No DVI only VGA?

[mike_15]

I have a new issue with my server video signal.

I have had what was an overall stable setup for some time now. but about a week ago I came across something I hadn't seen before. my tv was showing no signal while watching a show. no audio either
The screen just went blank as though the computer shut down. I went downstairs to check what happened. To my surprise computer was still running. I just hard rebooted it and started it back up, all seemed good, I blamed my wife for setting her purse on the wireless keyboard. She just gave me the look. you know the one.
Today I was watching a show and it went blank again. no signal prompt on the TV. Instead of hard rebooting it I logged in remotely, all was up and running. I am thinking the video card is on it way out. I tried using the other input on the TV, same thing. I don't have another DVI monitor so I cant check the tv input. hooked up a regular monitor to the VGA output on the vid card and rebooted that works.
I uninstalled the vid card drivers and downloaded the most recent ones, no change.

Is it possible that the video card DVI output is dead but the VGA is not?


TV Samsung HLS-5086 DLP using HDMI input
Vid Card- Chaintech 256MB Nvidia 5500FX Using DVI output (DVI to HDMI cable)
AMD athlonXP3200 on Chaintech MB

What should I try next??

[IncredibleHat]

(I know this is a sucky question, but) Do you have another DVI cable you could try? It may be the cable ... ?

[mike_15]

It is the only cable I have, I wouldn't expect the cable to be the issue, The cables have been undisturbed.

Does anybody know about the archetecture of a vid card, I wouldn't think the VGA portion of the card would work and the DVI would not. I would think they would use much of the same circuitry.

[heavylee]

Originally Posted by mike_15

I have had what was an overall stable setup for some time now. but about a week ago I came across something I hadn't seen before. my tv was showing no signal while watching a show. no audio either

You said the audio dropped too? If so, I don't know if the video card is the root problem.

[mike_15]

I am using the internal speakers on my TV, I believe it needs video before the audio will work. I will verify when I get home tonight.

[ybrew]

I have seen this issue with dell computer - the vid cards have both dvi and vga and one of the outputs stop working. almost positive it was the dvi that failed.

I have seen this problem at least two times.

[erik]

Some samsung products are reported to have occasional problems with HDMI input

[mike_15]

Originally Posted by erik

Some samsung products are reported to have occasional problems with HDMI input

This was a concern for me so I picked up a DVI dvd player (non computer) and the TV is working perfectly,
It looks like it is the vid card. I am able to use the VGA to the TV for now. I will probably keep it as it is for now the vga has good quality.
Rather than buying a new AGP vid card I will wait until I get an upgraded server with PCIE.

[mayamaniac]

does the HDTV have a DVI input? If so, usually the vid card comes with a VGA-to-DVI adapter. Try using the DVI cable with that adapter on the VGA port of the video card ans see if it works on your TV. If it works, then your cable is okay. Its better if the TV has a DVI port though, I'm not sure its a good idea to go from VGA to DVI to HDMI.

[erik]

Its the other way round.
The DVI plug on the card normally also can supply VGA signel when you use a DVI to VGA converter plug. Actually the converter plug is only a mechanical converter because the card does output the VGA signal.

When the TV works on a DVI output from a DVD and not on a HDMI output from a graphics card it could be because of the problem the TV has with the possibly higher resolution coming from the graphics card.
HDMI supports higher resolutions and certain brand TV's HDMI inputs are reported NOT to work on those higher resolutions.

[src666]

One thing most people don't know is that DVI can carry Analog video, Digital video or BOTH - if you look at the connector and compare it to this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvi), you should be able to tell what your converter does.

If you have a VGA to DVI converter, it is 99.9999% likely that it is outputting DVI-A, or analog over DVI. If your DVI output is built into the card, then you are most likely getting DVI-I (integrated), both Analog and Digital.

Note that there are some specialty versions for dual-monitor support, but these also usually carry DVI-I.

The upshot is that most TV's with a DVI connector expect a digital signal, and will not accept an analog signal on the DVI connector. Also, DVI-A will not work with a DVI to HDMI converter, because there is (again) no digital signal.