Problem setting color depth

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert
  • Start date Start date
R

Robert

Hello all,

W2k - SP4
Lately, when I try to change the color depth from 32 bbp to 8 bbp (via
Display properties - Settings), my preferred resolution of 2048x768 is
automatically replaced by 2048x1536. How can I override this? I have used
this PC for over 3 years and I KNOW that the hardware has no problems doing
8bbp on this resolution (and switching worked fine the last time I tried - a
few months ago). No driver changes since then, btw, but possibly a few bits
lost when I had to replace a defective hard drive.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Robert
 
That's a bit of an odd resolution for the default drivers, so you must
have installed the ones specifically for the card. I would suggest you
take it to manufacturers tech support for the card/driver combo.
 
It's a two monitor card. I expect that somewhere a list would exist, where
supported resolutions and color depths are included (probably in the
registry). I've often had the problem that windows won't let me set a mode
that I KNOW my hardware supports.
Basically I'd like to know - once and for all - how to manually correct such
information.

Robert
 
Perhaps the monitors ".inf" needs updating
It's a two monitor card. I expect that somewhere a list would exist, where
supported resolutions and color depths are included (probably in the
registry). I've often had the problem that windows won't let me set a mode
that I KNOW my hardware supports.
Basically I'd like to know - once and for all - how to manually correct such
information.

Robert



tried - a
Click to expand...
 
Does color depth matter to the monitor in any way? Refresh rate and
resolution, yes (I've often had trouble with that), but color depth...?

Robert
 
Yes, it controls how well the display can show gradations of color. At a
lower setting, you will not be able to see small changes in color.
 
I tried setting the Monitors to "Plug and Play monitor" and then back to the
correct monitor type (the same they had to begin with), but it does not seem
to have any effect on my color depth problem.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

Robert

Gary Chanson said:
Yes, it controls how well the display can show gradations of color. At a
lower setting, you will not be able to see small changes in color.

--
-GJC [MS Windows SDK MVP]
-Software Consultant (Embedded systems and Real Time Controls)
- http://www.mvps.org/ArcaneIncantations/consulting.htm
(e-mail address removed)


Robert said:
Does color depth matter to the monitor in any way? Refresh rate and
resolution, yes (I've often had trouble with that), but color depth...?

Robert

a
mode correct
such
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
What choices are available in the video card adapter settings? Not the
plain jane ones on "Settings" tab, but the ones under Settings, Advanced
and the adapter specific settings. (the ones supplied with the driver
for your card, not the "default XP ones"
I tried setting the Monitors to "Plug and Play monitor" and then back to the
correct monitor type (the same they had to begin with), but it does not seem
to have any effect on my color depth problem.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

Robert

Yes, it controls how well the display can show gradations of color.
Click to expand...

At a
lower setting, you will not be able to see small changes in color.

--
-GJC [MS Windows SDK MVP]
-Software Consultant (Embedded systems and Real Time Controls)
- http://www.mvps.org/ArcaneIncantations/consulting.htm
(e-mail address removed)


Does color depth matter to the monitor in any way? Refresh rate and
resolution, yes (I've often had trouble with that), but color depth...?

Robert


Perhaps the monitors ".inf" needs updating

Robert wrote:

It's a two monitor card. I expect that somewhere a list would exist,

where

supported resolutions and color depths are included (probably in the
registry). I've often had the problem that windows won't let me set
Click to expand...
a
mode

that I KNOW my hardware supports.
Basically I'd like to know - once and for all - how to manually
Click to expand...
correct
such

information.

Robert



That's a bit of an odd resolution for the default drivers, so you
Click to expand...
must
have installed the ones specifically for the card. I would suggest
Click to expand...
you
take it to manufacturers tech support for the card/driver combo.

