Pandoras Box User Forum

Since HDMI is becoming more and more popular, especialy with consumer grade equipment, here are a few things you need to know.

DVI is a video signal only.
HDMI is a combined video and audio signal.

EDID is the information a projector or monitor sends back to the graphicscard to tell the computer what features and resolutions it supports.

Every peace of equipment that can handle HDMI can also handle DVI Signals since DVI is a subfeatureset of HDMI.
For multiple reasons NVIDIA allows it driver only to go into stretched mode when using DVI Devices. If NVIDIA sees an HDMI Device the driver will disable the stretched mode option.

This behaviour is not good for us, since we need to run Pandoras Box V4 Rev2 Servers with 2 Outputs in Stretched Mode, otherwise the Driver will make the image of the 2nd Output stutter.

So what can be done:

a) see if the projector or Monitor allows you to manager its EDID and set it to a DVI only EDID (no Audio Support)
b) sometimes it helps to create a custom Mode inside the graphics card driver
c) what always helps is using a EDID Manger

A lot of DAs, DVI Matrixes, Fiber and CAT5 Externders have them build in. If not they are also available as sepeate boxes.

d) another option might be using VGA Cable, since there are no EDID Information on those.

I hope this helps.

Hi,

Do you have any plans to include built in EDID managers in to future servers?

Cheers,

Ian

Hi!

At the moment it is not planned to built EDID-Managers into our servers.
Our new products Quad-Server or Quad-Player are shipped with an external DVI-Processor which has an EDID-Management included.

Markus

So do I understand correctly - that on the Quad server I DO NOT NEED an EDID Manager?
I was under the assumption the DVI Processor was more of a patch panel.
We just purchased a Quad and Dual Server and bought Kramer Routers to use on both for EDID.

Hi,

the quad DVI prozessor will not need a EDID manager, since it will send its own edid to the grafic card. So what you do is that you select a output resolution from the PB Menue setup which will fit your connected screens. Thats basically it.
But please remember that you can only use the same output resolution on all four outputs.

best regards

Patrick

trying to properly setup a quad server using just 3 outputs.
the cpu output 1 is connected to dvi processor in 1 and outputs 1 and 2 of that go to my stage left and stage right front projection that is displayed on a a hard set - both at 1920x1080.
the cpu output 2 is connected to dvi processor in 2 and output 3 is connected to spider for backgrounds.
the spider sees the pandora logo but I can not get any content to it.
what settings should I make to do 1920x1080 on 3 projectors?

Hello,
for the time being, the DVI Prozessor supports only four DVI outs. As soon as you connect a forth monitor with the same resolution, the internal render engine displays the content properly. Then, you need to adjust the camera settings in PB.
best regards,

so had I connected just a monitor - anything - to the fourth output - it should be ok?
the system actually worked ok for me.
I used output 1 on the spyder and 3/4 on the hard set - leaving output 2 open.

Hi,
I am very sorry to confused you. I must have remembered a wrong info considering the setup with 3 outputs. What is NOT working is, having the GUI on one monitor and having the fullscreen on three monitors. You are right, it is possible to connect 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 devices to the DVI Processor, the DVI Processor does not care if there is something attached or not, he will do whatever you tell him in the PB Menu > Quad Setup. Then you only have to adjust the settings in the Project (Master) and drag the cameras X Offset there where you want them.
To be honest, we cannot explain why it has not worked out in the first place. It does not make a difference in which order you connect the devices. Could it be that you have changed the mode from horizontal stretch to dual view by accident? And when you switched the cables you chose the correct option and then it was working...

greetings, martina

Hard to say - lots of variables. thanks for the clarification. We are indeed using Stretched mode now. Still battling some other demons
Can you explain a bit about the Quad Setup Menu? In class, we used Dual Head Servers.
Thank you.

Hi,
indeed, I am writing two short manuals right now, the reset factory tool is ready, the Quad setup tool should be ready this week, next week the latest. Both will be posted here, and in the download section.
What do you mean with Dual Head Servers? - Dual Head To go??

No. He means regular 2 output servers (edu dongles).

Hey Matt - thanks... yes - just normal servers.

Oh and looking forward to your short manuals.
Will be helpful for our QC Team and ops as well.

Thanks!

Hi,
it took a littel longer, but finally the manual is ready for download.
We are still curious why your first setup did not work out, normally it does not make a difference at all on which outputs the display devices are connected. As long as they support the same resolution/timing it should work.
The current Menu Revision 98 makes the configuration more clear, maybe that helps as well to clarify the subject...