Is there a way to detect exact hdmi signal specifications using a capture card?
Posted: 01 Aug 2025, 18:04
In my case, I have an elgato hd60 s+. I think if I can find out exactly what the signal from the switch is, I may be able to use a custom edid in the elgato software to change the signal in some way to stop the flicker, assuming the output of the switch can be meaningfully changed depending on the contents of the edid of the display it's connected to. The flicker issue still occurs on a switch 2.
When connecting a Nintendo switch or switch 2 to my Alienware aw2725df, I experience chronic flicker, the kind of flicker you get with VRR on an oled panel and inconsistent frame timing. With the right keywords and some patience on Google/reddit, I've found I'm not alone in this issue. Other users have speculated that it's because this monitor forces VRR to be on unless it receives a specific "vrr off" flag from the source device, as they'd noted that the flickering no longer occurs if you use this monitors picture in picture mode, where VRR can't be used.
I think there's something different going on. I found the service menu (turn the monitor off. Press and hold the joystick navigator, press the power button twice, release the menu joystick button. "up" on the joystick now opens the service menu), and you can force freesync off there, and this did nothing to stop the flicker. Additionally, noodalls posted here and on Twitter asking for the exact vblank timing used by the switch as he was experiencing issues with his input lag testing work flow when connected to a switch (see his forum post here: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=13105&p=102045#p102045 and the unanswered tweet here: https://x.com/noodalls/status/1757272608733864399 )
I am trying to find a way to fix this flicker using what I have access to currently, but I think it'd assist in troubleshooting / fixing with other means if the exact signal specs were known. I currently hypothesize it may be fixable if you use elgato's capture software to use a custom edid, or perhaps by connecting the switch to a scaler like the retrotink4k and repackaging the signal in some way (putting it in a 120hz container, adding the vrr flag, something else I haven't imagined yet since I don't actually have a retrotink4k or any other scaler that can transform hdmi input in some way)
When connecting a Nintendo switch or switch 2 to my Alienware aw2725df, I experience chronic flicker, the kind of flicker you get with VRR on an oled panel and inconsistent frame timing. With the right keywords and some patience on Google/reddit, I've found I'm not alone in this issue. Other users have speculated that it's because this monitor forces VRR to be on unless it receives a specific "vrr off" flag from the source device, as they'd noted that the flickering no longer occurs if you use this monitors picture in picture mode, where VRR can't be used.
I think there's something different going on. I found the service menu (turn the monitor off. Press and hold the joystick navigator, press the power button twice, release the menu joystick button. "up" on the joystick now opens the service menu), and you can force freesync off there, and this did nothing to stop the flicker. Additionally, noodalls posted here and on Twitter asking for the exact vblank timing used by the switch as he was experiencing issues with his input lag testing work flow when connected to a switch (see his forum post here: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=13105&p=102045#p102045 and the unanswered tweet here: https://x.com/noodalls/status/1757272608733864399 )
I am trying to find a way to fix this flicker using what I have access to currently, but I think it'd assist in troubleshooting / fixing with other means if the exact signal specs were known. I currently hypothesize it may be fixable if you use elgato's capture software to use a custom edid, or perhaps by connecting the switch to a scaler like the retrotink4k and repackaging the signal in some way (putting it in a 120hz container, adding the vrr flag, something else I haven't imagined yet since I don't actually have a retrotink4k or any other scaler that can transform hdmi input in some way)