HDMI problem

I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?

"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
...
I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?


If you plug the main monitor into the HDMI port and leave the secondary
unplugged, does the primary monitor work? If it does, then I would think
that the graphics card is OK. If the primary remains blank, well, you see
where I'm going here :-(
--

SC Tom

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 09:42:58 -0400, "SC Tom" wrote:



"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
.. .
I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?


If you plug the main monitor into the HDMI port and leave the secondary
unplugged, does the primary monitor work? If it does, then I would think
that the graphics card is OK. If the primary remains blank, well, you see
where I'm going here :-(

The HDMI didn't work when I plugged it either port.
I think my next step will be to take the monitor and plug it into
another machine. I suspect it may be the monitor.

Seymore4Head wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 09:42:58 -0400, "SC Tom" wrote:


"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
...
I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?

If you plug the main monitor into the HDMI port and leave the secondary
unplugged, does the primary monitor work? If it does, then I would think
that the graphics card is OK. If the primary remains blank, well, you see
where I'm going here :-(

The HDMI didn't work when I plugged it either port.
I think my next step will be to take the monitor and plug it into
another machine. I suspect it may be the monitor.


Does the other machine have an HDMI cable on it you can use
for testing ? Other than the 25 foot one.

Paul

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 11:14:26 -0400, Seymore4Head
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 09:42:58 -0400, "SC Tom" wrote:



"Seymore4Head" wrote in message
. ..
I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?


If you plug the main monitor into the HDMI port and leave the secondary
unplugged, does the primary monitor work? If it does, then I would think
that the graphics card is OK. If the primary remains blank, well, you see
where I'm going here :-(

The HDMI didn't work when I plugged it either port.
I think my next step will be to take the monitor and plug it into
another machine. I suspect it may be the monitor.


Have you tried plugging it into the mains? And *checking* it is
plugged in?
And have you tried flicking the "on/off" switch/button on the
monitor?
Have you checked the brightness?

Yes, those are stupid questions but you'd be surprised by how many
"my computer is totally broken" calls to the help desk end with a
quiet "oh!" when they are asked.
J.

Seymore4Head wrote:
I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?


The HDMI cable has a +5V wire on it. If the +5V wire touches
the I/O pairs, it could damage either a transmitter pad
driver or a receiver pad.

You did the test with a new HDMI cable, the monitor didn't work.
That means something on the video card end is blown.

In a situation like this, you should do as much testing with
the "damaged" goods, to not endanger "new" goods quite yet.

Use the working outputs on some video source, and the
ports on the monitor, to assure yourself that the monitors
haven't been damaged in any way. You at least want to verify
the monitors, before jumping to any conclusions.

This means trying permutations and combinations using the
existing goods, to work out whether the video card has
a defective output, or the monitors have something blown.
Individual tests, one test case at a time, should suffice.
(I.e. an electrical failure should not be causing
desktop monitor order issues). Just make sure each
port works individually, as part of your damage
assessment. You can test the monitor ports, one at
a time, using the chipset/motherboard connectors.

*******

Onboard (so-called "chipset graphics), can have usage
limitations. The HDMI and DVI-D could actually be sharing
the same wire lanes, and the manufacturer "intended" the
user to only use one at a time. On a chipset DVI-I,
sometimes a manufacturer splits one of those and
makes a DVI-D connector and a VGA connector. The driver
may not support using both at once, depending on how
it views usage of the crossbar on the GPU output.

These details are not documented anywhere. The hardware
maker is "ashamed" to admit to such things. It is left
to people in forums to document "I can't run DVI and
VGA at the same time on this motherboard".

Newer gear doesn't have these limits. You can run three
monitors off the back of the motherboard.

You're going to need to datamine, using CPU/chipset/motherboard
details, to get some usage rules.

*******

Now, pop another video card in there, and move on.
Nobody really likes chipset graphics all that much, and
especially if driving multiple monitors.

One disadvantage of modern video cards, is they've lost
the VGA connector. You might find DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort,
but we appear to have passed the VGA era. In an emergency,
you can convert DisplayPort to VGA with an adapter,
so that remains as an option, but increases the
price of the "repair".

