No signal on VGA Dell Monitor

danilux

Hello mates, I’ve been going crazy all night trying to get signal from raspberry pi 4 B 2GB to an old VGA Viewsonic Monitor, the screen just shows black and the no signal message, this is the monitor https://www.viewsonic.com/au/products/lcd/va703b

Type: TFT Active Matrix SXGA LCD
Display Area: 17 inch
Optimum Resolution: 1280x1024
Analog: RGB Analog
Frequency: Fh: 30-82KHz; Fv: 50-85Hz
Sync: H/V separated
PC: VGA up to 1280x1024 non-interlaced

I already opened config.txt and tried all the common recommendations like uncommenting:

hdmi_force_hotplug=1
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=35    (since the monitor is 1280x1024 ??)
hdmi_drive=2

I’m using this active converter alt text

I made sure that the active vga adapter was working by plugging in my PC (RX 470 HDMI) to the old dell vga monitor using the adapter and it shows windows 10 fine on it.
I also tested the raspberry pi 4 port and the micro hdmi cable by plugging it to my modern HDMI monitor and it shows retropie correctly, so they are both working fine.
The problem is between the raspberry pi 4 and the old vga monitor.
I don't know if it's a config issue, or maybe I need a vga active adapter that uses its own power supply, any help is appreciated.

Pi Model or other hardware: 4 B 2G
Power Supply used: 5V/3A
RetroPie Version Used: retropie-buster-4.7.1-rpi4_400.img.gz
Built From: RetroPie website
USB Devices connected: None
Controller used: None
Error messages received: None

mitu

Can you add hdmi_safe=1 to config.txt and see if you get an image ?

danilux

@mitu Should I disable all of the others I uncommented before adding this one?

mitu

@danilux Yes, comment out the other options.

danilux

@mitu Unfortunately nothing :c

danilux

@mitu said in No signal on VGA Dell Monitor:

comment out the other options.

Today I entered into retropie using ssh, i got some info with the tvservice command I don't know what to make of it

Query the output status of HDMI:

tvservice -s
state 0x5 [DVI CUSTOM RGB full 4:3], 640x480 @ 60.00Hz, progressive

Query Monitor for supported CEA modes:

sudo /opt/vc/bin/tvservice -m CEA
Group CEA has 0 mod

// After activating hdmi_safe=1 on config.txt I run the same command got different output

tvservice -m CEA
Group CEA has 4 modes:
           mode 4: 1280x720 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:74MHz progressive
           mode 16: 1920x1080 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:148MHz progressive
           mode 95: 3840x2160 @ 30Hz 16:9, clock:297MHz progressive
           mode 97: 3840x2160 @ 60Hz 16:9, clock:594MHz progressive

Query monitor for supported DMT modes

tvservice -m DMT
Group DMT has 0 modes

// After activating hdmi_safe=1 on config.txt I run the same command got different output

tvservice -m DMT
Group DMT has 1 modes:
  (prefer) mode 4: 640x480 @ 60Hz 4:3, clock:25MHz progressive

Get more detailed info about the monitor:

tvservice -d edid.dat
Nothing written!

tvservice -s will show current status.

tvservice -s
state 0x1 [TV is off]

Print the device ID from EDID

tvservice -n
[E] No device present

mitu

Try telling the Pi to ignore the video modes supported by the monitor, by adding to config.txt:

hdmi_ignore_edid=0xa5000080
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=35
hdmi_force_hotplug=1

danilux

@mitu Nothing, I'm ready to give up, I'm going to get an hdmi to vga adapter with power supply as a last resort, if it doesn't work then I think I will use the old monitor as a second pc monitor, thanks anyway mate

testfly

@danilux not sure it will help but here is what I used to connect a VGA monitor to hdmi on the pi.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CTK4TH4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

danilux

For anyone reading with the same problem, the monitor works now with the new active adapter that comes with its own power supply