Widescreen Gaming Forum

Hello all, I just wanted to post that I upgraded my TH2GO hardware to the latest firmware. It now allows me to do 5040 x 1050 @ 60 HZ!!! Like most of you my three monitors would not do 57hz. I am very happy now.

I actually downloaded and updated my firmware last night. After it restarted it was still listed at 5040x1050 57Hz. I was tired and never bothered to read what the firmware update addressed. THAT IS GREAT NEWS. Now I am trying to get off of work early just to try the 60Hz.

I am wondering how this will affect the games, the resolution, will all new drivers from Nvidia work.....please tell me that it will all work now.

My other box is the Mviewer which I am waiting for. I am testing both boxes. I had one Mviewer box, but it was damaged during shipping from China and had a color issue as a result, so I am waiting for it to come back. I was very happy with it since it would get me to 5040x1050 at 60Hz yet it only worked so far with the Nvidia 182.50 drivers. I think this is Nvidia's fault and not the Mviewer box. The same plague happening with Matrox. I am still testing it and will have a full review soon. I have even heard that the Mviewer will possibly work with the Matrox software, but I have not tested it yet.....it is only hear say for now. I will be watching for others to respond.

Kevintrisha I was suprised to see that resolution available. When it came back up after the reboot and the setup wizard started I noticed that I had two options for max res. the 57hz and 60hz I chose the 60hz and to my suprise it worked. My desktop looks much better now. I immediately started testing games.

Fallout 3 worked looks
LFD2 worked
Call of Duty MW2 worked with the (widescreenfixer tool)

I was a Believer. Every thing looks much better now.

My setup

Geforce GTX 285 w/191.07 driver
Striker Extreme main board
x 6800 intel
2 Gigs ram
xfi sound
3 Acer 23inch monitors x233hbid monitors ( they would not do 57hz)

It's the same firmware file version as they had previously released, and no changelog included. Doesn't seem anything got changed at all.

It's the same firmware file version as they had previously released, and no changelog included. Doesn't seem anything got changed at all.

So are you saying you still can't do 5040 x 1050 @60hz?

i don't feel like upgrading, my monitors work at 59Hz, and it still works. So, Doesn't seem like something i want to mess with.

EDIT: It's nice that it works at 60Hz, but I would rather them implement a 1600x900 resolution for us who bought 1080p monitors and can either use 1680x1050 (16:10) res and have it really distorted, or use 1360x768 (16:9) which is a much lower resolution. I have a love hate relationship with matrox.

AFAIK from my testing, it's not the firmware update that does it, it's the PowerDesk 2.06. If you don't update to the new PowerDesk, then you won't see 5040x1050x60Hz.

[quote]It's the same firmware file version as they had previously released, and no changelog included. Doesn't seem anything got changed at all.

So are you saying you still can't do 5040 x 1050 @60hz?

Not at all, what I'm saying though is that the firmware file version number is the exact same as the one which has been out for months now.
That said, I do run at 60Hz (59Hz) though I wasn't aware of it until recently, when I checked the OCD of my monitors after someone in another thread (The one asking for sys specs) mentioned running at 60Hz.

So someone help clarify please.

I still cannot do 1650. I can only do 1440 if I go with a clean install of 191.xx and 2.04 pwrd. This is all with the latest firmware - that is until today.

Someone on the Battlegroundeurope forums posted success with the latest 195.8 nvidia betas. So I tried a clean install of those with powerdesk 2.06. No joy.

Then I read this thread about new firmware (again?) so I checked nvidia's site.

Sure enough there was new firmware released Dec 7/09. I downloaded it, but the update file had a creation date of /02/09!?

I backed up and "updated" my firmware anyway. I ran out of time to try 1650 or 1440, but I will try again tonight after work. I have my doubts this will work however. How do you release a new firmware with old creation dates? There isn't even a different version number.

As far as I know, there has not been a firmware change. Only PowerDesk has been updated to 2.06 and that has let me run 1680x1050x3x60Hz on every computer that I have tried.

