widescreen compatability

David C · 12-10-2006, 12:17 PM

Hello

I'm thinking of buying a 19" widescreen tft monitor with a resolution of 1440 x 900

Will my graphics card be able to cope with this, I only use PC for general web & office applications - no gaming

The card is: Nvidia geforce4 MX 420 (64mb)

Or will I need a more powerful card for a good display

Many thanks

malonn · 12-10-2006, 09:34 PM

Max res for that card is 1280 x 1024.
Don't mean to be an ***, but Google is good.

David C · 12-11-2006, 07:52 AM

Not sure what you mean in your 2nd line, but thanks for the reply, forgive me for not being an expert. I did search and most findings give a max res of 2048 x 1536 eg: (http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-PNY-Ve...X-420-20186474) & (http://www99.epinions.com/Graphics_C...eforce4_mx_420)

I'm just not sure about the widescreen thing

Regards David

**koala** · 12-11-2006, 11:18 PM

Hi David, welcome to TSF.

You can only get 2048x1536 if you drop down to 8 or 16 bit colour. For 32-bit the maximum resolution for the MX420 is 1920x1440.

More MX420 details here. 1360x768 looks to be the wide-screen resolution closest to what you want. This is the one I use on my 19" widescreen and it's very sharp and clear. Check the specifications for your new monitor before buying to see which resolutions it supports, and then compare them to the ones available on your graphics card.

David C · 12-12-2006, 04:16 AM

Thanks very much for the help

David C · 12-19-2006, 12:32 PM

Hello, just to update, I got this monitor today, set the resolution to 1360x768 as suggested by koala. I'm very pleased with it, picture quality is brilliant. Only issue is the text is slightly blurred, but its no real problem.

Very grateful for your excellent help

David

**koala** · 12-19-2006, 07:40 PM

To make the text clearer, go to Control Panel > Display > Appearance tab and click the Effects button. Tick the box for 'Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts' and set it to ClearType.

I only recently discovered this option and was amazed at what a difference it makes to the quality of onscreen text.

You can also use the buttons on the front of the monitor to change the settings for brightness, contrast, sharpness, etc.

**TheMatt** · 12-20-2006, 12:12 PM

I haven't worked with an MX 420 recently, but you might be able to add it as a custom resolution if you go into Display Properties > Settings tab > Advanced > GeForce MX 420 tab > Screen Resolutions and Refresh Rates > Custom Resolutions.

David C · 12-23-2006, 01:21 PM

There is'nt a custom resolution option with the mx420 unfortunately,
my daughter has the mx 4000 (128mb) in her pc and this has the option. I may buy one of these cards and upgrade as they're quite cheap now. For now I'm quite happy with the display, I can't complain as the pc is over 4 yrs old.

Thanks

**TheMatt** · 12-23-2006, 04:28 PM

If you are looking for a cheap card, throw in one of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127181

David C · 12-26-2006, 02:29 AM

Will this card (fx5200) fit where my old card is, I've not changed one before. Found a few tutorials on the web & it looks straightforward enough with XP. Bit worried about deleting drivers then finding out it wont fit.

Thanks

**TheMatt** · 12-26-2006, 05:49 PM

Yes, it will. It is pretty simple to install, just unscrew the screw on the inside of the case, then slide the card up, slide the new one in its place, and put the screw in. As for the drivers, you can always reinstall them if they don't work. You will uninstall them, and then boot up in safe mode and install the new ones.

Here is a good tutorial:
http://www.build-your-own-computer-t...pci-cards.html

David C · 12-27-2006, 05:35 AM

Brilliant, thanks

**TheMatt** · 12-27-2006, 12:38 PM

You're welcome.

pdro0118 · 01-21-2008, 05:01 PM

Is the board replacement procedure the same for an AGP gpu?

ebackhus · 01-22-2008, 01:18 PM

My parents have a 19" widescreen with the same 1440x900 being driven at 32-bit by a lowly TnT2 video card.

Replacing an AGP card is nearly identical to replacing a PCI card.

pdro0118 · 01-22-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koala

Hi David, welcome to TSF.

You can only get 2048x1536 if you drop down to 8 or 16 bit colour. For 32-bit the maximum resolution for the MX420 is 1920x1440.

More MX420 details here. 1360x768 looks to be the wide-screen resolution closest to what you want. This is the one I use on my 19" widescreen and it's very sharp and clear. Check the specifications for your new monitor before buying to see which resolutions it supports, and then compare them to the ones available on your graphics card.

KOALA-Reading your 12-20-2006(06-18am) it would appear that it is necessary to find the resolutions possible(32bit) with MX420 and then finding a screen with matching resolution-is this so?
Also where do I find the details for MX420?-your link does not work & the only figures I can get from Nvidia are 2048x1536 and they won't give a reference for them!

