Video output
From SpinetiX Support Wiki
This page is about the players' video output. See also Video decoding and Audio pages.
Introduction
All players feature an HDMI connector (type A) for transmitting digital video and audio data to a compatible screen: digital television, computer monitor, video projector etc. The HMP200, HMP130, HMP100 models have an additional VGA connector (DE-15) for analog video.
The video output signal is RGB progressive, up to 1080p resolution. The video mode is configured from Control Center > Display settings page; custom video timings are also supported in addition to the standard video modes detailed below.
To connect the player to a DVI screen, you can use an HDMI / VGA to DVI adapter or cable.
HDMI port
All players feature an HDMI connector (type A) for transmitting digital video and audio data to a compatible screen: digital television, computer monitor, video projector etc. HDMI is a digital replacement for analog video standards. The players adhere to the HDMI 1.3a version of the HDMI specification and support overscan (black edges around the picture). The player doesn't output High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) protected video signal, so no HDCP support is required on the screen. HDCP enabled displays or repeaters can be used.
For HMP350, HMP300, and DiVA players:
- HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) protocol is supported and used for display power saving.
- A screw whole is present on the player's case to accommodate HDMI connectors with screw-locking system.
VGA port
This section applies to HMP200, HMP130, and HMP100 devices.
These models have an additional VGA connector (DE-15) for analog video.
By default, the HMP turns on the VGA output signal only if a screen is detected using the Display Data Channel (DDC) signal and turns it off otherwise. That's because the VGA power consumption is up to 50% of the total power consumption of the player. This can be changed from HMP Control Center > Display Settings page > Power Save tab.
- If the screen does not provide a DDC signal or the cable does not have the DDC pin connected (this is typical of some plasma screens with legacy support for analogue devices), the HMP will not output the VGA signal. In this case, the "VGA output enable" option must be set to "Always On".
Resolutions above 720p will show a considerable quality degradation when using VGA output port (this is a limitation of VGA) and it is recommended to use the HDMI output for any HD resolutions.
- Some older LCD/Plasma screens, often without HDMI (like Samsung SyncMaster 242MP LCD TV), have a low-capability analogue-to-digital converter inside the display which cannot handle resolutions above 1024x768. You will not see an image on the screen when using the VGA connected with an HMP configured with a higher resolution. The solution is to buy an HDMI to DVI adapter.
Using both ports simultaneously
The HMP will output the same video signal to both VGA and HDMI ports, therefore it is possible to connect two displays to both output ports in the same time. However, this is not recommended for various reasons:
- This will increase the operating temperature of the device, which is of particular importance with the HMP200 model.
- The power consumption will increase considerably since VGA power consumption is up to 50% of the total power consumption of the player.
- The display settings are identical for both displays (matching those entered on HMP Control Center > Display Settings page), thus you cannot use particular display settings if the other display doesn't support them.
Standard video modes
This section applies to HMP350, HMP200, HMP130, and HMP100 devices.
When selecting the advanced configuration under "Display settings", the HMP video output signal mode as can be selected as resolution@refresh_rate from the following standard video modes:
| Resolution | Vertical refresh | Aspect ratio | Standard | Applies to | Common name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 640x480 | 60 Hz | 4:3 | VESA, GTF, HDMI | All | VGA |
| 720x480 | 60 Hz | 16:9, 4:3 | HDMI | All | 480p |
| 720x576 | 50 Hz | 16:9, 4:3 | HDMI | All | 576p |
| 768x480 | 60 Hz | 16:10 | GTF | All | WVGA |
| 800x500 | 60 Hz | 16:10 | GTF | All | |
| 800x600 | 60 Hz | 4:3 | VESA | All | SVGA |
| 1024x640 | 60 Hz | 16:10 | GTF | All | WSVGA |
| 1024x768 | 60 Hz | 4:3 | VESA | All | XGA |
| 1280x720 | 50, 60 Hz | 16:9 | HDMI | All | 720p |
| 1280x800 | 60 Hz | 16:10 | VESA, CVT-RB | All | WXGA |
| 1400x1050 | 60 Hz | 4:3 | VESA, CVT-RB | HMP 200 or later | SXGA+ |
| 1680x1050 | 60 Hz | 16:10 | VESA, CVT-RB | HMP 200 or later | WSXGA+ |
| 1920x1080 | 24, 25, 30 Hz | 16:9 | HDMI | All | 1080p |
| 1920x1080 | 50, 60 Hz | 16:9 | HDMI | HMP 200 or later | 1080p |
Notes:- VESA standard actually refers to Display Monitor Timing (DMT) standard.
- GTF stands for Generalized Timing Formula.
- CVT-RB stands for Coordinated Video Timings (VESA-2003-9).
- HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface.
Troubleshooting
No signal
If the screen doesn't detect the player's video output signal, make sure that the player is up and running - check the LED(s) activity for that. Otherwise, it could be that the screen doesn't support the selected video mode - in this case, change the player's display settings or reset the player to factory default settings.
In case of VGA connections, if the screen does not provide a DDC signal or the cable does not have the DDC pin connected (this is typical of some plasma screens with legacy support for analogue devices), the HMP will not output the VGA signal. In this case, the "VGA output enable" option (see above) must be set to "Always On".
Cable length limitations
The player is primarily designed to be local to the screen(s) it serves. If extension over long distances if required, note the limitations below and/or consider using a combined distribution system (such as those based on HDBase-T).
- HDMI
- Although no maximum length for an HDMI cable is specified, signal attenuation (dependent on the cable's construction quality and conducting materials) limits usable lengths in practice - see HMDI Cables page for more details. Running Long Cable Lengths requires a better quality of HDMI cable and / or HDMI extenders.
- VGA
- VGA cable length depends on a few factors, but as with HDMI the quality of the cable is the significant factor. However because VGA is an analogue signal, poor cable quality and/or over-extended cables will result in a progressive reduction in capability in terms of resolution and refresh rate.
- If you experience the splash screen of the HMP being displayed, but then the screen staying blank, this is an example of the low 640x480 VGA resolution being displayed, but the higher resolution of the player with a higher effective bandwidth (e.g. 720p) not being displayed because of the signal loss being too great.
- If long VGA cables are being used (e.g. 5m+) ensure they are high quality coaxial cable bundles. Alternatively use a booster or Cat5 balun (this will allow for sending up to 100 meters, depending on the Cat5 cable spec).