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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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 Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:24 pm Post subject: My LCD's display looks like crap |
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I had windows 2000 running on my 18 inch LG LCD monitor and it looked great. 2000 started to be really unstable and I downloaded a service which wouldn't install properly and the end result was windows wouldn't even load, it just kept restarting over and over.
Stupidly started messing around with the BIOS etc trying to get it to work.
I did things like restoring 'default settings', and a couple of other things.
Then installed windows XP which works fine, except now the display looks a little strange. from a distance you'd hardly notice, but the fonts have a small shadow around them (don't look crisp) and other graphics are a little grainy.
I've tried running different resolutions and the results are no better.
I wonder if in messing around in the setup I messed something up.
thanks for bearing with me and I'd really appreciate any help. Spending so much on a monitor to have it look like this is really frustrating. |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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Then installed windows XP which works fine, except now the display looks a little strange. from a distance you'd hardly notice, but the fonts have a small shadow around them (don't look crisp) and other graphics are a little grainy.
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LCD monitors have something called "native resolution" - basically, if you're not running at that one particular resolution, the display will look like crap. The fonts will be all weird, etc...
Look up what the native resolution for your monitor is, and set that. Also, snoop around the manufacturer's website and see if there's a "monitor profile" that you can download for your model.
Finally, go into control panel->display->appearance->effects and change the "smooth edges of screen fonts" to "cleartype". It helps.
It could be something else, but I'd try these first. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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Ummm....LCD monitors have a "native resolution"...one that must be adhered to in order to look good. If not, the result is kind of a blurry, murky look. Check you native resolution...probably 1280x1024.
Look for "clear type" enabling to help with fonts. Right-click on the desktop, choose "properties"..then "appearance" then "effects"...play with these settings to see if it helps.
Looking into "ControlPanel/System/Advanced/Performance might also help you find some things that help.
Do you have a DVI connector? Use it instead of the VGA. I don't know if the BIOS has any settings that pertain to using an LCD...I have always had a CRT.
How old is your monitor?
HG
Hahaha...Lemon...you beat me to it!!!  Same advice too!!  |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Demophobe wrote: |
Do you have a DVI connector? Use it instead of the VGA. I don't know if the BIOS has any settings that pertain to using an LCD...I have always had a CRT. |
Thanks guys, by changing the refresh rate and resolution it's looking good again.
I do have a DVI connector but I don't know how to use it.
There doesn't seem to be anything the right shape in my case to connect it to? How can I use it? |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| There doesn't seem to be anything the right shape in my case to connect it to? How can I use it? |
You need a video card with one of those jacks (you don't). The picture would look marginally look better, but not $50 better, or whatever you'd have to pay for one of those cards. |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Mashimaro wrote: |
I do have a DVI connector but I don't know how to use it.
There doesn't seem to be anything the right shape in my case to connect it to? How can I use it? |
If you have DVI port on your LCD then congrats, this is a sign that it's better than average (at least compared to most of the ones I've been seeing in the stores).
To use DVI you need to have a DVI-capable video card.
Interesting little lesson:
Computers are digital. LCDs are digital. CRT monitors are not digital. One of the things a video card does is convert the digital video information to an analog signal that can be used by a CRT. DVI bypasses this step and shoots the digital signal out to the digital LCD.
So, if you have an LCD but are using a regular video cable then what is happening is- your video card converts the digital signal to analog in order to shoot it through 3' of cable where at the other end your LCD takes the analog signal and converts it back to digital in order to throw it up on your screen. Crazy, eh? Even crazier- a lot of LCD manufacturers skimp on including a DVI port on their LCDs!
Sure, the performance difference is probably marginal, for now. But as pcs get faster and video and game technologies advance, you may end up kicking yourself for going with the cheaper LCD without the DVI port (LCDs have a longer life than CRTs, so the one you buy may be with you for quite some time). |
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