Hi there,I have Sapphire Radeon HD 6850, on HDMI cable. Monitor SAMSUNG S24A350H 24' LED. System: ASUS P5QL PRO on Quadcore 2.66 GHz intel. For approx 3 three years system has been working fineRecently, a month ago I am getting this intermittent problem that sometimes, all of a sudden screen goes blank. Monitor light is on but no screen (Monitor is not in standby state, it is in working state) for a few seconds then comes back. I observed my GPU temp varies between 60C and 82C, fan speed upto 85%. I made it full speed manually undr catalyst. But blank screen still appears when temp is around 60C. When screen goes blank, for testing purpose, I shifted it to DVI-To-VGA converter and connected it to VGA of monitor, there it keeps working as usual. I shifted on hdmi and screen blanking occurs. I have clean re-installed catalyst 14.4 I have cleaned the copper contacts on my gaphics card thoroughly. This all is no avail. I have noticed screen sometimes going blank even at booting screen, that is outside of windows. so I think it is not windows problem. Can updaing/refreshing Graphic Card BIOS a solution? how much risky? GRAPHIC CARD PROPERTIES IN Catalyst Control Center Graphics Card Manufacturer Powered by AMD Graphics Chipset AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series Device ID 6739 Vendor ID 1002 Subsystem ID 174B Subsystem Vendor ID 174B Graphics Bus Capability PCI Express 2.0 Maximum Bus Setting PCI Express 2.0 x16 BIOS Version 013.012.000.019 BIOS Part Number 113-3E174120-S4R BIOS Date 2011/06/20 Memory Size 1024 MB Memory Type GDDR5 Core Clock in MHz 775 MHz Memory Clock in MHz 1000 MHz Total Memory Bandwidth in GByte/s 128.0 GByte/s So in short my observations are:HDMI port output goes blank momentarily. at that time VGA and DVI ports output still works. Supposedly it in not loose contacts or corrosion on contacts, I cleaned thoroughly.Please help me. This card has given good service for long and I am not in a position to discard it. Please suggest a solution soon
I guess some electronic component related to HDMI output is failing. If you prefer to connect graphic card to the monitor then buy for few bucks either DVI-to DSub adapter or cable-adapter DVI-to-DSub and problem solved. If DVI is fully operative use it instead cause DVI is almost same (in some aspects even better) like HDMI without audio.
Thanks for replying. I don't use HDMI Audio. Monitor has only HDMI or standard VGA. Gr. Card has DVI (2 connectors) HDMI, DisplayPort. I found HDMI superior as compared to std. VGA could it be anything to do with settings in catalyst. such as pixel format or desktop resolution selection. mine is at the moment on HDTV 1080p 60Hz. I also found some custom values in CCC what's the difference in 1080p60 NTSC and 1080p50 PAL. they can be forcefully added in selection menu. relevant?
Pardon! I wrote DVI to DSub but I was thinking DVI to HDMI adapter or cable-adapter. They are cheap, just few bucks at eBay. I don't use DSub on my rigs for about 10 years for now, prefer DVI becsuse difference compared to DSub is much noticable. edit Are you sure that HDMI cable or HDMI in on monitor are OK?
HDMI cable I managed to change with another for test. I found it is not due to cable. both cables are OK. Then just for clearing doubts, I refreshed/cleaned the copper strips of my RAM sticks, 6GB in 4 sticks. Corsair. Also swapped their location. Problem exists. even with just one stick. So it is not due to any RAM malfunction. Then I found CPU clock ratio in my BIOS was on AUTO, I changed to manual and to max value. thinking that CPU freq shifts might be the cause but it is not. Then I changed a value in BIOS PCIe spread spectrum, it was on AUTO, I made it disabled. It also has to do with the PCIe clock freq. but still problem exists. Then I observed same problem in another Operating System on same rig with completely different breed of driver than windows driver. no catalyst control center there. All default values. Problem is still there. So it is not related with Windows/driver/catalyst. So I think problem with the card itself and most probably in HDMI circuitary. because when blank, it does work with Graphic Card->DVI->Dsub->Monitor. My Monitor SAMSUNG 24' LED has HDMI and DSub ports only. I have no other HDMI out device to confirm monitor. But HDMI cable is OK. This is a nice Graphics setup and I don't want to discard this gr. card just due to this problem. Please suggest if I forcefully burn the BIOS with same version of this graphic card, any possiblity? secondly, how well the two compares, HDMI and DVI. I got best results on my screen with HDMI setup. I may have to buy a DVI->HDMI converter ( does it comes? ) so I can utilize the graphic card out DVI and monitor in HDMI provided no compromise in quality any ideas?