Something I posted elsewhere:

A trick I use when setting up a TH2G is to set up in singlescreen 1680x1050x60 first, then go to a 5040x1050 desktop after a reboot. Example:

1. Update the firmware on the TH2G to the latest if you haven't already.
2. Install the latest Matrox PowerDesk (2.06 I use).
3. Run the Matrox Setup Wizard, choosing Singlescreen (not TripleScreen), then select Widescreen (not Standard aspect ratio, as 3 x 1680 x 1050 will not appear for me if you don't change this setting), manually select 1 x 1680 x 1050, then save and apply. Run through the setup until the system asks you to reboot, then reboot the PC. When it restarts, the setup completes.
4. Go into the PowerDesk and save the single screen setup as a favourite (use swap display first if the wrong screen is being used in single screen mode).
5. Quit out of PowerDesk, right click on the Desktop, go to Personalise or whatever menu option takes you to your screen resolution (depending on which version of Windows you're on), then move the slider out to 5040x1050.
6. Open PowerDesk again and save the triplescreen setup as a second favourite.
7. Setup hotkeys.

Also, something worth noting. If you ever start the Matrox PowerDesk and it says something like 'detected settings have change', always click Yes to reboot before making changes in PowerDesk or it will rarely work. Don't just click No.

Very nice write up!!

It works for me, but I still have 182.50 drivers.
Before I start trying other driver versions again, have you had luck
with newer drivers. That has been my main issue.

Very nice write up!!

It works for me, but I still have 182.50 drivers.
Before I start trying other driver versions again, have you had luck
with newer drivers. That has been my main issue.

Cool.

Yes, I am using the latest Nvidia drivers right now. I am using it on both Windows 7 64 bit and Windows XP 32 bit (my machine and a friends). I have full Aero functionality on the Windows 7 box.

I update the TH2G first (if it's not already at the latest firmware), install the Nvidia driver next, then install the PowerDesk last. I always reboot before running PowerDesk, and always reboot whenever PowerDesk suggests I should, and it works for me.

Good luck!

No good with anything but 182.50 for now. It seems that more people are having better luck
with Windows 7 64 bit. I am not seeing much luck with the 32 bit version like me.

I wonder if I should just start all over with 64 bit. I will have to read up on the advantages of it.

Thank you for your post.

64 bit is the go nowadays, I highly recommend it. It's very stable, unlike my experience with XP 64 bit.

Sorry to hear that the latest drivers don't work but at least you can get 5040x1050.

As far as I know, there has not been a firmware change. Only PowerDesk has been updated to 2.06 and that has let me run 1680x1050x3x60Hz on every computer that I have tried.

Something I posted elsewhere:

A trick I use when setting up a TH2G is to set up in singlescreen 1680x1050x60 first, then go to a 5040x1050 desktop after a reboot. Example:

1. Update the firmware on the TH2G to the latest if you haven't already.
2. Install the latest Matrox PowerDesk (2.06 I use).
3. Run the Matrox Setup Wizard, choosing Singlescreen (not TripleScreen), then select Widescreen (not Standard aspect ratio, as 3 x 1680 x 1050 will not appear for me if you don't change this setting), manually select 1 x 1680 x 1050, then save and apply. Run through the setup until the system asks you to reboot, then reboot the PC. When it restarts, the setup completes.
4. Go into the PowerDesk and save the single screen setup as a favourite (use swap display first if the wrong screen is being used in single screen mode).
5. Quit out of PowerDesk, right click on the Desktop, go to Personalise or whatever menu option takes you to your screen resolution (depending on which version of Windows you're on), then move the slider out to 5040x1050.
6. Open PowerDesk again and save the triplescreen setup as a second favourite.
7. Setup hotkeys.

Also, something worth noting. If you ever start the Matrox PowerDesk and it says something like 'detected settings have change', always click Yes to reboot before making changes in PowerDesk or it will rarely work. Don't just click No.

The problem is at step 5 however, the 5040x1050 resolution isn't available on newer driver releases.

The problem is at step 5 however, the 5040x1050 resolution isn't available on newer driver releases.

Well it is for me on XP, Vista, and 7, so it must be a hardware issue or something. I am using GTX275 cards on all my machines.

Dunno what to say, but I can't get it to work, either with 280GTX or 295GTX with the same hardware components.

