[gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Howdy,

I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and now
watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As some
know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living room TV
as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to 4. 
The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.  When I
got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the seller and
he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was no
better.  No worky. 

I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I might
add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the VERY long
cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter does in
fact work but not with my puter's video card. 

This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to change in a
config for this to work or is there some special requirement for the
puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at fault,
the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
compatible, either by config or just hardware?

If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad HDMI
output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at a
reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video card
made by MSI:

VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX 650]

Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter or
better yet, a change in a config file? 

Thanks much.

Dale

:-)  :-) 

[gentoo-user] Re: Video card, splitter and issues.

[Grant Edwards]

On 2019-06-19, Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:

> [...] So, the splitter does in fact work but not with my puter's
> video card.

I suspect that the splitter only works for a handful of specific
signal formats. Try configurring your card to output a typical ATSC
"TV" format (720p 30Hz or 1080i 60Hz).

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! In Newark the
                                  at               laundromats are open 24
                              gmail.com            hours a day!

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Jack]

On 2019.06.19 15:43, Dale wrote:
> Howdy,
> 
> I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and now
> watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As  
> some
> know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living room TV
> as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to 4. 
> The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.  When I
> got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
> nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the seller  
> and
> he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was no
> better.  No worky. 
> 
> I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
> DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
> DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I  
> might
> add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the VERY  
> long
> cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter does  
> in
> fact work but not with my puter's video card. 
> 
> This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to change  
> in a
> config for this to work or is there some special requirement for the
> puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at  
> fault,
> the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
> compatible, either by config or just hardware?
> 
> If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad HDMI
> output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at a
> reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
> greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
> largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video card
> made by MSI:
> 
> VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX 650]
> 
> Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter or
> better yet, a change in a config file? 
Dale,

You don't say what are the outputs of that card?  Searching shows me  
several possibilities, but all have more than one output connector.  If  
that's the case, I would suggest using different outputs for your  
monitor and the TV.  You might need an adaptor depending on whether the  
TV has a matching input.  I think you would have to set up your DE to  
know about the two outputs, but then I think most video players can do  
things like put the controls on your monitor and the output on the TV.   
(I just set that up with a laptop with KDE and VLC.  It wasn't trivial  
to get it right, but it was immediately obvious it could be done or at  
least come close enough to put up with.)

To your original question, I don't have any solid idea why the TV isn't  
receiving a signal from the splitter.  I assume you are sure the TV is  
set to the correct input connector.  Have you tried switching which  
splitter outputs go to each device, and try only one device connected  
at a time?  Have you tried connecting your video card ONLY to the TV  
instead of the monitor.  That would tell you if there is any inherent  
incompatability between what the card is putting out and what the TV  
can use.  Can the TV handle the resolution the card is displaying?

Jack

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2019-06-19, Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> [...] So, the splitter does in fact work but not with my puter's
>> video card.
> I suspect that the splitter only works for a handful of specific
> signal formats. Try configurring your card to output a typical ATSC
> "TV" format (720p 30Hz or 1080i 60Hz).
>



Ahhh, that could be correct.  I'm currently at 1920x1080@60Hz.  The
description says this:  "Supports 3D video and HD resolutions up to 4K x
2K at 30Hz, 1080p at 120Hz and 1080p 3D at 60Hz."  Wouldn't that include
that or am I reading that wrong?  Still, I'll see if I can drop that a
bit.  At worst, it won't work either.  At best, it may work. 

Here's a link to a identical box:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultra-HD-HDMI-Splitter-4K-x-2K-Amplifier-Box-1-in-4-Out-HDCP-1-2-Compliant/382558442305


If I read that right, it should work but maybe there is some reason it
won't, cable or some other reason. 

Thanks.

