Improve Geforce2 Visual Quality

[phsstpok]

I was not happy with the 2D video quality of my new Geforce2 GTS-V at my preferred resolution (1024x768). My old Geforce256 was much better.

Having read the article below, I cut the capacitors (there were nine of them on my card) from the RFI filters on my card and voila, no more blury 2D.

<b>Update:</b> I should have mentioned that <b>ALL video</b>, including 3D, has been improved. It's just that one reads text in 2D and that's when a little "fuzz" is most noticeably. Not any longer!

<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/porotuner/imagequality.html#26sep2000" target="_new">http://www.geocities.com/porotuner/imagequality.html#26sep2000</A>

There is a second part to the procedure which is bypassing the inductors. This can be acomplished by some surfacing soldering or by using conductive paint. (You can just "paint" the surface of the inductor from end to end). Since my soldering skill, well I have no particular skill. I might use the painting option. Video quality is so good now I may not even bother and just stop with a zero cost mod.

Don't get me wrong. I knew the procedure was/is risky. Here is a long thread at [H]ard|OCP which discusses the sucesses and failures (and some disasters) of others.

<A HREF="http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163155" target="_new">http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163155</A>



<b>We are all beta testers!</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 11/25/01 00:16 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[AEboy128]

Not like my Radeon which has AWESOME 2D/3D right outta the box i guess?? I bet the Radeon is better in 2d after that mod also.

My system: <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946</A>

 

[phsstpok]

Radeons are nice but I don't have one to compare directly. However, the mod'd Visiontek is considerably clearer than my old ATI All-in-Wonder. I'm considering modifying that card, as well, because I still use the TV tuner for a second computer. A better picture couldn't hurt. The mod will be tougher because I don't have a diagram and I can't really see all the etchings on the board.
<b>We are all beta testers!</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 11/29/01 11:39 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[AEboy128]

I'm guessing you have the ol' rage AIW right?? My Radeon is easily sharper than my dad's expert 2000.

My system: <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946</A>

 

[phsstpok]

I think it's the original release of the old AIW. It came bundled with the first 3D accellerated game that I had seen, MechWarrior (can't remember if it was 1 or 2). That was 1997. Amazing how far 3D has come in 4 short years.

<b>Update:</b> Scratch that. It was was the ATI PC2TV card that bundled Mechwarrior 2 in 1997. Now, I can't remember when I got the AIW.

That card never had good visual quality. The 3 ATI cards that I had used prior to the AIW looked better, of course I was using those in lower resolutions but they still weren't "fuzzy" like the AIW.

Well, I found some capacitors that comprise part of the filters for VGA connector on the AIW and I cut them out of the board (more like cut them in half). Visuals are better but not to the degree of the GTS card. There appears to be only a set of inductors left in the filters but being on the opposite side of the board, it's a bit of guess work. I don't have to cut them out, just bypass them. That can be done with conductive paint. At least this can be reversible in case I have the wrong part of the circuit (assumming I don't destroy anything during the test).

<b>We are all beta testers!</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 11/30/01 05:55 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[AEboy128]

That's kind weird i would've expected the ATI to be better. Oh well.

My system: <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946</A>