Dreamcolor z24x G2 shows overbright colors

[yJawe]

Sorry, couldn't find a proper section for standalone monitors.

Dreamcolor z24x G2 shows overbright, acid colors in OS. I calibrated it, but icc profile applies only to color-managed software, like Photoshop, etc. But not to desktop, videos, games, etc. OS-driven palettes in Photoshop looks crazy too, so it's impossible to work, when only an artboard shows proper color.

I can only guess, that it's NVidia's graphic card problem. Because I plugged the Dreamcolor to another PC with built-in video and it looked fine. But any solutions are welcome.

[BambiBoomZ]

YJawe,

When discussing a graphics display problem,  knowing the model of computer and the exact GPU is a help.

From the description, the GPU in the system may be failing, or it may be a driver or configuration problem.

Check the CPU and GPU temperatures under a typical high load to check for possible thermal throttling.

Then:

If there is a digitizing tablet connected, for example Wacom, disconnect it. 

Try connecting the monitor to a different GPU port with a different cable.  Try the functions at lower resolutions.

To elmininate a possible GPU driver problem, download the latest driver from NVIDIA, remove the card and clean the pins, reseat it in the slot, check the GPU monitor connections, and reinstall tthe display drivers, being careful to select a clean installation that removes the old drivers. The fact that the display worked properly using color-managed applications also suggests a driver problem.

If there is no improvement, If there is any other GPU avaiable, consider trying it in the system and if it works, then the original GPU is the problem.

Let us know what happens.

BambiBoomZ

[yJawe]

Thanks! Sorry, GPU is Nvidia GT740. Display is HP Dreamcolor z24x G2. PC is not branded. Win 7, 64.

Temperatures are fine, it happens with no processes running, heavy game running or rendering with high CPU load - nothing changes. No overheating in any case.

Wacom is disconnected.

I tried DVI port and two HDMI cables, one of which worked fine on another PC and showed proper colors with this z24x . But with my PC it did not worked.

I tried built-in GPU and colors was wrong. But I think, this GPU could just have the same problem.

Low resolution changes nothing. But starting Windows in Safe mode makes all colors oversaturated - in Photoshop too.

NVidia drivers are latest and installed with clean installation. I removed the card. I also tried to remove monitor drivers from OS but not succeded.

For me it looks like GPU problem too. But I have no idea how to choose another GPU. There's no people around using the same monitor. I could just buy one, but what if it will not work?

[BambiBoomZ]

YJawe,

I think the problem is that the specification of the GT 740: 128-bit, 1 or 2GB of memory, 384 CUDA cores, and base clock of 993MHz is inadequate to  run complex graphics applications on that monitor.  It is also OpenGL 4.4  whereas 4.5 is current.  The highest Passmark 3D mark for the GT 740 on an HP system  (57 tested) is 2546 on z400 and highest 2D is 990 on z640 and it is ranked No. 340. 

Those figures are not impossible for ordinary computing tasks, but not for complex graphics work. The GPU contributes substantial compute power in making graphic transformations by the function of the number of CUDA cores that recalculate the position of pixels and polygons,  a large amount of system RAM is necessary for large graphics- I saw that a large 3D rendering required 37+GB during setup, and high clock speeds are necessary for smooth navigation.  

A strong OpenGL is also necessary and importantly, an  NVIDIA GT or GTX can almost not run viewport applications; a Quadro or AMD Firepro is necessary.  A lower end Quadro can run Solidworks better than GTX Titan. There is also the consideration of the color depth and the GT 740 is running at 8-bit, whereas a Quadro can run in some cases up to 12-bit.  This is essential for professional color-matching.  Anti-aliasing is also limited in GT and GTX to 16X- those there are interpolations, but there are some drivers for Quadro - for example Solidworks had a driver that could run 128X.

Consider buying a NVIDIA Quadro with the highest memory bandwith, most CUDA cores, most memory, and highest clock speeds within the budget.  The Pascal series was very good- I used a Quadro P2000  (160-bit, 5GB GDDR5, 1024 CUDA cores, base clock of 1076 for a couple of years for 3D modeling and secondarily for graphic design.  In a z420, the P2000 had a Passmark 3D of 8993 and 2D of 861.  The P2000 is also only 75W- no power connection necessary and runs quite cool.

As most gpaphics programs are primarilty single- threaded, that is run on one processor core, the CPU clock speed is also important in graphics speed and for example an i7-7700K @ 4.6GHz system with a P2000 had 2D= 1234 and 3D= 9995. 