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Jack wrote:
> On 2019.06.19 15:43, Dale wrote:
>> Howdy,
>>
>> I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and now
>> watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As some
>> know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living room TV
>> as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to 4. 
>> The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.  When I
>> got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
>> nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the seller and
>> he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was no
>> better.  No worky. 
>>
>> I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
>> DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
>> DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I might
>> add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the VERY long
>> cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter does in
>> fact work but not with my puter's video card. 
>>
>> This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to change in a
>> config for this to work or is there some special requirement for the
>> puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at fault,
>> the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
>> compatible, either by config or just hardware?
>>
>> If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad HDMI
>> output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at a
>> reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
>> greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
>> largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video card
>> made by MSI:
>>
>> VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX 650]
>>
>> Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter or
>> better yet, a change in a config file? 
> Dale,
>
> You don't say what are the outputs of that card?  Searching shows me
> several possibilities, but all have more than one output connector. 
> If that's the case, I would suggest using different outputs for your
> monitor and the TV.  You might need an adaptor depending on whether
> the TV has a matching input.  I think you would have to set up your DE
> to know about the two outputs, but then I think most video players can
> do things like put the controls on your monitor and the output on the
> TV.  (I just set that up with a laptop with KDE and VLC.  It wasn't
> trivial to get it right, but it was immediately obvious it could be
> done or at least come close enough to put up with.)
>
> To your original question, I don't have any solid idea why the TV
> isn't receiving a signal from the splitter.  I assume you are sure the
> TV is set to the correct input connector.  Have you tried switching
> which splitter outputs go to each device, and try only one device
> connected at a time?  Have you tried connecting your video card ONLY
> to the TV instead of the monitor.  That would tell you if there is any
> inherent incompatability between what the card is putting out and what
> the TV can use.  Can the TV handle the resolution the card is displaying?
>
> Jack
>


I should have mentioned this in my original post.  My monitor is
connected by using the DB15HD connector from the video card.  It's a
short cable and at the time, it was what I had.  Later I added the TV
but it is HDMI all the way.  I have both outputs set to display the same
screen.  They are duplicated I guess is the clearest way to say that. 
It's the HDMI that I'm trying to split since both TVs have that
connection and the signals can reach that far, not sure a DB15HD can do
that far.  Living room TV is about 50' away.  The cable does work tho. 
I tested it from the satellite box. 

The video card has a DB15HD, that goes to the monitor, and a single HDMI
output that I use for the TV.  When I test the splitter, I unhook the TV
cable and connect the splitter.  I then connect the previous cable to
the TV to the output of the splitter.  Right now, I'm only testing with
one TV.  Both TVs are virtually identical but I wanted to keep it simple
at first.  When I try to test the splitter, the video card goes to the
input of the splitter and the output of the splitter goes to a single
TV.  If that had worked, I was then going to add the second TV but I've
yet to get one to work yet. 

That make sense?  It's difficult to describe in text at times and then
the reader has to make sense of the text as well.  It can be complicated
at times.  lol 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Jack]

