Optimal resolution

[Guest]

Instead of going to Settings and playing around with different combinations
of Screen Resolution and Color Quality, is there a way to let Windows select
the "optimal" settings for your specific monitor and graphics card?
Thanks

 

[Richard Urban]

Windows doesn't know (usually) what the optimal resolution and refresh rate
is for your monitor. You have to input the information manually, after
looking at the monitor specs in your manual. Input the wrong data and you
may lock yourself out of your system.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guest]

Usually 1024x768 is optimal for most of users. It depends on your computer
configuration. You should know that more color & resolution requires more RAM.

 

[Richard Urban]

LED monitors have an optimal resolution/refresh rate that the monitor works
best at. Any other resolution/refresh rate may cause image degradation.

Most 17 and 19 inch LCD monitors have a resolution of 1280x1024 and a
refresh rate of 60hz.

Any other choice may be problematical and be the cause of poor image
quality.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Usually 1024x768 is optimal for most of users. It depends on your
computer configuration.

It's not at all that simple.

First, it depends on whether you are using an LCD monitor or a CRT. If it's
an LCD, it should *always* be run at the monitor's native resolution. My
LCD, for example has a native resolution of 1280x1024, and that's what I run
it at. Anything else will produce an unsatisfactory result.

If it's a CRT, on the other hand, you have choices, but those choices are
limited by the monitor and video card. Which is best is not as simple as
saying "usually 1024x768 is optimal for most of users." It depends on the
size and quality of your monitor, and the age and quality of your eyes.

Here are the resolutions I recommend that most people start with:

15" CRT monitor: 800x600
17" CRT monitor: 1024x768
19" CRT monitor: 1280x1024

These aren't best for everyone, however. I recommend that they be thought of
as starting points. They should be adjusted to fit your own eyes and
preferences.

You should know that more color & resolution
requires more RAM.

That's very misleading, and may cause people to think that they need to add
system RAM if they increase their resolution. But that's not true. It's
extra *video* RAM that is needed--RAM on the video card.

It's true that *some* systems (usually OEM ones) don't have video cards, and
instead have a motherboard that [provides video support. Such a motherboard
borrows system RAM for video. However the use of such a motherboard without
a video card is far from universal.

 

[Guest]

Unpacked brand new PC yesterday (dual display set up)

using this for video editing (supposedly) using older CRT monitors because I
was told that they more closely resemble TV colours.

I was trying to get the colours relatively the same between the 2 monitors
when somehow I activated a video - welcome to Windows Media Center. Up till
then it was great.

then the interactive video started playing with the colour management.
Didn't get through it, then I inadvertently shut off the video.

now one screen (19 inch flat screen sony trinatron) is very green and the
other (17 inch KDS) I cant get the size right - if I go to the largest area -
1280 x ? I cant read the text, but larger than that, and it distorts.

then I went to system restore but the only restore point was the one I
created which doesn't help.

how do you get back to the welcome video? or to yesterday!???
--
best, M/

Usually 1024x768 is optimal for most of users. It depends on your
computer configuration.

It's not at all that simple.

First, it depends on whether you are using an LCD monitor or a CRT. If it's
an LCD, it should *always* be run at the monitor's native resolution. My
LCD, for example has a native resolution of 1280x1024, and that's what I run
it at. Anything else will produce an unsatisfactory result.

If it's a CRT, on the other hand, you have choices, but those choices are
limited by the monitor and video card. Which is best is not as simple as
saying "usually 1024x768 is optimal for most of users." It depends on the
size and quality of your monitor, and the age and quality of your eyes.

Here are the resolutions I recommend that most people start with:

15" CRT monitor: 800x600
17" CRT monitor: 1024x768
19" CRT monitor: 1280x1024

These aren't best for everyone, however. I recommend that they be thought of
as starting points. They should be adjusted to fit your own eyes and
preferences.

You should know that more color & resolution
requires more RAM.

That's very misleading, and may cause people to think that they need to add
system RAM if they increase their resolution. But that's not true. It's
extra *video* RAM that is needed--RAM on the video card.

It's true that *some* systems (usually OEM ones) don't have video cards, and
instead have a motherboard that [provides video support. Such a motherboard
borrows system RAM for video. However the use of such a motherboard without
a video card is far from universal.