Slow screens, they annoy me so much too!
Somewhat on this topic, I wish one could compare motherboards by the time-to-boot delay.
If reviewers start benchmarking something, manufacturers will optimize for it eventually.
Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
31–40 of 185 posts
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#32You'll need a fancy KVM switch that does more than merely acting much like a physical switch would. Something like this should probably work: https://www.rextron.com/product-4K-2-Port-Full-Frame-PBP-KVM... Edit: The one above is merely the first one I found, not a recommendation. Be aware that such things may incur extra latency, since it's not just passing signals through, but rather processing them and repackaging…
Unfortunately I have a similar KVM switch and it is very much not instant. In the same 4 second ballpark as OP. Annoys me too but I just put up with it since I don't have to switch very often and it's sure faster than switching inputs on my monitor's shitty OSD which is what I used to do.
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#33I suspect there is a tiny CPU inside the monitor that looks at a variety of things before deciding how to decode the signal and present it. As @alin23 notes, DDC protocol is also handled. Obviously the manufacturers are using the lowest cost BOM that they can get away with and that would probably mean a $1 microprocessor in charge of the "smarts".
Even a $1 micro should be able to handle a few bits of resolution information in less than a millisecond. This can't be it.
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#34You'll need a fancy KVM switch that does more than merely acting much like a physical switch would. Something like this should probably work: https://www.rextron.com/product-4K-2-Port-Full-Frame-PBP-KVM... Edit: The one above is merely the first one I found, not a recommendation. Be aware that such things may incur extra latency, since it's not just passing signals through, but rather processing them and repackaging…
There is no price listed for this switch. How much does it cost?
I have a few tesmart HDMI switchers are they are fairly reasonably priced (~$100) and switch decently fast (Under 1 second usually). Occasionally I have to switch the unit off/on if it gets confused, once a quarter or so. There's a switch on the front of the unit so it's not terrible.
They also support hot key switching, so my hands don't need to leave the keyboard to switch, which is nice.
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#35I wish this existed. Samsung Odyssey G7 has the same issue.
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#36You'll need a fancy KVM switch that does more than merely acting much like a physical switch would. Something like this should probably work: https://www.rextron.com/product-4K-2-Port-Full-Frame-PBP-KVM... Edit: The one above is merely the first one I found, not a recommendation. Be aware that such things may incur extra latency, since it's not just passing signals through, but rather processing them and repackaging…
Unfortunately I have a similar KVM switch and it is very much not instant. In the same 4 second ballpark as OP. Annoys me too but I just put up with it since I don't have to switch very often and it's sure faster than switching inputs on my monitor's shitty OSD which is what I used to do.
Huh. I don't personally have one, but it seemed more like 1s in normal operation to me and pretty much instant when switching while in PIP mode.
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
What's impossible about it? I've seen devices in the past that can combine multiple HDMI signals into a single image (like picture-in-picture, or making one high-res display out of several lower-res video connections). And if you can do that, surely you can do instant switching just by toggling between "full screen input 1" and "full screen input 2" layouts.
Were any of these devices monitors? Were they cheap? Like it or not, price is a major factor. On top of that, just look around - there is no perfect display,no matter how much one is willing to pay. Every single one has major drawbacks in certain areas.
Also, if all your inputs are the same res(or even aspect ratio) and frame rate you avoid a gazillion edge cases
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think I understand what you're saying. I think you're concerned that because there's "buffers" there would be extra latency? There doesn't have to be.
That's what I'm asking. When the monitor is live, it can draw a complete screen ~30+ times every second, so why does it take more than 1/30th of a second to start from nothing? Then, I speculated that the only reason I could think of was if the graphics card doesn't actually send every pixel every frame, and there's no way for the monitor to request a full refresh.
Monitors don’t request anything. The monitor has to do a basic handshaking/negotiation before it even knows what sort of video stream to expect
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's what I'm asking. When the monitor is live, it can draw a complete screen ~30+ times every second, so why does it take more than 1/30th of a second to start from nothing? Then, I speculated that the only reason I could think of was if the graphics card doesn't actually send every pixel every frame, and there's no way for the monitor to request a full refresh.
Monitors don’t request anything. The monitor has to do a basic handshaking/negotiation before it even knows what sort of video stream to expect
Ah. And we couldn't stick... What, 4 ints of metadata in the video steam (width, height, depth, frame rate)? Not like we don't have the bandwidth. I can believe that, but it's disappointing that nobody bothered.
Re: Ask HN: Can you recommend an “instant-switch” Monitor? Does one exist?
#40I don't know the specifics of your monitor. But you say the source is in power-save mode? I think then it has also signaled to the monitor to enter power-save mode.
So if your monitor supports it, turn off energy-saving mode settings might fix the issue.
It might also be less annoying to wait 4 seconds, if you think of it as helping to save the planet ;-)