12-10-2006, 12:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	widescreen compatability Hello I'm thinking of buying a 19" widescreen tft monitor with a resolution of 1440 x 900 Will my graphics card be able to cope with this, I only use PC for general web & office applications - no gaming The card is: Nvidia geforce4 MX 420 (64mb) Or will I need a more powerful card for a good display Many thanks

12-10-2006, 09:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
malonn Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 53 OS: Vista x64 SP1	Max res for that card is 1280 x 1024. Don't mean to be an ***, but Google is good. __________________ Asus Striker II Extreme/ Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 / 4GB Crucial Ballistix / 2 WD Raptor's in RAID 0 / Maxtor DiamondMax 10 as back-up / XFX GTX 280 / X-Fi Extreme Music / Lite On ODD / PC Power and Cooling TurboCool 1200 / Wireless / Lian Li Case /Vista x64

12-11-2006, 11:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,460 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Hi David, welcome to TSF. You can only get 2048x1536 if you drop down to 8 or 16 bit colour. For 32-bit the maximum resolution for the MX420 is 1920x1440. More MX420 details here. 1360x768 looks to be the wide-screen resolution closest to what you want. This is the one I use on my 19" widescreen and it's very sharp and clear. Check the specifications for your new monitor before buying to see which resolutions it supports, and then compare them to the ones available on your graphics card. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here Last edited by koala; 12-11-2006 at 11:23 PM.

12-19-2006, 07:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,460 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	To make the text clearer, go to Control Panel > Display > Appearance tab and click the Effects button. Tick the box for 'Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts' and set it to ClearType. I only recently discovered this option and was amazed at what a difference it makes to the quality of onscreen text. You can also use the buttons on the front of the monitor to change the settings for brightness, contrast, sharpness, etc. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

12-20-2006, 12:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	I haven't worked with an MX 420 recently, but you might be able to add it as a custom resolution if you go into Display Properties > Settings tab > Advanced > GeForce MX 420 tab > Screen Resolutions and Refresh Rates > Custom Resolutions. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

12-11-2006, 07:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	Not sure what you mean in your 2nd line, but thanks for the reply, forgive me for not being an expert. I did search and most findings give a max res of 2048 x 1536 eg: (http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-PNY-Ve...X-420-20186474) & (http://www99.epinions.com/Graphics_C...eforce4_mx_420) I'm just not sure about the widescreen thing Regards David

12-12-2006, 04:16 AM	#5 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	Thanks very much for the help

12-19-2006, 12:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	Hello, just to update, I got this monitor today, set the resolution to 1360x768 as suggested by koala. I'm very pleased with it, picture quality is brilliant. Only issue is the text is slightly blurred, but its no real problem. Very grateful for your excellent help David

12-23-2006, 01:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	There is'nt a custom resolution option with the mx420 unfortunately, my daughter has the mx 4000 (128mb) in her pc and this has the option. I may buy one of these cards and upgrade as they're quite cheap now. For now I'm quite happy with the display, I can't complain as the pc is over 4 yrs old. Thanks

12-23-2006, 04:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	If you are looking for a cheap card, throw in one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127181 __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

12-26-2006, 02:29 AM	#11 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	Will this card (fx5200) fit where my old card is, I've not changed one before. Found a few tutorials on the web & it looks straightforward enough with XP. Bit worried about deleting drivers then finding out it wont fit. Thanks

12-26-2006, 05:49 PM	#12 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	Yes, it will. It is pretty simple to install, just unscrew the screw on the inside of the case, then slide the card up, slide the new one in its place, and put the screw in. As for the drivers, you can always reinstall them if they don't work. You will uninstall them, and then boot up in safe mode and install the new ones. Here is a good tutorial: http://www.build-your-own-computer-t...pci-cards.html __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides Last edited by TheMatt; 12-26-2006 at 05:56 PM.

12-27-2006, 05:35 AM	#13 (permalink)
David C Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 OS: XP	Brilliant, thanks

12-27-2006, 12:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	You're welcome. __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

01-21-2008, 05:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
pdro0118 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 OS: xp/sp2	Re: widescreen compatability Is the board replacement procedure the same for an AGP gpu? __________________ pedro0118 Last edited by pdro0118; 01-21-2008 at 05:03 PM. Reason: clarity

01-22-2008, 01:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,341 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Re: widescreen compatability My parents have a 19" widescreen with the same 1440x900 being driven at 32-bit by a lowly TnT2 video card. Replacing an AGP card is nearly identical to replacing a PCI card. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.