Flat Screen Monitor

J

Joy

A couple of weeks ago I was asking about a wide screen monitor being
distorted, and the bottom line seemed to be that my computer (a laptop,
using a docking station, WinXP, bought 2004), didn't have the option for the
correct resolution for a wide screen. So I took it back to the store. I
bought a regular flat screen (not wide) and it seems to be distorted the
other way (too tall for the width). Isn't there any flat screen that has
the same proportions (height to width) as the old (not flat screen) monitors
had? (Where things appear "normal" and WYSIWYG held true?)
 
B

Bob Harris

Most modern PCs, even those with video built into the motherboard, support a
wide range of "X by Y" settings, refresh rates, etc. Check the manual, or
contact the PC maker for more information. Note that manuals are often
provided as PDF files on a CD with drivers and other things.

For something to look "normal" and as clear as possible, you need to set the
X by Y resolution (e.g, 960 by 600) to be the same as the intrinsic
resolution of the flat screen monitor. Check the manual, or contact the
monitor maker for more information. As for refresh rate, while higher is
better for an old-fashioned TV-type monitor, 60 Hz seems to be the standard
for flat panels. On any monitor, more colors is better, if the video card
(or motherboard video) can handle it.
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

A couple of weeks ago I was asking about a wide screen monitor being
distorted, and the bottom line seemed to be that my computer (a laptop,
using a docking station, WinXP, bought 2004), didn't have the option for the
correct resolution for a wide screen. So I took it back to the store. I
bought a regular flat screen (not wide) and it seems to be distorted the
other way (too tall for the width). Isn't there any flat screen that has
the same proportions (height to width) as the old (not flat screen) monitors
had? (Where things appear "normal" and WYSIWYG held true?)


Do two things and report back here, please:

1. Measure your monitor--the width and height of the visible screen.

2. Right-click on the desktop and choose properties. On the "Settings"
tab, what is the screen resolution?
 
R

Robert Pendell

Bob said:
Most modern PCs, even those with video built into the motherboard, support a
wide range of "X by Y" settings, refresh rates, etc. Check the manual, or
contact the PC maker for more information. Note that manuals are often
provided as PDF files on a CD with drivers and other things.

For something to look "normal" and as clear as possible, you need to set the
X by Y resolution (e.g, 960 by 600) to be the same as the intrinsic
resolution of the flat screen monitor. Check the manual, or contact the
monitor maker for more information. As for refresh rate, while higher is
better for an old-fashioned TV-type monitor, 60 Hz seems to be the standard
for flat panels. On any monitor, more colors is better, if the video card
(or motherboard video) can handle it.

Just a note here. LCD screens don't use a "refresh rate" in how windows
understands it. It just defaults to 60hz but that doesn't actually
affect anything.

--
Robert Pendell
(e-mail address removed)

"A perfect world is one of chaos."

Thawte Web of Trust Notary
CAcert Assurer
 
R

Robert Pendell

Joy said:
A couple of weeks ago I was asking about a wide screen monitor being
distorted, and the bottom line seemed to be that my computer (a laptop,
using a docking station, WinXP, bought 2004), didn't have the option for
the correct resolution for a wide screen. So I took it back to the
store. I bought a regular flat screen (not wide) and it seems to be
distorted the other way (too tall for the width). Isn't there any flat
screen that has the same proportions (height to width) as the old (not
flat screen) monitors had? (Where things appear "normal" and WYSIWYG
held true?)

2 things stick out to me.

1. You are set at the wrong resolution. Do what Ken Blake has suggested
and report back to us. It may be worth your while to check and see what
the native resoltion of your lcd screen is.

2. You are using an analog cable and the screen may of not of adjusted
for the input correctly. Try having it auto-adjust again. Most lcd
screens have a way of doing that for analog signals. Digital (DVI)
connections do not have that issue.

--
Robert Pendell
(e-mail address removed)

"A perfect world is one of chaos."

Thawte Web of Trust Notary
CAcert Assurer
 
J

Joy

The visible screen is 14-3/4 x 11-3/4. The resolution I've been using
(because it gives me the size I need to be comfortable for my particular
vision), is 1024 x 768. Talking with someone on the phone since I wrote my
question here, I learned that in the book it says Recommended Resolution is
1280 x 1024, and that does seem to help the proportion/ratio, however then
on my desktop the icons (and fonts) as well as in Outlook Express, are
smaller than is comfortable for me, and I think I already had them as large
as they could be made.
 
K

Ken Blake, MVP

The visible screen is 14-3/4 x 11-3/4. The resolution I've been using
(because it gives me the size I need to be comfortable for my particular
vision), is 1024 x 768. Talking with someone on the phone since I wrote my
question here, I learned that in the book it says Recommended Resolution is
1280 x 1024, and that does seem to help the proportion/ratio,


All three of these: 13.74x11.75, 1024x768, and 1280x1024 are very
close to the same aspect ratio, and either resolution should work for
you, although 1280xc1024 is closer to your physical monitor size.

However, with an LCD monitor, you should always run at its native
resolution, and if that's 1280x1024, that's what you should use. Image
quality will degrade if you don't.

however then
on my desktop the icons (and fonts) as well as in Outlook Express, are
smaller than is comfortable for me, and I think I already had them as large
as they could be made.


Icons and font sizes can easily be adjusted to suit your preferences,
over and above what resolution you are at. In Outlook Express (and in
most applications), hold down the ctrl key and scroll the mouse wheel;
one direction makes it bigger, the other smaller.
 
D

dadiOH

Joy said:
The visible screen is 14-3/4 x 11-3/4. The resolution I've been using
(because it gives me the size I need to be comfortable for my
particular vision), is 1024 x 768. Talking with someone on the
phone since I wrote my question here, I learned that in the book it
says Recommended Resolution is 1280 x 1024, and that does seem to
help the proportion/ratio, however then on my desktop the icons (and
fonts) as well as in Outlook Express, are smaller than is comfortable
for me, and I think I already had them as large as they could be made.

Your screen proportion works out to be 1 to 1.255 + a smidge
1024 x 768 is 1 to 1.333333 etc.
1280 x 1024 is 1 to 1.25

Obviously, 1280 x 1024 is the best fit. As you note, stuff is smaller. You
can mitigate much of that via Display Properties, Appearance, Advanced by
increasing font sizes for the items where that is an option. Using a
different font and/or boldface can help too. The icons can be made bigger
in the same place but they may fall apart a bit if you make them a size for
which there is not an icon of that size within the icon file. The
"standard" icon file will have a 32 x 32 icon, many/most will also have 16 x
16; later ones will also have 48 x 48.

Or you could just use 1024 x 768 which is what I do. If you notice the mild
distortion your brain will correct it in a day or two...after all, it
corrects the fact that we see things upside down :)

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 

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