Solved: Custom Eyefinity group resolutions

[ychng]

Someone suggested that I post this approach/technique as a fresh post - perhaps if enough people find it useful it should be stickied by the mods. I have seen many people asking for custom resolutions in Eyefinity groups or complaining that certain resolutions aren't available (I was one of them with the T221-DG5 ultra high res monitor situation). Another member, sideeffect, used this method after seeing my post to get 76Hz working on his Eyefinity setup whereas before he only had 60Hz. Also, I would think that this would help people with monitors of different resolutions get their Eyefinity setups working. My apologies if this has has already been outlined.

The basic idea is to override the EDID signal coming from the monitor (which tells the graphics card which resolutions are available and permitted) with a file that you can create yourself. In my case, I did not want to have the card use the full resolution reported in the EDID.

Step by step:

You should download Moninfo (from Entech Taiwan, who makes Powerstrip) and Phoenix EDID designer (easily googled).
1. Read off the EDID from your monitor using Moninfo from Entech (the company that makes powerstrip). This will give you a text readout of all the parameters that your monitor is reporting, including all the timing values and resolutions.

2. Using Phoenix EDID designer, make a new (blank) EDID file and type in as many values from the real EDID as you can.

3. Now this part you need to tailor to your own needs. For people trying to get a T221-DG5 with two converter boxes to work, see my post in that thread for specific details. For every one else, here is where you can delete all the resolutions and timings you don't want, or ADD a custom resolution or timing (BUT MAKE SURE YOUR MONITOR SUPPORTS IT!). One way to increase the chances of getting a specific custom resolution in Eyefinity is to delete all but that resolution in the new "fake" EDID.

4. Once you get everything close (by saving the EDID file as a .dat file and opening/confirming with MonInfo), you should double check the details of timings, etc and compare to the original EDID in MonInfo. A mistake here could result in a blank display (no permanent damage though, just reboot in safe mode).

5. Now you can generate your EDID override monitor INF file using that option in the MonInfo menu.

6. This part I am cribbing from user Tulli in the AVSforum. He wrote a nice step-by-step guide to overriding the EDID with a INF file generated by Moninfo:
==========================================================
- Right click on desktop and select "Personalize".

- Click on Display->Change display settings.

- Now click on the Screen of the AVR display.

- Click on "Advanced settings"

- Select Monitor Tab and click on "Properties".

- Select Driver Tab and click on "Update Driver"

- Select "Browse my computer for driver updates".

- Select "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer".

- Click on "Have Disk".

- Click on "Browse".

- Navigate to directory with the display device .inf file (Note: just in case, make sure that it's THE ONLY .inf file in that directory).

- Click on Open, OK, and install the new driver.

- Reboot.
=====================================================

7. So now you have tricked the card into thinking that what you specified in the fake EDID file are the only resolutions/refresh rates available.

8. You should see that reflected in your Eyefinity group setup now if you make a new group!!

9. If you have problems, I'd recommend completely uninstalling Catalyst + drivers, and then doing a fresh install, and also installing the INF override file before trying to make any Eyefinity groups.

Note that this approach will still not give you the ability to create Eyefinity groups out of desktops with different resolutions - you might be able to use monitors with different resolutions but you will have to pick the resolution of the lowest one to use. (I think).

Yeang

[Tamlin]

This might solve more problems then just Eyefinity. Overriding EDID might be useful for other settings as well, especially since it doesn't involve replacing the EDID itself. I'll sticky this for now here, but I think it should be placed in the tutorial section later with a link in the wiki. :)

Good job! Any chance of some visual walkthrough with screenshots? :)

Edit: I linked it up to a new thread: Threads of special interest for Eyefinity users
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=17637

[skipclarke]

Can someone confirm they've been able to get 5040x1050 on a 3x1920x1200 setup?

[geniv2]

isn't it kinda lame that eyefinity/ati doesn't just let you set it from it's control panel? seems like we have to jump through hoops

[Tamlin]

Jumping through hoops is a community sport here at WSGF :P

Eyefinity uses the EDID data to get available resolutions, so this might be a good method to overcome deficiancies on monitors. This might also help TH2G users with the 57hz issue in 5040x1050 for screens that are not compatible with that res and refresh. At least its worth a shot:)

[Sideeffect]

MonInfo http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/moninfo.shtm
Phoenix EDID Designer http://www.tucows.com/preview/329441

Here are some pictures to show what ychng explained.

You need to create a new EDID. Pheonix can extract EDID information from the registry which is useful for reference but contains information that will prevent this from working.

Adding information


Adding more Information. Preferred timing mode ticked means the customised Detailed timings will be used.



In a normal EDID the Standard Timings page would be full but for this mod we need all values unselected. In this image MonInfo is reading from a older monitor EDID which includes the standard timings and native/preferred timing is at 60Hz.


