parhelia setting

[stefanoroma]

I just installed a pharelia in a HTPC environment. Main monitor is a NOKIA LCD; second monitor is a CRT projector. The maximum resolution accepted by the porjector is 800x600. I went through all the resolution setting which works ok for desktop application. When using DVD max (i.e. start a DVD or open the video-acquisition software) the resolution for the second monitor switches to 1024x768 and therefore goes beyond the projector input capabilities. Therefore I am using the parhelia with a clone setting at 800x600. Anyone knows how to work with dvdmax resolution ?

[dZeus]

hmmm, just a guess:

the drivers detect the max. resolution of the CRT through DDC and switch to 1024x768 for DVD-MAX because that's the max. res. needed for typical video content (like anomorphic PAL DVD).

possible solution: don't connect the secondary output device until _after_ booting up windows, and select 800x600 as maximum supported resolution supported by the secondary output device. Maybe it now won't switch to 1024x768 when using DVD-MAX ?

This all is a wild guess, as I don't have access to a Parhelia, nor use a monitor as secondary output device... but it never hurts to try

[stefanoroma]

Thank you for the help. I had alraedy both actions with no results. Just one question: I have try to define the maximum resolution of the second screen when installing the matrox drivers but in the windows display properties it still allows me to increase the resolution with the slider. I also tried to change the monitor drivers defining it as a generic S-VGA(800x600). Still nothing. Does anybody knows other ways how to cap a monitor maximu resolution ? By the way the system is windows XP

[Maggi]

does oyur projector offer standard TV inputs, such as composite, s-video or even SCART ?

If so, you should definately uses one of those and treat your projector as a TV, which would enable full functionality of DVD Max in your case.

[stefanoroma]

I am not using the projector with a HTPC environment to send an interlaced signal to it !

[Maggi]

but you could try it, just for a test, not ?

[stefanoroma]

sorry, i did not to be unpolite. I did try configuring the second monitor as a TV using the TV adaptor. Of course it worked fine but the results IMHO are exactly the same as what I was getting out of the Marvel 400. So if I have to use the TV-out option I wonder why I spent the 400 euro to replace the Marvel with the Pharelia. I want to get a progressive signal into the projector.
Thank you anyway.

[Maggi]

no problem and thanx for clarifying ...

my best bet would be if you contacted Matrox' Sales as they seem to be the ones who decide what features get implied into the drivers and it seems that you would need an option to run DVD Max on VGA in 800x600 as oppsed to the actually used 1024x768.

I had a slightly different, but somewhat related problem and that is my very old 14" multisync VGA from Amiga days that I wanted to use as DVD Max output screen.
Obviuosly it was not capable of displaying 1024x768 @ 60Hz, which seems to be default for DVD Max on VGA.
Therefore, I set my machine to run in independant DualHead mode, set VGA2 to 1024x768, and used PowerDesk to lower the refresh down to 50Hz. Ever since then I have brilliant DVD Max output on my aged monitor and maybe this would work for you too ?

Cheers,
Maggi

[stefanoroma]

I also tried to configure the two monitors to "indipendent". What happens is that the video overlay only works on the main monitor (both with Windvd and Dscaler). Therefore I wulod be unable to see videos on the projector. This is quitye surprising to me as Pharelia should manage video overaly on both screens. Maybe I should contact Matrox support. For the time being I will continue to use a clone-dual head configuration which I hate because I have to keep main monitor on 800x600 and I will have to entirely rewrite the user interface.