Connecting 301 to Panasonic TH-42PW6

[thornsdale]

I'm trying to connect my XL301 to a Panasonic TH-42PW6, going via the component video input on the TU-PT600B. (This is AV4C).
When I switch the 301 on, the Vaio and Intel logos display ok and then the screen goes blank. I guess that's when the NVIDIA video driver takes over. I have installed the latest driver (7.15.10.9813) downloaded from the sony web site.
Your help on this would be much appreciated.
Bob

[thornsdale]

And now I've reconnected my DVI monitor (via the HDMI/DVI thingy) and that doesn't display either!

[pclarkson]

Hey I have exactly the same set up except with the TH-50PW5.

Did the problems occur after you downloaded the driver?

I had to set up the media centre through my Sony LCD with HDMI but even when I changed over to the component it picked it up fine.

Confusing about the DVI not working, it should pick that up fine.

My TU-PT600B doesn't pick up the 720p so I have to use the 1080i that the sony resolution facility gives me which is actually 1768x992. Wait until the system has full turned on and press the corresponding "S key".

Does your TV support 720p? or 1080i with out going outside of the TV edges?

[thornsdale]

Thanks, I'm about ready to send it all back as I can't afford to spend too much time on it. But maybe with your help I can get it going...

Did the problems occur after you downloaded the driver?
Yes, downloading the new driver was one of the first things I did.

Wait until the system has full turned on and press the corresponding "S key".
I must have missed something here. What's this about the "S" key?

[pclarkson]

The S keys are the buttons on the top of the wireless keyboard. One has a mail icon, one an internet icon and one is just and "S" key you can attach to any program you want. As default it runs the sony resolution set-up facility which on mine selects between 576i 720p and 1080i. When i was setting up I pressed the S key (it takes roughly 5 seconds to change res so wait 10 between each press) until the screen displayed something.

Do you hear any sound after the screen goes blank as it should still be logging into windows but not showing the video?

I had this exact problem whilst setting up and ended up just restoring with the sony facilty. It worked the second time.

[thornsdale]

Thanks. I've found the S keys and the Resolution setting utility (and its config program) but it only allows me to use 576. From what you said the panny tuner will only accept 1080i and and I can't get to set that. Any ideas? (still going 2 steps forward and 3 back but ever optimistic)

[Blencogo]

Are you trying to play Copy Protected Media? DVDs etc?

The XL-Series really only works properly with a HDMI connection. The DRM/HDCP built into the XL prevents any resolution higher than 576i/p being output through the Component Outputs - higher resolutions are only available with a HDMI connection and a HDCP compliant display.

Have a look at Page 124 of your user manual.

[pclarkson]

Blencogo is right - when you try to play copy protected media it will not output at the higher resolutions. However the only copy protected media I play are DVDs and there is a program that allows you to play them at any res in media centre. If you've upgraded to Blu-Ray/HD-DVD then that'll be a problem.

What I have found is that, using the nVidia control panel I can set the resolution to 1080i (using the TV tab) but this will result in the desktop "overhanging" the screen. If I set it to 1768x992 it fits perfectly. Once this resolution is set I then went into media centre and did the set up and selected 1080i.

My sony resolution set-up the 1080i is actually 1768x992.

To be honest after fiddling for ages with this I just accepted what worked and moved on to getting my audio properly set-up. I might have a go at it tonight and see what happens as I really want a high def progressive output.

So to clarify you can now see the desktop okay?

Note that my screen is 50" and the native resolution is 1366x768 - yours is 42" and 852 x 480 native res (http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/1455) It doesn't give what video modes your screen supports.

The TUPT600B manual doesn't specify what resolutions/video modes it accepts except for 480i/p and 576i but I'm definatly running HD through the component input.

The most annoying thing about this is that my screen supports all the video modes but the tuner is just in the way, considering I bought my screen 5 years ago the tuner was the ideal solution (never even heard of High Def then) and its so hard to find replacement tuner boards as there is a DVI one that I could use.

[pclarkson]

Just did a bit of digging as as my screen is old it lists the video modes in the old MUSE standard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sub-nyquist_sampling_Encoding_system) of 750p and 1125i but is like this:

750p (720p), 1125i (1080i)

Will grill the tuner tonight to see what resolutions it can handle...

[pclarkson]

Your display defo supports 720p and 1080i. Just found you user manual on the panasonic website (http://www.panasonic.co.uk/customer-support/download-centre.asp)