BF4 and Company of Heroes 2 blank window on Apple 30" monitor

[sithspawn]

I have a Haswell system runnning off an Asus Gryphon Z87 motherboard that has no issues gaming with the onboard VGA with my 27" 1080p monitor.

 

Recently I just got an Apple Cinema Display 30" running at 2560 x 1600 and runs off the only input it has; a DVI Dual link.  

 

I used a friend's old GTX280 and ran the monitor without problems with my Blizzard games at the native 2560 x 1600 resolution, but BF 4 and COH 2 ran in windowed mode no matter what settings I tried and displayed a blank window though I can hear the game running.

 

If I Alt-Tab I can see the image of the game just before switching to the desktop etc.  I can access the game sometimes when switching programs by tricking it that way and access the graphic settings.  Any change in the graphics settings will after applying will make the screen go blank again.

 

Yesterday I bought a 780ti and had the same issue regardless of what resolution I use so I assume it's an issue with the game and monitor not being in sync.  The BF4 settings are locked at 2560 x 1600 a@ 59.97hz or something. The Apple monitor runs at 60hz as per the windows settings.  Tried disabling my multi-monitor setup and onboard VGA as well without any luck. I've tried deleting the BF4 config in the 'My Documents' folder and repair the game without any luck either.

 

Any ideas how to get things working?  Thanks.

 

[Almercenary]

Try a non apple monitor

[sithspawn]

2560x1600 isn't a normal resolution...Try not using VGA.  Have you tried other games that aren't blizzard? Maybe try and return the monitor and go for 2560x1440.  Try turning it from 60-50hz once in game. Most games should support 2560x1440, don't know about 1600 though. Apple monitors are...well apple monitors.

 

2560 x 1600 is a 'normal' resolution, Dell's 30" monitors are all 2560 x 1600 @ 60hz as well and the resolution is supported in all the games I've tested that worked and didn't work.

 

I'm not using VGA, using a Dual link DVI-D which is the only connector on the monitor.  

 

I'm trying only the games I have. If it works with WOW, Diablo, SC2 and Hearthstone at 2560 x 1600, then it's not a monitor issue I suppose. Managed to work randomly in COH2 running the graphics test but windowed. It refused to go full screen.

 

BF4 and COH2 doesn't let me change refresh rates and neither does windows.  Tried to change the refresh rate and it didn't support so I had to revert to 60hz

 

I've tried to run it at 1920 x 1600, 1920 x 1080p as well with the same issues.

[Askew]

2560x1600 isn't a normal resolution...Try not using VGA.  Have you tried other games that aren't blizzard? Maybe try and return the monitor and go for 2560x1440.  Try turning it from 60-50hz once in game. Most games should support 2560x1440, don't know about 1600 though. Apple monitors are...well apple monitors.

 

This is all drivel.

[Askew]

Can I ask what graphics driver (Nvidia) version you are using?

[Almercenary]

This is all drivel.

PM me and enlighten me on monitors, or do it here. Above as simply my assumptions and tryin to help seeing as no one else was. I'm generally interested about monitors and would like to know from an expert in these fields such as you as I'm relatively new to the scene

[Almercenary]

2560 x 1600 is a 'normal' resolution, Dell's 30" monitors are all 2560 x 1600 @ 60hz as well and the resolution is supported in all the games I've tested that worked and didn't work.

I'm not using VGA, using a Dual link DVI-D which is the only connector on the monitor.

I'm trying only the games I have. If it works with WOW, Diablo, SC2 and Hearthstone at 2560 x 1600, then it's not a monitor issue I suppose. Managed to work randomly in COH2 running the graphics test but windowed. It refused to go full screen.

BF4 and COH2 doesn't let me change refresh rates and neither does windows. Tried to change the refresh rate and it didn't support so I had to revert to 60hz

I've tried to run it at 1920 x 1600, 1920 x 1080p as well with the same issues.

Sorry for my stupidity in the previous quote and probably this one, but if its a problem with BF4, contact EA. there support is very good. They might even fix your COH problems inandvertanly. Maybe try and re-install, set setting to default??? Mayb try an F2P like blacklight to narrow it down???

[Askew]

PM me and enlighten me on monitors, or do it here. Above as simply my assumptions and tryin to help seeing as no one else was. I'm generally interested about monitors and would like to know from an expert in these fields such as you as I'm relatively new to the scene

 

OK, I'll respond to the things in your first post, as you want know I'm more than happy to put a bit of time in.

 

2560x1600 is a normal resolution and has been for years, it is most commonly used as the 30'' equivalent to 2560x1440, 1440p monitors are normally 27'' and 16:9 aspect ratio, the 1600p monitors are 16:10 aspect ratio and normally 30''.

 

The 1440p ones believe it or not have the tiniest bit more pixel density, but it isn't a noticable difference, the extra pixels compensate well for the extra size of a 1600p display, the difference is about 8ppi (pixels per inch) in favour of a 27'' 2560x1440 monitor.

 

VGA is analog (I think you knew this perhaps?) and as a result require a DAC (Digital/Analog Converter) on the GPU in order to provide signal, the resolution of 2560x1600 is not only out of spec for VGA as a standard but I'm not sure if the DAC in his GPU could keep up with the demand of 60hz, or if the monitor's ADC (Analog/Digital Converter could receive it for that matter, I don't know why manufacturers would make this possible when other interfaces existing on both the GPU and the monitor are a certainty in current times.

