Tom's Hardware > Forum > Computer Peripherals > Flat Panels/ LCDs > VGA / DVI converter not working - monitor goes into power saving mode

VGA / DVI converter not working - monitor goes into power saving mode

Forum Computer Peripherals : Flat Panels/ LCDs - VGA / DVI converter not working - monitor goes into power saving mode

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So I've been testing this with 2 monitors and 2 computers.

Old Monitor = has both VGA and DVI
new monitor = has only VGA
desktop computer = DVI only
laptop = VGA only

I'm trying to connect my desktop computer to my new monitor.

My new monitor only has a VGA slot and plugging it to my laptop which has one too, works. So the new monitor works.

However , my graphic card on my desktop computer only has a DVI slot and my monitor has a VGA slot so I'm using this little piece that has VGA on one end and DVI on the other end.

After plugging it in, the monitor acts like it knows there is something but goes right away into power saving mode. And I can't get it out of it.
If I use the same converter with my older monitor it does not seem to detect anything.

So that would suggest there is something wrong with my desktop computer / video card.
However if I simply connect the DVI cable from my desktop computer to my old monitor - it works.

So both my monitors work and my computers. However I can't get anything to work using the piece of crap converter thing.
It's just a 2 inch piece that changes it from DVI from VGA.

Okay, with my new monitor when NOTHING is plugged in, it says " CHECK SIGNAL CABLE "
But if I connect using the converter thing it goes from it into power saving mode.

So it does detect something.

Also, nothing seems bent or damaged.

Does anyone have a clue of what is going on?
Thank you very much in advance. I want to use my new monitor with my desktop computer.

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By any chance is your new monitor a Samsung?

Reply to 35553

The 'converter', is simply a VGA to DVI adapter. It doesn't do anything more.

Check the menu on the monitor. Some have a power saver option setting on the monitor itself.

With the old monitor plugged in, check to see what the video refresh rate is set to. You new monitor may not be able to support it.

------------------------------ CM HAF 932 - 300GB Velociraptor
GIGABYTE GA-EP45T-DS3R
E8500 - Sapphire 1Gb 4850
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Reply to aford10

yes but this adapter also doesn't work when used with my old monitor

My old monitor is a 19 inch Dell and my new monitor is a 24 inch LG monitor.
I think my graphic card is only a 8600 gts 512mb nvidia card.

Could my graphic card be the problem?
The refresh rate is set to 60hz so its probably not the problem.

Reply to cooolr

I don't think it's your video card since it's going into power saver mode. It is putting out a signal.

Some monitors that have dual output have a menu option to enable the type. That's the only other thing I could suggest. The adapter shouldn't cause the monitor to go to power save mode.

------------------------------ CM HAF 932 - 300GB Velociraptor
GIGABYTE GA-EP45T-DS3R
E8500 - Sapphire 1Gb 4850
4G DDR3 OCZ Reaper 1333
Reply to aford10

I found a solution... for me at least. My problem was a little different but may help. I have 2 graphics cards in my pc. One x16 one PCI, they run 4 monitors. When I first installed the cards everything worked great. Have been running 4 monitors for at least 2 years. I replaced the (dual VGA ports) card for a newer card (one DVI one VGA) with a little more memory, everything was fine, they installed great and seemed to be running well... Until I rebooted. After rebooting the DVI port of the PCI card had that monitor in power saver mode. Nothing worked to get the monitor to wake up. I tried every driver NVIDIA had, swapped cables, got another card, monitors, dvi to vga converters (all four of my monitors are just VGA) NOTHING. I was able to reproduce the problem in Windows 7 and Windows XP. So I decided to look in the BIOS. There is a video configuration mode on mine that says Primary Video card (or something like that) I have the X16 card as the primary in the BIOS (it has DVI and VGA ports too). If I make the PCI card the primary in the BIOS when I boot Windows 7 and Windows XP sees all 4 monitors GREAT! No problems at all!! I did not have the issue with the OLD PCI card (both outputs were VGA ports) only when one was DVI and the other VGA. Not sure what that has to with what one is set as the primary in the BIOS and why windows would NOT get that DVI port on the PCI card to come out of power saver mode unless it was set as the primary. Perhaps since it is seeing it upon boot, it tells widows it is there... Not sure but it is at least working for me.
So hopefully this helps someone with their problem. BIOS, select a different primary for you video cards.

Reply to Anonymous

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VGA / DVI converter not working - monitor goes into power saving mode

Forum Computer Peripherals : Flat Panels/ LCDs - VGA / DVI converter not working - monitor goes into power saving mode