Help with GeForce FX 5200 Ultra & Widescreen Monitor

[Mayfriday0529]

How do I know if this card support resolutions for a Widescreen Monitor.
We just got a Dell 2407WP Widescreen monitor, but we can't a widescreen resolution, only 4:3 so we had to strech the screen to fit and looks awful.

We installed the Latest Nvidia Drives for the GeForce FX 5200 Ultra and are using a DVI cable . This Video card is AGP based.

I found the following information on Nvidia's website about the card.
# Dual RAMDACs (up to 400 MHz) for display resolutions up to and including 2048×1536 @ 85Hz
# Integrated NTSC/PAL TV encoder support resolutions up to 1024×768 without the need for panning with built-in Macrovision copy protection
# DVD and HDTV-ready MPEG-2 decoding up to 1920×1080i resolutions
# DVI support for compatibility with nextgeneration flat panel displays with resolutions up to and including 1600×1200

 

[Slugbait]

I've got a 5200 hooked to my TV, but it's a 4:3 set...I got it with the intention of doing widescreen DVR later. Unfortunately, I'm not in front of my TV to see if I am correct about the following...

Try this:
Open Display Properties, click Adapter tab, the click the List All Modes button...the resolution you want may be there for selection and should work.

 

[pkrush]

The FX 5200 only has a single link DVI port, which won't run at more than 1600 x 1200. You need to get a card with dual link DVI or use the VGA port.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: pkrush
The FX 5200 only has a single link DVI port, which won't run at more than 1600 x 1200. You need to get a card with dual link DVI or use the VGA port.

i second this.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: pkrush
The FX 5200 only has a single link DVI port, which won't run at more than 1600 x 1200. You need to get a card with dual link DVI or use the VGA port.

I don't understand? what does having a single DVI port matter? I have a PCI-E at home with VGA and DVI, both ports work ok with my 21" wide screen monitor.

I'm not trying to extend the screen to a secondary monitor. Its just that one new monitor.
Anyways we still don't have it working. The resolution states 1600 x 1200 but everything is stretched and the colors suck. We were thinking of getting another video card.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: pkrush
The FX 5200 only has a single link DVI port, which won't run at more than 1600 x 1200. You need to get a card with dual link DVI or use the VGA port.

I don't understand? what does having a single DVI port matter? I have a PCI-E at home with VGA and DVI, both ports work ok with my 21" wide screen monitor.

I'm not trying to extend the screen to a secondary monitor. Its just that one new monitor.
Anyways we still don't have it working. The resolution states 1600 x 1200 but everything is stretched and the colors suck. We were thinking of getting another video card.

A dual-link DVI port doesn't mean 2 DVI ports, it means a 2nd generation DVI port that offers 2x the bandwidth of a single-link port*. A single DVI link only has enough bandwidth for up to 1600x1200/1900x1200, while your 24" panel has a much higher resolution than that. You need a new video card, one that offers a dual-link connection. The bare minimum here for AGP(in terms of cost) is going to be something from the X1300 series with dual-link support, which will likely run you at least $80.

* Technical note: it's dual-link because the DVI port has a second set of pins for a second data channel, hence 2x the bandwidth. On single-link cards, these pins exist but are dead

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: pkrush
The FX 5200 only has a single link DVI port, which won't run at more than 1600 x 1200. You need to get a card with dual link DVI or use the VGA port.

I don't understand? what does having a single DVI port matter? I have a PCI-E at home with VGA and DVI, both ports work ok with my 21" wide screen monitor.

I'm not trying to extend the screen to a secondary monitor. Its just that one new monitor.
Anyways we still don't have it working. The resolution states 1600 x 1200 but everything is stretched and the colors suck. We were thinking of getting another video card.

A dual-link DVI port doesn't mean 2 DVI ports, it means a 2nd generation DVI port that offers 2x the bandwidth of a single-link port*. A single DVI link only has enough bandwidth for up to 1600x1200/1900x1200, while your 24" panel has a much higher resolution than that. You need a new video card, one that offers a dual-link connection. The bare minimum here for AGP(in terms of cost) is going to be something from the X1300 series with dual-link support, which will likely run you at least $80.

* Technical note: it's dual-link because the DVI port has a second set of pins for a second data channel, hence 2x the bandwidth. On single-link cards, these pins exist but are dead

Got any recommendation? Price is not an issue, this is work not my money.

 

[Gautama2]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
We just got a Dell 2407WP Widescreen monitor, but we can't a widescreen resolution, only 4:3 so we had to strech the screen to fit and looks awful.

We installed the Latest Nvidia Drives for the GeForce FX 5200 Ultra and are using a DVI cable . This Video card is AGP based.

Referring to yourself as two people now? Wtf is wrong with you?

Just playin, lol.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Gautama2

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
We just got a Dell 2407WP Widescreen monitor, but we can't a widescreen resolution, only 4:3 so we had to strech the screen to fit and looks awful.

We installed the Latest Nvidia Drives for the GeForce FX 5200 Ultra and are using a DVI cable . This Video card is AGP based.

Referring to yourself as two people now? Wtf is wrong with you?

Just playin, lol.

I mean to say me and my colleagues at work.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: Gautama2

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
We just got a Dell 2407WP Widescreen monitor, but we can't a widescreen resolution, only 4:3 so we had to strech the screen to fit and looks awful.

We installed the Latest Nvidia Drives for the GeForce FX 5200 Ultra and are using a DVI cable . This Video card is AGP based.

Referring to yourself as two people now? Wtf is wrong with you?

Just playin, lol.

I mean to say me and my colleagues at work.

Considering you were fine with a FX5200U in the first place, just head on over to Newegg and pick up the first X1300Pro that supports dual-link and comes from a decent company.

 

[Steve]

Single link DVI is needed for resolutions up to and including 1920x1200. Single link will handle anything between 1600x1200 and 1920x1200 just fine. If you don't believe me, come over to my apartment and I'll show you a Dell 2405FPW running on a Radeon 9600. I also ran it on a PCI 9100, over DVI. But I sold that card.

The real problem is the card being used. Many GeForce cards from GF2-GF5 (maybe GF6 too?) have issues with high-res DVI because nVidia's TMDS transmitter chip on these cards is inadequate. If you can find a card made by someone who didn't use nVidia's TMDS chip, you're set. Otherwise, get any ATi Radeon card and enjoy full DVI compliance

 

[Steve]

Oh and BTW, 24" panels are 1920x1200

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: sm8000
Oh and BTW, 24" panels are 1920x1200

Sonofa, I feel like an idiot. I don't know why I was thinking 30".

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: sm8000
Oh and BTW, 24" panels are 1920x1200

Sonofa, I feel like an idiot. I don't know why I was thinking 30".

Don't worry, everyone's thinking 30" these days. I know I am!

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: sm8000
Single link DVI is needed for resolutions up to and including 1920x1200. Single link will handle anything between 1600x1200 and 1920x1200 just fine. If you don't believe me, come over to my apartment and I'll show you a Dell 2405FPW running on a Radeon 9600. I also ran it on a PCI 9100, over DVI. But I sold that card.

The real problem is the card being used. Many GeForce cards from GF2-GF5 (maybe GF6 too?) have issues with high-res DVI because nVidia's TMDS transmitter chip on these cards is inadequate. If you can find a card made by someone who didn't use nVidia's TMDS chip, you're set. Otherwise, get any ATi Radeon card and enjoy full DVI compliance

thanks for the explanation. I already got our tech at work looking for a ATI Radeon to buy from our reseller.

 

[Steve]

You're welcome! Glad I could help.