Monitor conflicts with graphics card




I have in recent times updated my PC to a Pentium with Windows 95, 16Mb RAM, and Internet access. I couldn't tell you the spec on my graphics card but it is up-to-date and capable of 1024x768. I know because my friendly computer man set up my system using one of his monitors. But when I brought the system home and booted up with my old Osborne MPV 1024 Super VGA monitor connected all I got was a scrambled display. I then had to find out how to enter Windows in safe mode and reduce the resolution back to 640x480 before it would work. It would seem that even though this monitor is called SuperVGA it doesn't appear to handle the higher resolutions.
- Michael and Jane Champion


To display a video image your monitor must be able to synchronise ("sync") with the signal coming from your video card. Unfortunately video monitors and cards are now capable of synching at higher rates than those of a few years ago. This is done, as far as I understand, to increase the clarity of the image at higher resolutions. Different resolutions will use different synching signals. All monitors seem to able to handle the standard VGA resolution of 640x480. It will depend on the monitor and the card but you may get away with 800x600 resolution even if 1024x768 will not work. The bad news is that it is a hardware problem so you cannot fix it without buying new hardware. If you don?t want to buy a new monitor you may be able to trade back your video card for one that will work with your old monitor.
- Roy Chambers


Category: Hardware
Issue: Feb 1997
Pages: 161

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