On 2019.06.19 17:35, Dale wrote:
> Jack wrote:
> > On 2019.06.19 15:43, Dale wrote:
> >> Howdy,
> >>
> >> I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and  
> now
> >> watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As  
> some
> >> know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living  
> room TV
> >> as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to  
> 4. 
> >> The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.   
> When I
> >> got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
> >> nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the  
> seller and
> >> he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was  
> no
> >> better.  No worky. 
> >>
> >> I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
> >> DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
> >> DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I  
> might
> >> add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the  
> VERY long
> >> cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter  
> does in
> >> fact work but not with my puter's video card. 
> >>
> >> This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to  
> change in a
> >> config for this to work or is there some special requirement for  
> the
> >> puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at  
> fault,
> >> the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
> >> compatible, either by config or just hardware?
> >>
> >> If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad  
> HDMI
> >> output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at  
> a
> >> reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
> >> greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
> >> largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video  
> card
> >> made by MSI:
> >>
> >> VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX  
> 650]
> >>
> >> Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter  
> or
> >> better yet, a change in a config file? 
> > Dale,
> >
> > You don't say what are the outputs of that card?  Searching shows me
> > several possibilities, but all have more than one output connector. 
> > If that's the case, I would suggest using different outputs for your
> > monitor and the TV.  You might need an adaptor depending on whether
> > the TV has a matching input.  I think you would have to set up your  
> DE
> > to know about the two outputs, but then I think most video players  
> can
> > do things like put the controls on your monitor and the output on  
> the
> > TV.  (I just set that up with a laptop with KDE and VLC.  It wasn't
> > trivial to get it right, but it was immediately obvious it could be
> > done or at least come close enough to put up with.)
> >
> > To your original question, I don't have any solid idea why the TV
> > isn't receiving a signal from the splitter.  I assume you are sure  
> the
> > TV is set to the correct input connector.  Have you tried switching
> > which splitter outputs go to each device, and try only one device
> > connected at a time?  Have you tried connecting your video card ONLY
> > to the TV instead of the monitor.  That would tell you if there is  
> any
> > inherent incompatability between what the card is putting out and  
> what
> > the TV can use.  Can the TV handle the resolution the card is  
> displaying?
> >
> > Jack
> >
> 
> 
> I should have mentioned this in my original post.  My monitor is
> connected by using the DB15HD connector from the video card.  It's a
> short cable and at the time, it was what I had.  Later I added the TV
> but it is HDMI all the way.  I have both outputs set to display the  
> same
> screen.  They are duplicated I guess is the clearest way to say that. 
> It's the HDMI that I'm trying to split since both TVs have that
> connection and the signals can reach that far, not sure a DB15HD can  
> do
> that far.  Living room TV is about 50' away.  The cable does work  
> tho. 
> I tested it from the satellite box. 
> 
> The video card has a DB15HD, that goes to the monitor, and a single  
> HDMI
> output that I use for the TV.  When I test the splitter, I unhook the  
> TV
> cable and connect the splitter.  I then connect the previous cable to
> the TV to the output of the splitter.  Right now, I'm only testing  
> with
> one TV.  Both TVs are virtually identical but I wanted to keep it  
> simple
> at first.  When I try to test the splitter, the video card goes to the
> input of the splitter and the output of the splitter goes to a single
> TV.  If that had worked, I was then going to add the second TV but  
> I've
> yet to get one to work yet. 
> 
> That make sense?  It's difficult to describe in text at times and then
> the reader has to make sense of the text as well.  It can be  
> complicated
> at times.  lol 
That's a better explanation.  So the HDMI output works OK when directly  
connected to either TV, but not when either TV is connected through the  
splitter?  If so, at least you know the TV handles the signal from the  
card.  That leaves open the question of whether the splitter can handle  
that signal, even though it's description implies it should.  Do you  
have any other device which outputs HDMI, such as a DVR or DVD player?

