What a joy!

[#juan]

I just hooked up my new 22" monitor. This monitor replaces an older 17" that I had had for a few years, The older monitors were almost square where this new one is close to twice as wide as it is high. I would say this was the best improvement I've made on my computers since I replaced dos with windows 3.1.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Congrats on your new purchase, Juan. Do you have the monitor hooked up via DVI or VGA?

I assume the native resolution is 1680x1050?

Also, you should consider calibrating the screen, you would be suprised how much better it can look. A lot of the time, the brightness & contrast is cranked when you take it out of the box. A little fine tuning can go a long way.

 

[#juan]

Hi Durka
I hooked it up with the only cable that would fit. It came with both the standard cable and another one with longer, partitioned plugs that I had no receptacle for on the computer. The resolution is 1680 by 1050. I have used the auto configuration and I've gone through it step by step and the difference is at some subliminal level that I can't find. Maybe I need brighter eyes...:smile: It's great not having to lean in to read something. It's funny. I've bought three or four new computers in the last ten years but generally, I've kept the old monitor.

 

[DurkaDurka]

You'll have to watch some movies on it, specifically, download some high defintion movie clips. You'll really see it shine then.

 

[Lester]

I damn near had to break out the bifocals before I upgraded, could hardly read a thing on my old 17", maybe you can set up the old one as a secondary?

Lester

 

[shadowshiv]

Congrats on your new purchase, Juan. Do you have the monitor hooked up via DVI or VGA?

I assume the native resolution is 1680x1050?

Also, you should consider calibrating the screen, you would be suprised how much better it can look. A lot of the time, the brightness & contrast is cranked when you take it out of the box. A little fine tuning can go a long way.

I have the DVI option available on my monitor(plus the cord to plug it in). Does it really make that much of a difference to the VGA option?

I remember before they used to have a SVGA option. Whatever happened to that?:?:

 

[#juan]

You'll have to watch some movies on it, specifically, download some high defintion movie clips. You'll really see it shine then.

I just watched twenty minutes of the latest Harry Potter movie, It is really something. We have a big screen TV.....50 inches.....but this is different, I guess because of the high resolution. I haven't yet watched any HD on it.

 

[DurkaDurka]

I have the DVI option available on my monitor(plus the cord to plug it in). Does it really make that much of a difference to the VGA option?

I remember before they used to have a SVGA option. Whatever happened to that?:?:

The color is more accurate as the signal from the pc doesn't need to be converted from digital to analog and DVI is also needed if you ever want to watch BluRay as HDCP compliant monitors are are required for that.

 

[DurkaDurka]

you can download some high definition clips here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/musicandvideo/hdvideo/contentshowcase.aspx

 

[#juan]

Thank you Durka

So far I've watched the first fighter pilot clip and the first sky diving clip. What a blast! I'm going out for a half hour to get something for dinner. KFC sounds good...Gobs of cholestrol and transfat but I like it....;-)

 

[shadowshiv]

The color is more accurate as the signal from the pc doesn't need to be converted from digital to analog and DVI is also needed if you ever want to watch BluRay as HDCP compliant monitors are are required for that.

Thanks Durka.:smile: I should really try it out, then.:lol:

 

[#juan]

Durka

I can get an adaptor that will let me hook the DVI cable to the VGA connection on my computer. Will this do any good? This computer is relatively new and I'm surprised that it didn't have the DVI socket. I'm quite happy with the new monitor but disappointed that this connection was missing. When I bought the computer I never thought about it.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Juan, if you use a convertor you would lose any benefits of the digital signal as the convertor would switch it to analog.

I assume the video card on your pc is built into the motherboard?

 

[#juan]

Juan, if you use a convertor you would lose any benefits of the digital signal as the convertor would switch it to analog.

I assume the video card on your pc is built into the motherboard?

Yes, along with the sound card and cable modem. What's the solution? A new video card....I have a couple PCI slots.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Yes, along with the sound card and cable modem. What's the solution? A new video card....I have a couple PCI slots.

yeah, you would need a new video card.

Juan, if you have a newer motherboard, you should have a PCI Express slot which is used for graphic cards.

If you were looking for a cheap card ($55.00) with good desktop/media performance I would look at something like this:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=25920&vpn=EN8400GS/HTP/256M&manufacture=ASUS

Graphics Engine​

GeForce 8400GS​

Video Memory​

256MB DDR2​

Engine Clock​

459MHz​

Memory Clock​

800MHz (400MHz DDR2)​

Memory Interface​

64-bit​

CRT Max Resolution​

2048x1536​

Bus Standard​

PCI Express X16​

VGA Output​

YES​

HDTV Output (YPbPr)​

YES, via HDTV Out cable​

TV Output​

YES, via S-Video to Composite​

DVI Output​

DVI-I​

Adapter/Cable Bundled​

HDTV-out cable​

Software Bundled​

ASUS Utilities & Driver​

 

[#juan]

Thanks Durka;
That doesn't sound too painful. Yes there is a brown express slot. I'll be going to my computer store around lunch time. If he can't supply it I'll order it online.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Thanks Durka;
That doesn't sound too painful. Yes there is a brown express slot. I'll be going to my computer store around lunch time. If he can't supply it I'll order it online.

Awesome! You could probably play some flight simulators with that card as well.

 

[#juan]

Awesome! You could probably play some flight simulators with that card as well.

Funny you should mention that. I just happen to have the Microsoft Combat flight simulator. I used to get a little frustrated with the small screen. I just checked in my used junk drawer and the best I could come up with was a couple old ATI video cards that only had the VGA connector. The flight sim was okay with the built in card but the picture was a little grainy.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Funny you should mention that. I just happen to have the Microsoft Combat flight simulator. I used to get a little frustrated with the small screen. I just checked in my used junk drawer and the best I could come up with was a couple old ATI video cards that only had the VGA connector. The flight sim was okay with the built in card but the picture was a little grainy.

There is a newer flight simulator out, I think it's 2006, lots of eye candy

 

[#juan]

My computer store can have that video card in by tomorrow at noon for roughly the same price. Another store had it in stock but they wanted an extra twenty so we'll wait the day. We'll be organized soon..............:lol: