First, let me thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
I updated my VGA monitor on my older desktop a while back to an LCD DVI model and have never been able to use the wide screen options that Windows has available. When I try to pick one of wide screen options in the display settings of Control Panel, then the screen goes blank and it times-out back to the prior settings. Several resolutions of the 4:3 aspect ratio settings will work for me, but I have not been successful with any of the 16:9 ratio settings. The result, obviously, is large black sidebars on both sides that amount to wasted space on the viewing screen … I would like to take advantage of the full viewing area of my monitor and hope that you can direct me in correcting the situation.
Background: ———————————————————–
1.The PC involved…
The desktop computer is a Sony VAIO PCV-RS613G (spec sheet here).
2. The system involved…
Windows XP Home Edition version Service Pack 3 - fully updated as of a week ago with all critical and security updates
RAM: 1GB PC-3200 400MHz DDR
3. The hard drive involved…
Total Space: 143 Gb
Free Space: 74.1 Gb
5. The monitor involved…
ASUS model VH236H 23" Widescreen HD LCD Monitor -
1920x1080 max resolution, 2ms refresh rate, & HDMI input
more details at http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=210917291
Note the Aspect Control feature mentioned in the specs … I doubt that is a compatibility issue, but thought just maybe.
6. The driver involved…
I don't know. If you could direct me to finding exactly what driver is being used, I will gladly provide that too.
Could it just be a driver update needed? (just my amateur two-cents worth)
5. The monitor involved…
ASUS model VH236H 23" Widescreen HD LCD Monitor -
1920x1080 max resolution, 2ms refresh rate, & HDMI input
more details at http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=210917291
Note the Aspect Control feature mentioned in the specs … I doubt that is a compatibility issue, but thought just maybe.
6. The driver involved…
I don't know. If you could direct me to finding exactly what driver is being used, I will gladly provide that too.
Could it just be a driver update needed? (just my amateur two-cents worth)
—————————————————————————————————–
Next steps ??
I've only just recently upgraded my own monitor to a larger size myself, but to a 16:10 - 1920x1200 (5/4 aspect ratio) as there can be some drawbacks to the even wider 16:9. Great for movies and gaming but not so great for viewing web pages apparently. What 16:9 has done is to dramatically reduce the price of TV's and Computer monitors due to reduced manufacturing costs of that aspect ratio.
Most new monitors come as "plug and play" (no driver needed) and often with no software at all. I just junked the software CD that came with mine as I prefer to adjust the colour spectrum manually. Screen resolution is done with windows or if you have a video card installed, using the software that comes with the driver. Such as: [attachment removed]
I checked out your monitor in ASUS Support and there is no drivers or any other software available.
The only thing I could find for your model was for Troubleshooting which may or may not help you.
For your 16:9 ratio, these screen resolution are all suitable;
1920x1080
1600x900
1366x768
1280x720
Hi Lee,
One key bit of info that I left out (although it was on the Sony spec sheet link I provided) was that the video graphics card is an ATI Radeon 9200 series.
My current display resolution setting is 1152x864, which is where it has been set since shortly after getting the monitor. But like I said, the display has the wide black bars on the side. The Aspect Control feature of the DVI display that I mentioned as part of the earlier post is a feature to either allow the black bars or allow a stretch condition (distorted horizontal stretch). Other reactions are the same irrespective of how this feature is set.
Whether I use the ATI Catalyst display software or the Control Panel Display properties, any higher settings fail to take (the ASUS display flashes a "No DVI input" message and then times out back to the prior display settings. The two exception to this are the 5:4 setting of 1280x1024 and 4:3 setting of 1600x1200.
The bottom line is NO HIGHER ASPECT RATIOS will work other the 5:4 or 4:3 .. not 16:10(8:5) or 16:9 settings will take effect.
Even the higher 4:3 setting of 16:1200 will take, but with a screen scroll … parts of the display are off the screen until you scroll with the mouse. The window is larger than the viewable screen.
Any suggestions? I am thinking I have it's a limitation of the ATI RADEON?
No, I wouldn't automatically blame your video card or it's driver.
The condition could be either a possible shortcoming of 16:9 (but doubtful) or a warranty issue, as there might be something wrong with the monitor.
I suggest you contact ASUS support first and see what they have to say.
PS Edit: About the video card: I am assuming that you are running XP 32bit. not Vista or W7?
