Help with Monitor Resolution Setting

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm

Norm wrote:
I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm

Yes, you need a new video card. I can't imagine anything on the market
today not supporting 1680x1050 but you should check the manufacturers
specs before buying.

That said, 1280x1024 sounds awfully low as far as a video card support
even for an older card. Are you sure you have the proper drivers installed?

Bob

Bob Levine wrote:
Norm wrote:

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video
card? And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have
the necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm


Yes, you need a new video card. I can't imagine anything on the market
today not supporting 1680x1050 but you should check the manufacturers
specs before buying.

That said, 1280x1024 sounds awfully low as far as a video card support
even for an older card. Are you sure you have the proper drivers installed?

Bob

Thanks for the response.
Other available higher choices are 1600x1200,1792x1344, 1800x1440,
1856x1392, 1856x1392, 1920x1080, and 2048x1536 but not 1680x1050.
I installed the drivers from the Dell E207WFP LCD Monitor CD which came
with the monitor when I bought it in June 2007.

check the following in display properties...
start-controlpanel-appearanceandthemes-display-settings(tab)-advance(button)-monitor(tab)
and uncheck 'hide modes that this monitor can not display'.
doing this may result in having more choices of display resolution on the
displayproperties-settings page.
if you had specified your video card then it would be easy to look up, but
you didn't, so go to the manufacturers web site yourself and look up the
cards capabilities yourself if you want to confirm this.
or just get a new video card like this one... and depending on the model
monitor you have (also not specified) you may be able to connect via the
digital video connector.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161199



"Norm" wrote in message
...
I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm

Thanks for the suggestions.
Christopher Muto wrote:
check the following in display properties...
start-controlpanel-appearanceandthemes-display-settings(tab)-advance(button)-monitor(tab)
and uncheck 'hide modes that this monitor can not display'.
doing this may result in having more choices of display resolution on the
displayproperties-settings page.
Tried this and some other resolution choices appeared but not 1680x1050


if you had specified your video card then it would be easy to look up, but
you didn't, so go to the manufacturers web site yourself and look up the
cards capabilities yourself if you want to confirm this.

The video card is 16MB ATI RAGE 128 Pro, and at your suggestion I went
to the ATI site and found the Win XP driver for this card. I downloaded
and attempted to install it. But, the installation was unsuccessful. I
received a message saying that this driver was incompatible with my
card. I reconfirmed my card using Belarc Advisor; this was the original
that came with the computer when I bought it in 2001 from Dell.


or just get a new video card like this one... and depending on the model
monitor you have

Dell E207WFP LCD Monitor


(also not specified) you may be able to connect via the
digital video connector.

I think that that is what I will do and thanks for taking the time to
respond.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161199



"Norm" wrote in message
...

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm

Your 16MB ATI RAGE 128 Pro is six years old, with drivers too old to support any
of the resolutions of a newer LCD monitor with 16:9 wide aspect ratio. You
need another newer card... Ben Myers

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:31:36 GMT, Norm wrote:

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm

Norm wrote:
Bob Levine wrote:
Norm wrote:

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension
4100 computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video
card? And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have
the necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm


Yes, you need a new video card. I can't imagine anything on the market
today not supporting 1680x1050 but you should check the manufacturers
specs before buying.

That said, 1280x1024 sounds awfully low as far as a video card support
even for an older card. Are you sure you have the proper drivers
installed?

Bob

Thanks for the response.
Other available higher choices are 1600x1200,1792x1344, 1800x1440,
1856x1392, 1856x1392, 1920x1080, and 2048x1536 but not 1680x1050.
I installed the drivers from the Dell E207WFP LCD Monitor CD which came
with the monitor when I bought it in June 2007.

You want the latest drivers for the *video* that you are using, not the
monitor. The problem is that the video (card or built-in) can't send the
correct signal to the display....

--

Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services

Ben Myers wrote:
Your 16MB ATI RAGE 128 Pro is six years old, with drivers too old to support any
of the resolutions of a newer LCD monitor with 16:9 wide aspect ratio. You
need another newer card... Ben Myers

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:31:36 GMT, Norm wrote:


I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm

Thank you.
That is what I needed to know. Will look into getting a new card.

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 04:29:21 -0500, "Hank Arnold (MVP)"
wrote:

Norm wrote:
Bob Levine wrote:
Norm wrote:

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension
4100 computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video
card? And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have
the necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm


Yes, you need a new video card. I can't imagine anything on the market
today not supporting 1680x1050 but you should check the manufacturers
specs before buying.

That said, 1280x1024 sounds awfully low as far as a video card support
even for an older card. Are you sure you have the proper drivers
installed?

Bob

Thanks for the response.
Other available higher choices are 1600x1200,1792x1344, 1800x1440,
1856x1392, 1856x1392, 1920x1080, and 2048x1536 but not 1680x1050.
I installed the drivers from the Dell E207WFP LCD Monitor CD which came
with the monitor when I bought it in June 2007.

You want the latest drivers for the *video* that you are using, not the
monitor. The problem is that the video (card or built-in) can't send the
correct signal to the display....

--

Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services

As Hank says, you would need the latest drivers for the video card. Is
1280 the highest resolution that you see? If so, I would try a new
driver because even my 4MB video card from a long time ago could go
higher than that.

don't read into what people write. take it at face value. this is a
technical chat group, not a philosophical one.
i did not suggest that you go to the manufacturers site to download a new
driver.
i merely suggested that you go to the manufactures site to determine the
capabilities of the card.
still not sure exactly what card you have, and you still didn't mention the
model dell that it came in, but i would guess it is actually an ati rage 128
pro 16mb with agp bus. if that guess is correct then the maximum resolution
capablity of the card is 1024x768 if the color pallet is reduced to just 65k
colors (as opposed to the more desiable 16.7m colors). your only choice is
to get a new card as previously suggested.

"Norm" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the suggestions.
Christopher Muto wrote:
check the following in display properties...
start-controlpanel-appearanceandthemes-display-settings(tab)-advance(button)-monitor(tab)
and uncheck 'hide modes that this monitor can not display'.
doing this may result in having more choices of display resolution on the
displayproperties-settings page.
Tried this and some other resolution choices appeared but not 1680x1050


if you had specified your video card then it would be easy to look up,
but you didn't, so go to the manufacturers web site yourself and look up
the cards capabilities yourself if you want to confirm this.

The video card is 16MB ATI RAGE 128 Pro, and at your suggestion I went to
the ATI site and found the Win XP driver for this card. I downloaded and
attempted to install it. But, the installation was unsuccessful. I
received a message saying that this driver was incompatible with my card.
I reconfirmed my card using Belarc Advisor; this was the original that
came with the computer when I bought it in 2001 from Dell.


or just get a new video card like this one... and depending on the model
monitor you have

Dell E207WFP LCD Monitor


(also not specified) you may be able to connect via the
digital video connector.

I think that that is what I will do and thanks for taking the time to
respond.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161199



"Norm" wrote in message
...

I have just connected my 20" Dell LCD monitor to my old Dimension 4100
computer which is running Win XP.

The "native resolution" of this monitor is 1680x1050. The closest
resolution on my Dimension is 1280x1024. As a result the picture is
somewhat distorted. How can I correct this? Do I need a new video card?
And, if so, how will I know, before buying it, if it will have the
necessary specifications?

Thanks for any suggestions, Norm