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Thread: problem with monitor/LCD display

  1. #1
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    Exclamation problem with monitor/LCD display

    For the full story (so that I don't have to type it all again) pleas go here: http://www.radioactivesoft.com/dcfor...umID2/126.html

    When I boot up with the monitor plugged in, everything works fine.

    When I boot up without the monitor plugged in, MPXF/MPXPlay will not display anything on the LCD only when I try to play a song. All other menus appear before and after I play a song.

    In my BIOS, there is no line for a 'Halt On' anything, nor is there anything about a monitor or video output or anything related.

    Please Help Me!

  2. #2
    Variable Bitrate spud42's Avatar
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    Lightbulb

    when the computer first boots with the monitor attached what is the name of the bios that is displayed ?? is it award? phoenix? that will help a bit....
    have you thought of going to the manufacturers site and seeing if there is an updated bios for your m/b ???
    NISSAN 180SX SR20DET 2lt TURBO 5 spd , gigabyte ga5ssm mobo,AMD k6 ii 450 Mhz,128 meg ram,4" sharp lcd,40 gig Hdd. IRMAN WinAmp ,TinyXP.ipaq4700 ,WM 6.1 ,4 Gig CF,TomTom 6,TCPMP edited 23/9/2008

  3. #3
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    Well if you can browes through the MPXF menu but not able to see anything when chosing play, it means there is a problem with the TSR that mpxf uses... Its a fact the MPXF's TSR uses Video RAM to get its data of the screen... but having the monitor not connected should not effect it, unless you removing the Video card or its automaticly disables it through bios if no monitor has been detected at the boot up.
    So make sure the Video card is still there and look at the options in your bios

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    Fosgate
    Fosgate

    System Comp V3 - In progress.
    Low power MB with C7 CPU, DC-DC PSU, car ECU link, USB TV, GPS, 7" TFT, Wireless, Voice.

  4. #4
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    It's a Dell BIOS...at the top it says:
    Dell Computer Corporation
    System Optiplex Gs5133 Setup BIOS version A03

    I went to Dell's website and downloaded two BIOS updates to go from A03 to A04 and from A04 to A05, but when I try to run either of them (following Dell's instructions), it gives me a message like "Update cannot continue in a protected environment." How do I "un-protect" the environment to see if a new BIOS will work?

    Here's the URL where I got the BIOS updates: http://support.dell.com/us/en/fileli...=BS6G5&m=l&p=1

    You can get further info on my CPU here: http://support.dell.com/docs/systems/dalt/


  5. #5
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    My video card is integrated into the motherboard, so there's really no way to take it out without smashing something. The BIOS doesn't have anything about a monitor or video card or anything of that type.

    For some reason, when I boot up without the monitor plugged in, I think it disables the Video RAM, and so MPXPlay doesn't have anything to grab info from, hence the blank LCD.

    What I need is some way to make the computer enable the Video RAM even when there is no monitor at boot up, or some way to make the computer think there's a monitor there so that it enables the Video RAM.

    Also, I'd be interested in hearing about any other DOS-based mp3 players that might work. I've been very impressed with MPXF, and would like to use it, but if this problem is unsolvable, I'm gonna have to turn to other options for software.

  6. #6
    Variable Bitrate spud42's Avatar
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    Lightbulb

    http://support.dell.com/docs/systems/dalt/

    got all the docs for that system board here.
    if video is on board,is video mem shared??or does it have its own?? if shared have you given it enough mem ??anyway i'm halfway through downloading the documentation will read it and get back if i find anything...
    NISSAN 180SX SR20DET 2lt TURBO 5 spd , gigabyte ga5ssm mobo,AMD k6 ii 450 Mhz,128 meg ram,4" sharp lcd,40 gig Hdd. IRMAN WinAmp ,TinyXP.ipaq4700 ,WM 6.1 ,4 Gig CF,TomTom 6,TCPMP edited 23/9/2008

  7. #7
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    ok...i've updated my BIOS to the most recent version, but that hasn't helped at all.

    i just looked at my motherboard, and it appears that there are two sockets labeled VMEM1 and VMEM2. both are empty. could that be the problem? will a video output work if there is no video RAM?

  8. #8
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    Has anyone tried testing the pinouts on an old monitor and then just puting a 'dumb' monitor cable on the video card to make it think it has the monitor installed?
    I have an old monitor I'm about to throw away that I'm wondering if I should hang onto the monitor cable for something like this. Or even to hook up an LCD Display on the end of a monitor cable. Am I way off on this? Or does this sound possible?
    1983 BMW 733i
    Cyrix 166 32MB with MPXPLAY And no display. Player sits on the back seat with a keypad in front. Someday I'll mount this thing for good...
    *****************************
    Gathering parts for carplayer v2.0!

  9. #9
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    ok
    here is what i think we can do. find out what pins is the ack. pins for vga output from mobo then just put a load resistor there to fool the mobo that monitor is connected

  10. #10
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    Such a device already exists. It is called a VGA terminator or monitor emulator. You should be able to pick one up at a PC store. If not, find someone who carries Extron products, as they make these devices for the presentation market. All it is is a VGA connector with the proper pins shorted with the proper resistances.
    KG6OQD
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