x34 and Consoles via HDMI - any known issues?

Hello all,

Some quick context - I'm primarily a PC Gamer currently running an XB270HU over DisplayPort (980Ti GPU), looking to move to an x34 for the Ultrawide experience, and for the additional HDMI input for console gaming on the side. I understand Console gaming won't render in ultrawide resolution and thats OK.

Does anyone have any experience running a Playstation 4 or Xbox One via HDMI on the x34, and if yes, have there been any issues? I ask because I've heard that the x34 is only 50hz via HDMI - is this correct, and can it be easily overclocked to 60hz via the interface?

Any feedback or help appreciated.

Many thanks,

- JR

Accepted answers

Vandragorax

Hi KORS41R,

I'm not sure where you read that the HDMI only supports 50hz. The X34 has an HDMI 1.4 spec connector and a default refresh rate of 60hz, so high-speed HDMI cables that can handle 4k should be able to handle 1440p@60hz. I haven't actually tried it with a console myself though so I've not got any anecdotal evidence for the performance.

You definitely won't be able to get the overclocked refresh rates (higher than 60hz) out of HDMI though, and you will need to use the OSD settings to change the aspect ratio on the monitor itself depending on whether you prefer "Aspect" or "1:1" which will determine whether the image displays in 16:9 with black bars on the sides, or stretched.

All comments

Vandragorax

Hi KORS41R,

I'm not sure where you read that the HDMI only supports 50hz. The X34 has an HDMI 1.4 spec connector and a default refresh rate of 60hz, so high-speed HDMI cables that can handle 4k should be able to handle 1440p@60hz. I haven't actually tried it with a console myself though so I've not got any anecdotal evidence for the performance.

You definitely won't be able to get the overclocked refresh rates (higher than 60hz) out of HDMI though, and you will need to use the OSD settings to change the aspect ratio on the monitor itself depending on whether you prefer "Aspect" or "1:1" which will determine whether the image displays in 16:9 with black bars on the sides, or stretched.

K0RS41R

Thanks for the response. I ended up picking up an x34 and, aside from being amazing on PC, I can confirm my Playstation 4 works no issues, which is extremely handy for when I want to use the console occasionally.

Cheers,

- JR

sragsd0416

Well according to ACER Technical support HDMI is overclockable to 100Hz via HDMI. In fact the tech I talked to stated his was set up with this and worked fine. So I tried it and via a PC all I can get is 50Hz with no selection to OC.

Rizner

I've tried hooking up my Xbox 1 via HDMI(3 different cables) and the x34 continues to give me no signal, but when I switch the cable to another monitor and its displays with no issues?

Is there a setting I should change possibly or have any advice?

thx

sragsd0416

I would check the input slection on the monitor - I have to tell it HDMI or Displayport - at least today when I was experimenting with the monitor I had to go into the settings and and tell it what video input that it was being fed. Good Luck

mellow

Im having the same issue trying to plug my Xbox One into my Predator XB271HU..and just get a black screen. Any help is appreciated!

K0RS41R

Mellow - AFAIK consoles could not work with the XB270HU, irrespective of adaptors / cable converters. This is just from my own reserach online - if someone knows otherwise for a fact (and has tested it first hand), please feel free to shout out.

Viatarel

I too am having isues with my X34 and consoles. I have been using my Ps4 for a few days now and all of a sudden its stopped working saying i have no signal. i know the cords are fine and have tested with other screens but cant seem to get it going.

has anyone been able to get incontact with acer about this?

NoxDeleo

Not sure about the sudden black screens, but has anyone else noticed that the scaling is incorrect? I've been running my 360 on my X34 at 1080p, but the screen stretches the picture in "Aspect" Wide Mode. It's fine with the 1:1 setting, although naturally the picture from that is too small.

comicgeek

The overclock only works with DP. The person you talked to does not know the product his representing and should be fired.

