# Why do I have to have a widescreen monitor???



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

My Samsung 3x4 monitor died yesterday. It's still on warranty, but I can't be without a monitor (I have things to do). I went to Best Buy yesterday and all they had were widescreen monitors. All I wanted was another 19" 3x4 monitor but there were none to be found. Now I have this crap 22" monitor and, everything is stretched to fit. The height is about the same as my 19", but it's nowhere near the picture quality. Is there a way to get rid of the stretch to fill on this screen? I am usning XP. I have checked control panel and I don't see it. I HATE stretchovision on my projector, why do I have to now put up with it on my computer????


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Methinks you need a new video card. Most of them now support 16:10 aspect ratios.


----------



## Cmnore (Sep 22, 2008)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Methinks you need a new video card. Most of them now support 14:9 aspect ratios.


Don't you mean 16:9?


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Actually we were both wrong. I did some research and computer monitors are 16:10. I've updated my post to avoid confusion.


----------



## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I think the aspect ratio is different on monitors as opposed to TVs. Please feel free to prove me wrong.


I think you may be right, it is an odd number, that I know.


----------



## Cmnore (Sep 22, 2008)

Interesting...


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

> Methinks you need a new video card. Most of them now support 16:10 aspect ratios.


Great. Not only do I have to waste money on a monitor that doesn't have as good a picture as my old one, but now I have to buy a new card. Of course, all my expansion slots in the computer are full, making this whole process even more interesting.


----------



## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

Sounds like a graphic card or driver issue. Does it output only VGA? You might try updating the graphics card drivers so that it will work properly in widescreen mode. Otherwise, you'll want to get a new graphics card. . 

Computer monitors are typically a ratio of 16 x 10 but there are some TVs by Samsing that are also 16 x 10 that double as computer monitors..


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Richard King said:


> Great. Not only do I have to waste money on a monitor that doesn't have as good a picture as my old one, but now I have to buy a new card. Of course, all my expansion slots in the computer are full, making this whole process even more interesting.


I feel your pain, my friend. Planned obsolescense stinks.


----------



## phat78boy (Sep 12, 2007)

More then positive its the graphic driver or you need to install the monitor driver. Once you get the right resolution, it will look just as good as your previous model.

I actually happen to like the widescreen monitors as I tend to stake my windows left to right.


----------



## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

The easiest thing to do is find the max resolution of the monitor and see if there is a setting on the Display settings tab that matches that. You can get there through control panel or just right click a blank area of the desktop and go to properties, then the settings tab.


----------



## EXTACAMO (Apr 7, 2007)

That's the way it is with computers one upgrade often causes the domino effect. One upgrade requires multiple upgrades. Sucks but that is just the way it is.


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

I think I'm going to return the monitor tomorrow and see if I can find a 4:3.


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Someone else suggested the possible fix... When I first got my 22" widescreen monitor it looked stretched and blurry. I quickly found the "problem" was that the LCD monitors are typically optimized for one or two resolutions. Those look super sharp, but the other resolutions are a mixed bag of stretchy and blurry.

Once I found the optimum mode I was good to go... BUT, I also did have to download an updated video driver for my card as the one that came with it did not support all the resolutions of my new monitor.

I'm using an ATI card now that is at least 3-4 years old... and before that was using a different NVidia card that was at least 6 years old (I upgraded when someone else in the family bought a new computer and couldn't use their old AGP card anymore)... and both cards were quite happy with my 22" widescreen monitor once I was on the right set of drivers and picked the resolution.

If you have either an ATI-based or NVidia-based chipset graphics card you can often get the generic chipset drivers from their Web site that will support newer features than the original driver that came with the card.

I'm quite happy with my widescreen monitor once I got used to it and love the extra real-estate to work with!


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

I'm using onboard video on the motherboard.


----------



## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Methinks you need a new video card. Most of them now support 16:10 aspect ratios.


And why is that?

I've always wondered were the 10 comes from.

What's that all about?

Mike


----------



## prospect60 (Aug 26, 2006)

What resolution are you using currently? I have two 22 inch monitors (both Samsung) in my house and neither stretch anything. They look as good or better than the very good Dell 17inch (4:3) or the Sony 19inch CRT that they replaced. Most 22inch monitors use 1680x1050 native resolution and LCD's using just about any setting other than Native almost always gives less quality. If you can't change the output of your Video to match 1680x1050 then you may have a problem. 


OTOH, there are a few 4:3 monitors still around though I'm not sure I've seen anything above 20inch sets with 4:3 ratio in a while. I saw a couple nice Dell's at Staples recently that were 4:3 though I suspect they were last years models. Office Depot has a couple listed on their website at 20 inch and Dell.com has several available.


----------



## sperho (Sep 28, 2008)

MicroBeta said:


> And why is that?
> 
> I've always wondered were the 10 comes from.
> 
> ...


Because someone (the marketing department?) doesn't know how to reduce fractions...


----------



## kikkenit2 (Oct 26, 2006)

Richard King said:


> I'm using onboard video on the motherboard.


