Computer screen problem

[Râleclins]

Hello everyone,

I'm having a problem with the screen of my computer. It works without problems in the 1024x768 resolution, which at least allows me to go on Windows without problems. But as soon as it switches to 800x600 resolution, it looks like it tries to stick a picture too big in a frame too small. This screen is several years old and it's just started doing that for a few weeks ; at first it was infrequent, and now it's doing that as soon as it takes that 800x600 resolution.
It's not a problem for Windows, but it's quite a problem for most of my games, since they are quite old and are usually in that bloody low resolution.
I have tried to exchange my screen with my old one, which is ten-year old. It works perfectly, but it is so small and ugly that I'd prefer not to have to use it each time I'd like to enjoy a game... At least, it shows that the problem doesn't come from Windows or from the computer itself, but from the screen.
I've also tried to fiddle with the keys that are below the screen and change things such as the size and contrasts of the screen. But it hasn't helped.

I'd be glad if somebody had a few suggestions !

 

[cd1_christine]

But as soon as it switches to 800x600 resolution, it looks like it tries to stick a picture too big in a frame too small. This screen is several years old and it's just started doing that for a few weeks ; at first it was infrequent, and now it's doing that as soon as it takes that 800x600 resolution.

What exactly do you mean by that? At 1024x768, things are going to be smaller on the screen than at 800x600....it's supposed to look bigger at the lower resolution. But the fact that you say it's only happened the last few weeks tells me this isn't normal behaviour that you're talking about.

If you can describe exactly what it looks like, or even take a screenshot and post it, that would be better. It would also let us know for sure whether it's the monitor or the graphics card, as the screenshot will look normal if it's the monitor, but probably screwy if it's the card or driver.

To get a screenshot, press "Print Screen", then open a graphics program and paste into a new image. Microsoft Paint won't work for this, as it's a bitmap only program, and you'll probably want a jpg to post to lit.

 

[Râleclins]

Well, English isn't my natural language so it's a bit hard to explain.

The screenshot doesn't show anything unnatural.
I've attached two pictures. "pb ecran.jpg" is a screen capture that shows what my computer sees when in 800x600 resolution. "pb ecran 2.jpg" is a picture I've transformed a bit to show what I see ; this second picture is not a real screen capture since I've twisted it a bit. But it shows what I see.

 

[Ravin the Poet]

Your monitor is starting to go. Thats really all there is to say. I have had the same issues awhile back and really the only way to fix it (besides hitting it) is to replace it. All games have the abaility to change resolution, so just change them to the 1024x768 resolution. Besides that, your best bet is to probably get a new monitor or leave the resolution as 1024x768. Never understood why people have there resolution so low, and have everything so big.


Ravin

 

[cd1_christine]

Well, English isn't my natural language so it's a bit hard to explain.

The screenshot doesn't show anything unnatural.
I've attached two pictures. "pb ecran.jpg" is a screen capture that shows what my computer sees when in 800x600 resolution. "pb ecran 2.jpg" is a picture I've transformed a bit to show what I see ; this second picture is not a real screen capture since I've twisted it a bit. But it shows what I see.

Ok...definitely the monitor. I just had one start to do that on me. As Ravin said, hitting it sometimes works. A fairly solid open-palmed slap on the side worked for mine for a while. Got a couple more months out of it, anyway. It was a cheap piece of crap Mag Innovision that I got for free, so it didn't owe me anything. Replaced it with a Samsung SyncMaster, though, and boy, is it ever a nicer monitor. Much easier on the eyes than the Mag ever was.

Just out of curiosity, does the image look like it's disappearing off the sides of the screen? Like, it runs right up to the edge of the glass where the plastic surround is? If you use the controls on the front to shrink the size of the picture down, it will either pull in from the sides, but still not show the whole picture (just on less of the screen) or more will appear, but it seems like it's coming from beyond the edges of the monitor. Is the second what's happening?

 

[SubNebGuy]

every computer and monitor I've ever used...switching from high to low resolution, I've had to adjust the monitor afterwards. the position is usually not centered, nor does it leave the same edge border either.

your screenshot #2 simply shows a screen that's stretched wider than it's strechted vertically. I don't think your monitor is bad. I think you need to tweak it.

I'd put more money on the video card being cheap/going bad than the monitor. it's just displaying the signal it's being sent.

 

[Râleclins]

every computer and monitor I've ever used...switching from high to low resolution, I've had to adjust the monitor afterwards. the position is usually not centered, nor does it leave the same edge border either.

No, I've tried adjusting the monitor. In particular, there's a key for adjusting the broadness of the screen (and another for its height). But it doesn't go far enough. With the minimum width, I still can't see the sides of what I'm supposed to see. Besides, it used to be all right.

And the second image wasn't a screenshot ; I cut my first screenshot and extended it sideways to explain what I was seeing, rather than what the computer was sending to the monitor.

Just out of curiosity, does the image look like it's disappearing off the sides of the screen? Like, it runs right up to the edge of the glass where the plastic surround is? If you use the controls on the front to shrink the size of the picture down, it will either pull in from the sides, but still not show the whole picture (just on less of the screen) or more will appear, but it seems like it's coming from beyond the edges of the monitor. Is the second what's happening?

Yes, the second is what's happening. More appears from beyond the edges of the monitor. But I can't bring the whole picture to be shown that way.
Thanks to all of you ! (But you can keep sending suggestions, of course )

 

[cd1_christine]

No, I've tried adjusting the monitor. In particular, there's a key for adjusting the broadness of the screen (and another for its height). But it doesn't go far enough. With the minimum width, I still can't see the sides of what I'm supposed to see. Besides, it used to be all right.

And the second image wasn't a screenshot ; I cut my first screenshot and extended it sideways to explain what I was seeing, rather than what the computer was sending to the monitor.



Yes, the second is what's happening. More appears from beyond the edges of the monitor. But I can't bring the whole picture to be shown that way.
Thanks to all of you ! (But you can keep sending suggestions, of course )

My suggestion is to drop a couple hundred on a good monitor. Make it an LG, NEC, Samsung, or something along those lines. If it doesn't have a 3 year warranty, it's not worth spending the money on.

SubNebGuy....in most cases I'd agree with you. However, there are relays inside the monitor that are used to select different resolutions. That's what you hear click from the monitor when you change resolution on the computer. When one of these relays goes bad, it can do exactly what Râleclins' monitor is doing. It's like the monitor's running at 1024x600, but the video card is giving it 1024x768, so it's got an extra 168 pixels that run off the side of the screen. Not bad to fix, if you can do it yourself, but for labour rates nowadays, it's frequently cheaper to buy a new one. That way you get a warranty, too.

 

[SweetErika]

If you're getting a new monitor, you may want to check out http://www.newegg.com . We did a lot of comparison shopping and finally settled on a 17" Acer LCD (including a 3 year warranty) for around $200 last fall that we've been very happy with.