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Jack wrote:
> On 2019.06.19 17:35, Dale wrote:
>> Jack wrote:
>> > On 2019.06.19 15:43, Dale wrote:
>> >> Howdy,
>> >>
>> >> I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and
>> now
>> >> watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As
>> some
>> >> know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living
>> room TV
>> >> as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to 4. 
>> >> The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.  When I
>> >> got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
>> >> nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the
>> seller and
>> >> he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was no
>> >> better.  No worky. 
>> >>
>> >> I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
>> >> DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
>> >> DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I
>> might
>> >> add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the
>> VERY long
>> >> cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter
>> does in
>> >> fact work but not with my puter's video card. 
>> >>
>> >> This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to
>> change in a
>> >> config for this to work or is there some special requirement for the
>> >> puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at
>> fault,
>> >> the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
>> >> compatible, either by config or just hardware?
>> >>
>> >> If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad HDMI
>> >> output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at a
>> >> reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
>> >> greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
>> >> largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video
>> card
>> >> made by MSI:
>> >>
>> >> VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX 650]
>> >>
>> >> Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter or
>> >> better yet, a change in a config file? 
>> > Dale,
>> >
>> > You don't say what are the outputs of that card?  Searching shows me
>> > several possibilities, but all have more than one output connector. 
>> > If that's the case, I would suggest using different outputs for your
>> > monitor and the TV.  You might need an adaptor depending on whether
>> > the TV has a matching input.  I think you would have to set up your DE
>> > to know about the two outputs, but then I think most video players can
>> > do things like put the controls on your monitor and the output on the
>> > TV.  (I just set that up with a laptop with KDE and VLC.  It wasn't
>> > trivial to get it right, but it was immediately obvious it could be
>> > done or at least come close enough to put up with.)
>> >
>> > To your original question, I don't have any solid idea why the TV
>> > isn't receiving a signal from the splitter.  I assume you are sure the
>> > TV is set to the correct input connector.  Have you tried switching
>> > which splitter outputs go to each device, and try only one device
>> > connected at a time?  Have you tried connecting your video card ONLY
>> > to the TV instead of the monitor.  That would tell you if there is any
>> > inherent incompatability between what the card is putting out and what
>> > the TV can use.  Can the TV handle the resolution the card is
>> displaying?
>> >
>> > Jack
>> >
>>
>>
>> I should have mentioned this in my original post.  My monitor is
>> connected by using the DB15HD connector from the video card.  It's a
>> short cable and at the time, it was what I had.  Later I added the TV
>> but it is HDMI all the way.  I have both outputs set to display the same
>> screen.  They are duplicated I guess is the clearest way to say that. 
>> It's the HDMI that I'm trying to split since both TVs have that
>> connection and the signals can reach that far, not sure a DB15HD can do
>> that far.  Living room TV is about 50' away.  The cable does work tho. 
>> I tested it from the satellite box. 
>>
>> The video card has a DB15HD, that goes to the monitor, and a single HDMI
>> output that I use for the TV.  When I test the splitter, I unhook the TV
>> cable and connect the splitter.  I then connect the previous cable to
>> the TV to the output of the splitter.  Right now, I'm only testing with
>> one TV.  Both TVs are virtually identical but I wanted to keep it simple
>> at first.  When I try to test the splitter, the video card goes to the
>> input of the splitter and the output of the splitter goes to a single
>> TV.  If that had worked, I was then going to add the second TV but I've
>> yet to get one to work yet. 
>>
>> That make sense?  It's difficult to describe in text at times and then
>> the reader has to make sense of the text as well.  It can be complicated
>> at times.  lol 
> That's a better explanation.  So the HDMI output works OK when
> directly connected to either TV, but not when either TV is connected
> through the splitter?  If so, at least you know the TV handles the
> signal from the card.  That leaves open the question of whether the
> splitter can handle that signal, even though it's description implies
> it should.  Do you have any other device which outputs HDMI, such as a
> DVR or DVD player?
>


I tried Grant's thought.  I adjusted the output resolution.  I got it to
work at a lower resolution.  It seems this use case is a little quirky
tho.  When I connected the living room TV, I had to reset it again.  It
autodetected that something changed but couldn't figure out what to make
of the change.  It reset back to a resolution that doesn't work.  Both
TVs are almost identical but are different models.  The biggest
difference, my bedroom TV has a DB15HD input that I don't use while the
living room TV does not.  Other than that, there isn't a pennies worth
of difference.  When I manually set it back to 1280x720, both TVs
worked.  I can live with that resolution for watching TV.  The monitor
that I sit in front of still has the higher resolution. 

I think I'm going to just play with this a bit.  It seems it is the
video card/OS trying to figure things out but isn't accustomed to having
two devices hooked to one connection.  I don't think it is the splitter
itself but the video card/OS. 

I thought of something.  I found the save config option and saved the
config to a file, that way it will stay set the same all the time.  Now
when I cut one TV off and back on, it just works.  It doesn't autodetect
and reset to a bad setting.  It's not exactly as advertised but as I
mentioned, I think it has more to do with the video card/OS than the box
itself. 

If it keeps working like this, I'm happy.  I'd like to have the monitor
hooked up to the splitter to but that resolution just won't work for me. 

Thanks.

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Dale wrote:
> Grant Edwards wrote:
>> On 2019-06-19, Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> [...] So, the splitter does in fact work but not with my puter's
>>> video card.
>> I suspect that the splitter only works for a handful of specific
>> signal formats. Try configurring your card to output a typical ATSC
>> "TV" format (720p 30Hz or 1080i 60Hz).
>>
>
>
> Ahhh, that could be correct.  I'm currently at 1920x1080@60Hz.  The
> description says this:  "Supports 3D video and HD resolutions up to 4K x
> 2K at 30Hz, 1080p at 120Hz and 1080p 3D at 60Hz."  Wouldn't that include
> that or am I reading that wrong?  Still, I'll see if I can drop that a
> bit.  At worst, it won't work either.  At best, it may work. 
>
> Here's a link to a identical box:
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultra-HD-HDMI-Splitter-4K-x-2K-Amplifier-Box-1-in-4-Out-HDCP-1-2-Compliant/382558442305
>
>
> If I read that right, it should work but maybe there is some reason it
> won't, cable or some other reason. 
>
> Thanks.
>
> Dale
>
> :-)  :-) 
>


That put me on the right path.  It works at a lower resolution but it
works.  I hadn't thought of the resolution being a problem since it
should be able to handle more than I have. 