 

HDMI 1.3 and > can do it, DVI-D (dual link) can do it, and DisplayPort can do it, these are all digital formats, HDMI/DVI are the same bitstream based video signal with a different connector, and DisplayPort is packet based in terms of data transfer and is currently the superior interface type as it supports higher standards than currently possible with HDMI.

The fact that DVI and HDMI use the same protocol for video means that you will see adapters that can adapt HDMI-DVI using just a physical adapter rather than any kind of box, however changing DVI/HDMI-DisplayPort cannot be done this way, it requires a piece of hardware to translate the data.

 

The fact that OP stated he already ran something (other games) ok at full res on his monitor indicated that he is already using a suitable interface type.

 

 

Given all of this it was clear to me that it's most likely a software issue involving either drivers or something else, so I asked him for driver version info.

I apologise for being dismissive and rude, but you wrote it as if you knew what you were saying rather than if it were just suggestions.

 

I should really have written a proper post, I hope the above helps you out, there's plenty more info out there, if you search the connector types/resolution specs on the web.

[Askew]

@Almercenary

To address the 'Apple monitor' issue, Apple do not manufacture their own displays, companies like LG/Sharp/Samsung/Japan Display manufacture them for a huge variety of Apple's uses, I will illustrate an example scenario of LG manufacture panels for Apple.

 

LG manufactures a number of, let's say for instance 2560x1440p IPS displays primarily for Apple's Cinema displays, once the LCD sheets have been cut, the displays put together ect the panels are graded, A+ grade panels will have 0 dead/stuck pixels, defects, backlight bleed will be controlled to a high standard, panel brightness and colour uniformity among other things will be inspected and categorized.

 

Apple will accept the cream of the crop to bezel up and sell as their premium (and very expensive) Cinema displays, the B grade ones will be rejected and sold off to third parties who will appear such as the 'cheaper' Korean 1440p monitors available at a much lower cost for what you are getting, but you will see in the spec they will offer a guaruntee of only "Less than 3 dead pixels" or something similar, this is because the panels are imperfect, the reality is that the imperfections are not always present, and when they are can be unnoticable, but they did not meet the A+ grade criteria needed to become Apple products.

 

You will see a mixture of A and B grade panels among the cheaper Korean third party (non major brand) panels, some eBay sellers may for instance inspect the panels they have received and even list the ones with 0 dead/stuck pixels for a higher price and guarunteed as such.

 

Quite a lot of these Korean (LG maybe, maybe somebody else) exist in USA/EU because they are cheap, but in reality the panels inside can be from the same factory as the Apple ones.

 

Unless you know who manufactured the panel inside the Apple bezel, you cannot simply say "Try a non Apple display".

[sithspawn]

I'm currently running GE Force driver version 335.23 which might be beta I think, but previously i was running a borrowed GTX 280 with the non Beta Drivers with the same result.

All other drivers/BIOS on my computer is the latest version.

 

Weirdly after much fooling around with switching between the desktop and BF4, I managed to get it in 'borderless' setting and now BF4 is stable and running correctly.

COH 2, not so much luck.  It's random when I can see everything instead of a flashing blank screen.  Sometimes it works.  Sigh.

 

I was about to explain about the resolution of the monitors as well;

 

Divide 16 by 10 and you get 1.6, in the same way divide 2560 by 1600 and you guessed it! 1.6!  It's a 16 x 10 aspect ratio just like my Dell 27" with a 1920 x 1200 resolution.

[sithspawn]

I once had a weird issue with a game called Dragonshard and my 27" Dell.  It wouldn't run higher than 1024 x 768 in Win XP until I got rid of the Dell monitor driver and used Window's generic monitor driver.  Then it worked perfectly at 1920 x 1200.....go figure.....

[Almercenary]

@Almercenary

To address the 'Apple monitor' issue, Apple do not manufacture their own displays, companies like LG/Sharp/Samsung/Japan Display manufacture them for a huge variety of Apple's uses, I will illustrate an example scenario of LG manufacture panels for Apple.

LG manufactures a number of, let's say for instance 2560x1440p IPS displays primarily for Apple's Cinema displays, once the LCD sheets have been cut, the displays put together ect the panels are graded, A+ grade panels will have 0 dead/stuck pixels, defects, backlight bleed will be controlled to a high standard, panel brightness and colour uniformity among other things will be inspected and categorized.

Apple will accept the cream of the crop to bezel up and sell as their premium (and very expensive) Cinema displays, the B grade ones will be rejected and sold off to third parties who will appear such as the 'cheaper' Korean 1440p monitors available at a much lower cost for what you are getting, but you will see in the spec they will offer a guaruntee of only "Less than 3 dead pixels" or something similar, this is because the panels are imperfect, the reality is that the imperfections are not always present, and when they are can be unnoticable, but they did not meet the A+ grade criteria needed to become Apple products.

You will see a mixture of A and B grade panels among the cheaper Korean third party (non major brand) panels, some eBay sellers may for instance inspect the panels they have received and even list the ones with 0 dead/stuck pixels for a higher price and guarunteed as such.

Quite a lot of these Korean (LG maybe, maybe somebody else) exist in USA/EU because they are cheap, but in reality the panels inside can be from the same factory as the Apple ones.

Unless you know who manufactured the panel inside the Apple bezel, you cannot simply say "Try a non Apple display".

I love learning stuff. Thanks for putting some time in and actually explaining it to me. Most forum members would just dismiss it. Very much appreciated.