Reducing a computers EMI improves picture quality of attached monitors.

[VersionMonkey]

VersionMonkey,

I can demonstrate these things to anyone standing in same room.

If you listen to the Audio Quest pod cast he explains that even a PSU can't remove all interference entering from the mains. He then goes to say how interference eventually reaches something that's analogue that I suspect what's happening.

It would be great if you could identify where in the 31 minute podcast he makes reference to the ATX PSU spec and the level of ripple permitted from a conformant power supply. Or where he shows the ripple on the output of a PC power supply on an oscilloscope both before and after the application of mains filtering equipment.

Because that would be a really easy way of showing that mains filtering makes a difference to the output of an ATX PSU.

It would also be useful if you could identify where in the podcast he explains how that interferance can possibly overlay the CPU-RAM-PCIe-GPU-vRAM processing that then goes on before the entirely digital signal is output over your DVI cables.

The only nonsense thing is people who have never tried, arguing with someone who has tried.

The problem is the lack of any plausible mechanism whereby filtering the mains to your computer could affect the output on the monitor. I don't try homeopathy either, as its proponents are unable to provide reliable evidence for its effectiveness beyond subjective anecdote.

And the reason the thread got bumped, is Est claimed a twisted pair cable could not remove interference that was already in the mains supply. I contacted Russ Andrews about this, and they confirm that it can. It's my reply to Est that bumped the thread again.

I'm not sure that an entirely unsupported assertion made by somebody selling expensive cables that contradicts the well understood physics behind the effects of twisting cables that are carrying a differential signal is a useful contribution.

To be honest if your mains quality is that bad that you need to filter it, and you are using your PC for work as you say, I don't understand why you aren't using an online UPS to power the whole desktop.

 

[Haggisman]

He then goes to say how interference eventually reaches something that's analogue that I suspect what's happening.

Which part of the digital displayport/HDMI output from your GPU -> digital signal on the displayport/HDMI cable -> digital decoding of the signal in the monitor -> digital control of the individual pixel brightness on the monitor is he referring to here?

If you listen to the Audio Quest pod cast he explains that even a PSU can't remove all interference entering from the mains.

[...]

Est claimed a twisted pair cable could not remove interference that was already in the mains supply. I contacted Russ Andrews about this, and they confirm that it can.

So you don't believe that a complex multi component PSU can remove interference, but a simple twisted pair cable can? Ok then...

 

[JasonM]

To be honest if your mains quality is that bad that you need to filter it

I have British Gas home care, and never any issues on electric test when engineer comes. House is modern with modem wiring. Do have many of LED lights including LED transformers and dimmable LED lights all can cause interference.

Both my office PC and HTPC probably have some of the cleanest sound output of anyone using a sound card on this forum. Picture quality from monitors has improved but less pronounced than audio improvements.

I don't do these things to fix issues, but to improve things further.

 

[Hotwired]

I have British Gas home care, and never any issues on electric test when engineer comes. House is modern with modem wiring. Do have many of LED lights including LED transformers and dimmable LED lights all can cause interference.

Both my office PC and HTPC probably have some of the cleanest sound output of anyone using a sound card on this forum. Picture quality from monitors has improved but less pronounced than audio improvements.

I don't do these things to fix issues, but to improve things further.

According to who.

You have said repeatedly you are incapable of doing any testing to back up anything you've said. You can't demonstrate the companies selling these products proving their value because that's hard facts which they are allergic to.

Come to that you still refuse to demonstrate with the tools you have definitely got that you can hear power cables being swapped in audio.

I can stick a shiny rock on my windowsill and start a thread with the same amount of credibility that it keeps out evil spirits. If you come round you'll see no evil spirits at all...

 

[JasonM]

According to who.

What would you recommend to improve it then?

 

[james.miller]

According to who.

Easy to prove that one, Xonars have a recording loopback from the rear line out called ALT, makes it a piece of cake to test the card with RMAA as you dont even need a cable.

 

[Hotwired]

What would you recommend to improve it then?

If you're point blank refusing to test anything you're doing then what you are doing can be accurately called throwing **** at a wall. You're not even backed up by the companies selling this stuff because they give ZERO technical claims. You're giving them undeserved trust.

Easy to prove that one, Xonars have a recording loopback from the rear line out called ALT, makes it a piece of cake to test the card with RMAA as you dont even need a cable.

Add that to the list of things that can be done with the tools that are definitely available alongside doing that blind test with the clips from the material presented.

 

[JasonM]

Easy to prove that one, Xonars have a recording loopback from the rear line out called ALT, makes it a piece of cake to test the card with RMAA as you dont even need a cable.

I've installed RMAA, but unsure what Playback and recording devices to set.

How do I setup ALT mode on an Asus Essence, I googled but don't see any reference to it.

EDIT.

I've done a quick test and getting different THD data,

-122.71 for Russ Andrews + Tacima
-121.69 for cheap standard IEC cable

Again I've never used this software and I need help from someone who can use it, it's possible i'm testing wrong.

This is what i'm getting from the Asus Essence, however I'm unsure how far AUX goes into the analogue sections of the card. I'm planning a much more comprehensive test there I have two Asus Essence cards installed in the same machine using one as output, and another as input.

 

[Rroff]

The problem is the lack of any plausible mechanism whereby filtering the mains to your computer could affect the output on the monitor. I don't try homeopathy either, as its proponents are unable to provide reliable evidence for its effectiveness beyond subjective anecdote.

I've done a little testing post seeing this thread with a completely mains isolated setup using an expensive high quality pure sine wave inverter from battery with extensive filtering (as it is dual mode capable) and direct DC from battery on a couple of monitors and using a laptop on battery as the source, etc. absolutely zero noticeable difference to a normal mains supply.

 

[JasonM]

Rroff, I appreciate you tired this, at least you tried.

What mains cable did you use between your inverter to monitors and/or computer? If your using a standard IEC cable it's not emulating the setup I have here.

It's actually the Russ Andrews cables that improved my monitors. I found this totally by accident as I was using a Russ Andrews cable to try and improve source (sound card) output from my computer and the RA cable did this also.

I'm planning a test where I use 2 Asus Essence sound cards in same computer, one sound card outputting into the other card. Then I'll test the Tacima, Russ Andrews cable and better interconnects. I'll then repeat the testing using cheap mains cable and budget interconnects, then I'll post all the results.