Re: no DVI with VAIO in docking station

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

R. Meijn wrote:
Paul,

using the ATi Catalyst Control Center I can indeed use the option to detect displays, but with no result.
Another thing I tried is uninstalling the monitor drivers; the monitor then becomes a "Plug-and-Play" type rather than being identified as a Philips 200XW7.
Nevertheless, in both cases ATi CCC won't detect it.
With the Philips (Altiris) drivers installed this software independently reports it cannot detect the monitor.
Note that the current external monitor works fine when connecting it to either laptop or dockingstation with a VGA cable.
The cable that came with the monitor was already changed for a brand new one; no difference (still I will check pin continuity on the new cable).

I checked all settings and all hardware reports it is working properly.

So the issue remains why the monitor is not detected; is there a possibility that the interconnection between dockingstation and laptop is faulty?
Specifically I am referring to the laptop connection at the underside.
Note it has recently been repaired by Sony (motherboard with integrated graphics card interchanged) and I have asked them to confirm that the checked DVI-output at the dockingstation connector of the laptop; no answer yet


Kind regards,

René Meijn
Hoeven
The Netherlands


When you tried the "moninfo" program from entechtaiwan.com, did
you get a response from your Philips monitor ? (The Altiris software
is probably using the same interface, so you may have effectively
tested this already.)

http://www.p4c.philips.com/files/2/200xw7eb_00/200xw7eb_00_dfu_eng.pdf

If I wanted a simplistic test, I might try making a "dummy load connector".
That would involve the purchase of four 100 ohm 1/4watt resistors, and connecting
them to R,G,B, and clock pair on a bare DVI connector. By doing that, and
connecting that dummy plug to the computer, I could test the detection
function on the computer end. (I have a plug like that, which I made for
VGA 15 pin. That one connects a 75 ohm resistor to the R, G, and B signals,
for a total of three resistors. I found that was suitable to fool my video card
into thinking a VGA monitor was connected.)

I have a suspicion a cable is not hooked up internally somewhere, or
the repair job was not finished properly.

On the above document I just linked above, go to PDF page 34. The pinout
on the DVI connector is shown. There is a 5V power pin on pin 14. If you
were really careful, you could check to see whether +5V was present there.
And perhaps that might suggest whether the thing was wired up properly or
not.

I have a spare DVI connector on my video card (for the second monitor),
and checking pin 14 as shown in the manual, did show the presence of +5V.
That +5V is used to power the EEPROM connected to the DDC interface.
The reason for the computer sending power to the monitor, is so that
even if the monitor is turned off, the DDC interface is still powered
and should work. What I cannot promise though, is that all DVI connectors
have power on that pin. For example, on a laptop, they may choose to
switch off the flow of current to that pin. So I cannot make a blanket
statement that pin 14 will always be at 5V potential.

But that would be a simple external test, that the port was wired (if you
saw 5V on it, chances are other parts of the interface are wired also).
I was able to stick the tip of one of my multimeter probes, into the
connector far enough, to touch a contact and read the voltage. For a
ground connection, I connected the black lead of the multimeter, to
an adjacent I/O screw on the computer.

Paul

.

Quantcast