DVI Video Card for Panny AE500 with 1280 x 720 rez (1 Viewer)

[Larry Horwitz]

I'm looking for a video card which has DVI-Digital output and can drive the Panasonic AE500U projector at 720p resolution. The card should be capable of 1280 by 720 resolution.

I've tried the nVidia Geforce FX5200 which does have DVI-Digital output, but it does not appear to support the required resolution. I have played a bit with Powerstrip software, but would prefer to buy a card which natively supports the resolution of 720p HDTV.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks very much.

 

[Dalton]

I believe the ATI Radeon cards support this resolution. At least my 9500 pro does(as i'm sure many of their others do).
Have you tried using Powerstrip?

 

[Larry Horwitz]

Yes, I've tried using Powerstrip, and can add a 1280 by 720 mode to the available resolution settings. The Panasonic projector will not accept this signal however, and it may be the added protocol of HDCI that's missing or it may be that the resolution is right but that the clock, sweep rates, and/or synch polarities are wrong. There is no easy way to tell since the Pansonic projector just sits there with no output. I've had better luck with other HDTVs I've set up using Powerstrip, but they did not have the added complication of HDCI which the Panasonic requires when connected as a digital DVI-D device. As you may also be aware, the Panny does not support analog DVI.at all.

I therefore am looking for a card which not only does the right rez and sweep rates / etc. but also can generate the neccesary HDCI data. I assume there is no way to defeat this "feature" on the Panny since it is intended to limit the use of the projector to video which has the proper content property rights.

Wonder if the newest ATI HD cards can do it?

 

[Greg_Mitch]

I am currently running an nVidia GeForce 5600 Ultra I bought online for about $100 at a res. of 1280x768 (WXGA) but it has 1280x720 and it will run it without a problem. It also has DVI and s-video. Pretty cheap card with pretty good performance.

 

[Larry Horwitz]

Well I've tried the GeForce 5200 and is works superbly at 1280 X 768 with a DVI Digital connection to a 17 inch HD LCD display I also have here. The Panasonic projector must not like the DVI Digital input unless the additional HDCP layer is present, and I think I am forced to chose either analog video at 1280 by 720 using the 15 pin subminature D connector on the Panny (designed for computer analog input) or find a video card which generates HDCP digital output. My research so far indicates that no AGP or PCI cards yet exist, but there are external boxes which do it for $450 and up using DVI-D input.

It will be great if somebody figures out a way to disable the projector HDCP protection since many people will want to use the Panny with their laptop or desktopp computer and now have to sacrifice picture quality by using the older analog method.

 

[Eric-S]

Did you set up the EIDE(That may be the wrong acronym.) mode to the proper input on your projector menu? I can't remember which one is right for computer inputs, but you may want to try it.

 

[Larry Horwitz]

Thanks for the suggestion Eric. I'm not sure what you are referring to. The only slection I am aware of which affects the choice of inputs is the 3-way selector of video, PC, or component. When the PC mode is selected, the user then has the choice of either DVI or analog (15 pin subminature D connector) computer input.

Is there some other input or mode selection on the Pansonic 500?

 

[Larry Horwitz]

I'm stumped! The Panasonic projector takes the very same analog synch from a Padeon ATI card I tried at 1280 X 720, 800 X600, and 640 X 480 and works just fine through the analog port. The DVI Digital output of the ATI card at the very same resolutions will *NOT*** work with the Panasonic DVI digital input.

I has to be either a defective Pansonic projector, a defective cable, or HDCP protection on the DVI port. I know the cable is working properly since it drives other HDTV panels I've tried. It is remotely possible that the Pansonic DVI port requires a stronger signal than the other HDTVs I can drive it with, although they also need TTL 5V digital drive.

What a bummer! No way to get digital input into the Pansonic.