PRG Mbox Studio Manual v3.6.1 - Manual (Page 35)

MBOX ® STUDIO USER MANUAL 29
if the EDID does not match the setting entered here, MBOX Studio will not output the desired resolution and/or
frequency when the software enters Fullscreen mode. Always confirm that you have the appropriate EDID before
using the MBOX Studio software. The MBOX Dual I/O Module provides EDID data to the computer at all time, but
when you are using MBOX Studio without the I/O Module, you will need to supply the appropriate EDID by connecting
the output device (or some alternate EDID spoofing device) to the computer's video output(s).
If one of the standard modes is selected (e.g. SDI 720p), the resolution, frequency, and aspect values will be
automatically set to match. If the custom mode is selected, then these values will need to be manually adjusted.
The Fullscreen mode settings will also be applied to the video signal that is output from the video connectors on the
Mbox server. Ensure that the display device is able to display an image when receiving a signal with that resolution
and frequency. If the native aspect ratio of the display device does not match that of the Fullscreen mode, then it may
still display an image, however, it will have the wrong aspect ratio.
Above all, it is more important to tailor the Fullscreen mode settings to the stage device, than to the preview monitor.
Incorrect EDID may allow output resolutions to be set that may not work with some preview monitors.
When a certain resolution setting for Fullscreen mode is requested, the operating system will review its EDID
information to see if it is capable of that configuration. If a resolution is requested that does not match a resolution
listed in the current EDID set - see
"Connected Display Devices and EDID" on page 35 for further details - there are
two possible outcomes:
+ If the EDID set does not have any resolutions that are higher than the requested setting, the operating system will
pick a resolution from among those in the current EDID set. In this situation, MBOX Studio has no control over
what resolution the operating system provides.
+ If the EDID set does have higher resolutions, then the next highest available resolution with a similar aspect ratio
will be used and the selected fullscreen resolution will be inserted in the bottom-left corner of the screen, inside
the higher resolution. The extra screen area outside the requested fullscreen dimension will be rendered in black
and will not allow content to be placed there. As in the prior case, MBOX has no control over the actual resolution
that the operating system provides. (See "Active Area Controls" section below for further information.)
CAUTION! It is strongly recommended that the Mac desktop resolution and refresh rate (frequency) be set to the
same value as the Fullscreen mode settings. If these settings are not the same, then any devices connected to the
media server's video outputs will temporarily lose sync when switching between the Fullscreen and Window modes or
when the MBOX Studio software is relaunched. With some display devices, the results of losing sync, even
temporarily, can be quite disruptive. With identical settings for the Mac desktop and MBOX Fullscreen mode, there
will be no loss of sync. (Desktop resolution can be set in the Mac’s Preferences window.)
Note: The EDID from the MBOX Dual I/O module provides EDID with accuracy to two decimal places (e.g., 59.94Hz).
However, the Mac Displays Preference window rounds these frequencies to no decimal places (e.g., 60Hz).
Functionally, MBOX Studio is still able to request and receive the correct frequency when entering Fullscreen mode,
but it is difficult and confusing to set the desktop to the same frequency. To assist in getting the best result, the
Displays drop-down in the menu bar shows frequencies with one decimal place (e.g., 59.9Hz) and therefore this
should be used for accurate selection rather than the Displays Preference window.