[SUCCESS] 2560x1440 support on new VPC-Z2 (Dell U2711)

I managed to get the 2560x1440 resolution to work on my new VPC-Z2 - via HDMI output (no PMD, built-in Intel HD 3000). You only need a good HDMI->DVI cable (or an adapter, I haven't tested that). This is needed because HDMI input of U2711 appears to be limited to 1080p - so you need to plug your Z HDMI output in the DVI input of the U2711.

It is limited to 35 Hz, though (as it is using single-link bandwidth) - but it is working nevertheless! And it looks quite stunning, I'd say

Intel's own "custom resolution" tool in the graphics control panel is refusing to accept needed values so this needs a bit more manual work

Below you will find steps needed to get this to work. Please note that those steps are related to Dell's U2711 monitor only!!! DTD data can be monitor specific and if you have a different monitor you will need to calculate monitor-specific DTD data. All this is on your risk, as fiddling with display timings can be dangerous for your monitors!

You need the following:

- DTD Calculator: Custom Resolution Tool for Intel Graphics: Easier Overscan Correction - AVS Forum

With this tool, you can enter the EDID/DTD data and also change it. It has a nice "Registry Hack" option allowing to directly upload the DTD timings so Intel's driver can use them.

So, for DELL U2711 MONITOR SPECIFIC!!!! FOR OTHERS YOU WILL HAVE TO GET THE RIGHT DTD VALUES AS THESE WON'T WORK! -

- DTD data is available from here : http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1479962 (provided by user: dkh)

I am also including it here so you can directly paste it in DTD tool:

- Paste these values in the DTD Calculator (run it as Admin, by the way) on the "Interpret EDID" page

- Click on "Interpret EDID" button - you should get the 2560x1440 resolution values on the left

- Go to "Registry Hack" page, add a new DTD field, and type "Get Calculated". After it is added, you will be asked to reboot your computer

- After reboot, you should be able to select 2560x1440 resolution - enjoy your new stunning view

If it does not work - doublecheck that the DTD data is actually added to registry - if "No of DTDs" is 0 or "DTD 1" shows bunch of zeros, it means that the data was not saved - repeat the "interpret edid" step, and then go to "Registry Hack" and just click "Get Calculated".

 

otherwise it's limited to 1080p or 1920x1200? Nice work yet again Psyq

 

Did you use a straight HDMI cable? I was under the impression that the U2711 would max out at WUXGA on the HDMI input.

 

Actually, I forgot to mention - I was using HDMI->DVI adapter, thanks ComputerCowboy for noticing... then, the DVI part is just plugged in in the regular DVI input of the U2711 monitor.

The cable itself is just ordinary HDMI->DVI, it is just high quality (and it says HDMI-Dual Link DVI adapter on its box which is bull... as it is impossible to do that without additional circuitry).

 

how is the screen when the refresh rate is that low?

 

It should be fine. I use some HDTV's with 24P with the Z sometimes since 60Hz can flicker sometimes (haven't figured out why) At any rate 24P is usable for office apps and web surfing. 35Hz should be much better. It is a progressive resolution so it is not like you are gonna see scanlines.

 

Quite good for "normal" work actually.

But this is expected, as we are talking about digital "refresh rate" which is merely a minimal interval for change of the display content, unlike in CRT era where refresh rate was also connected to actual displaying of the pixels and lower refresh rates implied flickering as pixels faded out due to physics of the displaying process in CRT monitors.

The only area where I expect some issues is video playback - some judder is inevitable as there is a mismatch between video frame rate and display frame rate but, then again, we in Europe have this issue with any type of PAL content (25 Hz) on 60 Hz display

Same goes for 24p BD content - unless you force the monitor to 24 Hz / 48 Hz / 120 Hz you will also get some degree of judder - and I suspect most people are just keeping 60 Hz refresh rate for all uses.

 

Many high end displays will tak 50Hz also which should fix PAL issues. The BRAVIA HDTV I just got rid of, when I got the U3011, took 50Hz over HDMI.

35Hz would make for some really interesting judder. At least with standard mismatched refresh rates you have 3:2 pulldown. How does the computer handle the framerate when you are talking about 35Hz. Does the player handle it? I would think maybe the driver does. Where does the conversion happen?

 

Well, I guess there is just no conversion anywhere...

- Your media player will happily continue to deliver frames at the original content frame-rate (say, 24 Hz in case of Blu-ray, or 50/60 Hz in case of PAL/NTSC content)

- Video decoder in the graphics card will perform the necessary decoding / deinterlacing in the native content frame rate, again...

- Display controller in the graphics card, however, will pull data and send it to the output in the target frame rate - 35 Hz in this case.

So, there will certainly be some judder - because the "frame consuming" and "frame producing" processes operate at the different rate - the end result is that some original frames will be "dropped" (missed by the display controller).

