Anonymous edits have been disabled on the wiki. If you want to contribute please login or create an account.


Warning for game developers: PCGamingWiki staff members will only ever reach out to you using the official press@pcgamingwiki.com mail address.
Be aware of scammers claiming to be representatives or affiliates of PCGamingWiki who promise a PCGW page for a game key.

Topic on Glossary talk:Graphics card

Line 2: Line 2:
 
* Despite [[Wikipedia:VGA connector|DE-15]] being technically compatible with SCART, component, composite and whatnot, passive adapters (but even a lot of "normal" active ones, which are just meant to go from a modern digital connection to PC VGA) won't work with most older TVs due to just-too-different [[Wikipedia:Component video sync|video sync signals]], [https://old.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/wiki/connectors-and-interfaces#wiki_interfaces scan rate] or color space.  
 
* Despite [[Wikipedia:VGA connector|DE-15]] being technically compatible with SCART, component, composite and whatnot, passive adapters (but even a lot of "normal" active ones, which are just meant to go from a modern digital connection to PC VGA) won't work with most older TVs due to just-too-different [[Wikipedia:Component video sync|video sync signals]], [https://old.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/wiki/connectors-and-interfaces#wiki_interfaces scan rate] or color space.  
 
:* RGB-to-CRT hacks, [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Display_FAQ custom cabling], having a [[Wikipedia:Multisync monitor|multisync magic box]] or an old [[Wikipedia:Video-in video-out|VIVO]] card are all possible solutions. Or you could just buy a direct converter between the two desired standards.  
 
:* RGB-to-CRT hacks, [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Display_FAQ custom cabling], having a [[Wikipedia:Multisync monitor|multisync magic box]] or an old [[Wikipedia:Video-in video-out|VIVO]] card are all possible solutions. Or you could just buy a direct converter between the two desired standards.  
* Not only may monitors support different "overt features" depending on the protocol ''and'' port they are currently hooked with, these factors can even affect [https://www.prad.de/testberichte/test-monitor-samsung-2494hm/7/ input lag]
+
* Not only may monitors support different "overt features" depending on the protocol ''and'' port they are currently hooked with, these factors can even [https://www.prad.de/testberichte/test-monitor-samsung-2494hm/7/ affect] [https://www.avsforum.com/threads/input-lag-wars-post-your-input-lag-results-of-your-lcd-display-here-for-reference.1131464/page-168#post-21438238 input lag]
 
* The final capabilities and bandwidth of a video connection is determined by the greatest common divisor between the GPU display engine block, the physical link encoder, cables (and/or possible adapters), and display-receiver:
 
* The final capabilities and bandwidth of a video connection is determined by the greatest common divisor between the GPU display engine block, the physical link encoder, cables (and/or possible adapters), and display-receiver:
 
:*Data rate bounds are set by the RAMDAC frequency for VGA, while DVI and HDMI terms are set by the TMDS clock. These can often lead to lower supported resolutions than the official maximum of the protocols, especially on laptops (I have yet to hear about similar unexpected shortcomings in DP though)
 
:*Data rate bounds are set by the RAMDAC frequency for VGA, while DVI and HDMI terms are set by the TMDS clock. These can often lead to lower supported resolutions than the official maximum of the protocols, especially on laptops (I have yet to hear about similar unexpected shortcomings in DP though)
Line 9: Line 9:
 
::* it goes without saying though, the GPU drivers are paramount in doing anything. And when it's not for the flip-flopping bugs <small><small>(best to draw a veil over this)</small></small> they still have arbitrary blocks, from [[Glossary:Variable refresh rate (VRR)|VRR]] to [https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU?page=550#pid11511 chroma subsampling]. Sometimes even the specification itself can be [https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-custom-resolution-4k-2160p60hz-4-2-0#pid6580 too stupid] for its own sake.  
 
::* it goes without saying though, the GPU drivers are paramount in doing anything. And when it's not for the flip-flopping bugs <small><small>(best to draw a veil over this)</small></small> they still have arbitrary blocks, from [[Glossary:Variable refresh rate (VRR)|VRR]] to [https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU?page=550#pid11511 chroma subsampling]. Sometimes even the specification itself can be [https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-custom-resolution-4k-2160p60hz-4-2-0#pid6580 too stupid] for its own sake.  
 