K0RS41R

Noxdeleo - I have the same problem with my PS3... My PS4 and Xbox One on the other hand seem to work pretty well, possibly a little bit stretched. Not sure how to fix that tbh, might be in the console settings itself?

K0RS41R

Comicgeek - when I called Acer support about a Coil Whine issue on my x34, they immediately blamed my other components, and also believed the x34 Predator was a system (Rig + Monitor). I actually had to explain that the Acer x34 Predator was a monitor that was purchased standalone. All I got the entire call was bad attitude tbh.

NoxDeleo

K0RS41R wrote:
Noxdeleo - I have the same problem with my PS3... My PS4 and Xbox One on the other hand seem to work pretty well, possibly a little bit stretched. Not sure how to fix that tbh, might be in the console settings itself?

That's pretty odd. I'm almost tempted to ask if you wouldn't mind putting a ruler to the black bars in both cases to confirm that. I wouldn't have thought it's a console related issue since AFAIK they'll just be outputting whatever resolution they're set for and the rest (scaling) is down to the monitor. That said, I had my suspicions that the G-Sync chip might have something to do with this, and having had a quick read, I came across this: "NVIDIA swaps out the display’s scaler for a G-Sync board", followed by "For its intended purpose, the lack of any scaling hardware isn’t a big deal since you’ll have a more than capable GPU driving the panel and handling all scaling duties." (source). Looks like the culprit might be the chip, which doesn't do scaling properly. Or from another point of view, the console GPU doesn't do scaling, or rather doesn't have settings to enable it. Maybe this is where the 360/PS3 and the next gen consoles differ, in that the newer ones actually do scaling on their side. If this is the case it doesn't seem there will be any firmware fix for it since it's a hardware limitation. Guess that means hooking up consoles etc. to an actual TV or non-G-Sync monitor (unless the G-Sync monitor is 16:9 ratio anyway), which I can do, but it's a ball ache having switched everything around when I got the X34. This might actually also explain why the aliasing in 360 games looked so bad on this screen. If it only does some sort of hard nearest neighbour pixel-to-pixel mapping to scale up the image, I can imagine awful jaggies.

K0RS41R

Yeah I'll probably end up putting my consoles back on my TV in the living room. Too many frustrations overall for me. That being said, my x34 has a coil whine and is being replaced as we speak. Not what I was expecting for the price tag lol.

OnePunchTiro

I am having the same exact issue. I can get a Wii U to work over HDMI after unplugging and replugging, but I get nothing but a black screen and a very annoying sound when I try to hook up my XBOX ONE. I am so frustrated that I have to send this thing back..... Display port on the other hand is working just fine...

OnePunchTiro

I have to update my post. I have now successfully connected my Xbox One to the X34 without issue. I fixed my issue by connecting the console to another TV where I then could turn off HDMI audio on the system. Upon connecting it back on to my Predator X34 the system showed out without issue. I believe having the audio setting on 7.1 when I connected it to the X34 may have been the culprit. But I am not 100% sure.

Xbox One run at 60Hz and looks great. There are bars on the side but I got used to it quick. Hope this helps someone.

maxgeek

I connected my XBOX One and PS4 to my X34 and it's definitely distorted horizontally. Circles are ovals. If I switch from Aspect to 1 to 1 then it's correct, but of course very small (black borders all around).

They really need to make monitors user firmware upgradable, so these issues can be fixed.

AceGamer

Hi maxgeek,

Did you find any solution or are we stuck with this disproportionate ratio forever? I am especially because I did check compatibility of Ultrawide Monitors with console beforehand and all the articles out there led me to believe that it should scale properly and in the case of games with black bars (The Order 1886, Beyond: Two Souls), it should fill the screen entirely, as it can be seen below with the LG's 1440p (LG 34UM95) Ultrawide monitor.

The Order: 1886 on a 21:9 Monitor

I tried The Order: 1886 myself a while ago and even with the monitor's 'aspect' setting, you have four massive black bars... And to think I got this game in order to play it like the above picture,,,