Best picture quality in Vista with Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H (2 Viewers)

[Johnnie]

First of all thanks for your reply!

In your case (TV Panel with native res 1366*768, square pixels) I would hook up the TV with a VGA-cable and set this resolution in CCC. This resolution would be possible with CCC over VGA I guess. In other words try to get 1:1 pixel mapping, this is the key. You get this most easily over VGA. You would be happy with the result. HDMI is designed for 1080 or 720 vertical resolution.

Unfortunatly the TV hasn't got any VGA inputs, I'm stuck with HDMI.

Because I'm quite new in this sort of things, can I ask you some clearification?

As I understand from you're answer is that the settings 1366*768 is only valuable to VGA connection. right?
What is 1:1 pixel mapping?
How can I set the configuration in CCC or Vista to 1080 or 720 vertical resolution?​

I also looked into the user manual, but as far as I can determine there is no adjustment possible to set "overscan"

What sort of effect does this setting have?​

Below I listed the possible formats of my screen, can I do something with them?
•Computer formats
Resolution Refresh rate

640 x 480 60, 72, 75, 85Hz
800 x 600 60, 72, 75, 85Hz
1024 x 768 60, 70, 75, 85Hz​

•Video formats
Resolution Refresh rate

480i 60Hz
480p 60Hz
576i 50Hz
576p 50Hz
720p 50, 60Hz
1080i 50, 60Hz
1080p 50Hz, 60Hz​

Tia, Johnnie

 

[kkendall]

Some advice which will hopefully help you on your way:

Installing SAF with the PowerDVD-codec (which is, by the way, just for MPEG-2/SD, not HD) is one thing, but you'll have to actually select the correct codecs to get the whole system running as you intended it to run. This is explained in the first post of the SAF-topic where you also found the installation guide. For now, I'll assume you have selected the MPC - Video Decoder for H.264-video. Also, I'm guessing the movie you're trying to play back is is a .mkv movie. This should play back fine if you selected the MPC-codec following the SAF-guide.

There isn't actually a button in Mediaportal, especially with 'external' codecs, which lets you 'turn on' DXVA(=Hardware Acceleration). If you have the correct codec selected, it should go automatically. Anyway, you should check the SAF-topic for a description about GraphStudio. With this application you can see exactly which codec is being used during movie playback, and if it uses a DXVA-codec (like MPC-HC codec) it'll be using DXVA. For more information about GraphStudio, read the first post of the SAF-topic. You could also take a look at your task manager during movieplayback, if CPU-usage is very low (5-10%) you're most likely using DXVA.

I'm sorry, but what is a SAF pack??
If I search the forum it finds nothing, and so too for Google...

 

[Johnnie]

Hi flokel,

Reading this thread I'm doubting to by an other card, but in the other hand al lot of people are very pleased with the motherboard.

Please see My System for more details.

BTW I've tried 1360*768 as well.

Other tips maybe?

tia Johnnie

 

[kszabo]

I'm sorry, but what is a SAF pack??

StandAlone Filters

here: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/codecs-external-players-55/stand-alone-filters-mediaportal-44614/

 

[Thijs_O]

*long post*

I'm sorry, but what is a SAF pack??
If I search the forum it finds nothing, and so too for Google...

It's a codec package of some sort, which only installs the basic codecs you'll need without any extra software. Click here to go to the SAF-topic on this forum. The full name is Stand Alone Filters (for Mediaportal).


@ Johnnie:
Perhaps not the most useful reply because I didn't read your exact problem but since I was replying to kkendall I might as well reply to your issue. Did you update Catalyst to the latest version? If so, you should be able to set your display to 1360x768 at (in dutch): Configuratiescherm > Persoonlijke Instellingen > Beeldscherminstellingen. If not, your monitor might not support it.

 

[kszabo]

What is 1:1 pixel mapping?
overscan - What sort of effect does this setting have?

wikipedia, google, Mediaportal Forum search....

there are a lot of stuff around to find.

No VGA-Input. But you coul try the composite as analog input then (small round yellow)! It supports HD resolutions.

Otherwise you can try this with HDMI:
- istall the latest CCC 8.12
- open Catalyst Control Center
- set 720p@50 Hz as resolution in Display Manager
- go to HDTV support and find the scaling option; set it as that the picture fills the screen as you like

or consider buying a fullHD TV and get rid of the old iron (as I do )

 

[Johnnie]

Hi,

I'm going to do this later this evening..

=> go to HDTV support and find the scaling option; set it as that the picture fills the screen as you like
Is this also in CCC?

Ow btw the screen isn't that old, and when I bring this topic on the table here I'll end up a divorce ;-).
Where can I find if my screen is doing 1:1 pixel mapping, the brochure listing Pixel Plus
.....and reading on wiki what 1:1 pixel mapping is right now

cheers Johnnie

 

[kszabo]

=> go to HDTV support and find the scaling option; set it as that the picture fills the screen as you like
Is this also in CCC?

under "displays manager" set 1280x720, 50 Hz (PAL for the Netherlands I guess)
under DTV / Scaling options use the adjust bar
you can add and try optimized resolutions (smaller to compensate overscan, see pic 3, here you can create own resolutions also adding a standard 720p res and adjusting the shown rectangle to cover your screen - you shhould do this with deactivated scaling = 0%)

The screenshots are not mine, found on the net. Small differences are psooible (CCC Version, ATi Hardware, connected display etc). Just click everything through!



look at this:

 

[Johnnie]

HI,

Really thanks for helping me out!

Herewith a little explination what I've done, hopefully it will help others:

* In CCC: DVI Support, selected 720 @50 Hz
* In the panel beneath selected 1280*720 @50Hz
* Select "Apply/Force"
* Add the resolution
* Then in the screen that needs adjusting (I've got a dual monitor system) appears a white screens, with controls to adjust horizontal and vertical resolution. Play with that until you've find the resolution you like.
In my case it was 1216*632 (but still tweaking)
*Accept the changes on screen
* Add this resolution
* Finally you can select this added resolution in "Display Manager"

 

[kszabo]

I am happy that you found your solution.

I would explain just once more how this works:
The HTPC produces a signal with 1280*720 pixels. The TV enlarges it with 20-30% (scales it up, this makes the picture unsharp) and displays this picture on your 1366*768 panel. It cuts the edges of the picture (the upscaled picture is bigger than the panel resolution). This is called "overscan" (relict from the analog TV era to avoid black edges). To make this more complex my old plasma has not even quadratic pixels (1024*768 as 16:9).

How can you compensate this? 3 possibilities:
1. deactivate overscan function of the TV and connect HTPC with the native panel resolution. This is called 1:1 pixel mapping, oft only through VGA possible. This is the best as you avoid scalig artefacts (important for desktop sharpness). As your films have always different resolution than your panel this is not so important (the film will be up or downscaled by the graphic card). The best is to watch 1080px films on a 1080 panel wich is pixel mapped .
2. if you cannot deactivate the overscan you can compensate the problem through your graphics card through scaling: it scales the desktop down and puts black border around it. As this signal goes through the process above you get desktop-display match (not very precise), but relative unsharp (scaling desktop down and then up - what a stupidity) - this is called also "resolution in resolution", achieved with powerstrip earlier (now CCC makes this itself)
3. compensate the problem with custom resolutions in CCC - make desktop resolution smaller, resulting desktop-display panel match again after TV-upscaling+overscan. If you use this option, don´t use scaling! makes no sense.

this is my interpretation, hopefully correct and understandable. Greetings