Monitor blacking out for 2 seconds at times on DP 1.2

[D13H4RD]

Some of ya'll might have known this dillema as I posted it as a status update only a few hours ago. But I'll repeat it just for explanation's sake. 

 

I have a Samsung SHG50, which is a 25" TN 144Hz monitor with a 1920x1080 resolution and AMD FreeSync. It has a DP 1.2a port that can handle up to the full 1080p144 alongside an HDMI port that can handle up to 1080p120 plus another that handles up to 1080p144. As far as I know, FreeSync can only be used on the DP port, but I'm unsure. 

 

The monitor gets its display data from the Mini DisplayPort from my ASUS GL502 laptop, and the cable is a white generic-pooling MDP-TO-DP cable that I got for cheap as it was impossible to find any such cable at where I got the monitor (they were purchased at the same time) 

 

After over a year of using the second HDMI port (due to the monitor locking out basic adjustments when on DP, presumably from the assumption that one would dive into the GPU settings to adjust brightness and such), I decided to try the DP port again due to NVIDIA's CES announcement that VRR can be used on a combo of an NVIDIA GPU and a FreeSync display. 

 

However, when plugging it in and setting it to DP 1.2, the monitor occasionally loses a display signal for a brief period of around 2 seconds before the image is restored. This happens much more frequently when gaming. While normal web browsing would sometimes take 15 minutes or more between that brief blackout, gaming would shorten that period to 1 minute at the very least, though 2-3 minutes is more common. 

 

The bizarre thing is that setting it to DP 1.1 stops this behavior entirely (although I may have lost VRR in the process although 1080p144 is retained). 

 

It's perplexing to me, and I'm still confused as to what's going on. 

 

So what do you suggest I do? 

[Taf the Ghost]

Can probably play with settings at the laptop level in the driver/monitor driver. However, that sounds like a cable issue to me, on first brush.

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, Taf the Ghost said:

However, that sounds like a cable issue to me, on first brush.

I'm suspecting that, but I'm not sure as to how

[Taf the Ghost]

Just now, D13H4RD said:

I'm suspecting that, but I'm not sure as to how

http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/201801/20180123202356261/BN46-00552J-Eng.pdf

 

There's a bunch of settings within the Monitor to play with. See pages 30-32. Might also think about doing a Reset on the monitor.

 

As for the cable? They're rated for the spec when they are manufactured. There is no guarantee they'll run at higher standard. Good ones will, but if it's a cheap one, it's probably peaking beyond the bandwidth it can handle.

[Taf the Ghost]

The forced DP1.1 setting points to the bandwidth limits being hit and losing connection, as it can't actually maintain 1.2 standard.

[D13H4RD]

2 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

There's a bunch of settings within the Monitor to play with. See pages 30-32. Might also think about doing a Reset on the monitor.

A lot of these are locked out for some reason when I connect via DP. And I still don't understand why. Also, mind elaborating on this? 

2 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

The forced DP1.1 setting points to the bandwidth limits being hit and losing connection, as it can't actually maintain 1.2 standard.

 

[Taf the Ghost]

Just now, D13H4RD said:

A lot of these are locked out for some reason when I connect via DP. And I still don't understand why. Also, mind elaborating on this? 

 

The connector is the same, but the quality of cable might only meet the requirements for DP1.1. DP1.2 requires better quality wiring and QC on that wiring. Though it might be a shielding issue for that cheap DP cable. If a communications cable doesn't have proper shielding, you get cross-talk and interference from other devices, which cause errors.

 

Play a video then put your phone over the cable. Trying to think of anything else that might cause easy interference.

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Play a video then put your phone over the cable. Trying to think of anything else that might cause easy interference.

Set it on DP 1.1 or 1.2?

 

I'm nowhere near my monitor now, but I might see if I can find a good MDP-DP cable even though they're hard to find. 

[Taf the Ghost]

4 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

Set it on DP 1.1 or 1.2?

 

I'm nowhere near my monitor now, but I might see if I can find a good MDP-DP cable even though they're hard to find. 

DP1.2 should let you force the issue, but it might crop up in 1.1. 

 

Also, rather than a cable, you might look for a DP-DP cable and just a separate adapter for Mini-DP to DP. Not sure about local costs & availability, but that might work better. You might also have a spare DP-DP cable as well.

[D13H4RD]

4 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Also, rather than a cable, you might look for a DP-DP cable and just a separate adapter for Mini-DP to DP. Not sure about local costs & availability, but that might work better. You might also have a spare DP-DP cable as well.

