Solution 8KX 90hz artifacts, flickering black screen, Pitool 272

[Chumet]

Solution 8KX 90hz artifacts, flickering black screen, Pitool 272 …

There are already several threads on the subject, but I wanted to make it known for most people to read by starting a new thread.

I have had obvious problems and have published several times about artifacts, black screen flickering in 90hz mode with Pitool 272 and the latest associated firmware, even though it has to be flashed separately.
Well, for me the solution has been to change the original cable (copper) for a new fiber optic one.
I already had problems with the stability of the image since everything started with 90hz in March 2021, but it was quite usable even with some screen flickering, I was also forced to use only one of the 3 DP ports of my graph (RTX3090), in each update of Pitool 270 → 271 → 272 and their respective associated firmwares, everything seemed to get worse increasing the flickers and even artifacts appeared. Fog also began to appear sporadically on the screens.

Well, in my case, everything has been caused by the quality of the original cable of the Pimax 8KX, it is clear that for 75hz it was enough for a correct transmission of the bandwidth. But when going to 90hz that quality was already so at the limit and the wear of the cable itself caused all these failures.

Today I received from AMAZON Spain in a single day the original Pimax 6m fiber optic cable, it has been to replace it and work perfectly in any DP output of the graph, but of course it was in Pitool 270 and firmware 298 beta enginer from August. Seeing that there was no problem that I was already having even with this version, I have updated to Pitool 272 and I have manually flashed the firmware that they offer in parallel. Now everything goes smoothly, working perfectly and in the poorest DP output on the graph.

I opened a support ticket commenting on all my problems and they generated an RMA to change the source cable (copper), but it has not reached me yet and I could not take the problems anymore, so I asked Amazon for the fiber optic cable to try and return or not, if it fixed the problem while waiting for the RMA replacement. I must say that the fiber optic cable is a marvel, not only does it solve these problems that many people are having with 90hz, but it is longer, thinner and more flexible than the original one.

I encourage all of you who have the same problems to open an RMA, of course, if they are still within the warranty year, I entered the term for a few days from the receipt of the 8KX in October 2020.

My thought is that the original copper cable does not have the quality to sustain 90hz in a durable way, it degrades with normal use and problems begin. They should always offer the fiber optic cable with the sale of the 8KX and many complaints and bad publicity would be removed.

[Divzy]

My experience is the complete opposite of yours so I wouldn’t recommend it so fast. My original cable works really well on 90hz, barely any flickers (once or twice every few days which is bearable). I ordered the optical cable out of curiosity to see if it would completely fix the issue, it ended up flickering every 4~5 seconds making everything unplayable. It was extremely disappointing considering how expensive it is. Buy at your own risk.

[Chumet]

I bought the cable in AMAZON Spain because my idea was only to try and return, not trusting that the cable was the cause. But I was surprised by how well my 8KX works for me now as I have discussed before. So I’ve kept it. The fiber optic cable that you have added must not be right, what are your chances of replacement / return?

[Divzy]

I’m not sure, I bought it from pimax directly and not from amazon. I still have to contact them about it.

[Chumet]

I do not trust Pimax at all, apart from the fact that returns can be more expensive than the product itself. That’s why I bought it on Amazon, now I have the peace of mind that I have for 2 years (EU guarantee). So I think the cable will last longer than the HMD.
A free replacement should be offered to you.

Try one thing that determined me that my original copper cable was degraded, it was that when you have artifacts and blackouts in 90hz mode, when changing to 75hz or even 60hz I had snow on the 2 screens, without blackouts but it was very visible on the background black.

[ravivottery]

My new Pimax 8kx worked well for 1 day. Then It suddenly started flickering every 2 seconds, very annoyingly.
I uninstalled the eye tracking software 7invensun and also reverted back from 6m fiberoptic cable bought from Pimax to original Pimax cable. The flickering persists. Its very scary as I don’t know if there is an easy way to return the headset to China. It took me 3 months to procure it from China.
As noted in another thread, flickering instantly resolves after switching over to 75Hz from default 90.
I have a high end PC with RTX 3090.
Also have Valve index and Vive pro 2. Took Pimax for its FOV and hand and eye trackers.

[ravivottery]

I just now updated the the new firmware 299 for 8KX mentioned on Pitool download page. The flickering resolved. Thought I must let everyone know

[Chumet]

Just update and confirm that my flickering and artifact problems are due to the degraded cable that I had original since I have the 8KX (October 2020). I already doubt if it has really degraded and problems arise or is it the original quality of that time, which with 75hz had always worked very well and when starting with all the 90hz betas, firmwares dance and Pitool, the cable was not capable of supporting that frequency stably.

The point is that another cable (copper) has arrived from RMA and I have no problems either, it works just as well as the fiber optic cable I bought recently. To all this I have to break a spear in favor of Pimax, since at least my experience in the technical service has been satisfactory, the shipment has taken time but it was acceptable from China to Spain there is always 1 month of waiting for the standard shipping route .

So I insist that many users with these problems, in my opinion it is the fault of the source cable.

Greetings