:* "Embedded" applications (i.e. about anywhere that isn't a desktop PC) have [https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1922754 less] stricter (and uniform) [https://linustechtips.com/topic/1306077-hdmi-21-on-3000-series-laptops/?do=findComment&comment=14485966 requirements] on the transmitter chip bridges <small>(this is most notable in the TV world with the most disparate subsets of HDMI 2.1 limitations)</small>
 
:* "Embedded" applications (i.e. about anywhere that isn't a desktop PC) have [https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1922754 less] stricter (and uniform) [https://linustechtips.com/topic/1306077-hdmi-21-on-3000-series-laptops/?do=findComment&comment=14485966 requirements] on the transmitter chip bridges <small>(this is most notable in the TV world with the most disparate subsets of HDMI 2.1 limitations)</small>
:* Seriously, adapters are a [https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6bffebc90c23e2341a1f8371e7b496ec94136e47 can] of [https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/fd952d436446cffdf97a61bf456a0987011e42e0 worms].
+
:* Seriously, adapters are a [https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6bffebc90c23e2341a1f8371e7b496ec94136e47 can] [https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=mtq4mde of] [https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/fd952d436446cffdf97a61bf456a0987011e42e0 worms].
 
:* Cables [[Wikipedia:DisplayPort#Cables|don't]] [[Wikipedia:HDMI#Cables|have]] "versions" (well, except HDMI w/ ethernet which is separate by design I guess). You only have a minimum guaranteed bandwidth certification, which the actual cord could also easily exceed in practice.  
 
:* Cables [[Wikipedia:DisplayPort#Cables|don't]] [[Wikipedia:HDMI#Cables|have]] "versions" (well, except HDMI w/ ethernet which is separate by design I guess). You only have a minimum guaranteed bandwidth certification, which the actual cord could also easily exceed in practice.  
 
:* Of course there are [https://www.hdblog.it/2015/01/24/HDMI-20-differenze-tra-full-e-draft/ all] [https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-is/000126493/setting-up-the-p2415q-p2715q-monitors-with-hdmi-2-0-that-support-4k-x-2k-60hz similar] [https://old.reddit.com/r/bravia/comments/jdejop/why_the_xh90_x900h_cant_do_4k120hz_in_dolby/ kinds] of problems on the screen's end too.
 
:* Of course there are [https://www.hdblog.it/2015/01/24/HDMI-20-differenze-tra-full-e-draft/ all] [https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-is/000126493/setting-up-the-p2415q-p2715q-monitors-with-hdmi-2-0-that-support-4k-x-2k-60hz similar] [https://old.reddit.com/r/bravia/comments/jdejop/why_the_xh90_x900h_cant_do_4k120hz_in_dolby/ kinds] of problems on the screen's end too.
Line 15: Line 15:
 
::* tinkering around bandwidth limitation of the interface is even more of a [https://old.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/k40p42/oled_as_an_ultrawide_display_for_nvidia_users/ nightmare] when the usual [[Glossary:Scaling#GPU/Display scaling|caveats]] meet [[Glossary talk:High dynamic range (HDR)|HDR]]
 
::* tinkering around bandwidth limitation of the interface is even more of a [https://old.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/k40p42/oled_as_an_ultrawide_display_for_nvidia_users/ nightmare] when the usual [[Glossary:Scaling#GPU/Display scaling|caveats]] meet [[Glossary talk:High dynamic range (HDR)|HDR]]
 
::* many TVs may outright refuse any non-standard (as in: anything that isn't commonly found in a "home theatre" setting) resolution, even when [https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/inputs/supported-resolutions forced]
 
::* many TVs may outright refuse any non-standard (as in: anything that isn't commonly found in a "home theatre" setting) resolution, even when [https://www.rtings.com/tv/tests/inputs/supported-resolutions forced]
::* this is at least still better than [[PC gaming on a TV and couch#Chroma Subsampling over HDMI and HDTVs|the past]], when they didn't support non-subsampled 4:4:4 colours either
+
::* this is at least still better than [[PC gaming on a TV and couch#Chroma Subsampling over HDMI and HDTVs|the past]], when they may have set the color space [https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=323825&page=2#pid2667303 based] on the resolution, or they didn't support non-subsampled 4:4:4 colours either (HDMI technically requires accepting a RGB color format, but that says nothing about processing and final presentation)