The amount of system memory and drives are also important as large graphics do a lot of swaps to RAM and drives. I suggest 32GB of RAM and a good SSD such as Samsung 860 EVO- but M.2 is better.

What is the system being used, CPU, RAM, and drives?

Considering installing the free trial of Passmark Perfromance Test, running the system tests and comparing results with other systems.  record the resulss and bsedies 2D and 3D, take  particular note of the single thread mark.

BambiBoomZ

HP z620_2 (2017) (R7) > Xeon E5-1680 v2 (8-core@ 4.3GHz) / z420 Liquid Cooling / 64GB DDR3-1866 ECC Reg / Quadro P2000 5GB _ GTX 1070 Ti 8GB / HP Z Turbo Drive M.2 256GB AHCI + Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe 500GB + HGST 7K6000 4TB / Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 sound interface + 2X Mackie MR824 / 825W PSU /> HP OEM Windows 7 Prof.’l 64-bit > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)

Passmark Rating = 6280 / CPU rating = 17178 / 2D = 819 / 3D= 12629 / Mem = 3002 / Disk = 13751 / Single Thread Mark = 2368 [10.23.18]

[yJawe]

Thanks! I don't do complicated renders, at least for now. So, Quadro P2000 will be a little too much. My target today is Ai, Ps and very basic 3D. But you gave me a great idea! I just checked the specs again and found that z24x supports bit of depth "up to 10bits", while GT 740 can work only with 8 bits. It is funny, but official support could not point it to me. Yestoday I had a lond talk and they checked the specs for me... or took a coffee break instead.

I did the tests, but bit depth looks like a better chance. I found another video card for tests on weekend and hope I will finally solve it.

[BambiBoomZ]

YJawe,

As soon as I learned the GPU is GT 740, and the problem was incorrect color display, the color depth seemed the most relavent explanation, along with inadequate video memory.

The 10-bit color is going to require a Quadro and, I'd suggest, 4GB of video memory.  Quadro K2200 perhaps?

BambiBoomZ

[yJawe]

Unfortunately, I can only afford something like Quadro P400 🙂 But I will test the system with GTX1070, maybe it will work. There's a various information around the web - some say Quadro is necessary, but others say there's a bpc selector in new GTX drivers. I have it, but it's locked on 8 bit.

[yJawe]

Ok, I tried GTX1070, I bought new cables and then I took a long walk and found an answer. I hope, I am done with it now, but here's what I have now:

At the beginning I had monitor switched on sRGB and Windows Color management profile was set up on Native. Something like that, I can't say for sure. The fact is, the monitor profile and OS profile did not match. I missed this, my fault. Then I called a custom service company (officials won't do this anywhere around) and they calibrated the monitor and left. While doing this, they resetted the colors, which they probably should do, and set it somewhere around R255 G250 B 237 on monitor. This is my oversaturation 🙂 Then they applied an ICC profile, which works fine in graphics programs, but not OS. And here's the mismatch. How is it possible with calibrator? I have no idea.

What I did - set monitor to sRGB. Set all profiles in Color Management to default on HP Z24x G2 sRGB D65. Reboot.

[BambiBoomZ]

YJawe,

This problem may relate to some kind of software to GPU to monitor control mismatch. Without knowing the software used and calibration proceedure in detial, and including the possible problems  that the 8-bit color depth limit of the GPU may impose, a solution is difficult to suggest, but RGB i slimited to 8-bit anyway.  Another odd feature is that the the monitor offers calibration in several common modes, but not CMYK.  The description of the monitor however, states:  "Calibrate any of the four color space presets—sRGB, Adobe® RGB, BT.709, and User—or create your own custom color space with HP DreamColor Calibration Software. "   I'd never heard of BT.709.

I've only used the fairly basic color calibration on the two Dell Ultrasharp U2715H monitors and only recently discovered that Windows had assigned a gneric driver to them. Installing the proper Dell drivers did improve the display.

What do you think is the next step?

BambiBoomZ

[yJawe]

Software was DisplayCal, procedure is unknown.

Honestly, I have no idea, what to do next. I will not buy any new hardware, for sure. And 8 bit is enough for now. Probably, I will return to this question later. Now I will try to stick with sRGB for a while, because I have a deadlines. But this profile in monitor seems blueish-purplish with the daylight, so it will definitely need tuning.

I am thinking about to call the service again, let them pick up the sRGB from current setup, build the proper white point from it, calibrate and then again try to match the profiles on my PC. Controlling every step, I can understand.