Post Reply

Forums -> Multiple monitors -> Video Overlay Prob on secondary
moth   2005-02-28 12:54
Hi all,

I am having a problem with video overlay on the second monitor. If I use Windows Media Player or Winamp on the secondary monitor windows locks up after a period of time (sometimes long, sometimes short), and the sound card squeals. Sometimes the primary monitor will go blank, as well. Both my cards are ATi Radeons.

-X800pro AGP
-9250 PCI
-sound is Audigy Platinum

I tried all sorts of pci slot combinations, looked at the IRQs (and it is all ok), with no success.

Does anyone know if this may be an ATi related problem, or a windows XP issue?
Thanks.
Tom   2005-03-01 09:47
I've been experiencing a similar problem, if i do winamp visualizations of any of the monitors other than the 2 on my primary agp card, it freezes the computer after a random period of time, sometimes within a minute, sometimes an hour. Ive also experienced this freeze with videosaver and windows media player on the other monitors. My main agp card is a 9800 Pro, and the 2 secondary pci cards are 7500's. This is very annoying, as I'd like to let one of my monitors idle on winamp vis for parties.

My system's details/photo
Tom   2005-03-01 09:54
I should add that winamp visualizations (milkdrop specifically) are king at freezing up my computer when used on the monitors driven by the 7500 pci cards. I've only experienced 2 freezes due to playing videos, but it freezes inevitably every time ive tried winamp visualizations.

I would love it if we could identify the source of this problem!

My system's details/photo
moth   2005-03-01 11:57
I think I may have solved it, Tom. Needs more testing but have gotten further than ever before. I'm a third of the way through a dvd :)

I went into my BIOS and enabled "Delay PCI Transaction". Apparently, there are a certain amount of clock cycles that a PCI device can use before the transaction master will terminate the transaction (locking the PC, in effect). By enabling this PCI 2.1 spec, PCI hogs, like graphics cards, can negotiate to wait while some other transaction goes on, then continue. That's the theory.

I'll get back to you later on as to how it's going
moth   2005-03-01 14:33
seems to have done the trick :)
Tom   2005-03-01 17:14
It looks like you've discovered the problem and solution! Thanks moth, this one has been bothering me for some time now.

For anyone else having the same issues, I was able to resolve this as follows: In my ASUS BIOS the setting I needed to adjust was "PCI Latency Timer", from the default of 64 clock cycles down to 32 clock cycles.

My system's details/photo
moth   2005-03-02 05:54
Delay PCI Transaction should be in your advanced chipset options somewhere tom. as well
Tom   2005-03-24 15:02
This has worked flawlessly for weeks now, but its started acting up again, it has crashed three times in 2 days, twice in one hour. I cant find any delay PCI transaction option in my BIOS settings.

My system's details/photo
Forums -> Multiple monitors -> Video Overlay Prob on secondary

Post Reply