[DjFonti]

Hi all. I have just purchased a new computer I can use to create Dvds out of camcorder footage. Now I thought this would be quite straightforward but it turns out I was wrong. I have tried numerous DVD editing/encoding software programs and they mess up in one way or another....

1) Some freeze, barely a second after I have pushed 'encode' or 'burn' or whatever.

2) More commonly, the screen blacks out half way through an encode with an error message of 'out of scan range'. So I tried to install the monitor drivers but to no success.

Primarily, I would like to solve this screen problem. The monitor is a Sony SDM-X82. The graphics card is a NVIDIA GeForce 7100 GS, I think it is 512mb. The rest of the specs are 320GB HDD, 2GB RAM, dual core 6400 processor, running windows XP. The monitor is connected the old shool way, not DVI, the other way (as you can see I'm quite the expert).

Does anyone have any suggestions/settings as to how I can stop this infuriating 'blacking out'. Any help is much appreciated.

EDIT: I'm running 1024 x 768, 32 bit screen resolution.

Edited by DjFonti, 28 May 2007 - 06:36 PM.

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Hi there

First of all try reducing the display settings. i.e right click on the desktop & select Properties to open the Display applet.
Click on the Settings tab, then click 'Advanced'
First try just reducing the colour depth to 16 bit. If this doesn't stop the problem, then go back & reduce the resolution (if you can bear it) to 800x600.

The other thing to check while you're at it, is the refresh setting. In the Display->Settings->Advanced section, select the 'Adapter' tab & make sure that the Refresh setting is set to 'adapter default'.


Another possible cause of this problem, is the monitor signal cable. i.e if the cable is too long or of poor quality, then you may experience this 'out of scan range' error.

Let me know how you get on

[Samm]

Hi there

First of all try reducing the display settings. i.e right click on the desktop & select Properties to open the Display applet.
Click on the Settings tab, then click 'Advanced'
First try just reducing the colour depth to 16 bit. If this doesn't stop the problem, then go back & reduce the resolution (if you can bear it) to 800x600.

The other thing to check while you're at it, is the refresh setting. In the Display->Settings->Advanced section, select the 'Adapter' tab & make sure that the Refresh setting is set to 'adapter default'.


Another possible cause of this problem, is the monitor signal cable. i.e if the cable is too long or of poor quality, then you may experience this 'out of scan range' error.

Let me know how you get on

[DjFonti]

Thanks for the reply Samm. I have changed the settings to 800 x 600 and 16 bit, and will try again and see if it makes any difference.

I went to display>settings>advanced>adapter, and there was a section named 'list modes', which I assume is how you alter the refresh setting. I set it to 800x600, 16bit, default refresh. However, the colours on the screen were so minimal it looked like 'safe mode' and was unbearable.

About the cable. The monitor is fairly new and worked with my old computer, so I don't know whether that is the problem but I'm no expert. Would connecting it via the DVI be the solution to these problems or am I barking up the wrong tree? Because, ideally it would be nice to run resolution and colours at a more advanced level having payed for a new computer.

If it was, how would I go about it, because the screen has the cable attached to it and has no option to connect a new one. Would I need an adapter to convert the vga to DVI?

Thanks again.

[Samm]

Firstly, re. the display looking like it's in safe mode - are you sure you set it to 16bit (aka High colour)? It sounds like you may have set it to 16 colours (instead of 16 BIT).

You can get adapter that will allow you to connect the monitor to the DVI port on the video card. That's not a bad idea & may just resolve the problem although I can't guarantee it.

Check out this Ebay Link. It's an example of the adapter you would need (DVI male to VGA female) & it's also the cheapest one I can find in the UK:

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...3QQcmdZViewItem

Edited by Samm, 29 May 2007 - 06:59 PM.

[DjFonti]

Thanks again for the reply and link. I've ordered one of those adapters.

You were right, I did set it to 16 colors, but that was because it was one of the only options that had 'default refresh' next to it. I changed it to 800x600, 16 bit, however it says 60hz also, not sure of the relevance of that. Don't think there is an option of '800x600, 16bit, default refresh'.

Well, I'll give it another go and report back soon enough. I'll also give it a whirl with the adapter when it arrives.

Thanks...

[Samm]

Normally the refresh setting can be set independently of the resolution or colour depth. However, don't worry too much about that - 60hz is the refresh value and is a common one, so chances are the adapter default is 60 anyway. You can normally tell if the refresh is incorrect as the screen will appear to flicker or even go completely blank. I'm not sure XP allows you to set a completely unsupported refresh rate easily anyway.

Let us know how you get on with the DVI adapter