10.6.3 nVidia Blank Screen Issue with DVI/HDMI on 9800GT

[el_charlie]

When I use NVCAPMaker it gives me this value:

 

04000000000003000c0000000000000700000000

 

My card is the same as my signature (EVGA 8800GT Superclocked 512MB) and it works well with HDCP on Windows with my Samsung T260HD HDTV monitor..

 

Hope it helps a bit.

 

Cheers!

[A]

Maybe Netkas will find a solution first.

is netkas aware of this?

 

P.S The Folks over at http://www.projectosx.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=370 also have lots of knowledge about Nvidia stuff. ( still it seems like they havent investigated our issue)

[RickyTan]

When I use NVCAPMaker it gives me this value:

04000000000003000c0000000000000700000000

Now if you are using AsereBLN bootloader version 1.1.9, try adding this NVCAP value according to these instructions at the very bottom of the page. You can find the Device ID for your GPU in System Profiler:

 

http://wiki.github.com/aserebln/Chameleon/

 

Let us know if that makes any difference for you. Changing the NVCAP is a subset of the changes Freak Chokra posted in his DSDT a few posts back, so you might be able to make this small modification, use GraphicsEnabler (no EFI strings) and get HDCP working.

[athena]

I have since tried all sorts to get this working...including adding graphics card data into DSDT and the Asere bootloader method that was mentioned. Still the same outcome...HDMI causes blank screen on boot.

 

Can anyone advise on a graphics card that has no problems with HDMI as I'm sick of using the VGA cable?

[JFLNYC]

I had to go back to my old 8600GT, which they don't even sell anymore. The only one that I've heard which works is the GTX 285 because NVidia has a Mac driver for it. But it costs a bundle. I'd be grateful to know of a newer/more powerful one that works. Something in the NVidia 200 series would be nice.

[athena]

I googled the GTX 285, saw the price and closed the tab. Unbelievable. Surely there must be something that allows this HDMI to work? Also doesn't the 9800GT have a Mac Driver? Or am I mistaken...this issue is really annoying and the one thing that is holding my setup back....

[bigj425]

Hi there,

 

I had the blank screen when using HDMI issue with my 9800GT in 10.6.2 and 10.6.3.

 

I found two relatively cheap cards that i have tested and work fully for me in the mean time until this is fixed. Both can be installed simply by using graphics enabler in charmelion under 10.6.3.

 

Asus EN9400GT silent 512MB

 

and

 

Sparkle GeForce GT 220 1024MB

 

Both have three ports, one of each a VGA, DVI and HDMI. (Although I havnt tested this, im assume you can only use two at any given time.) I tested both with dual monitors in the DVI and HDMI ports.

 

Hope that helps

[JFLNYC]

Yes, that's good news and bad. Good: Some cards work. Bad: They're really low performance.

[_Jay_]

Umm...I just plugged a DVI adapter into my tv and used a dvi cable! Didn't need to buy a new card or any bullcrap like that. Still got digital too so bam.

[iskanderdumacedon]

Jammol: Just to verify:you were having this problem before using the adapter, and now you're not?

[athena]

Jammol: Just to verify:you were having this problem before using the adapter, and now you're not?

 

Yeah, I'd like to know this too..

[iskanderdumacedon]

Looking at this page:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php...14114&st=20

It would appear that Jammol did, in fact, have this problem before using that adapter, but it would still be nice to hear from the man himself.

[skyhack]

I too have just upgrade to 10.6.3 and I have the same problem. When I connect to the TV via the DVI / HDMI connection the system boots to a black screen. When I connect the video out to an old CRT monitor the system boots normally. I am running a EN9800GTX+ DK/HTDI/512M Asus card in an AMD system.

 

This setup worked 100% under 10.6.2 with EFI strings.

[macke]

had a semi success here- tried it with with osx86tools.

click: 'Add EFI Strings', then from the menu: 'GFX Strings'. In the pulldown menu i chose the last entry: 'Custom GeForce...'

Then just fill in what you're asked, i think i chose dvi-i/ dvi-i on that particular part. then i clicked 'import string to boot editor' and finally 'apply changes to com.apple.Boot.plist'

booting after this gave me video out over either dvi or hdmi. no two monitor outs at a time and with a wrong resolution. (wanting 1920x1080 for my toshiba tv-screen)

[KariNeko]

same problem here with 8800gt 512mb

everything was perfect with these old kexts from 10.6.1 when i use 10.6.2 .. now stucked on 1600x1200 resolution (using 30" @ 2560x1600 normally)

 

still waiting a solution

 

So 2560x1600 resolution on a 30" monitor doesn't even work after 10.6.3 update? and this can't be related to an HDMI connection because it's using Dual Link DVI. This is strange.

[el_charlie]

Hey, it f***ng works!!!!!

 

I have attached the proof images (The info is in Spanish but you can see I'm using the HDMI input of my Samsung T260HD monitor). The second image is the cable itself.

 

I bought a cheap DVI to HDMI cable and works flawlessly on 10.6.3. I'm not using any special kexts or bootloader I just installed Snow Leopard from the retail DVD and I've been updating my computer via Software Update to 10.6.3 so, all my kexts are the vanilla ones (except the AppleHDA wich is from 10.6.2 because my audio codec is ALC662). I currently use Chameleon 2 RC 4 with GraphicsEnabler and my custom video BIOS from a real MacPro's 8800GT. I only edited the BIOS on Windows with NiBitor to overclock it a little (650MHz vs 600MHz stock). On my com.apple.Boot.plist I only have this:

 

<key>GraphicsEnabler</key>
<string>yes</string>
<key>VideoROM</key>
<string>NVIDIA.rom</string>
<key>VBIOS</key>
<string>yes</string>

 

My NVIDIA.rom file is on (EFI partition)/Extra directory.