Robert wrote:



Hello all,

W2k - SP4
Lately, when I try to change the color depth from 32 bbp to 8 bbp
Click to expand...
(via
Display properties - Settings), my preferred resolution of 2048x768
Click to expand...
is
automatically replaced by 2048x1536. How can I override this? I
Click to expand...
have
used


this PC for over 3 years and I KNOW that the hardware has no
Click to expand...
problems
doing


8bbp on this resolution (and switching worked fine the last time I

tried - a


few months ago). No driver changes since then, btw, but possibly a
Click to expand...
few
bits


lost when I had to replace a defective hard drive.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Robert
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
There are some settings specific to ATI, concerning the multi-monitor
arrangement and (to a point) the refresh rate. There's many more tabs
(SMARTGART, 3D, VNU Recover, Rotation, Overlay and Options) - but gosh, I've
been working with this card for more than five years, and I know what these
settings do and how they are supposed to work. I've often configured
machines for collegues, and I've developed multi-monitor applications - and
the settings for resolution and color depth are in the "plain jane" Settings
tab for this graphics card and this OS.
I just need to know where I can unlock the combination 2048x768 @ 256
colors, which has worked for the past three years on this machine!

Robert

Bob I said:
What choices are available in the video card adapter settings? Not the
plain jane ones on "Settings" tab, but the ones under Settings, Advanced
and the adapter specific settings. (the ones supplied with the driver
for your card, not the "default XP ones"
I tried setting the Monitors to "Plug and Play monitor" and then back to the
correct monitor type (the same they had to begin with), but it does not seem
to have any effect on my color depth problem.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

Robert

Yes, it controls how well the display can show gradations of color.
Click to expand...

At a
lower setting, you will not be able to see small changes in color.

--
-GJC [MS Windows SDK MVP]
-Software Consultant (Embedded systems and Real Time Controls)
- http://www.mvps.org/ArcaneIncantations/consulting.htm
(e-mail address removed)



Does color depth matter to the monitor in any way? Refresh rate and
resolution, yes (I've often had trouble with that), but color depth...?

Robert


Perhaps the monitors ".inf" needs updating

Robert wrote:

It's a two monitor card. I expect that somewhere a list would exist,

where

supported resolutions and color depths are included (probably in the
registry). I've often had the problem that windows won't let me set
a

mode

that I KNOW my hardware supports.
Basically I'd like to know - once and for all - how to manually
correct

such

information.

Robert



That's a bit of an odd resolution for the default drivers, so you
must

have installed the ones specifically for the card. I would suggest
you

take it to manufacturers tech support for the card/driver combo.

Robert wrote:



Hello all,

W2k - SP4
Lately, when I try to change the color depth from 32 bbp to 8 bbp
(via

Display properties - Settings), my preferred resolution of 2048x768
is

automatically replaced by 2048x1536. How can I override this? I
have

used


this PC for over 3 years and I KNOW that the hardware has no
problems

doing


8bbp on this resolution (and switching worked fine the last time I

tried - a


few months ago). No driver changes since then, btw, but possibly a
few

bits


lost when I had to replace a defective hard drive.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Robert
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
After fooling around with RegMon (to find the location in registry), writing
a small app (to list device modes and set display resolution), and just
after giving up for good I noticed that suddenly the mode could be selected
again.
Hooray! But I'm none the wiser...

Robert

Robert said:
There are some settings specific to ATI, concerning the multi-monitor
arrangement and (to a point) the refresh rate. There's many more tabs
(SMARTGART, 3D, VNU Recover, Rotation, Overlay and Options) - but gosh, I've
been working with this card for more than five years, and I know what these
settings do and how they are supposed to work. I've often configured
machines for collegues, and I've developed multi-monitor applications - and
the settings for resolution and color depth are in the "plain jane" Settings
tab for this graphics card and this OS.
I just need to know where I can unlock the combination 2048x768 @ 256
colors, which has worked for the past three years on this machine!

Robert

Bob I said:
What choices are available in the video card adapter settings? Not the
plain jane ones on "Settings" tab, but the ones under Settings, Advanced
and the adapter specific settings. (the ones supplied with the driver
for your card, not the "default XP ones"
Click to expand...
to
the
Click to expand...
not
seem
to have any effect on my color depth problem.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

Robert


Yes, it controls how well the display can show gradations of color.

At a

lower setting, you will not be able to see small changes in color.

--
-GJC [MS Windows SDK MVP]
-Software Consultant (Embedded systems and Real Time Controls)
- http://www.mvps.org/ArcaneIncantations/consulting.htm
(e-mail address removed)



Does color depth matter to the monitor in any way? Refresh rate and
resolution, yes (I've often had trouble with that), but color depth...?