Thanks much. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[mad.scientist.at.large]

as i read the description, it splits a 4K image into 4 seperate 2K signals for 4 individual 2K displays, i.e. a "Video wall", using 4 2K displays to fake a 4K display.  This does not appear to be what you wanted.  You want the same signal going more than one place without reformatting/division.

"Would you like to see us rule again, my friend?   All you have to do is follow the worms."  Pink Floyd, The Wall, Waiting for the worms




Jun 19, 2019, 3:43 PM by ostroffjh@users.sourceforge.net:

> On 2019.06.19 17:35, Dale wrote:
>
>> Jack wrote:
>> > On 2019.06.19 15:43, Dale wrote:
>> >> Howdy,
>> >>
>> >> I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and now
>> >> watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As some
>> >> know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living room TV
>> >> as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to 4. 
>> >> The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.  When I
>> >> got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
>> >> nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the seller and
>> >> he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was no
>> >> better.  No worky. 
>> >>
>> >> I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
>> >> DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
>> >> DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I might
>> >> add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the VERY long
>> >> cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter does in
>> >> fact work but not with my puter's video card. 
>> >>
>> >> This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to change in a
>> >> config for this to work or is there some special requirement for the
>> >> puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at fault,
>> >> the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
>> >> compatible, either by config or just hardware?
>> >>
>> >> If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad HDMI
>> >> output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at a
>> >> reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
>> >> greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
>> >> largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video card
>> >> made by MSI:
>> >>
>> >> VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX 650]
>> >>
>> >> Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter or
>> >> better yet, a change in a config file? 
>> > Dale,
>> >
>> > You don't say what are the outputs of that card?  Searching shows me
>> > several possibilities, but all have more than one output connector. 
>> > If that's the case, I would suggest using different outputs for your
>> > monitor and the TV.  You might need an adaptor depending on whether
>> > the TV has a matching input.  I think you would have to set up your DE
>> > to know about the two outputs, but then I think most video players can
>> > do things like put the controls on your monitor and the output on the
>> > TV.  (I just set that up with a laptop with KDE and VLC.  It wasn't
>> > trivial to get it right, but it was immediately obvious it could be
>> > done or at least come close enough to put up with.)
>> >
>> > To your original question, I don't have any solid idea why the TV
>> > isn't receiving a signal from the splitter.  I assume you are sure the
>> > TV is set to the correct input connector.  Have you tried switching
>> > which splitter outputs go to each device, and try only one device
>> > connected at a time?  Have you tried connecting your video card ONLY
>> > to the TV instead of the monitor.  That would tell you if there is any
>> > inherent incompatability between what the card is putting out and what
>> > the TV can use.  Can the TV handle the resolution the card is displaying?
>> >
>> > Jack
>> >
>>
>>
>> I should have mentioned this in my original post.  My monitor is
>> connected by using the DB15HD connector from the video card.  It's a
>> short cable and at the time, it was what I had.  Later I added the TV
>> but it is HDMI all the way.  I have both outputs set to display the same
>> screen.  They are duplicated I guess is the clearest way to say that. 
>> It's the HDMI that I'm trying to split since both TVs have that
>> connection and the signals can reach that far, not sure a DB15HD can do
>> that far.  Living room TV is about 50' away.  The cable does work tho. 
>> I tested it from the satellite box. 
>>
>> The video card has a DB15HD, that goes to the monitor, and a single HDMI
>> output that I use for the TV.  When I test the splitter, I unhook the TV
>> cable and connect the splitter.  I then connect the previous cable to
>> the TV to the output of the splitter.  Right now, I'm only testing with
>> one TV.  Both TVs are virtually identical but I wanted to keep it simple
>> at first.  When I try to test the splitter, the video card goes to the
>> input of the splitter and the output of the splitter goes to a single
>> TV.  If that had worked, I was then going to add the second TV but I've
>> yet to get one to work yet. 
>>
>> That make sense?  It's difficult to describe in text at times and then
>> the reader has to make sense of the text as well.  It can be complicated
>> at times.  lol 
>>
> That's a better explanation.  So the HDMI output works OK when directly connected to either TV, but not when either TV is connected through the splitter?  If so, at least you know the TV handles the signal from the card.  That leaves open the question of whether the splitter can handle that signal, even though it's description implies it should.  Do you have any other device which outputs HDMI, such as a DVR or DVD player?
>