The Detailed Timings page is where you specify the change required whether it be a resolution or refresh rate change. I colour coded it to show which values link. Some numbers are shown differently between the two applications so trial and error might be required to find the relevant values. As you can see from this picture MonInfo is reading from my already customised EDID and the standard timings supported are all missing and the native/preferred timing is at 76Hz.


If you need help finding the corresponding values you can open the EDID from the registry in Phoenix but this also contains all other information so best not to use it as a template.

[ychng]

Hey Sideeffect, thanks so much for posting all those useful screenshots! I was trying to get around to it but looks like you beat me to it :)

Again, thanks to ATI's engineers for solving a problem that's plagued us since Vista - I'm unspeakably grateful (unlike many who just complain on these forums).

Yeang

[ViciousXUSMC]

Hmm I need to try this, I do not know why my U2410 wouldnt have 5040x1050 already as an option I thought that was an ATI issue. I can only select like 3000x1000ish I do not believe I have tried to set a new lower desktop resolution and then game on that resolution but I have tried to use the lower resolution in game while still using the higher res desktop and I find myself letter boxed on all 4 sides on each monitor resulting in an unplayable game. This is with scaling turned on, on each monitor and aspect scaling turned on in the ATI control panel.

So far most games run really well maxed out 5760x1200 but Crysis wont and there may be a few games that may be preferable to have the higher fps associated with a lower resolution so thats why I am going to test it out. If anything it should extend the life of my card when newer harder to render games come to play.

[skipclarke]

Hmm I need to try this, I do not know why my U2410 wouldnt have 5040x1050 already as an option I thought that was an ATI issue.

It is an ATI issue. EyeFinity groups are creating using the largest possible res. They don't scale down from there. But, if this tricks Catalyst into thinking 5040x1050 is as high as your monitors go, then you may be in.

You try this, and I will try it on my TH2Go DP Edition.

[ViciousXUSMC]

One negative I foresee is the loss of software scaling, witch is a higher quality than hardware scaling in most cases.

[skipclarke]

Just tried this in Vista, and no joy. I read the EDID info, which didn't have any details on 5040x1050. Went ahead and put all the other info in, and was going to see if Matrox had the timing details. When I tried to enter 5040 in the "H Active Pixel" box, I get this error: "Horizontal Active Pixels must be between 0 and 4095. Wonder if Win7 has the same limitation.

Is there any forum where we can inquire and see why that limit is?

Edit: Tried in Win7 as well. No joy there. May try to see if I can get 5040x1050 out of my EyeFinity, but it looks like no go on the TH2Go.

[metalnwood]

Ibrin, I got the same error when trying to get my 5970 working with my th2go so I gave up.

I did then try using it again to get that resolution in eyefinity, i.e. 1680x1050 on my native 1920x1200 monitors, just for increased framerates.

That didnt seem to work either as I created an override inf file that had 1680 ad the highest resolution but it still kept going to 1920..

[skipclarke]

Did you delete all other res options in the inf file?

[metalnwood]

I admit I didn't , I just got rid of the 'native' 1920x1200 and told it the panels native res was 1680x1050.

[Sideeffect]

You need to remove all other options or it won't work. Don't edit an existing EDID make a new one that is empty.

The Eyefinity/TH2go isn't controlled by the EDID you don't set 5040 x 1050 in the EDID you set the monitor limits so if you require 5040 x 1050 Eyefinity you set 1680 x 1050 in the monitor EDID. For 5760 x 1200 you set 1920 x 1200 etc.

Try these timings for 1680 x 1050 @ 60Hz

[skipclarke]

The TH2Go is seen as a monitor and it has its own EDID. You would need to set it for 5040x1050 to get Windows to see it. The whole point is that the box fools Windows into seeing one super-wide monitor

Aren't EDID timing unique to a monitor?

[Sideeffect]

The TH2Go is seen as a monitor and it has its own EDID. You would need to set it for 5040x1050 to get Windows to see it. The whole point is that the box fools Windows into seeing one super-wide monitor

Aren't EDID timing unique to a monitor?

Ah ok.

The timings add up to 60Hz so should be safe. I didn't have a problem using them on my 24" 1920 x 1200. Ideally you should use timings for your panel type but if you can't find any then thats not a bad place to start.

[kondor999]

isn't it kinda lame that eyefinity/ati doesn't just let you set it from it's control panel? seems like we have to jump through hoops

Totally lame. Bordering on lazy. They appear to have assumed that we would all be happy to simply run our panels at max (native) res, along with a couple other generics (that don't even have the correct aspect ratio) and left it at that.

Oh yeah - editing EDID's: this is really gonna catch on with the mainstream. :roll:

[Dave Baumann]

No, this is not "laziness" but issues with the way Windows does stuff. As mentioned in the other thread.

[kondor999]

No, this is not "laziness" but issues with the way Windows does stuff. As mentioned in the other thread.

Will this ever be solved? I'm referring to the inability to select lower triplehead resolutions (and I don't count the useless 3840x1024 and 2400x600).

If not, I need to return these 24" monitors I just purchased. Just need a straight answer - no hard feelings.