Display Auto-Detect?

[Digerati]

I believe there are two similar threads running, or I too am confused. I said above,

Monitor drivers are not true drivers - they merely tell Windows the brand and model number, and they tell the Control Panel Display app what resolutions the monitor does NOT support by removing them from the list of options. But note you can opt to see all resolutions the card supports - even though the monitor may not.

But I thought I also said [here or somewhere] that you do this by going through the Advanced settings in the Control Panel Display applet. But note this is only if the monitor "driver" provides (or filters out) that information. It may only provide the brand (if not OEM/generic) and model number. There are no industry standards that require monitor makers to program all their monitors or provide software for the purpose of "informing" the card, or the operating system, what it "can't" do. They are only required to support "standard VGA" resolutions and communicate with the graphics solution.

Fortunately, Microsoft saw to it to force the user to confirm a resolution change before making it permanent, or it times out and reverts back automatically.

Regardless, if you want the best image from your monitor, assuming this is a LCD monitor, you should set the resolution to the monitor's "native" resolution. CRTs, being totally analog, don't care if you keep flipping resolutions around. They generally look great at any they support. But LCDs are optimized for one, and all others are a compromise.

 

[TrainableMan]

...
So anyway how do I find out what all resolutions just my video card supports? And also I was wondering if some LCD monitors allows a vertical and horizontal stretch of the screen, or are all LCD monitors fixed when it comes to aspect ratio?

Nope, no deleted posts, your question is 6 posts up and I answered your question with "download and install SIW."

In hardware ... video when I run SIW on mine it shows all on-board video resolutions supported, but it doesn't for my separate installed video card so I suggested you try it.

And Digerati, I ran a search and I cannot find keywords "Advanced settings Control Panel Display" in any post from you but the one above.

 

[MJOLNIR]

I was just first seeing if there was a way to find out without having to install software to do it for you, but I guess since it's not a standard then the card may or may not reveal that info, though I was wondering where I would go if it did. So Digerati there's just one advanced settings under control panel right? Would I have to go somewhere before that since the monitor falls under hardware? Or do I go into appearance and personalization?

 

[Digerati]

Yeah, it's on another site - in fact I had to verify it was not the same poster. No big deal - simple quinquagenarian cranial flatulence.

 

[Elmer BeFuddled]

Yeah, it's on another site - in fact I had to verify it was not the same poster.

It is the same poster!

 

[TrainableMan]

This is why it is impolite to post the same question on multiple forums at the same time.

 

[NemesisUK]

The answer to his issue was mentioned posts ago. I suggested he reinstall his drivers with the new monitor plugged in. Digerati also mentioned the advanced settings.

 

[MJOLNIR]

And I'll say again (and if people don't like that I ask a question on just one other forum anyway that seems/looks identical, fine. I have classes starting in 3 weeks so I need this monitor ASAP hence the multiple asking) WHAT advanced settings? Is it that hard just to list the steps to get there (Control Panel > Hardware > ... > etc.?). I've mentioned I've tried this before and seemed to not know what D was talking about.

Again about reinstalling drivers and the SIW software. I'm not going through reinstalling any drivers especially with the experience I have with drivers (at least Dell's) and wouldn't there just be a way to check if I have the most up-to-date ones? This machine was bought in like 2004 and I re-installed XP on the computer and re-downloaded its drivers from Dell's website in early 2010...so how would it not be up-to-date if that's what the above person is implying?

 

[MJOLNIR]

LCD Vertical/Horizontal Stretching

When looking up monitors to buy I notice not all features and tweaks are talked about, so I was wondering if at least some LCD monitors have this feature (so if the resolution was some pixels off vertically or horizontally, that you could stretch out the picture to accommodate the pixels).

 

[clifford_cooley]

If you set windows to a standard 4:3 resolution and you have a wide-screen monitor, the image would be stretched from left to right covering the whole monitor. A wide-screen resolution must be used to avoid such stretching. There is usually a native resolution for each monitor, that is best selected to avoid such issues.

 

[brkkab123]

Go to www.maximumpc.com and type Display Myths in the search box. Alot of the so called feature's are exagerrated to sell the monitor/tv.