 

In conclusion, DVI and HDMI indeed ARE electrically compatible. Also, don't use EFI strings, just GraphicsEnabler and a Video BIOS of your choice. I use the MacPro's 8800GT BIOS to make it more "Mac like" but it's the same if you dump your current BIOS or download it and place it on your bootloader.

 

My video card is an EVGA 8800GT Superclocked with 512MB GDDR3 and two DVI outputs. I use the first DVI output (the one that is closest to the motherboard). Of course I have full 3D acceleration (Portal for Mac and Bioshock runs smooth like silk)

 

EDIT: I don't have ANYTHING regarding to the videocard on my DSDT.

 

Cheers!

[JFLNYC]

Very happy for you. The problem, though, is with 9800 and later cards. You have an 8800 GT. I have 10.6.3 running fine on my machine with an 8600 GT. But on the machine with a GTS 250, no dice. HDMI and DVI are electrically compatible. But -- for whatever reason it is -- if you're using a 9800 or above NVIDIA card and are connecting using a DVI to HDMI cable (or adapter), you get a black screen. The problem applies to real Macs and Hackintoshes. The only exceptions are the GT 120 card Apple uses and the GTX 285.

 

So while I'm sure we can all be happy you've solved your problem, it does nothing for those us us with the other, later NVIDIA cards.

[LogicalUser]

I'm unable to test & validate what he said at this time, however the 8800GT & 9800GT both share the same GPU core, which is VERY similar to that used in the 9800GTX+/GTS250.

 

You could pretty much consider them the same cards, the only differences being with the PCB design & power distribution. If he's resolved the issue with a 8800GT the same steps should fix it with a 9800GT too, and likely the newer variants as well. (Your 8600GT is based around a different core than the 8800GT/9800GT, and is not affected by this issue at all)

[JFLNYC]

If you can find anyone -- Mac User or Hackintosh user -- with a 9800 or GTS 250 who is successfully running 10.6.3 with a DVI to HDMI connection, I'd appreciate knowing.

[el_charlie]

I'm unable to test & validate what he said at this time, however the 8800GT & 9800GT both share the same GPU core, which is VERY similar to that used in the 9800GTX+/GTS250.

In fact the first 9800GTs were just 8800Gts flashed with a new BIOS. Other tnah that, both have the same GPU at 65nm and the same PCB. Even the same clocks. When the 65nm chips went off, they used 55nm chips. But it's still the same card with a different name.

 

Some users have sucessfully flashed their 8800GTs with 9800's BIOS and they haven't experienced any problems at all. I could try to flash my own card, but I don't have enough money to buy a new one if I brick my current card. I also don't have a spare PCI card to flash if something's gone wrong.

 

But you get my point.

 

Also, the 9800GTX is just a rebrranded 8800GTS (128 shader processors) and the GTS 250 is a rebranded 9800GTX+ (an overclocked 9800GTX). All three cards are variants of the G92 GPU but with 128 SP instead of 112 of the 8800/9800GT.

 

Obviously they present to the OS as different models, so the drivers (kexts) reacts different to each model and therefore we have the issues.

 

Cheers!

 

PS: You don't lose anything to try my settings (GraphicsEnabler + NVIDIA.rom BIOS without EFI strings and/or DSDT).

[zawx]

Are you just supposed to extract the NVIDIA.rom-file from your graphics card and use it with Chameleon, or is any modifications of it required?

[el_charlie]

Just use it with Chameleon. You can edit it if you want to overclock/underclock your card. Be aware that editing the fan speed policies doesn't work on OSX.

 

Cheers!

[Beerkex'd]

Maybe I misunderstood you, but if not, why on earth would someone want to use Chameleon to load an unmodified copy of their video card ROM?

[el_charlie]

Because it's not the modification of the BIOS, just the injection itself that reports better to the OS than the EFI strings does.

 

By injecting your own video bios, you tell the OS all the capabilities of the video card, instead of using a generic EFI string.

 

You can mod your bios if you want. I did that. But just for overclocking purposes on OSX.

 

Cheers!

[_Jay_]

Let me clarify: I have a DVI-HDMI adapter on my GPU, but couldn't work on 10.6.3. So now I am using a DVI adapter on my TV(It has VGA natively) as we speak. I am no longer using my HDMI, just DVI. The problem is with the HDMI strings within 10.6.3. That is what I read on a different forum. Something about the automatic conversion from dvi to hdmi not working. So all I did was buy a DVI adaptop for my TV. You can also use a VGA-DVI if your TV doesn't have HDMI or DVI and your video card does.

 

ALso guys I don't check back on forums I post in much so if you need help or just want to share something please just PM me.

 

And you shouldn't have to modify anything with bios or dsdt or any of that. Just use the adapter for now. I am currently working on a solution with a friend of mine to get dvi-hdmi back.

 

By the way, why do you guys have to go through so much trouble with the 9800gtx and 8800 for graphics? I'm simply using an EFI string that I generated from my card itself. Have full Quatz Extreme and the whole shabangabang.