Computer monitor questions.

[hawing]

Our big honking CRT monitor has been slowly failing all summer, and today we bought a flat screen replacement, choosing a widescreen model (HP w1907).

Its optimum resolution is 1440x900. Connected to our computer, it defaults to 1024x768, which distorts the display, and the highest resolution available in the control panel is 1280x800.

 

Since our CPU is from 2002, I am guessing that its video card (64MB Nvidia GeForce2 MX) won't support a resolution that high - though I've been unable to verify that. (Though when the old CRT monitor was connected, the control panel resolution scale went up to 1600 x something. Go figure.) So my questions are:

 

Is there a way to make the optimum resolution work on this machine without replacing the graphics card? I've looked through the Control Panel Display settings without success.

(I found a driver update for the card on the Dell website, but it's dated 2001 so I'm skeptical that it'll make a difference in 2007.)

If we have to replace the graphics card, how much of a hassle/expense is that? We are not in the market for a new CPU at this time.

Will it be bad for the monitor if we keep the resolution at 1280x800?

 

On the bright side, the new monitor has produced visible results on the screen every time we start the computer, which is already an improvement over the old one. http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif

 

Thanks in advance for any insight or suggestions.

[endaround]

It is a flatscreen or is it an LCD? LCD's can have serious problems if not used at the native resolution.

 

As to the graphics card, it depends upon the layout of the computer. If it has a separate AGP port you can get a decent card for under $50 that will do what you want, If you cave an onboard graphics chip without an AGP port, you'll have more issues finding a decent PCI board.

[Baldkin]

First, make sure you have installed the drivers for the monitor you purchased. It sounds like its not recognizing that its a widescreen and windows things the monitor can't support a higher resoultion. (If it isn't even showing what it used to for your CRT)

I am pretty sure that vid card will support higher resolutions (although, it may not for gaming, etc)

 

Run windows update, if you haven't recently as well.

 

Also, for my GeForce card, it came with special GeForce settings where I can add my own resolutions.

Right click on desktop, then go to properties, then settings tab, then advanced. This is on win2k but I'm pretty sure its the same on XP.

 

Take a look, hope this helps. I'll check back tomorrow!

[hawing]

Thanks for the input thus far.

 

I thought I ran the drivers on the CD that arrived with the monitor. It did take two tries (unspecified error the first time). I'll try that again. There are driver updates (for the monitor) on the HP website too; don't know if they're any more up to date than what's on the CD.

We are set up to do automatic Windows updates, so I'll be surprised if that's the culprit.

The product is an LCD monitor, so I'm now less at ease with the notion of using the current non-optimum resolution.

 

When I take the desktop/properties/settings tab/advanced route, I get to the same Control Panel menu that I was fiddling around with on Sunday. From Advanced, where would I look for adding my own resolutions? There are multiple tab choices but none look specific to GeForce. (Also, ours is probably a pretty early GeForce card.)

[bthurley19]

I'm sure you probably did this already, but if you have multiple inputs that show up under your desktop settings tab there will be a couple of rectangular boxes with numbers in them. Make sure you are clicked on the right one and that your new LCD is selected as the primary monitor. Good luck.

[hawing]

Well, in running windows update, I found and installed an 2003 optional update for this specific video card. That expanded the resolution range, but it's still a bit short of optimum (1360x768; aiming for 1440x900). It also provided me with the NVIDIA Media Center, but every menu choice that appears to be related to resolution takes me back to the same "control panel" settings screen which still lacks the optimum resolution.

 

I also re-ran the CD that came with the monitor and the drivers from that CD seem to be in place.

 

bthurley, I do not see anything (while poking around the desktop settings) that resembles what you describe.

 

I'll keep trying. I think I saw a newer-yet update for the graphics card somewhere other than in windows update. Again, thanks for the tips to date.

[Diskono]

A Geforce MX should be fine for a 1440x900 LCD. Maybe try the latest drivers from http://www.nvidia.com? Those are updated pretty regularly. My old work computer had a Geforce MX with a monitor of the same resolution. I was using linux, but it definitely worked fine.

[hawing]

I found another driver last night (2 hours to download on our connection!) and this morning I am looking at 1440x900. Woohoo! Thanks for the help.