 

[TrainableMan]

Right-click on an empty spot of your desktop. Select Screen Resolution. Then ...

 

[Kougar]

What Clifford says is spot on, most of the options for your display will be handled by the GPU drivers / software for your video card.

If something like a video game is displayed below the LCD monitor's resolution, the graphics card will stretch the game to fill the entire screen. Of course games can be set to NOT use the full screen... or set to use the same native resolution as your monitor.

 

[Nibiru2012]

What Cliff and Kougar are stating is true. ALL widescreen LCD monitors have a "native resolution" which they use. Their INF driver files tell the system and video card at which resolution to run.

It is NOT recommended to alter the resolution from the native resolution since it affects screen clarity, text rendering, web pages and so forth. Virtually all complaints I've ever seen regarding LCD monitors is after the user altered the resolution to one other than the recommended one.

Leave the monitor's settings at factory defaults and forget about it.

 

[Nibiru2012]

quinquagenarian cranial flatulence

Equals: fifty-something year old brain fart!

In Spanish it would be: ¡Iguala año de cincuenta-algo pedo viejo de cerebro!

I was just first seeing if there was a way to find out without having to install software to do it for you

S.I.W. is available as a standalone application, so you don't have to install it. It just tells you a lot of information regarding your system, drivers, software, etc. An excellent little piece of software that nearly all ubergeeks keep on hand in case it's needed.

Hope this screenshot helps...

From the "Advanced Settings" you can click on the Driver tab and then do the driver update from there.

And also I was wondering if some LCD monitors allows a vertical and horizontal stretch of the screen, or are all LCD monitors fixed when it comes to aspect ratio?

You started a new thread regarding the stretching of the screen. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM DOING THAT! If your earlier question wasn't answered then ask it again here. I am moving that thread to this one.

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P.S.
Now this is my humble opinion, but... quite buying DELL!! It's crap and overpriced! I could go on and on about it as everyone other regular member here knows the horror stories I've told about DELL.
Also, you need to become more educated about how computers and their related hardware work. Buy a book, download an eBook, read it then study it, then read it again!!

 

[Digerati]

ALL widescreen LCD monitors have a "native resolution"

Just to clarify, all LCD monitors, not just widescreen LCD monitors, have a native resolution.

 

[MJOLNIR]

Thanks clifford, because I was wanting to use the extra pixels.

-Edit- saw the next page.

Nibiru:

My questions don't warrant having to get as familiar with computer hardware as you want me to (not that I have the time for it anyway) and it's sad this had to reach the fourth page when my questions could've been answered within a few posts.

Also I wasn't aware Dell's so pricey. They have some laptops for under $500 and compare those to Apple laptops for instance which are priced as much as your average Sony Vaio. I didn't have horrible experience with Dell personally so sorry that yours was different. The worst thing about Dell in my experience was almost all their built in webcams in their laptops were faulty one way or another.

Also no, this is what Digerati said:

I said above, But I thought I also said [here or somewhere] that you do this by going through the Advanced settings in the Control Panel Display applet.

Nothing about getting there through right-clicking your desktop, and to answer your PM Dig on the other forum no, you still haven't specified where in the Control P. I would find the supported resolutions of the driver (if it did show them of course).

But, if right-clicking the desktop takes you to the Control Panel well then I'd understand if you're talking about W7, but remember this is an XP computer I'm asking about.

 

[Digerati]

Where did I say right clicking the desktop? I don't believe I did.

you still haven't specified where in the Control P.

Yes I did. You just quoted it! The Control Panel Display applet. Reworded ever so slightly, the Display applet in Control Panel.

Depending on your view by settings (I keep mine at Large Icons), it may be buried under Hardware and Sound.

 

[TrainableMan]

MJOLNIR you don't like the answers or don't take the time to read them. You also don't have the respect to limit your question to one forum at a time so I have had quite enough and I am closing this thread.

Learning a few things about computers AND people wouldn't hurt you any. You talk about not having the time, well nobody here gets paid to answer your questions so you might be a little more grateful and a lot less arrogant. I hope you get the answers you need above or in another forum, or if you had the time maybe run a search, but this is quite enough!

If you open another thread on this same topic in this forum it may be your last post here ever!