Confused about monitor resolution

[edong]

Bought an Acer 22" wide LCD model AL2223W yesterday with native resolution of 1680x1050. Going to Properties, the slider can go as high as 2048x1536 but there is no exact setting as 1680x1050. I have a 5-year old Radeon 7500 videocard. Now I set it to 1600x1200

I tried different settings but the still pictures and videos (and the text too) are either squeezed horizontally or vertically. It does not matter whether the aspect ratio of the image is standard or wide. Not that bad but I want the aspect ratio to be perfect. I do not have this problem in my 15" standard size monitor. I wonder if there is computer trick that will do it because the monitor guide and their website do not mention about resolution.

If I go beyond 1680, I have to scroll to see the other part of the display. It does not wrap the whole page. Thanks.

[nic2k4]

You need a video card capable of displaying in wide format i.e. capable of setting the resolution with an aspect ratio that match the monitor. With any luck there might be a driver update that would enable those resolutions, check with ATI.

[guns1inger]

It is a very standard widescreen (16:10) resolution for computer monitors, and has been included in the ATI drivers for some time.

Make sure you are running recent (if not the latest) catalyst drivers, and make sure that the monitor has been correctly identified.

[redwudz]

And if you haven't been there and your monitor is recognized: Control Panel>Display>Settings>Advanced>Adapter>List All Modes'. If you don't see the desired resolution there, check for a upgrade to your video card drivers or look for a new video card.

[jagabo]

Be sure to us a dual DVI cable too.

[edong]

Here's the link of the ATI driver download site but there seems to be a problem.

http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html

I found another site (majorgeek) that supposedly has the driver I need. I'll download when I get home this afternoon.

Jagabo - I do not know what "dual" DVI cable is. Sorry.

When I first plugged it in using the included DVI cable. The screen is blank. PC did not beep an error. Turned the PC off and plug also the included VGA cable. It worked. There is selector switch for Analog and Digital but it seems won't stay in the Digital setting. Can't tell if I'm seeing digital or analog display.

Another thing. Now the PC does not show anything during bootup. It will only boot straight to the desktop. This will be a problem for me because occassionally, the PC hangs when booting up and I have to use "boot from the last known good configuration"

To be sure, other than the problems mentioned, I can tell that the quality is perfect for me. I played the WMV-HD clips from Microsoft, some HD-MPEG2 home video and the fish screensaver. No complaints. I still have to work on the text. It is not solid(sharp) specially on the web pages.

Thank y'all.

[edDV]

LCD computer monitors look best when driven at native resolution. For any other resolution, the pixels are interpolated and have artifacts. I think 1680x1050 can be handled with a single link DVI cable. 1680x1050 is known as WSXGA+.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSXGAPlus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface


PS, You may need a new display card. The Radeon 9550 up handle 1680x1050 with up to 100Hz refresh. An LCD only needs 60Hz refresh.

[jagabo]

edDV is right, a single link DVI cable can handle 1680x1050 at 60 Hz. In any case the cable that came with your monitor obviously would support the monitor's native resolution.

You may be able to use PowerStrip to force the graphics card to that resolution.

http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm

[Nelson37]

The PC is displaying it, it's the monitor that is not. Quite normal, have two similar monitors and both do the same thing. Timing-related SFAIK, no problem in your situation, just wait a bit and the display will appear.

Standard DVI cable should work, this may vary with monitor and card. Both of mine work fine on standard cable, one is on a card very similar to yours. There is software for the monitor, not really a driver per se but just an info file for windows that says what resolutions are now available.

Particular monitor, eyesight, size, and programs used will dictate for you whether you use the native resolution - generally best, particularly for video, large fonts can be used - or use some interpolated resolution - generally more artifacts, but this may be the only way to make things bigger.

On using the digital connection, this should offer slightly better picture and response time, and should work on your type of monitor. In fact, if it does NOT work, take it back.

Try the DVI again, and just be a little patient. Noticeable delay time to detect and change signal type to digital, noticeable delay to provide any display, flat-panel and CRT are DIFFERENT. Flat-panel is generally better. Do not hit the analog/digital switch on the monitor for several minutes, instead of changing To Digital you may have been just Changing, if done when the monitor has decided the signal is indeed digital, you may have actually selected Analog and turned the intended display off.

However if you are connected Digital and several minutes after boot it is still blank, hit the switch one time. If that does not work change to VGA and double-check that the DVI connection on the card is not somehow disabled.

[edong]

I just want to thank all of you guys for your suggestions and to bring closure to this issue.

I was not able to find a correct driver for my video card (if that exists) and I am not so thrilled in buying a new one for a 5-year old PC. So, I switched the 22" with my son's 19" (also wide and same brand). My son's video card properly set to 1680x1050 while mine got the correct 1440x900 resolution. Everything is perfect and everyone is happy specially my son.

[bendixG15]

Three cheers for Dads