I think newer BIOS reflash won't solve the problem. About DVI and HDMI: they are almost identical, both are digital standards, HDMI is basicaly DVI + audio. Had tried both on many (A LOT) of monitors with HDMI + DVI and my sharp eyes (more than 20 years behind all kinds of CRT's and LCD's and I'm still not using glasses) see no difference. In most cases I find DVI easier to setup than HDMI so on all of my displays I'm using DVI. edit So that's why if you don't have DVI on monitor you're using just buy cheap DVI to HDMI adapter if you still want best possible picture on that monitor using HDMI cable: http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/dvi-to-hdmi-adapter
Thanks for suggestion and I think this is the only quickest, least cost solution to get a DVI-HDMI converter I am expecting to get same crisp and smooth fonts/texture as on my HDMI setup even through converter in the middle. Let me experiment. By the way, what Desktop type I would get in case of DVI. I mean currently I have 1920x1080@60Hz i-e 1080p. I think it is just the connector I am changing or is it that DVI signaling is different from HDMI. I don't care about HDMI audio. Another option for DVI converter for me is I have an HDMI cable spare. and probably can get DVI connector in my junk. So can I create a cable with one end HDMI and other at DVI? If I get cable diagram.
With DVI expect same quality like with HDMI, same resolutions and refresh rates, same picture quality. About DVI to HDMI adapter or cable... It's just a different pinout: DVI HDMI ...but IMO it's not worth time and effort, just buy one cheap and close the day: http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/dvi-to-hdmi-cable
That looks like a problem with the cable or your monitor, try a different cable.. (somethings probably loose)
Thanks but already checked cable. same status on another one. currently I have DVI-to-VGA adaptor and at the moments of blank screen, I checked it works on DVI-to-VGA. I am waiting for DVI-to-HDMI adaptor, will post updates later
DVI-HDMI adapter did not solved the problem Ok late but I managed to buy a DVI –to- HDMI Adapter. Amazingly it did not solve the problem. Here is the adapter DVI-D Single link <-> HDMI female <url to uploaded pic not working> My graphics card has the following output types: <url to uploaded pic not working> 1 x HDMI (with 3D) 1 x DisplayPort 1 x Single-Link DVI-D 1 x Dual-Link DVI-I I connected DVI-D port of gr. Card to monitor’s HDMI through adapter this way: GRAPHIC CARD DVI-D port -> [ Adapter ] -> HDMI port -> ……….HDMI CABLE…………. -> HDMI IN on Monitor Switched on the system and the monitor. Monitor sensed HDMI input and switched to HDMI in source. The screen was completely blank (starting from first BIOS boot screen) but monitor light shows it is operational at the moment and not in standby or power save mode. Then I connected DVI-I port of gr. Card to monitor hdmi through adapter GRAPHIC CARD DVI-I port -> [ Adapter ] -> HDMI port -> ……….HDMI CABLE…………. -> HDMI IN on Monitor Same thing, monitor shows blank. At last I connected the old way, my gr. Card to monitor via HDMI ports GRAPHIC CARD HDMI port -> ……….HDMI CABLE…………. -> HDMI IN on Monitor Also it is blank screen. That lets me monitor’s HDMI think may be at fault. But I have no HDMI out device at the moment to test. VGA mode works fine on 1920x1280 RGB. Also I am thinking may be monitor’s EDID would be faulty for HDMI port. I extracted the live EDID from VGA mode. GRAPHIC CARD DVI-I port -> [ DVI-I –to-D Sub Adapter ] -> ………. VGA cable …………. -> VGA in on Monitor EDID report for VGA mode is as follows: EDID Manager Version: 1.0.0.14 ___________________________________________________________________ Block 0 (EDID Base Block), Bytes 0 - 127, 128 BYTES OF EDID CODE: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 000 | 00 FF FF FF FF FF FF 00 4C 2D 010 | D5 07 59 54 53 5A 11 15 01 03 020 | 0E 35 1E 78 2A BA 41 A1 59 55 030 | 9D 28 0D 50 54 BF EF 80 71 4F 040 | 81 00 81 40 81 80 95 00 A9 40 050 | B3 00 95 0F 02 3A 80 18 71 38 060 | 2D 40 58 2C 45 00 13 2B 21 00 070 | 00 1E 00 00 00 FD 00 38 4B 1E 080 | 51 11 00 0A 20 20 20 20 20 20 090 | 00 00 00 FC 00 53 4D 53 32 34 100 | 41 33 35 30 48 0A 20 20 00 00 110 | 00 FF 00 48 56 4E 42 34 30 30 120 | 31 37 38 0A 20 20 00 FF ___________________________________________________________________ I cannot poll EDID in HDMI port from monitor because it is not in working state. But I tried to interpret old EDID in ‘DIGITAL’ mode in windows registry that may be from when once it was working fine. I cannot interpret it correctly. It shows something like PnP monitor which lead to the fact that it is assigned by windows when no EDID successfully polled from monitor. Now need you suggestion how to isolate the problem and fix the issue.