To deal with this in a better way, there would need to be a FPS conversion involving actual changing of the content, interpolation, etc... and AFAIK, display controller hardware in any consumer graphic card would just not do this for 35 Hz - at most, they have typical deinterlacing pulldown detection and some deinterlacing algos, but custom FPS conversion - this is certainly not in the feature list

 

wouldn't it be more like uneven frame doubling? as long as the content is 24P?

 

Actually, yes, you are right - as the display output frame rate is higher than the content frame rate in case of 24p content.

So, some original frames would be doubled.

 

I forgot to say just how much I like the DTD calculator. I used the UX as my main machine for a couple of years and the DTD calculator was crucial in getting my WSXGA+ and 1080P displays going. Makes me remember when I though that my WSXGA+ monitor was something special, LOL, not any more, I gave it to my dad.

I have a question, do you think I would be able to push your hack just a little further and get WQXGA going? Maybe I'd have to drop the refresh rate even more like 30Hz? I'd probably grab the Z2 a little sooner if I knew it would work. I don't care about games, I just need all the space I can get for Visual Studio.

 

Let's see...

2560 x 1440 (24 bit) x 35 Hz = 2953.125 Mbit/s
2560 x 1600 (24 bit) x 35 Hz = 3281.25 Mbit/s

Single link DVI bandwidth is up to 4.95 Gbit/s - but there are other limits (pixel clock, etc...) - so it would be good to try this before any purchase is made.

 

So we could get a higher refresh rate if we use 16bit color?

 

Yep, that's how it should be

But you would have to experiment to find the right combination of parameters.

 

^ that is no problem I am a DTD Jedi, thanks for the tips

 

Jeez, why can't they put a decent display output on such a modern and expensive laptop?

Oh yeah, because it's Sony. It wouldn't be them if they got _everything_ right. Their cap is 95%.

Even an 11" MBA can do 2560x1600 at 60 Hz. >_>

 

i've read the whirlpool forum link and it seem that most notebook can drive the u2711 @ 2560x1440 using hdmi to dvi, does that means that that would works with Z13 too?Also where do i find the dtd data on 30inch monitor such as apple 30inch acd or dell 3007wfp?

 

I was thinking the same thing myself...
Although the hack would be a little different because you'd be using nVidia not Intel.

I could try some stuff, but I am not all that motivated since I have the ViDock and my U3011 runs at full res and refresh without any more hacks.

 

I've never been interested in external monitors for a notebook, they're just not relevant to what I do and I have no interest in games. Still, I'm thinking that it could be interesting to hook a pair of 1,280×720 monitors to a Z2.

 

Get a cheap 720DLP projector. They work great and they are cheap as dirt.
I have an Acer H5360, I watch 3D Blu-ray with it using nVidia 3D Vision. I don't know much about ATI 3D tech.

 

Holy crap!

Check this out, the Z1 does sort of support WQXGA over HDMI>DVI cable

Check out this linky
WQXGA_Sort_of_works.png

So I set up that custom resolution... and as you can see it actually displays it on the screen but tells me it doesn't support it, so as soon as I click OK it drops right back to 1080P.

Does anyone know a way to force it?

We are talking about native support for WQXGA on the Z1 here!!! big stuff!

EDIT: I got so excited about this I made another post (it is the same thing but for the Z1 not Z2, I feel like it deserves a new thread) http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/608550-wqxga-2560x1600-z1-without-vidock.html#post7879772

EDIT 2: I got it all working, check the link above

 

The issue is more about HDMI than it is about Sony. HDMI is so ubiquitous that Sony puts it on everything. HDMI is to blame for not supporting Dual Link. Sony could put a DisplayPort or DVI on their stuff and they probably should, but everyone wants HDMI because it is easy and popular. Really how many people even have displays over WUXGA (1920x1200)?

 

Has anyone tried this using just HDMI > HDMI without the DVI converter?

I've seen on various other forums that people have got other laptops to work with this resolution via HDMi only (at 35HZ)...

 

I think the issue with using a straight HDMI cable is that the DELL monitors are capped at FHD for the 6:9 screens and WUXGA for the 16:10 screens when using the HDMI input.

All of the DELL monitor documentation seems to confirm this.

What is the big deal about using an HDMI>DVI cable?

 

Just want to use the audio part of HDMI to take the signal from the U2711 to output to the speakers - otherwise it's another cable to keep plugging in an out of the laptop (other than using a USB sound card connected to the PMD).

 

That is a valid point... do you have a U2711? Do you have a Z1 or Z2? Why don't you try it with HDMI and see if you can get it going?

I do pretty much the same thing with my Z1 and a U3011, I'll give it a spin with HDMI and see if I can get it running. I am not sure now, maybe it will work.

 

I'm planning on purchasing the U2711 or U3011. I have both the Z1 and Z2, so will give it a go on both. Just wondered if anyone had tried it here before I purchase one of monitors, as it seems people on other forums claim it works.