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Hi,

From what it says, it duplicates any of those.  I don't have a 4K device
but if I did, it should be able to split one signal and display the same
image on both devices.  According to the info for the device, it takes
the highest resolution that both output devices have in common and the
input can supply.  It doesn't split into two different images tho.  If I
had a Blu-ray player, I bet I could use that to display on both TVs at
full resolution.  As I mentioned in another reply, it is the video
card/OS that is not detecting correctly.  I did get it to work but only
at a slightly lower resolution.  I plan to try higher ones when I get
time and feel up to it.  I been up to long and my back bone is telling
me to go horizontal for a while.  It's speaking in a language I
understand all to well.  Ouch!!

Time will tell if I get this to work at full resolution or not.  If not,
it's still HD.  It's perfectly acceptable.  I may even upgrade my video
card one day and it may work fine.  It may even work fine if the drivers
update later on. 

Either way, I got it working good enough.

Dale

:-)  :-) 




mad.scientist.at.large@tutanota.com wrote:
> as i read the description, it splits a 4K image into 4 seperate 2K signals for 4 individual 2K displays, i.e. a "Video wall", using 4 2K displays to fake a 4K display.  This does not appear to be what you wanted.  You want the same signal going more than one place without reformatting/division.
>
> "Would you like to see us rule again, my friend?   All you have to do is follow the worms."  Pink Floyd, The Wall, Waiting for the worms
>
>
>
>
> Jun 19, 2019, 3:43 PM by ostroffjh@users.sourceforge.net:
>
>> On 2019.06.19 17:35, Dale wrote:
>>
>>> Jack wrote:
>>>> On 2019.06.19 15:43, Dale wrote:
>>>>> Howdy,
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a video issue here.  I recently cut off DirecTV service and now
>>>>> watch from my puter, all those hard drives people know me for.  As some
>>>>> know, my Mom died recently so I want to make use of the living room TV
>>>>> as well.  I bought a splitter that takes one input and outputs to 4. 
>>>>> The outputs all have the same pic, it just splits the signal.  When I
>>>>> got the first one, it didn't work.  I tried every which way but
>>>>> nothing.  Lights came on etc but no signal.  I contacted the seller and
>>>>> he thought the box was bad so he sent a replacement.  Well, it was no
>>>>> better.  No worky. 
>>>>>
>>>>> I then decided to test it a different way.  Even tho I don't have
>>>>> DirecTV service, it should give some sort of screen so I used the
>>>>> DirecTV box instead of my puter.  Finding the power plug was fun I might
>>>>> add.  When I used it, it worked fine.  It even worked with the VERY long
>>>>> cable I bought to use for the living room TV.  So, the splitter does in
>>>>> fact work but not with my puter's video card. 
>>>>>
>>>>> This brings me to three paths.  Is there something I need to change in a
>>>>> config for this to work or is there some special requirement for the
>>>>> puter's video card or is a special splitter needed?  Which is at fault,
>>>>> the splitter not being compatible or the video card not being
>>>>> compatible, either by config or just hardware?
>>>>>
>>>>> If no answer to that, I searched but can't find a triple or quad HDMI
>>>>> output card that isn't like buying gold.  Is there such a thing at a
>>>>> reasonable cost?  I'm fine with used and it doesn't have to be the
>>>>> greatest, I watch TV and play Kpatience.  I suspect the TV is the
>>>>> largest load it sees and even that isn't much.  This is the video card
>>>>> made by MSI:
>>>>>
>>>>> VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GTX 650]
>>>>>
>>>>> Any thoughts on this?  Different video card or different splitter or
>>>>> better yet, a change in a config file? 
>>>> Dale,
>>>>
>>>> You don't say what are the outputs of that card?  Searching shows me
>>>> several possibilities, but all have more than one output connector. 
>>>> If that's the case, I would suggest using different outputs for your
>>>> monitor and the TV.  You might need an adaptor depending on whether
