Question

How do I get a DMS-59 video card to work with DVI displays?

Asked by: blackwednesday

I've got a Dell system with an Nvidia card in it (I'm not exactly sure what the model for either is). The Nvidia card has a single DMS-59 connector on it, and I have twin Dell 1708FP displays, running Gentoo Linux. I also have two splitters: one that splits the DMS-59 into two VGA signals, one that splits it into two DVI signals.

If I connect the displays with the VGA cables, I get both displays up. If I connect either one or two displays with DVI cables, neither display works... same if I connect only one display (for which I still have the splitter in place, since I don't have a DMS-59 to DVI adapter, just the splitter). I'm using single-link DVI cables.

My understanding is that DMS-59 is a digital connector, and the Dell literature (for example, http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/video/P69708/Qnvs280_EN/connect.htm ) seems to indicate that I can connect a DMS-59 to two DVI devices, but I've never done this before, so I'm wondering if those familiar with DMS-59 have any sage advice. I'm thinking either I'm missing something that would be obvious to someone with more DMS-59 experience, or else my video card is defective (somehow).

This isn't specifically a problem with X, I can't get a DVI signal in the console either (again, no problem with the VGA).

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Asked On
2008-12-12 at 15:41:05ID23981296
Tags

DMS-59

,

DVI

,

Dell

,

Nvidia

Topic

LCD & Plasma

Participating Experts
1
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2008-12-12 at 17:49:35ID: 23162538

If the monitors expect DVI-I and you provide DVI-D, that may keep them from displaying anything.  Check which DVI the splitter is connecting with: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

 

by: blackwednesdayPosted on 2008-12-13 at 05:14:01ID: 23163799

Doesn't DVI-I just mean that a single connector can accept either digital or analog signals? From the Wikipedia page:

"'DVI-I' stands for 'DVI-Integrated' and supports both digital and analog transfers, so it works with both digital and analog Visual Display Unit."

If I've misunderstood this statement, please correct me, I like understanding this stuff.

In any case, my displays have DVI-D connectors (and separate VGA connectors, the ones that work), and my cables are DVI-D (single-link). I have pictures of all connectors, although the one of the connector on one of my monitors is pretty fuzzy... You can still see that it's a DVI-D connector, though. As for the splitter, I'm not sure... it's DVI-I, I suppose, but since it's connected to a DMS-59, it should be transmitting a digital signal for the DVI-D cables, no?

So here's my understanding: DMS-59 produces a digital signal, DMS-59 to DVI-I splitter transmits a digital signal, DVI-D cables transmit a digital signal, DVI-D connectors on monitors receive a digital signal. Except they don't seem to receive ANY signal, either when I let them autodetect that there's a DVI cable plugged in, or when I select that a DVI cable is plugged in.

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2008-12-15 at 13:17:05ID: 23177930

It depends on how it is used - even though something gets DVI-I, internally it can use analog or digital.  If you provide only digital and it wants to use analog, it won't work.

As a simpler explanation, do your monitors automatically sense which port to use, or do you have to set them manually?

 

by: blackwednesdayPosted on 2008-12-16 at 06:47:23ID: 23183987

Like I said, whether I let the monitors autodetect or whether I explicitly selected DVI, I wasn't getting a signal. Also, in response to your point about DVI-I not working if it's connected to something digital on one end and analog on the other, both ends were digital.

In any case, I've figured it out. I plugged in all the DVI stuff and rebooted, and everything worked... apparently rebooting is important to tell the video card to produce a digital signal. I knew it was something stupid I was missing.

 

by: CallandorPosted on 2008-12-16 at 07:26:49ID: 23184397

It's good to know that it does work the way it's supposed to - I was wondering what could possibly be happening.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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