widescreen PC monitors

  • Thread starter Thread starter RJK
  • Start date Start date
R

RJK

Anyone using one of these ?
Can you tell me how to set up geometry / screen mode so that things don't
look stretched ?

I don't have one - mine is a 5:4 (1280x1024) but, my Uncle has asked me to
buy him a LCD PC monitor, and I was thinking about buying him a 19" 16:10
one ..or is it 1440x900. His PC has a Nvidia graphics card in it, so it
shouldn''t be too difficult to configure the screen mode - it's just that
I've never seen Windows on a widesceen monitor.

TIA

regards, Richard
 
Try the Vista forums, they've surely seen the wide monitors there.
microsoft.public.windows.vista.hardware_devices

--PA
 
They look fine if you set the correct resolution. They look "stretched"
if you use the monitor adjustments to make a regular resolution fill the
screen.
 
Hello RJK,

I have the Dell 24" Digital flat panel wide screen and have been quite
pleased with it. I run AutoCAD mechanical design software so your question
was a concern for me as well. I need for round and square objects to be
displayed as such. (No stretching).

You'll want to check/confirm that the video card and driver will support a
16:10 wide screen resolution. This will take care of your question. Check
your existing resolution options under "display properties" to see if any
16:10 options are in the list. Divide the higher number by the lower
number, 1440 divided by 900 to result in 1.6 or a 1.6:1 ratio. You might
have to do the math for each available option to know what's available.
NOTE however that when you plug-in the new monitor, the options available
might and likely will change. ALSO, the options will be different if you
use the analog as opposed to the digital cable. ALSO,ALSO... updating the
video driver will cause the options in the listing to change.

I might suggest you go ahead and get the monitor. Plug it in using the
digital connecter (white boot with rectangular pin layout) if your video
card has it. If it doesn't, don't sweat-it just yet. Start the system and
see what options become available in the resolution listing. If you don't
see any 16:10, go to nVidia's web site and download the newest driver for
your video card. Hopefully you'll have something good going on.

If you still strike out. Maybe consider a new video card for $150 or so,
maybe.

A co-worker of mine recently bought an inexpensive wide screen and is using
it just fine on his old P2-Win98 PC without updating the video card or
driver.

Keep in mind tho, the higher the resolution you use, the crisper the screen
will be. I love mine... had to go back and buy another one. One for home,
one for work.

The only thing you have to live with is if your favorite Wall Paper image is
a 5:4 ratio. It will have to stretch if set to fill the screen.

Hope this is helpful!

Best regards,

Richard in VA.
++++++++++++++++
 
Check the nVidia website but the graphics card must support the w/s format
you want to use. Otherwise it will indeed look stretched. If the card is
compatible, it will look wonderful.
 
Thanks Pavel A, Bob I, Richard in Va., and Cari (MS-MVP) ,

I should have know that it would be simple - a few months ago I bought a 19"
1280x1024 for myself, and it seemed have only one screen mode available
1280x1024 (native geometry) @ 60hz, and had to dig into Nvidia graphics
driver to set up some of my own - inc. 1280x1024 @ 70 / 72 and 75hz. I left
it in 70hz in the vain hope that it will reduce "wear" somewhere ...LOL :-)

....the only thing left is to decide on which one to reccommend to my Uncle -
he's visiting this weekend to have a look at my Digimate L-1925 ...which I
fell in love with ages ago !
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews98077.html
, so many of them on offer nowadays !
....Digimate's seem in very short supply, where they used to have lots, at
http://www.aria.co.uk where I almost always buy my PC hardware, so I've been
perusing
http://www.microdirect.co.uk but, they seem a little more expensive than
some.

....regards, Richard
 
Back
Top