Hardware Upgrade Forum - View Single Post - Forse è vero: cata 3.8 danneggiano i monitor...........

dieg · 20-10-2003, 15:53

UPDATE: Monitor Death Issue From Catalyst 3.8 Software:

I've got more information regarding the "Monitor Death" problem with the ATI Catalyst 3.8 driver series:

Known Cards Affected:
All Radeon 9800 XT's
All Radeon 9800 Pro's
All Radeon 9800 Non-Pro's

Possible Cards Affected:
All Radeon 9700 Pro's
All Radeon 9700 Non-Pro's

It seems like the new driver series is attempting to pass way too many unsupported resolution/refresh rates to the monitor, overloading the monitor's relay system and frying the monitor. Instead of reading the refresh rates from the PRIMARY display INF files, it is reading the SECONDARY display INF refresh rates. For those of us with only 1 monitor hooked up, there is no SECONDARY display INF refresh rate file, so the video card starts at its own highest supported refresh rate and starts passing that onto the monitor. With Radeon 9800/9700's capable of syncing @ a refresh rate of up to 200 Hz, that means 99% of the world's monitors are at risk of damage.

So far, a total of 183 monitors, ranging from high-end 22" Viewsonic P225F's to lowly 14" Compaq SVGA monitors have been reported as dead/damaged due to this problem. It is to be taken seriously.

I'll attest to this problem, as my Dell UltraScan P1110 21" Trinitron has been damaged due to this problem. Running the Catalyst 3.8's on my Corona system @ 1600x1200 @ 85 Hz and playing Unreal Tournament 2003, I exited the game and the monitor started flickering like mad, attempting to change refresh rates. After 8 unsuccessful retries, the monitor displayed the "NO VIDEO SIGNAL FROM INPUT 1" message and the power light turned orange. A burning smell was coming from the back of the monitor. Hooking the monitor up to another system proved useless, as it did not start up.

Fortunately, I still have a few weeks left on the warranty, so I got to exchange for a new one, but the fact of the matter is that even if you have a high-end monitor, you aren't safe from this problem.

A whole bunch more individuals have noticed the same problem, but are running monitors that have some type of refresh-rate detection system that will only change the monitors refresh-rate/resolution if it is supported by the hardware. Those users are protected from this "monitor death" problem.

At this time, the Dell leaked 3.9 drivers do NOT fix this problem. Neither do the Omega 3.9 leaked drivers.

The only way for you to save your monitor is to revert BACK to the Catalyst 3.7 (or previous generation) drivers. Links to these drivers are available on the first post of this thread.

20-10-2003, 15:53	#5
dieg Senior Member Iscritto dal: Sep 2002 Città: Prov. di Como Auto: Cayman S Messaggi: 12530	UPDATE: Monitor Death Issue From Catalyst 3.8 Software: I've got more information regarding the "Monitor Death" problem with the ATI Catalyst 3.8 driver series: Known Cards Affected: All Radeon 9800 XT's All Radeon 9800 Pro's All Radeon 9800 Non-Pro's Possible Cards Affected: All Radeon 9700 Pro's All Radeon 9700 Non-Pro's It seems like the new driver series is attempting to pass way too many unsupported resolution/refresh rates to the monitor, overloading the monitor's relay system and frying the monitor. Instead of reading the refresh rates from the PRIMARY display INF files, it is reading the SECONDARY display INF refresh rates. For those of us with only 1 monitor hooked up, there is no SECONDARY display INF refresh rate file, so the video card starts at its own highest supported refresh rate and starts passing that onto the monitor. With Radeon 9800/9700's capable of syncing @ a refresh rate of up to 200 Hz, that means 99% of the world's monitors are at risk of damage. So far, a total of 183 monitors, ranging from high-end 22" Viewsonic P225F's to lowly 14" Compaq SVGA monitors have been reported as dead/damaged due to this problem. It is to be taken seriously. I'll attest to this problem, as my Dell UltraScan P1110 21" Trinitron has been damaged due to this problem. Running the Catalyst 3.8's on my Corona system @ 1600x1200 @ 85 Hz and playing Unreal Tournament 2003, I exited the game and the monitor started flickering like mad, attempting to change refresh rates. After 8 unsuccessful retries, the monitor displayed the "NO VIDEO SIGNAL FROM INPUT 1" message and the power light turned orange. A burning smell was coming from the back of the monitor. Hooking the monitor up to another system proved useless, as it did not start up. Fortunately, I still have a few weeks left on the warranty, so I got to exchange for a new one, but the fact of the matter is that even if you have a high-end monitor, you aren't safe from this problem. A whole bunch more individuals have noticed the same problem, but are running monitors that have some type of refresh-rate detection system that will only change the monitors refresh-rate/resolution if it is supported by the hardware. Those users are protected from this "monitor death" problem. At this time, the Dell leaked 3.9 drivers do NOT fix this problem. Neither do the Omega 3.9 leaked drivers. The only way for you to save your monitor is to revert BACK to the Catalyst 3.7 (or previous generation) drivers. Links to these drivers are available on the first post of this thread. __________________ "Se una persona non ha più sogni, non ha più alcuna ragione di vivere. Sognare è necessario, anche se nel sogno va intravista la realtà. Per me è uno dei principi della vita."