>>>> the TV has a matching input.  I think you would have to set up your DE
>>>> to know about the two outputs, but then I think most video players can
>>>> do things like put the controls on your monitor and the output on the
>>>> TV.  (I just set that up with a laptop with KDE and VLC.  It wasn't
>>>> trivial to get it right, but it was immediately obvious it could be
>>>> done or at least come close enough to put up with.)
>>>>
>>>> To your original question, I don't have any solid idea why the TV
>>>> isn't receiving a signal from the splitter.  I assume you are sure the
>>>> TV is set to the correct input connector.  Have you tried switching
>>>> which splitter outputs go to each device, and try only one device
>>>> connected at a time?  Have you tried connecting your video card ONLY
>>>> to the TV instead of the monitor.  That would tell you if there is any
>>>> inherent incompatability between what the card is putting out and what
>>>> the TV can use.  Can the TV handle the resolution the card is displaying?
>>>>
>>>> Jack
>>>>
>>>
>>> I should have mentioned this in my original post.  My monitor is
>>> connected by using the DB15HD connector from the video card.  It's a
>>> short cable and at the time, it was what I had.  Later I added the TV
>>> but it is HDMI all the way.  I have both outputs set to display the same
>>> screen.  They are duplicated I guess is the clearest way to say that. 
>>> It's the HDMI that I'm trying to split since both TVs have that
>>> connection and the signals can reach that far, not sure a DB15HD can do
>>> that far.  Living room TV is about 50' away.  The cable does work tho. 
>>> I tested it from the satellite box. 
>>>
>>> The video card has a DB15HD, that goes to the monitor, and a single HDMI
>>> output that I use for the TV.  When I test the splitter, I unhook the TV
>>> cable and connect the splitter.  I then connect the previous cable to
>>> the TV to the output of the splitter.  Right now, I'm only testing with
>>> one TV.  Both TVs are virtually identical but I wanted to keep it simple
>>> at first.  When I try to test the splitter, the video card goes to the
>>> input of the splitter and the output of the splitter goes to a single
>>> TV.  If that had worked, I was then going to add the second TV but I've
>>> yet to get one to work yet. 
>>>
>>> That make sense?  It's difficult to describe in text at times and then
>>> the reader has to make sense of the text as well.  It can be complicated
>>> at times.  lol 
>>>
>> That's a better explanation.  So the HDMI output works OK when directly connected to either TV, but not when either TV is connected through the splitter?  If so, at least you know the TV handles the signal from the card.  That leaves open the question of whether the splitter can handle that signal, even though it's description implies it should.  Do you have any other device which outputs HDMI, such as a DVR or DVD player?
>>
>
>

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Dale wrote:
> <<< SNIP >>>
> Thanks much.
>
> Dale
>
> :-)  :-) 
>


I been playing with this a while.  I finally figured out some things
that makes this almost perfect.  First, I set up the TV output to run as
a second display to the right of my main display.  My main monitor is
Screen 0.  My TV is Screen 1.  That allows me to watch TV at a lower
resolution that the splitter works well at while my monitor runs at the
highest resolution.  That got me to where I can watch TV pretty easy. 
When I open Smplayer, I just tell it to move to Screen 1 and to the TV
it goes, sound and all. 

The one thing that bugged me is that I had to be on the desktop where I
started Smplayer to watch it.  I couldn't for example be surfing the
internet and glance over at the TV to see something if I was on a
different desktop.  Then it hit me, there is a way somewhere to set it
to be seen on all desktops.  I dug around until I found it.  It's in the
upper left hand corner on my KDE. I think that is the default.  When one
puts their mouse pointer on it, it says "On all desktops".  If you click
that, it then makes the video going to the TV viewable on all desktops. 
I can surf the internet, play Kpatience or whatever and glance over at
the TV to see something without switching desktops.

