Multiscan monitor blanks out


PROBLEM - Any multi-scan monitor, including the 6314, 6317, or 6319, may blank out when changing modes, requiring the user to power cycle the monitor to recover. in some cases the monitor may not recover.

Machines AFFECTED - All VP2 (S3 video) systems

SOLUTION - It has been discovered that there is an exposure to damage 6314, 17, + 19 displays when used in conjunction with the S3 video chip on VP2 designs. The display failure occurs as the result of a mode change - ie. A mode change occurs when the user hot keys between sessions in OS/2 such as from the PM desktop to a WIN-OS/2 session, a DOS full screen session, or an OS/2 full screen session.

The same mode changes also occur while running DOS when the user loads an application such as MS Windows. This mode change allows the user to go from one video resolution to another based on the configuration for the applications being run. We have found horizontal frequencies that are outside of the display's allowable functional limit during the mode change operation. The display specification allows for an hsync range from 31.5 - 81.9KHz. anything outsIDE of this range can potentially shut down or permanently damage the display. while running a VP2 design with a FLASH BIOS level of 58 or earlier and the current OS/2 16M color driver, spurious hsync frequencies of 90KHz or more were measured during mode changes. This proved to be the cause for the display problems.

The display problem can show up in 3 variations, starting from least dramatic to most they are:

1. Display blanks out indefinitely during a mode change, the LED remains lit - power cycling the display brings it back to life, video is OK.

2. Same as #1, but display is permanently damaged - power cycling will not recover the display, it must be replaced.

3. Display blanks out and the user hears a component popping followed by a small amount of smoke - display is permanently damaged and must be replaced.

The S3 BIOS has been modified to correct the problem and is integrated in FLASH BIOS code level 61. The FLASH BIOS is all that is required to correct DOS and associated applications. OS/2 requires FLASH level 61 and a new 16M color driver (S3_16M11).

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