means the DDC data isn't passing between the monitor and video card.

[Brandoggydog]

No problem jman,

it's Win7 64bit and HP p6-2010uk

If I haven't been clear on anything just say and I'll try to clarify

[Brandoggydog]

You must have a bad converter, the monitor being recognized as generic non-PNP means the DDC data isn't passing between the monitor and video card.

I was hoping that could be the issue but I wasn't sure how likely the converters could fail in such a way (picture being displayed but not recognising monitor and installing correctly). I've got another one ordered (thought it was worth a shot cos they are cheap) so hopefully that will fix it.

Also what is DDC data? How could the converter stop this info from passing

[Cornucopia]

DDC = Display Data Channel.

Thing is, VGA is analog. DVI is expect to be digital.
The DVI-A connector only uses Analog (just like VGA) and so is totally compatible with VGA and a passive converter to VGA works really well.
The DVI-D connector only uses Digital, so any kind of conversion to VGA must be an active D-to-A conversion (like a little PC!) for it to work at all.
The DVI-I connector is a hybrid that can accept either kind (Analog or Digital), but you may not really know WHICH signal is going to be used, that all depends on the card/mobo.

My guess is that you've got a Digital signal going out the DVI-I, and a Passive converter, which doesn't correctly understand or convert to VGA. And so, you'd need an Active converter.

If my hunch is correct, the DDC would NOT pass between monitor & card because a passive converter just drops that data. An Active converter "presents" a particular expected resolution to the D side, and creates that resolution on the A side.

Scott

[nic2k4]

If you have a continuity meter check the bad converter between pin 6 DVI side and pin 15 VGA side and pin 7 DVI side and pin 12 VGA side. It's also possible that the pins in the connectors aren't making good contact (female side, poor quality connectors).

An active converter is not needed with a DVI-I source, 5 pins were added to carry the analogue signal. Some DVI connectors omit data channels 3, 4 & 5 (middle 2 columns of 24 pin connector).

You might be interested to know HDMI also uses DDC on pins 15 (SCL) & 16 (SDA), but there's no anologue video signal.

If you've installed the LG driver for the other monitor, you can manually force the one on the DVI port to use the same driver. Windows will whine that the driver is not made for the device, but you know it's not true, so just ignore it.

[Cornucopia]

An active converter is not needed with a DVI-I source, 5 pins were added to carry the analogue signal.

That's only true if the port/card PROVIDES an analog signal.

Scott

[edDV]

The card has VGA, HDMI and DVI-I connectors. A DVI-I connector can support DVI-D and DVI-A (same as VGA) using separate pins.

Most cards of this type support up to two simultaneous output connections (aka "Multi-Monitor"). The unknown is whether this particular card supports two analog VGA outputs simultaneously. This would require dual RAMDACs (output frame buffer to D/A). The card documentation should list the output combinations allowed. Alternately the tech specs should list one or two RAMDACs.

Unfortunately the Nvidia spec sheet isn't clear on this. They only say "VGA optional". It isn't clear if the VGA connector is shared with the DVI-I port or if it has a separate RAMDAC.


http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gt-520/specifications

If the ASUS manual isn't clear, you should ask their tech support if two VGA simultaneous displays are supported.

[nic2k4]

The OP mentions that he has the setup working in dual analogue monitor mode, just that the monitor on the DVI-I port has "awful resolution". That's obviously the result of the missing DDC connection and a generic monitor driver being loaded.

He can force the correct driver to load, but without DDC he will have to manually adjust the refresh rate (and depending on what the driver allows, Vsync, polarity...) everytime he switches resolution. That should be easy to do; he only needs to copy the settings from the other monitor.

[Brandoggydog]

Thanks for all the info

I have another converter on the way, it is pretty much the exact same one as I'm using so unless there's a fault with my current one then I guess this ain't going to cut it either: http://www.amazon.co.uk/female-Monitor-Display-Adapter-Plated/dp/B0021YGUFM/ref=sr_1_2...8055403&sr=8-2 What do you think?

An Active converter "presents" a particular expected resolution to the D side, and creates that resolution on the A side.

Can you provide an example of such a converter?

If you've installed the LG driver for the other monitor, you can manually force the one on the DVI port to use the same driver. Windows will whine that the driver is not made for the device, but you know it's not true, so just ignore it.

How do I do this? The LG installation is disc seems to be useless, the monitor (running off VGA port) just installed itself if I remember correctly. The driver file details say "C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\monitor.sys" for both my montiors so does that not mean they are using same driver?


...as I was typing this I figured out how to manually set driver,and it worked YEEEEEEEHHAAAAAAA (installed it for both of them as there seemed to be a slight difference on picture)

Thanks for all your help guys, all I need to do now is figure out how I'm going to a get desktop pic that will span both screens hahahahahaha
...seriously will that be tough lol?

[MOVIEGEEK]

Thanks for all your help guys, all I need to do now is figure out how I'm going to a get desktop pic that will span both screens hahahahahaha
...seriously will that be tough lol?

Use clone mode in the nVidia control panel.

[nic2k4]

Once you've installed the driver for the other monitor it will appear in the list of monitor drivers. Just go to device manager, find the monitor and click update driver. Choose the advanced installation, don't search for drivers, uncheck "show compatible hardware" and find your LG monitor.