EDIT:
Seems like someone here has got it working for a Dell XPS XPS M1530 and 2560x1440 on U2711 with HDMI [SOLVED AND WORKING], which is basically the same set of instructions posted here - but using just HDMI without the adapter.

 

Very interesting, I'll give it a whirl with the Z1 and my U3011
I assume you have seen my post about the Z1?
http://forum.notebookreview.com/son...k-works-but-i-need-some-help.html#post7879772

 

Thanks. Yep - seen your post. Looks interesting. Hopefully it will also work over HDMI as well.

 

I have an U2711. HDMI-->DVI converter seems to max out at 1680x1050.

Also, via HDMI, I get a max of 1920x1200.

I'll attach pic proof if wanted.

 

Are you using PMD or from the Laptop directly? Have you followed the instructions in the first post?

 

I can't get it to go past 1920x1200 on HDMI
This is with the Z1 and my EDID override driver. You might get it to go on the Z2, IDK.

I really thought it was a limit of the monitor but that other picture clearly shows it working.

 

Interesting - thanks for trying.

 

I have a SC and no.

 

You must add the custom resolution (2560x1440@35 Hz) as described in the fist post in order for this to work.

If there is no custom resolution, video driver will just output what it finds in its own tables... and that will be 1680x1050 (I don't know why Intel driver defaults to this, but this is how it is...)

As for the HDMI->HDMI, so far I have not been successful in getting that to work. I, too, was under impression that this would be an HDMI input limit of the Dell monitors. However, if somebody managed to get it to work that obviously means that there needs to be a custom DTD config for HDMI->HDMI...

 

Just received my U2711. Trying to get 2560 x 1440 working via the PMD. No luck so far with Powerstrip.

Has anyone managed this yet?

EDIT:

Now have this fully working via PMD and also via HDMI OR DVI on the U2711.

Just use the attached EDID monitor inf.

 

Hello,
I am following this thread with great interest - can anyone else confirm that they have the Dell U2711 working with the PMD attached?

This would be one of the most important inputs for me to decide upon the Z2
Any problems? Do all settings survive reboots, any issues at all?
Any visual issues (tearing and so forth?)

Thanks in advance!

 

Just use my INF file above and it works fine via DVI or HDMI. No issues at all apart from running at 35Hz.

 

It looks like Ivy Bridge will support higher resolution displays up to 4096 x 4096.
Intel’s Next-Gen Chips to Support Super High-Res Displays | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

 

can you please create it ?

 

Have you tried my EDID driver hack from the other thread?

http://computercowboy.com/Downloads/DELL_U3011_35Hz.inf

That should work if you have a U3011. It works on the Z1, but I don't have a Z2 so I don't know. All you have to do is find your U3011 in the device manager and upgrade the driver to that INF, reboot and get max resolution.

Please let me know if it works.

 

unfortunately i have a u2711 and i'm looking for the native resolution @ 60hz (or higher than 35hz) if its possible. (via HDMI)

 

35Hz is the highest we've been able to go. Theoretically you could squeeze out a few more Hz at 16bit, but I haven't tried it.

Have you tried THIS DRIVER? You say you don't want 35Hz, but have you tried it? It is not all flickery like on a CRT, the panel will still run @ 60Hz, only 35Hz worth of information gets to the panel. The DELL seems to do some sort of frame interpolation automatically to fix it.

 

i followed the steps in the first post and it works like a charm.
but 35hz is a bit too "slow" for me.
my mouse movement is kind of lagging or something :/

 

Seems like 30hz might work better, being an even frame factor of 60hz. Why don't you give that a try?

 

?
every .inf file is with 35hz.
where do i get the 30hz config ?

btw: it would be great if someone can post the EDID/DTD data. so that i can change it through DTD Calculator

 

I don't have that data, but you do.
You have the monitor.

In my post about making the U3011 work for the Z1 I link to this article which explains a lot about how to get this done.

 

hey ComputerCowboy, thanks you for your help again.

I guess your post isn't very useful for me :/

I'm using a Asus P53JS with f****g nvdia optimus.
That meens i can't change my resolution through nvidia control panal.
The only way is the intel graphics and media control panel. (or windows)
So, it is necessary to change the hex data in my registry directly.

btw: sry for my bad english. i'm from germany and don't find any german article which is about this problem.

 

well post your dat file and I'll see what I can do about making a driver for you.

What driver are you trying to make? 16 bit with max refresh? I am not sure how well that is gonna work. Changing the bit depth does NOT change the pixel clock, I guess it changes the overall bandwidth somehow but I am not really sure how. The limit that we are hitting is pixel clock, you just can't make chips clock past a certain point.

Here is some interesting info about the next wave of 300Mhz HDMI chips

If you read the thread you'll realize that lame low bandwidth HDMI is not just hurting high resolution single displays but normal resolution stereo displays are also affected. 1080P 3DTV is limited to 24P on the 1.4a standard, this is fine for movies but bad for games.