I had a similar issue a couple of years ago, during gpu usage my screen would turn black for a couple of seconds then back to normal. It was due to a faulty PSU, it's fan wasn't performing properly so it throttled on high usage, works perfectly fine since I RMA'd the PSU.
Firmware upgrade needed again? Guys, I googled it. I found numerous hints on firmware upgrade on my monitor. This official page referring to upgrade firmware : Firmware Update For SA Series Monitors It addresses similar issue and recommends firmware upgrade Symptoms: Blank Screen Solid Red Status Light Affected Models: LS**A20* LS**A33* LS**A30* LS**A35* <- this is my series LS24A350H LS**A45* LS**A46* LS**A55* NOW here is the problem: I have already upgraded firmware for this monitor when it was released. utility: 'SamsungFirmwareUpdater_1.1.07_120227.exe' May be the problem now needs a refresh on firmware again but when i try to upgrade this time , samsung utility says firmware upgrade is not required because it is already on that upgraded version. --> How can I forcefully apply this firmware upgrade ? please put your suggestion
Confirmed problem is in Monitor Hi again, I confirmed everything by connecting another Display ( in place of this samsung monitor) to my system. cable etc everything is working it means problem is in my monitor. Now thinking EDID may really need to be re-programmed for this monitor HDMI port. no idea how. please help
OP, thanks for this tip about firmware! My older kid has Samsung (L)S24A300B and earlier I remember few times he mentioned me something about black screen or something, I think few times that monitor didn't started from the first try but after OFF and ON everything was fine. He is using that monitor via DVI on his gaming rig but he never had a problem like you i.e. sudden screen goes blank while working. I'm gonna try that new firmware for sure and get back here with report because right from the day one I've noticed that picture quallity on that monitor is not so perfect, colours are a bit washed for my taste and Samsung is claiming that 1.1.7 firmware is offering better picture quallity.
Problem confirmed in monitor This firmware is recommended by Samsung so there is no reason to not try. I did notice better screen output after upgrading. I had similar symptoms earlier, sometimes monitors starts in blank screen on HDMI and slowly I am here. So better do it. Just to refresh firmware ( in a hope to resolve my issue) I am not getting a way to forcefully re-upgrade firmware. May be it re-write everything and my HDMI is back. I did contact Samsung customer support they are walking me childish steps like check cables etc. Blank screen problem is now permanent rather than suddenly during work. Means on HDMI input screen is blank right from boot start screens. Status LED stays lit. scan sensed to HDMI. Today I checked my Graphic card all ports, cables etc. on another display output HDTV. Everything is OK except and this is confimr now problem is in samsung monitor in question. I did some tricks to poll live EDID for HDMI port of this monitor and compared it with another one obtained very hard from some resource. Two reports of EDID verifies same. It means problem is not in EDID too.!!! This leaves me with monitor's circuitry board etc. and it may need to go to service center. But still I wanan try to update HDMI's EDID. Only problem stopping me to try is that the sample EDID which I got is in text report format and I have no idea of a utility to rebuild and program it on HDMI port. Also on HDMI since I can not see screen I am not sure what trick to program. anyways I am using monitor on DVI-I -> VGA @ 1920*1280 so far till there is a solution. I like monitor's result and don't wanna spare HDMI option of it. waiting for any inputs guys please respond.
