Large CRT screen needs drivers for higher resolution

eisanm · #1 10-25-2005, 07:39 PM

Hello,

I have been looking around to buy a new CRT monitor since my current one only lets me have 1280x1024 resolution.

Then, however, a friend comes by and tells me
"If you only get correct drivers for it, you'll be able to use 1600x1200 on pretty much any monitor".

Since this is a 19' or 20' monitor I believe it should actually be able to handle a much higher resolution.

I don't know how to get those drivers though. Right now I only have the winxp standard "plug and play monitor" drivers which might be the reason I can't get high res.

The monitor is a HP A4331D CRT monitor, 3-4 years old (maybe a little more), and I like it very much so I'd love to be able to keep it. But then I need those drivers for a good resolution.

I checked on the HP website with no success. There are drivers but not for this one. I thought maybe you can use drivers for some other monitor and have them work with this one too, but I don't know very much about this so I don't know where to start looking and how to install them.

I would greatly appreciate any help, since it might save me loads of money if I don't have to buy a new monitor.

#2 10-25-2005, 08:08 PM

A quick bit of googling turned up this result:

http://www.monitor-drivers.com/drivers/112/112757.htm

No resolution beyond 1280x1024 is supported on your monitor, so be careful.

Nomad84 · #3 10-26-2005, 01:03 AM

Go to Display Properties-->Settings-->Advanced-->monitor tab (I think...going by memory here) You should be able to change your driver here. I am using the driver included with windows called "Super VGA 1600x1200" or something like that. I don't remember if it was on my hard drive already or if it came off of a Windows CD. Either way, it works fine for me. If your monitor does not support that resolution, it will just go black when you try to set the resolution. After a few seconds, your old settings will be restored and the screen image will come back.

eisanm · #4 10-26-2005, 06:03 AM

Thanks a lot for this information. I'll look it up once I get home and try it.

The poster of the drivers, as I understand it, claims that it works with 1600x1200 resolution. Then I suppose it does [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

However, I don't know very much about hardware, so if it doesn't work, what could happen? I've read a little about hardware damage, how serious can that be?

It shouldn't normally be a good thing to "force" the monitor to do something it isn't supposed to do, but then I think it's very beautiful if it can be done.

FouTight · #5 10-26-2005, 08:16 AM

This is nuts, you can't just make a monitor run at a higher resolution.

Usually the only thing stopping you from running higher resolutions is your graphics card driver, if that driver is installed properly, you are probably getting the highest resolution possible out of your monitor.

If you try to push it higher then that, there IS a good chance you will fry the monitor.

MyMindIsGoing · #6 10-26-2005, 08:21 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Usually the only thing stopping you from running higher resolutions is your graphics card driver

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not true, it is the monitor driver that lets you use diffrent resolutions and refreshrates.

This particular monitor is not made for higher resolitons than 1280*1024. So even if you could push it to higher (by disabling the current monitordriver or modifying it) it will not be good for the monitor.

If you have the correct driver installed, it will not let you chose a "bad" resolution, and since 1600*1200 is not in that driver, you should not try to run it at that resolution.

FouTight · #7 10-26-2005, 09:53 AM

I think you missunderstanding what I'm saying as in...

if you would be capable of running a higher resolution, but aren't, it would be the graphics driver, the default monitor drivers would handle it okay.

MyMindIsGoing · #8 10-26-2005, 10:11 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I think you missunderstanding what I'm saying as in...

if you would be capable of running a higher resolution, but aren't, it would be the graphics driver, the default monitor drivers would handle it okay.

[/ QUOTE ]

My english sucks before I drink coffie, those sentences are like those batman riddles [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

eisanm · #9 10-26-2005, 10:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]

This particular monitor is not made for higher resolitons than 1280*1024. So even if you could push it to higher (by disabling the current monitordriver or modifying it) it will not be good for the monitor.

[/ QUOTE ]
Agree

[ QUOTE ]

If you have the correct driver installed, it will not let you chose a "bad" resolution, and since 1600*1200 is not in that driver, you should not try to run it at that resolution.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know it's not made for it, but the guy posting the driver says it works fine at 1600.
However I do not currently have the correct driver, just some standard thing from windows.

Also, if I cannot get high res with this monitor, I will have to buy a new one anyway and this one will be of no use for me, so trying it is sort of a win-win situation, whether it fries or not.

MyMindIsGoing · #10 10-26-2005, 10:31 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Also, if I cannot get high res with this monitor, I will have to buy a new one anyway and this one will be of no use for me, so trying it is sort of a win-win situation, whether it fries or not.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sell it and use the money to pay part of the new one.