A low end card now, can be two slots wide, even though
they could have made it a bit thinner. You have both
a connector issue (not the right mix for your existing
monitors), as well as the thickness of the card perhaps
interfering with other stuff in the PC.

Good luck,
Paul

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 07:54:05 -0400, Seymore4Head
wrote:

I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?

I wanted to test to see if the HDMI monitor was working. I have a
Firestick so I plugged that into the HDMI port and the monitor worked.

Someone suggested the onboard HDMI and the DVI can't work at the same
time. So I unplugged the DVI and plugged in the HDMI. The HDMI does
not work. The spare cable I have is a 25ft HDMI cable that was
working the last time I used it.

How can the monitor work with the Firestick and not work with the 25ft
HDMI cable?

I don't think either monitor was plugged into the mobo and both were
plugged into the Graphics card. It seems very remote that the mobo
port was effected by the chewing HDMI plug.

I still have not put my Graphics card back in the computer. What
should I try next?

Seymore4Head wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 07:54:05 -0400, Seymore4Head
wrote:

I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?

I wanted to test to see if the HDMI monitor was working. I have a
Firestick so I plugged that into the HDMI port and the monitor worked.

Someone suggested the onboard HDMI and the DVI can't work at the same
time. So I unplugged the DVI and plugged in the HDMI. The HDMI does
not work. The spare cable I have is a 25ft HDMI cable that was
working the last time I used it.

How can the monitor work with the Firestick and not work with the 25ft
HDMI cable?

I don't think either monitor was plugged into the mobo and both were
plugged into the Graphics card. It seems very remote that the mobo
port was effected by the chewing HDMI plug.

I still have not put my Graphics card back in the computer. What
should I try next?

Perhaps pick up a replacement HDMI which is the same
length as the one the dog chewed ?

It's possible the onboard chipset graphics aren't detecting
the HDMI termination resistors. Or, maybe a setting needs
to be made somewhere to change ports (it's decided not to
auto-switch on its own). On a laptop, you'd have an F-key which
you could use, to switch the graphics output from port to port
on the GPU. I doubt the binding for such is set up on a
desktop.

Maybe you could use the chipset VGA to one monitor,
then try to bring up the chipset graphics Display
panel and enable the HDMI from there ? Grasping
at straws here...

Paul

Seymore4Head wrote on 3/28/2018 5:54 AM:
I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?

We have a cat who enjoys chewing on all cables and cords. Our solution
is something called "split loom cable wrap." It is a wrapper for cords
of all sorts. You cut an appropriate length of wrap then put the cable,
wire or what not in it - the wrap can be pulled open length wise so it's
relatively easy to apply. We have used around a thousand feet of the
stuff (plus or minus a few hundred) and we use more every time a new
electric device is brought into the house. We have wrapped cords from
appliances, extension cords, all cords and cables to and from our
computers and entertainment boxes (TV etc.).

This cat is a destructive idiot and shows no signs of maturing -
youngest of five by several years. We like him so we will continue
ordering split loom. Fortunately we discovered the problem and solution
before he did too much damage. The most expensive loss was the
recharging mechanism for my electric toothbrush: $80 since the part was
no longer supplied by the manufactured.

Pet your puppy for me!
--
Jeff Barnett

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 07:54:05 -0400, Seymore4Head
wrote:

I use two monitors. I have one monitor with HDMI and another monitor
that uses DVI. The HDMI is primary.

I was using the computer and both monitors went blank. I found the
problem. My dog chewed the plastic off the HDMI end next to the
computer.

I replaced the HDMI cable and neither monitor came on. I pulled out
the Graphics card.

I can plug the DVI into the mobo and it works. When I try to plug in
the HDMI the second monitor switches from primary to secondary, but
the HDMI monitor won't come on. I can unplug the HDMI and the other
monitor becomes primary again.

How do I get both monitors working again and then how do I tell if my
Graphics card is bad?

The problem turned out to be the 25 ft HDMI cable. I have used the
cable before to connect my laptop to my 50 inch TV, but I quit using
it when I bought the WDTV player.

I tried using the HDMI cable with the WDTV player to just test it, and
I could see the opening screen but it would the picture would flash in
and out.
I bought a 10 ft cable and all is well.

I sure am glad my video card did not get fried.

Thanks everyone