Robert


Perhaps the monitors ".inf" needs updating

Robert wrote:

It's a two monitor card. I expect that somewhere a list would exist,

where

supported resolutions and color depths are included (probably in the
registry). I've often had the problem that windows won't let me set

a

mode

that I KNOW my hardware supports.
Basically I'd like to know - once and for all - how to manually

correct

such

information.

Robert



That's a bit of an odd resolution for the default drivers, so you

must

have installed the ones specifically for the card. I would suggest

you

take it to manufacturers tech support for the card/driver combo.

Robert wrote:



Hello all,

W2k - SP4
Lately, when I try to change the color depth from 32 bbp to 8 bbp

(via

Display properties - Settings), my preferred resolution of 2048x768

is

automatically replaced by 2048x1536. How can I override this? I

have

used


this PC for over 3 years and I KNOW that the hardware has no

problems

doing


8bbp on this resolution (and switching worked fine the last time I

tried - a


few months ago). No driver changes since then, btw, but possibly a

few

bits


lost when I had to replace a defective hard drive.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Robert
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Glad to hear it's resolved!
After fooling around with RegMon (to find the location in registry), writing
a small app (to list device modes and set display resolution), and just
after giving up for good I noticed that suddenly the mode could be selected
again.
Hooray! But I'm none the wiser...

Robert

There are some settings specific to ATI, concerning the multi-monitor
arrangement and (to a point) the refresh rate. There's many more tabs
(SMARTGART, 3D, VNU Recover, Rotation, Overlay and Options) - but gosh,
I've

been working with this card for more than five years, and I know what
these

settings do and how they are supposed to work. I've often configured
machines for collegues, and I've developed multi-monitor applications -
and

the settings for resolution and color depth are in the "plain jane"
Settings

tab for this graphics card and this OS.
I just need to know where I can unlock the combination 2048x768 @ 256
colors, which has worked for the past three years on this machine!

Robert

What choices are available in the video card adapter settings? Not the
plain jane ones on "Settings" tab, but the ones under Settings, Advanced
and the adapter specific settings. (the ones supplied with the driver
for your card, not the "default XP ones"

Robert wrote:

I tried setting the Monitors to "Plug and Play monitor" and then back
Click to expand...
to
the

correct monitor type (the same they had to begin with), but it does
Click to expand...
not
seem

to have any effect on my color depth problem.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

Robert



Yes, it controls how well the display can show gradations of
Click to expand...
color.
At a


lower setting, you will not be able to see small changes in color.

--
-GJC [MS Windows SDK MVP]
-Software Consultant (Embedded systems and Real Time Controls)
- http://www.mvps.org/ArcaneIncantations/consulting.htm
(e-mail address removed)




Does color depth matter to the monitor in any way? Refresh rate and
resolution, yes (I've often had trouble with that), but color
Click to expand...
depth...?
Robert



Perhaps the monitors ".inf" needs updating

Robert wrote:


It's a two monitor card. I expect that somewhere a list would
Click to expand...
exist,
where


supported resolutions and color depths are included (probably in
Click to expand...
the
registry). I've often had the problem that windows won't let me set

a


mode


that I KNOW my hardware supports.
Basically I'd like to know - once and for all - how to manually

correct


such


information.

Robert




That's a bit of an odd resolution for the default drivers, so you

must


have installed the ones specifically for the card. I would suggest

you


take it to manufacturers tech support for the card/driver combo.

Robert wrote:




Hello all,

W2k - SP4
Lately, when I try to change the color depth from 32 bbp to 8 bbp

(via


Display properties - Settings), my preferred resolution of
Click to expand...
2048x768
is


automatically replaced by 2048x1536. How can I override this? I

have


used



this PC for over 3 years and I KNOW that the hardware has no

problems


doing



8bbp on this resolution (and switching worked fine the last time
Click to expand...
I
tried - a



few months ago). No driver changes since then, btw, but possibly
Click to expand...
a
few


bits



lost when I had to replace a defective hard drive.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Robert
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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