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cynan
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Garbled Image Issues with Dell 3007WFP and HD 7970

Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:41 pm

Was wondering if anyone else on TR is using an HD 79X0 with a Dell 30" monitor.

I've been using a 3007wfp-hc with an HD 7970 since about March. I'm plagued with intermittent garbled images. The best way to describe it is like trying to watch the old analog cable premuim channels that you didn't subscribe to (but that's not really very accurate). Basically, I intermittently get weird shadows, hazy garbled images - sometimes to the point were I can barely discern what's on the screen. It seems to occur more often prior to Windows loading - and has made many BIOS adjustment attempts a real PITA. Once in a while it also happens in Windows (7 x64) - though I have yet to notice it in a game when in full screen 3D mode.

It seems to be a weird DVI-D handshake issue that may be particular to this monitor as I've not heard about it with any other. I'm curious to try a display port to DVI-D adapter to see if the problem persists, but haven't yet shelled out for one of those (the only one I can find is the Apple one and it's a bit pricey).

Also, I'm not the only one who's encountered this, it seems. There's a thread about the issue (or at least a very similar one) on the Asus forums. Here's a pic from that forum showing a POST screen with the issue (my issue gets even worse than this sometimes, with the whole screen going white in addition to the type of garbling seen in the pic.

The HD 7970 has performed flawlessly in every other regard and even overclocks well. I don't notice that I get any other graphical glitches either that would suggest a faulty card (in the usual sense). My old HD 4850 with the same DVI-D cable, etc, did not produce this...

Just wondering if anyone else has run into such an issue?
 
Airmantharp
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Re: Garbled Image Issues with Dell 3007WFP and HD 7970

Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:47 pm

It actually does sound like a flaky card. Tried beating the hell out of it with Furmark?
 
cynan
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Re: Garbled Image Issues with Dell 3007WFP and HD 7970

Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:52 pm

I guess the only way to rule it out is to try with another monitor. I have one that I can test with, but unfortunately, not another with native resolution greater than 1920x1200 - I wonder if this might only be an issue with monitors with resolutions requiring dual link DVI?

Also, a display port to dual link DVI adapter might help verify whether or not the issue is particular to the 3007wfp itself or whether it is the DVI-D implementation on the video card that is the issue. Anyone have any experience using the display port -> DVI-D adapters? (Edit: Apparently you need an active adapter to properly output 2560x1600 via DVI - cheapest one I could find is $70. They're like $100+ everywhere else. Ugh.)

The reason why I think it might be a "handshake" issue is because the symptoms differ depending on the video mode. For example, before Windows loads (ie, when it occurs @ POST or in BIOS) the image can get incredibly garbled (white super-imposed "background" instead of black or blue , extremely wavy image to the point where you can't discern text). However, when this happens after the Windows driver loads, it is normally much less pronounced (usually looks like a slightly garbled and darker section of the screen the scans left to right and often gone after only a few seconds). And I've yet to notice it in 3D full screen mode.
 
sircharles32
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Re: Garbled Image Issues with Dell 3007WFP and HD 7970

Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:35 pm

Since you mentioned that you saw corruption during BIOS, it's safe to say that it's not a software issue.
It's either the card, the cable, or the monitor. Sounds like a hardware issue.
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michael_d
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Re: Garbled Image Issues with Dell 3007WFP and HD 7970

Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:58 pm

I have Sapphire 7970 and Dell 30" 3008WFP monitor. I have been experiencing similar issues with this monitor since I bought it almost 3 years ago, back then I had a pair of 5870s. The picture would occasionally turn like double vision, mixed up colours when Windows logon screen appears after boot up and switching between 2D/3D modes. The remedy is to simply turn off/on the monitor. The only difference that I noticed with 7970 is when computer is started the BIOS splash screen 'version' at the bottom and 'F' keys in the bottom right have graphical artifacts, dotted underline.

I think this is monitor firmware issue.
 
BehemothJackal
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Re: Garbled Image Issues with Dell 3007WFP and HD 7970

Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:17 am

I had the same issue with my two Dell U2410 and one 2408WFP in addition to an occasional Grey Screen of Death. After I updated to 12.8 Catalysts I don't have either issue anymore.

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