Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Solved

DVI-D/HDMI 2nd monitor flickers, bad quality - can't figure it out! (VGA works fine)

Tags:
  • HDMI
  • VGA
  • Graphics
  • VGA HDMI
  • Monitors
  • DVI D
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
Share
December 10, 2013 4:47:40 PM

Intel HD 2500, Lenovo dektop.

Output via VGA to Monitor #1 and Monitor #2 both work great.

Monitor #1 is VGA-only. Monitor #2 has a DVI-D port in addition to VGA. When I hook Monitor #2 up via DVI-D, the display is terrible - it flickers, the color is bad, there are lines on the screen, etc.

(The computer has a DVI-D port, not HDMI, so I'm actually using an HDMI cable with HDMI->DVI-D adapters on each end.)

If I hook Monitor #2 up to a different computer that has an HDMI port, the display looks great, no matter which of the two HDMI->DVI-D adapters I'm using. So I don't think the problem is with the cable or the adapters. But maybe I'm missing something?

If I start in Safe Mode (Win 7 Pro 64), the problem is still there.

Any ideas??

More about : dvi hdmi 2nd monitor flickers bad quality figure vga works fine

December 10, 2013 4:58:54 PM

it could be that your GFX card is not able to pull the HDMI output. what is your GFX and what is your psu?
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:07:25 PM

I have no idea... It's a Lenovo Think Centre M72e.

m
0
l
Related resources
Can't find your answer ? Ask !
December 10, 2013 5:14:24 PM

Updated the BIOS, uninstalled and reinstalled the video and monitor drivers, no change.
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:14:55 PM

start/computer/system properties==> screenshot
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:15:57 PM

And I unfortunately have no other monitors I can test with. Am I stuck with trying to get a DVI-D cable to see if that works? Don't want to waste the time and money if I don't have to...
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:17:17 PM

try setting the DVI-d/hdmi monitor to the lowest resolution possible. see if that works
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:20:42 PM

if changing the resolution doesnt work you have several other options:
try changing the refresh rate: Right mouse click on desktop/Screen Resolution/Advanced/monitor/Refresh rate
IF THAT DOESNT WORK

try using a different cable/or no adaptors

If THAT DOESNT WORK

its the internals (but judging on the fact that its a pre-built, there is a slim chance of that....
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:26:11 PM

wrathofdragon said:
try setting the DVI-d/hdmi monitor to the lowest resolution possible. see if that works


wrathofdragon said:
if changing the resolution doesnt work you have several other options:
try changing the refresh rate: Right mouse click on desktop/Screen Resolution/Advanced/monitor/Refresh rate
IF THAT DOESNT WORK

try using a different cable/or no adaptors

If THAT DOESNT WORK

its the internals (but judging on the fact that its a pre-built, there is a slim chance of that....


Guess I'm stuck with buying a new cable and waiting...

m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:35:33 PM

so the refresh rate or the screen resolution didnt work?
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:39:49 PM

Nope.

And from a different computer (my laptop) that has an HDMI port, the monitor works fine, using either of the two adapters (at the monitor). So I don't have much hope that a new cable will fix things.
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:43:15 PM

It's weird - sometimes it looks a bit better, sometimes a bit worse. Right now I can see my desktop, but the color is off, there are what seem to be lots of small vertical green and blue lines (my desktop color is blue), and pink lines over the white areas. And then there's a flicker every 5-10 seconds, variable. ... And now it's flickering like crazy. Monitor #1 continues to look fine, via VGA.
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:46:02 PM

I wish I had some other way to test it... Another monitor, another cable, etc. I'll see what I can find, and report back in a few days.
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 5:47:55 PM

It seems that the more open windows I open, the more freaked out it gets - more flickering, almost impossible to make anything out.
m
0
l
December 10, 2013 10:14:19 PM

unfortunately that leads me to believe that it may be your GFX being unable to pull the weight... (especially about the open windows...)
m
0
l
December 11, 2013 10:15:55 AM

That makes sense, except that even when I just have that one monitor hooked up, it still looks awful.

I ordered a new DVI-D cable; I'll let you know if that fixes it. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
m
0
l

Best solution

December 11, 2013 11:01:37 AM

if it works fine with one adapter on the wire, it could be that having two adapters messes it up.
Share
December 14, 2013 2:28:25 PM

Yep, having two adapters was the problem. With the DVI-D -> DVI-D cable, it works fine.

Phew.
m
0
l
December 21, 2013 12:22:09 AM

:)  good for ya !!! :) 
m
0
l
!