Monitor compatibility?
 

I'm finally getting rid of my 17" CRT, and have my eye on a Buy.com weekly special - An Acer 22" wide screen LCD (just $230 delivered this week).
http://www.buy.com/prod/acer-al2216w...202892776.html

My question is whether or not I can choose the 1680 x 1050 resolution on my present system. Right now my largest setting available is 1600 x 1200 (not wide screen). Can the aspect ratio be changed, or is it just a matter of picking "that" resolution (if it shows up)?

I'm using a Gateway P4 with an Intel 82865G chipset and graphics controller. With the monitor being plug and play, does anyone know if the 1680 x 1050 will become available after I plug it in, or will I need to also buy a video card? This is a very compact case, and although there is one slot open, I don't know if it will take a video card due to the cramped space - the cooling fins may make the card too wide to fit.

Anyone know if this chipset and controller will adapt to the widescreen, or is it too old?

I have the newest driver update installed.

Thanks for any help.

with the intel chipset it very well may not. You can choose any resolution that both your video card and monitor support. Generally these days the card is the limiting factor.

After looking at some docs at intel's website, it seems that 1600x1200 is, in fact, it's highest available resolution. However, 1680x1050 is newish for displays and not actually bigger in overall real estate, so it might work with newer drivers.

1600x1200 is the max for this chipset. However, 1680x1050 isn't any more actual real estate, so it may support it with newer drivers (no good reason it shouldn't). Good luck though. the xx865G chipset is AGP-based, and most companies don't really support their AGP drivers very well anymore (with the exception of nVidia because they do drivers the right way).

It will most likely work fine. Resolutions are usually controlled by the monitor. BTW if you're a gamer, I'd find out if the games you play support widescreen or not. I have a 20" widescreen LCD and it's pretty annoying not being able to play the games I enjoy on it.

There is a chance that it won't work fine, but according to a quick google search other people are using massive 22" widescreen LCDs on your chipset. You might have to install some monitor drivers to make it work.

EDIT**

The Intel site does say that the max resolution is 1600x1200, but it's also limiting that to plug n play monitors that don't require drivers. It explains below that higher resolutions *may* work with monitor drivers installed. It's pretty much a crapshoot.

Intel's specs on the 82865G show it might work. Some of the hardware limits are stuck to 1600 horizontal, but it would probably just lose acceleration features. That's to say it's possible but you'll have to try it.

It's up to the driver to provide resolution choices it thinks are a match for the "card" and monitor EDID information. You might want to turn off hardware acceleration first in case that disables the mode you want. Grab the newest driver before trying any of this. Here

Worst case you can use an alternate resolution until you order a cheap card.

Thanks for your responses - I do know that the monitor comes with a CD of drivers.

Since the sale is time-sensitive, based on all of your comments, I'm going to order it. I'll let you know the results.

Thanks again. :thumbsup:

Update: Monday, July 9

Wow - their free shipping took a whole five days (and that's including the weekend!)!

I hooked it up and set the resolution to 1680 x 1050 - no problem!!

Everything's a little too blue, tho - I've gotta work on that (or, everything was too green on my previous monitor).
And since I don't have a DVI connection, the text is a little "less than perfect" inside text boxes - maybe I'll buy a video card after all, just so I don't have to use the VGA cables.

All in all, I'm very happy - a great deal!

Thanks again to all of you who helped. :thumbsup:

Congrats on your new arrival!

Cheers to many years of viewing & surfing pleasure!!
Hope the vids are better than ever, too!!!

mmm, grats on the new monitor, I've been thinking its about time to get away from my crt...

I bumped this just to let anyone who's interested know that it's on sale again for a week, starting August 2, for $217.95 - with free delivery.

A great deal if anyone's in the market for a new monitor