I actually did try looking for that as I thought a dongle would work better. But I've searched at every online storefront that ships to where I'm at alongside even Amazon and sadly, I just can't find ones take connect to an MDP port but have a DP connector on the other end. It's mostly HDMI. 

 

On a side note, how's this? 

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Thunderbolt-Compatible-Displayport-Adapter/dp/B00V053D4O

 

(UPDATE: I did find one but reviews look like it's flaky on DP 1.2)

[Taf the Ghost]

5 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

I actually did try looking for that as I thought a dongle would work better. But I've searched at every online storefront that ships to where I'm at alongside even Amazon and sadly, I just can't find ones take connect to an MDP port but have a DP connector on the other end. It's mostly HDMI. 

 

On a side note, how's this? 

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Thunderbolt-Compatible-Displayport-Adapter/dp/B00V053D4O

 

(UPDATE: I did find one but reviews look like it's flaky on DP 1.2)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PWQPFS/

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Mini-DisplayPort-Black/dp/B00C7RJQPY/

 

I've always had good luck with Cable Matters, just as a personal experience note. Kabel Direct as well.

[D13H4RD]

2 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PWQPFS/

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Mini-DisplayPort-Black/dp/B00C7RJQPY/

 

I've always had good luck with Cable Matters, just as a personal experience note. Kabel Direct as well.

Been looking at them. 

 

Wished they'd actually ship directly here without a huge fee. 

[D13H4RD]

By the way, how's that cable I linked? 

[Taf the Ghost]

1 minute ago, D13H4RD said:

Been looking at them. 

 

Wished they'd actually ship directly here without a huge fee. 

No local-ish online stores have any?

[Taf the Ghost]

2 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

By the way, how's that cable I linked? 

"3. Supports high definition resolution up to 3840x2160 @60hz (Ultra HD, 4K); Plug and Play, no driver needed;"

 

It's a DP1.2 cable. It should work fine, if it isn't damaged.

[Taf the Ghost]

I'd still recommend trying to force interference on the Cable before buying a new one, just to be sure.

[D13H4RD]

5 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

No local-ish online stores have any?

Sadly, no. Displayport is rare around here and the only ones are ludicrously overpriced save for that UGREEN cable I linked. 

4 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

It's a DP1.2 cable. It should work fine, if it isn't damaged.

Yeah, that's what got me interested. 

[Taf the Ghost]

Oh, and since you mentioned it on your status page, VRR should work at any time the content is below the refresh rate of the Panel. Any computer-based device is always going to have some variable playback, so adding it means Consoles get it almost right out of the box. It's just becoming standardized within the HDMI spec.

[D13H4RD]

8 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Oh, and since you mentioned it on your status page, VRR should work at any time the content is below the refresh rate of the Panel. Any computer-based device is always going to have some variable playback, so adding it means Consoles get it almost right out of the box. It's just becoming standardized within the HDMI spec.

That's cool. Doubt my monitor has it on HDMI though. XD

[D13H4RD]

Now that I recall, it could be interference as I noticed a few weird artifacts that weren't there on HDMI, even on DP 1.1

[Taf the Ghost]

2 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

That's cool. Doubt my monitor has it on HDMI though. XD

Per the spec, you should just need to turn it on. 144Hz support is one of the DP and HDMI connectors. The other HDMI is 120hz. Don't ask me why.

[Taf the Ghost]

Just now, D13H4RD said:

Now that I recall, it could be interference as I noticed a few weird artifacts that weren't there on HDMI, even on DP 1.1

Super cheap cables normally don't have much shielding. If you can find a magnet, it should do the trick.

[D13H4RD]

25 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Per the spec, you should just need to turn it on. 144Hz support is one of the DP and HDMI connectors. The other HDMI is 120hz. Don't ask me why.

Mind elaborating on that? 

25 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Super cheap cables normally don't have much shielding. If you can find a magnet, it should do the trick.

Come to think of it, that's probably why my HDMI cable had that cylindrical thing on it. 

[Taf the Ghost]

1 minute ago, D13H4RD said:

Mind elaborating on that? 

Come to think of it, that's probably why my HDMI cable had that cylindrical thing on it. 

I linked the manual for the monitor in the thread. For FreeSync, you just need to turn the setting on. The Max Refresh rate is 144hz, but that's only for the DP and one of the HDMI connectors. HDMI #2 only does 120hz. I don't know why.

[D13H4RD]

2 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

HDMI #2 only does 120hz. I don't know why.

Yeah, that one was pretty odd