182.50? Then your step by step works to the T. 195.81 (or .65)? Nope. 3840x1024 is the maximum it allows. I was wondering if it isn't installing the other resolutions for some reason on the newer drivers.

I've tried setting a custom resolution but it says monitor ain't supported. At this point I'm pretty tired of Matroxs inability to code a working PowerDesk/Setup Wizard.

Timmeh, I have 275 cards as well (sli) and am running into the same issue as the previous poster. I simply do not get the option to run 3x5040x1050 no matter how I set it up.

I thank you for your help. I will attempt again EXACTLY what you suggest when I get home from work - but so far only 3x1440x900 will work and ONLY if I use the custom res with 2.04 pd trick. 5040x1050 is a no go for me under those settings too.

Funny thing is that it works perfectly with 182.5's. It just won't run the software I want because the opengl render needs a newer driver. Go figure.

Yeah I don't know either.... :(

I do know that it only worked this way for me with PowerDesk 2.06, I had a few more problems with 2.05.

Trying to think of anything other reason why it won't work.

One thing, when I update the firmware on the TH2G, I am not 'using' the TH2G. I have one single monitor plugged in to the graphics card, and just plug the TH2G in via USB and update it while not using it. Can't see that this would be an issue though.

The three processors I am using these on are two 775 processors (Q8300 / Asus P5K-SE mobo / Gigabyte GTX275 and Q9550 / Gigabyte EP45 mobo / Gigabyte GTX275) and a Core i5 750 / Gigabyte P55 mobo / Galaxy GTX275.

The only thing I can think of is that I have never installed previous Nvidia drivers, every single one is on a fresh operating system and only the one install. Sucks to do a fresh Windows install to find it doesn't fix the problem, unless you have a spare HDD to try it on.

The only other thing I can think of is the monitors. Every single system I have uses the same monitors (3 x ViewSonic VX2240w). This seems pretty important during the Matrox setup, it recognises the monitors and the native resolution without installing any OEM software for them. I assumed all monitors would be like that though. If I can borrow 3 monitors from a different brand somewhere (not sure how I am going to find 3 to borrow but if I get the chance...) I can see if they are the key.

I wish there was someone in the Sydney / Newcastle region of Australia that was having problems so I could go over and try a few things. I just can't replicate the problem of not running 5040x1050 which makes it hard to troubleshoot.

By the way I am not a Matrox employee, just someone trying to help. :nudgenudge

I know you aren't an employee. None of us are. If I could get support from them on thier own site, trust me, I'd be doing it. :)

Now, here is something I find interesting. This is the message I get when trying to install triplehead resolutions of any type using thier utility.

Matrox product:
TripleHead2Go Digital Edition
Graphics hardware:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275
Windows display used for Matrox product:
Display 1
Input used:
Digital
Connector 1:
ACR Acer X223W (Digital) on Analog connector.
Connector 2:
Samsung SyncMaster (Digital) on Analog connector.
Connector 3:
ACR X223W (Digital) on Analog connector.
Display setup:
3 displays, Stretched mode
Display mode to apply:
1680x1050 per monitor (output refresh rate: 60Hz)

Did you notice that the connections are listed as digital on analog connectors?

Shouldn't they be listed as digital on digital connectors? And yes, before you or anyone else asks I am using the dual link dvi cable from the th2go box to my computer, and dvi cables from the th2go to each monitor. There are no legacy monitor cables being used. Does anyone else having success with th2go get the above digital on analog connector message when using dvi cables? I understand some of the higher resolutions including 1440x900 and 1650x1080 require dvi (which I stress I have and am using).

Another item of note - everytime I am able to successfully install a mode (4080x768 for example) I get a blank screen when windows tries to enable the mode. I have to power off and reboot into windows, and then manually select the installed mode via the standard resolution slider. I don't know if this is helpful info or not, but I thought it was worth passing on. Could it have anything to do with Win7/vista stupid security crap? Could it be that for some reason my th2go box cannot figure out it actually has proper connections? Why? I am using the latest firmware. Latest drivers, etc. I don't want to go through all the crap I've tried to get this working properly, but suffice to say I have tried everything here that I have seen so far.

Thanks Timmeh for all your help and anyone else who wishes to chime in.