If you are running either Vista or W7, you need a new card as there is no driver support and even if you are running XP there might be no 16:9 resolution support either. The 9200SE is a very old card, circa 2003.
Yes, Lee, I am running Windows XP Home Edition SP3 (I believe that is 32 bit version)
I cannot find details online about the ATI Radeon 9200 series card we have installed at AMD, but the link I posted earlier for the Sony computer (graphics card was standard component) states:
Video & Graphics
ATI Radeon™ 9200
128MB Video Memory (128-bit DDR)
VGA-out / DVI-Out (DVI output:1280x1024x60Hz max.)/TV-Out
And that makes sense based on the display resolution choices that work and those that don't. So we conclude that it is a limitation of the graphics card and not a display, driver or system issue. So, my choices are to 1) live with the 4:3 or 5:4 and the associated black bars on the side, or 2) upgrade my video card.
Any advice in finding a compatible video card that can handle the 16:9 aspect ratio?
Where do you like to shop for components with competitive prices?
Yes, Lee, I am running Windows XP Home Edition SP3 (I believe that is 32 bit version)
So we conclude that it is a limitation of the graphics card and not a display, driver or system issue. So, my choices are to 1) live with the 4:3 or 5:4 and the associated black bars on the side, or 2) upgrade my video card.
Any advice in finding a compatible video card that can handle the 16:9 aspect ratio?
Where do you like to shop for components with competitive prices?
That is often the problem with updating old hardware. Updating one piece often leads to having to update another.
As for recommending Video cards, well it would depend on what you want to use it for.
For general use and HD video, these two would more than replace a 9200 series card but with modern features.
Or this one would be even better for the slight difference in price and is one-up the performance scale:
SAPPHIRE 100323L Radeon HD 6570 1GB DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx…N82E16814102934
The 6570 would be my choice as it is a more recent and a better card.
It indicates the original Radeon 9200 is an AGP 8x Graphics card with 128Mb
It also indicates that it should have a couple empty PCI expansion slots (no PCI-e slots mentioned)
So I'm guessing the couple PCI-express cards you suggested are not compatible?
Should I stick with a direct replacement using the same AGP 8x slot … or could I also look at PCI cards (non-express) as replacements for the current graphics card using a PCI slot?
As far as how we use the computer, it is for minimal gaming online, kids homework, surfing, … all serious gaming by my boys is done on PS3, so we don't look to this computer for much serious video beyond youtube, sports highlights and occasional news updates.
Two ways to go here:
1. A new motherboard, which would be an unwise way to go, as you would also probably need new RAM, CPU and possibly even a more powerful PSU. So a new computer.
2. A program that will set custom resolutions in the INF files of your graphics card driver to force a new resolution paradigm.
There is a freeware program called Powerstrip and this is what you need. It will override the cards resolution settings and can set new ones.
Here is a Powerstip usage guide. It might take a bit of experimenting with, but it can and does work (no guarantees though as I've never used it on your model card).
If you find option 2. all a bit too "techy", see option 1.
The new motherboard seems untenable - I agree that we might as well get a new computer.
The Powerstrip idea sounds cool, but the more I looked into it, the less comfortable I was with it … all discussion, tech advice and instructions seemed to be geared at getting TVs to do HD through a VGA connection. My situation is just getting the DVI connectioned monitor to use the full 11x9 screen. The differences might be minimal (I don't know … and that's the point!), but I was not good with breaking new ground in my experimentation.
So I went back to an earlier idea to just upgrade the video card - it seemed simple and addressed the main problem (video card limitation) rather than a band-aid fix or a nuclear option.
I understand AGP is ancient, but there are still new cards available to purchase, and a friend had one that seemed like a good match:
NVIDIA 6800 Ultra 256mb AGP 8x to replace the existing ATI RADEON 9200 series 128mb AGP 8x
Physically, the NVIDIA is double wide, but that was OK since I had an empty PCI slot. Also the card-edge connector on the NVIDIA shows only one gap, versus the ATI which has two gaps. The AGP slot on the motherboard will physically accept either. The other difference is that the NVIDIA has two DVI and an S-video, versus the ATI which has a DVI, a VGA and an S-video.
However, the upgraded graphics card is not installing at all. With the existing ATI card in, the system boots fine. With the NVIDIA card, immediately upon powering the computer, it gives a high, loud, constant error tone which continues for at least a minute (by then I powered it down). With no card installed (I did this as a test after the NVIDIA card failed twice) it audibly seems to be booting up normally, but of course, there is no video to know exactly what is happening. A third install of the NVIDIA card produced the same solid tone result. I have re-installed the original ATI and am using the system as I type this - all is back to normal (but only 4x3 aspect ratio, of course).
