2 X lcd's off one card - colour mismatch?

ushere wrote on 7/26/2006, 12:30 AM
have 2 X 17" samaung lcd monitor running off a nivida fx5200 (or
something like that).

they're both analogue, but one is fed from monitor out on the card
(15pin plug), the other is fed via a digital monitor out on the same
card - via a changeover plug to analogue.

works a treat - no problems but,

the digital monitor (and yes, everything is defaulted on screens and
card, and i've swapped monitors around as well, just to check), is
slightly 'warmer' in colour.

no big deal, but using ps over 2 monitors means if i have the same pic
in both, the digital is warmer, which is a bit of a pity cause it makes
colour grading (on a nice big pic) neigh on impossible. ditto designing
graphics for tv....

anyway, anyone know if getting a card with 2 X analogue outs will solve
my dilemma?

leslie

Comments

farss wrote on 7/26/2006, 1:02 AM
First off getting a card with two DVI (digital) outs would seem like the right move to me. I assume the two monitors have DVI inputs?

I've had exactly the same problem, on one system the video card has one DVI and one analogue output. The monitor fed from the DVI port is fine. The one from the XVGA analogue has all sorts of issues trying to cope and well, getting the colors to match is the least of the problems. Yes, same model monitors (Samsung 172x(, bought at the same time.

Bob.
RBartlett wrote on 7/26/2006, 1:06 AM
If the problem stays with the card - it is the card. The digital-out of the card (seeing as you are using an adaptor) is also supplying an analogue output. The adapter routes the signals, it doesn't convert between the domains.

So you could dig out a pantone calibration card and see which of the two ports is more accurate. However given your findings at the point where you swapped the monitors, you might look to calibration options in the driver (although you may need to revisit these every time you update drivers).

If both your panels could take digital, I'd recommend you swapped to a gfx card with 2x DVI-D ports.

The only reference you find in this flat panel display and cheaper-every-day gizmo world we live in is that reference card (e.g. a pantone colour swatch with companion calibration software) and your eyes. Even then, if your target isn't IT based you've got the legal-video, pedestal setup and other (RGB-YUY2) considerations to make for accurate work.

On the 5200 - I'd say that the onboard DACs are different in nature or perhaps even the components are quite different in their signal paths.
ushere wrote on 7/26/2006, 1:40 AM
thanks

monitors are vga only - but that wouldn't preclude usind a 2 x dvi to 2 x vga, would it?

i appreciate the 5200 is a pretty ordinary card, but good enough for my needs, till no. could anyone suggest a basic 2xvga or 2xdvi video card?

oh, preferably with nivida drivers - seems to have awful problems with ati

thanks again

leslie
farss wrote on 7/26/2006, 1:50 AM
You could look at some of the pro NVidia cards, the ones they make for graphics work stations, not gaming. I've got a Quadro FX 1300. They seem to put a bit more effort into the driver (as in physical video line) hardware.
Matrox also used to well in this area, made sense given their target market.