I wanted to share this in case someone is searching for tips on this and
finds this thread.  I hope it will help someone else. 

[OT]   I'm building speakers for my puter.  I started cutting the wood
today but had to glue some stuff.  I'm waiting for it to dry real good. 
I'm surfing around for ways to attach the back and it be easy to remove
but be secure.  I'm thinking of using bolts and having those t nuts
inside to screw into.  That way I can take it apart easily.  It's a
small project but it goes all the way across the back of my desktop and
I plan to set my monitor on top of it to raise it up a bit.  Just
thinking some things out here.  I'm building because I'm tired of those
crappy speakers I been getting for this.  I'm using a two way 5 1/4"
speaker that is supposed to go in a car.  It's small but it's bigger
than the 2 1/2 maybe 3" things in my old set that went out.  My amp is a
separate device too.  I plan to re-engineer my TV so I can have external
speakers on it next.  That I plan to have a small sub and a pair of two
ways for. 

I got to much time on my hands right now.  ROFL 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] Video card, splitter and issues.

[Mick]

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On Sunday, 23 June 2019 04:40:33 BST Dale wrote:

>  I plan to re-engineer my TV so I can have external
> speakers on it next.  That I plan to have a small sub and a pair of two
> ways for. 

Before you re-engineer the wheel, you may want to look at using your amplifier 
as an external AVR to play audio straight from your source over HDMI, while 
passing the video to the TV.  All smart TVs are capable of selecting internal 
of external speakers/AVR system for the audio. 

-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] Speaker chat. Was Video card, splitter and issues.

[Dale]

Mick wrote:
> On Sunday, 23 June 2019 04:40:33 BST Dale wrote:
>
>>  I plan to re-engineer my TV so I can have external
>> speakers on it next.  That I plan to have a small sub and a pair of two
>> ways for. 
> Before you re-engineer the wheel, you may want to look at using your amplifier 
> as an external AVR to play audio straight from your source over HDMI, while 
> passing the video to the TV.  All smart TVs are capable of selecting internal 
> of external speakers/AVR system for the audio. 
>


I've read where people try that but they say in most cases, the sound is
out of sync.  Usually the sound is a little ahead of the video.  If I
was not going to ever use anything but my puter, I guess it could be
doable.  Thing is, if I was say playing a DVD, got DirecTV again or
something, I'd want the sound to go to the speakers there to but if I'm
not using the puter, it wouldn't be possible.  However, if I just tap
into the audio going to the speaker, then I don't have to worry about
syncing or what the source is because the source for the audio is the TV
itself.  I can also use the volume button on my remote too.  When I cut
the sound up that goes to the internal speakers, the sound will go up at
the external speakers as well. 

When I had DirecTV, the box has a digital out thingy.  It looks like
some sort of light thing. Anyway, it was claimed one could use that but
again, if using something else, no sound for the external speakers.  A
lot of TVs have audio out for this purpose.  It's just that mine
doesn't.  Next time I buy a TV, it will have external audio with volume
control.  Given the poor sound from this TV, I have no idea why it
doesn't have a audio out connection. 

I might also add, I tried buying speakers for that.  Most of them don't
work with the DirecTV remotes.  I hate having two remotes for something
as simple as adjusting the volume. 

I got the wood cut except for cutting out the hole for the speaker and
routing out so it sits flush.  Progress.  So far, looking good.  Can't
wait to get it together, stained, speakers in and making noise.  :-D 
It's been a while since I did a project like this.  My table saw was
rusty.  So am I.  ROFL 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] Speaker chat. Was Video card, splitter and issues.

[Mick]

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On Sunday, 23 June 2019 12:00:08 BST Dale wrote:
> I've read where people try that but they say in most cases, the sound is
> out of sync.  Usually the sound is a little ahead of the video.

This is mostly affecting poorly transcoded videos, with incorrect timestamps.  
There's a 'lip-sync' setting in many AVRs and Smart TVs to address this 
problem, but yes, if the video itself is missing the required metadata to sync 
audio and video you could have problems.

TBH I have rarely encountered this myself with my local set up.

-- 
Regards,
Mick

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