Helios 300 external display quirk/issue

Flx

Having a strange issue, I'm trying to use a Toshiba TV as an external monitor via HDMI cable. When I plug the cable in and set the Toshiba as the main display, the GTX 1060 is the only thing that will work. It is showing as 'on' all the time, and the HD 630 is nowhere to be found. It will not use the 630 for normal use and switch to the 1060 like its supposed to. It just uses the 1060 all the time. Also the intel control panel completely disappears from windows control panel/right click menu, but reappears when the TV isn't plugged in (I find this extremely bizarre).

 

When I unplug it and go back to laptop display, boom everything is back to normal. 630 is on for normal usage and the 1060 is inactive until I start gaming. Can anyone help or have any ideas? The weird thing is that on my other Acer laptop I was able to use the TV as a monitor fine. HDMI plugged in, integrated graphics work for most usage, then when I needed it the dedicated card would take over. I am completely lost, I've tried disabling one, the other, uninstalling/reinstalling drivers etc. I'm at my wits end! I really wanted to buy a proper monitor for this thing but now I am kind of leery about spending money and having this same issue. Although I know the problem might be related to the TV ( I cant see how considering this set-up worked flawlessly on my other laptop). I am really thinking it has something to do with Intel HD 630 but I just can't figure out what.

 

Which brings me to this question: Is it okay just to leave the 1060 on all the time for now? Am I concerned about leaving it on all the time for nothing? Thanks in advance

 

 

AVJim

Won't hurt at all it's made to run either graphics chip all the time if situation calls for it.  My guess is that the Intel HD integrated graphics doesn't meet the HDCP or HDMI specification that the TV is needing for a handshake and your system is smart enough to match the display up with a chip that can meet the specification...As my name says...I'm an AV guy and the advent of the HDMI era has made this a very common type occurrance and nothing to worry about at all.

IronFly

leaving the 1060 ON all the time, doesn't hurt...apart battery consumption.

it will be interesting to try the HDMI port with another Monitor for sure, since i don't have any experience on your specific laptop model.

maybe the switch to 1060 only works as designed...let's wait some other user.

AVJim

Won't hurt at all it's made to run either graphics chip all the time if situation calls for it.  My guess is that the Intel HD integrated graphics doesn't meet the HDCP or HDMI specification that the TV is needing for a handshake and your system is smart enough to match the display up with a chip that can meet the specification...As my name says...I'm an AV guy and the advent of the HDMI era has made this a very common type occurrance and nothing to worry about at all.

Flx

Thank you Iron and Jim for the response. What you said Jim makes total sense though and I think you're correct. Maybe I'm just used to older technology haha, this Laptop is too advanced and knows things better than I do. Anyway, I ordered an HDMI-DVI adapter and I am going to try using this laptop with my backup PC's monitor and see what happens. If the same thing goes on I will just use the TV as a monitor while shopping for a decent external and not worry about it. Thanks a ton for the reassurance.

AVJim

Sounds great man Enjoy that machine!

jeffmramos

Mine is also having the same problem, tried in 2 different monitor models but same behavior, the Intel Graphics 630 is not used and even the contect menu is gone when right clicking on desktop

Flx

Yea unfortunately seems to be the case, HDMI only likes talking to the NVIDIA card.

ven98

It is not just the predators, other system also do the same thing. I think the HDMI port is connected directly to the dedicated graphics that is why you can't use integrated graphics. And to use G-sync on a G-sync monitor you need the dedicated graphics to be always connected to it. So therefore you can have either the dedicated gpu or the integrated gpu connected to the same port, but you can't have both connected to the same port, because G-sync won't be possible even if the external monitor supports it.

 

It is actually the same with the desktop pc, you have integrated ports on the MB, which basicly supports the iGPU and then you have the dGPU with ports on its own, so you can only use iGPU or dGPU. Same thing probably goes for laptops.

 

This is my own conclusion and thoughts. If you think I am wrong please correct me.

 

 

Flx

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ven98 wrote:

It is not just the predators, other system also do the same thing. I think the HDMI port is connected directly to the dedicated graphics that is why you can't use integrated graphics. And to use G-sync on a G-sync monitor you need the dedicated graphics to be always connected to it. So therefore you can have either the dedicated gpu or the integrated gpu connected to the same port, but you can't have both connected to the same port, because G-sync won't be possible even if the external monitor supports it.

 

It is actually the same with the desktop pc, you have integrated ports on the MB, which basicly supports the iGPU and then you have the dGPU with ports on its own, so you can only use iGPU or dGPU. Same thing probably goes for laptops.

 

This is my own conclusion and thoughts. If you think I am wrong please correct me.

 

 

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Yea this makes complete sense and I think that is exactly what is going on. The desktop Gpu/igpu is a great analogy. One strange thing I find is that when connected to external the Intel HD control panel completely dissapears and I don't know an explanation for that.

ven98

If I am right then the reason why Intel HD control panel disappears is because when connected to external monitor only Nvidia is present. The driver doesn't recognise the GPU as it is not Intel HD and therefore it won't switch on.

Lucas43

Hey, did you know that this happens in my Acer predator Helios 300,And it looks that the external monitor is a TV Sansung,Know what is more bizarre, when I used this noteboock for the first time, it did not happen, I connected HDMI, put the second screen setup only, and the Intel drive worked good, AI of a while here, this started out of nowhere.

But the strange and that when I upgraded the driver to the new version, besides the error it did not work, the animations of interface, video and such were with a lag and delay of motion annoying

And I will comment that for once while I think that and because I keep shutting down and reconnecting my predator Helios 300 at a certain time often, the icon of mutate does not work, nor by the volume mixer shortcut, the icon of mutate does not work, and I click on it and it does not respond , woe only when I reboot my computer It comes back, that neither and when I use second screen only, this occurs even when I'm on dual screen, on the HDMI.

xapim

Lucas43 the hdmi port on all gaming laptops its directly connected to the DGPU will not work with the IGPU the IGPU will only work with the laptop display itself nothing else