You probably need to add a video card. That should be fairly cheap and simple to install. You want dvi out and install the driver properly. You probably have a agp video port but there are newer connections so verify motherboard video slot type. Correct aspect ratio should be set automatically by the software.


----------



## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

I have a widescreen laptop, but my monitor (company provided), for when I'm using the docking station and working at home, is 4:3.

That really sucks.


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Richard King said:


> I'm using onboard video on the motherboard.


You could still have ATI or Nvidia onboard that would support the monitor better with an updated driver. Do you know (if not you can check the BIOS if you are unsure if Windows is reporting correctly) the chipset manufacturer and version for your onboard video?

As someone already noted, 1680x1050 is a popular native resolution for LCDs. Mine is optimized for that, as well as a couple of others that I forget like 1440x900 I think.

It's like a perfect storm, though, where you have to have the right video card driver, the right monitor "driver" so Windows shows the appropriate resolutions, and then make the right selections. Can be "fun" to get setup sometimes, but once you do it should look nice.

I remember when I went to buy my new monitor I specifically wanted a widescreen one, but did note that it was almost impossible to find 4:3 ones still except for the CRT ones, and those were becoming scarce as well.


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I can't think of a reason to use an old 4:3 display. Ever since I got my 22" HP Widescreen, I can't stand the old square things. My only regret is that I didn't get the 24". Have it connected to my GeForce 8800GT via HDMI->DVI. Picture quality is excellent, colors are rich and vibrant, contrast is top notch and Blu Ray looks killer. I would NEVER EVER buy any display that is not widescreen. To quote GM, Wider is Better.


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

Well, with a 98" screen sitting about 20' in front of my desk, I have no need for the "stuff" that you use in your computer. I just want to use it for business purposes, music, pictures (which are stretched on this thing) and browsing the net.

No, I didn't return it because I couldn't find another 4:3 monitor.  I have no open slots left for a video card.



> To quote GM, Wider is Better.


That depends.


----------



## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Richard, is you computer one you built or is it a Dell, HP, etc., If you built it the motherboard manufacturer probably has an updated video driver for the chipset on the motherboard, same for the Dell, HP's etc... Most, but not all redid their drivers to accomodate the 16:10 ratios. I did one ofthese the other day and got an intel driver that worked.


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

I'm with some of the others.... an updated video driver may exist from your mobo manufacturer, or from the manufacturer of the video "card" onboard, which would give you the proper resolution.

And, as HDMe suggested.... find the right resolution for your monitor and stick with it! I have an Envision here at the office that we picked up on the cheap at Costco. It looks like crap if I use any resolution other than 1440x900. I don't know if that's the monitor or the video card, but either way, it looks beautiful at that resolution, and it's painful to look at in other resolutions.

And finally, if neither of those options work for you, 4:3 LCDs are still available, if you look hard enough. TigerDirect has a number of them. I'm sure some could be had on Ebay...


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

The computer is from Tiger Direct. It's a Systemax, which is TD's in house brand. I'll contact them and see if there is another driver sitting out there somewhere for me.

My motherboard is an Intel Corporation D945GNT AAC96320-401


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

I just updated the driver at the Intel site. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!! You guys did good. I think all is now well with the world and I take back everything I was thinking about widescreen monitors (well, almost everything).


----------



## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

Wide screen monitors are great. I don't mind scrolling up and down. I detest scrolling right and left. For spreadsheets give me more columns.

--- CHAS


----------



## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

The higher resolution is great. I can cram more "stuff" on the screen than I ever could before and it's still readable. No more scrolling on programs like this one.


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

Glad to hear you got it all squared away. I wasn't sure I'd like the widescreen when I first got it - I'm the only one in the office who has one so far.

I love it, now, though. Couldn't pay me to go back to a not widescreen! Now if only I could get a BIGGER widescreen!


----------



## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Richard King said:


> I just updated the driver at the Intel site. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!! You guys did good. I think all is now well with the world and I take back everything I was thinking about widescreen monitors (well, almost everything).


Glad to hear it, and glad we helped nudge you in the right direction!

Like I said, I went looking for a widescreen when my old monitor died but I find I enjoy it even more than I thought. You realize very quickly the extra real estate is pretty cool and useful to have. I find even things like Web browsing on forums like this to be a better experience with the wider screen.

My only wish, is that I'd gotten a 24" instead of 22" but at the time there was a bigger price jump to go to those extra 2" and I needed a monitor.


----------



## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

These days.. the first place to go for almost any PC hardware (and sometimes software) is the Great Driver Pool. Don't always rely on the PC manufacturers web site either.. check the manufacturer of the component. 

That being said... there is one hard and fast rule when you NEVER go to the manufacturers site for a driver... Laptop Video Drivers... always go to the laptop manufacturer's suite for those... It isn't pretty! :lol:


----------



## dorfd1 (Jul 16, 2008)

try powerstrip. that utlity will let creat custom resolution and you can use it to add your monitors native resolution.


----------