I was wondering if you (or if someone else with graphics card expertise) had any suggestions? Is it a compatability issue or a bad card .. any way of knowing which? If a compatability issue, could you recommend exactly what specs I should look for to assure compatibility?
The key difference:
Note the two Molex power connections in the photo (in the link above) at the back of the card? I didn't until now. My old card had no power outside what was provided by the AGP card-edge connection, so I was installing the new just like the old. Research online says it has two Molex power connections, which my computer doesn't have available. I am looking into getting a splitter (one male to three female) …
When I get the splitter, would you recommend splitting off a DVD drive power or off the D: (second HDD). Neither is used often, so it doesn't draw much power.
DDR stands for Double Data Rate. Chronologically speaking, it will clearly go DDR/DDR1/DDR2/DDR3/DDR5. the higher the DDR number, the higher the latency.
The latency is the time it takes for the chip to be read by your CPU, so the higher the better.
As long as your motherboard has the correct card slot, it will support the card. The card needs the correct power so where you connect it to is no matter to the card, as long as it's connected. It shouldn't matter were you connect it as long as the PSU has enough extra power tp support the card.
PS Edit: NVIDIA 6800 Ultra 256mb AGP 8x came out in 2004. Personally I would not go down that road as it is still an 8X card. Will it work with you new screen as you want it to without needing Powerstrip? Maybe.
Powerstrip works fine with PC monitors or TVs.
JayBG,
I looked at that EVGA card as well as other general information about NVIDIA 6800 Ultra 256mb AGP 8x.
It "seems" to me that the card is capable of addressing either type of RAM.
I'm not familiar with the card and wasn't in the buying market at the time when apparent "cross-overs" were being manufactured to accommodate either/both AGP and PCIe configured motherboards as this one apparently does.
What concerns me is that continuous high-pitched warning.
Specifically, will you please visually confirm which slot you have that card inserted into, and report back.
Thanks
Doug,
Googling the solid tone on power-up, and my bios, I find that that warning tone is power related. It makes sense as I did not power the NVIDIA card via the Molex connections .. I installed it like the ATI card which had no PSU connections .. just the AGP card edge. Without power, the BIOS immediately recognised it - beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppp
Lee is correct that I should be concerned about the PSU having enough wattage to power additional requirements of the card.
Lee,
The NVIDIA card (according to online sources) has numerous compatible 16:9 ratios including the max that the monitor can handle - 1920x1080 (full HD). From what I can tell my Radeon 9200 is the LAST ATI product that did not support 16x9 .. even the 9250 did!
So other than needing power ($3 splitter on ebay is ordered), and potential of insufficient power from the PSU (keeping my fingers crossed), I think this should be set … Am I wrong somewhere?
I'll let you know after Christmas when the splitter arrives.
Thanks for everything!
Jay
Well, the splitter showed up a few hours ago. I installed the updated card (Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra) with Molex power using the splitter, and the system powered up with no problem, providing DVI output all thru the boot (old card only output VGA until Windows opened - and I only using DVI connection - so I always had an issue doing anything like startin up in safe mode or editing configuration). The default setting was 800x600 - with stretch mode - using the FULL width of the screen though - and mimimal other setting available at that point. I then followed up by going to Nvidia.com and downloaded the latest software/driver package for my card, rebooted and played with settings up to 1080p. After deleting the ATI/AMD software on the system (related to the prior card) and cleaning up things, we've been watching youtube videos up to 1080p. Current setting is at 1920x1080 which is using the full width and is amazingly clear. I'm luvin' it.
And no power issues noted so far. I even tried doing some C: to D: hdd file transfers while we were watching video (trying to drive max power consumptions, as a test) with no issues.
Something in the system is too slow - likely video decoding - to do well in full HD, 1080p, with quite a bit of video skipping, while audio plays real time … but 720p runs great. My guess is this Pentium 4 computer just can't handle that throughput. If you have any suggetions to help with the 1080p video display, feel free to make suggestions, but I'm not much worried about that. We don't even have a bluray drive, so I don't see it being much of an issue with our needs.
Thanks for all your help. Without your advice and expertise to back me up, I'm not sure I would have even tried some of these solutions .. and I'm certain it would not have ended up well.
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