Re: TV as PC monitor

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article <pan.2009.09.07.21.43.25@xxxxxxxx>,
J G Miller <miller@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Note some older laptops have a display driver that only believes in 4:3
screen ratios

In which case, if you are running Windoze, you need to try
Entech's Powerstrip to try and get the resolution you need.

<http://entechtaiwan.COM/util/ps.shtm>

I must be thick, but don't most monitor makers supply drivers for their
products? Downloadable from their website? My widescreen came with it on a
CD which I loaded into XP. You don't *have* to use the generic Windose
ones.

With GNU/Linux systems it is merely a matter of trying to tweak
the xorg.conf file, with or without the aid of xvidtune, no
additional purchase being necessary.


Well, it's not *quite* that simple.
There are 2 drivers to consider:
The video card drivers ( these are real drivers );
The monitor drivers.

The monitor 'drivers' are not actually drivers, just inf files which list suported resolutions and refresh rates. The same info that the monitor would supply over the cable, usually. So not usually necessary.

That can't make the video hardware capable of resolutions or refresh rates which it simply can't do. It also can't make the video card driver run at resolutions or refresh rates it can't do either. Normally, the video card drivers will exopse the full capabilities of the video card to windows.

The video card driver has to:
1) know the capabilities of the video hardware;
2) discover the capabailites of the monitor;
3) choose something which satisfies both.

It will generally expose only the intersection of subsets 1) and 2) to the end user, but if you can over-ride that.

Tweeking the Xserver config on a unix system can't make a video card suddenly support resolutions and refresh rates which the hardware simply doesn't support.

--
Ron
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: TV as PC monitor
    ... It also can't make the video card ... driver run at resolutions or refresh rates it can't do either. ... laptop with a 4:3 monitor may not include widecreen modes. ...
    (uk.tech.digital-tv)
  • Re: TV as PC monitor
    ... It also can't make the video card ... driver run at resolutions or refresh rates it can't do either. ... Very true but many older graphics cards are capable at running at resolutions, ... but which resulted in the monitor overheating ...
    (uk.tech.digital-tv)
  • RE: No Media Center (Black screen)
    ... MCE 2005 works great however if I leave my system over night, ... I now have a personal war with my Media Centre and am trying to get to the ... Today I am going to swap my Video card for my sons ATI based ... > first installed MCE2k5 the video card drivers weren't present, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter)
  • Re: Screen resolution reverts back?
    ... Do my video card drivers really need updating (not that I know what ... as the default monitor. ... The motherboard mftr.'s website if hardware is onboard; ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
  • Re: Blank screen when returning from full screen programs
    ... System Shock 2 and many other games (my system is fairly old hence the ... when i run the Direct3D test in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. ... I have upgraded my video card drivers and installed and reinstalled ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
Loading