Just got my HP A7217A

[ITPaladin]

edited....

I got it on both monitors and figured out how to switch which side has the main desktop but still not sure how to work all this.
Black bars still on both sides like a normal 4:3. I can't seem to get it into 16:10.

It is confusing moving the mouse so far in order to get it to the other screen . I would like to know if it is possible to have different desktop wallpaper on them.

When ever I change display / refresh rates via the ATI tray icon it changes the display resolution on the LCD but the CRT never changes.

The wallpaper I have up is squished on the CRT but normal on LCD.

(figured out how to expand the CRT image, but the colors, brightness, and / or contrast needs fixing. This is going to take a while. I have the 2005FPW next to it with same picture at at present there is no comparison. Whites are not white, etc.)



Sure is easier setting up an LCD heh.

 

[ITPaladin]

.

 

[ITPaladin]

nt

 

[ITPaladin]

bah everytime I change the refresh rate I have to go into the OSD and change the image again.

 

[JRW]

Originally posted by: ITPaladin
bah everytime I change the refresh rate I have to go into the OSD and change the image again.

The monitor remembers 10 differant resolution & refresh rate combos ..so for example if you adjust the screensize in 1600x1024@85hz and then change it to 1600x1024@100hz it will treat it as another user preset. I only use 4 main widescreen resolutions depending on the game being played (1280x800 / 1600x1024 / 1680x1050 / 1920x1200) and if a game refuses to support widescreen ill use 1280x960 or 1600x1200 (Black bars on sides).

When you say the image looks 'flat' on the CRT are you adjusting the actual brightness & contrast on the monitor itself (press the joystick up or down to adjust brightness and left or right to adjust contrast) I have mine set on Brightness 28 / Contrast 75 when browsing the web and it looks bright and vibrant, when playing games or watching movies ill use Brightness 28 / Contrast 90 for that extra vibrancy punch, The black levels should be VERY black on the monitor and not grey or washed out. I was going to suggest using Digital Vibrancy but I dont think ATI has that feature ..it gives the monitor a boost in overall color output, I also have my monitors color temp set on 6500k , you can change it by accessing the OSD and select Color ,then press Down and you'l be able to select a preset color temp. a lot of people prefer 9300k but 6500k is the most accurate setting.

 

[ITPaladin]

I tried down in the low 30s for bright and 100 for contrast. I am currently working with the Nokia monitor test.

At first glace 6500k seems on the warm side.

I suppose it is unfair trying to compare a white on the LCD to a white on the CRT.

The 2005FPW is just so much brighter on the lowest brightness than the CRT is on its highest brightness.

It is interesting that my monitor / 9600xt doesn't have the option for 1200x?000, 1280x800, or 1600x1024.

 

[ITPaladin]

btw what is the list of 16:10 resolutions above 1024x768 and below 1920x1440 (my max res on the CRT)?

 

[JRW]

The 4 resolutions I listed above are the only 16:10 res's I know of, Thats wierd that you're not able to select most of them ,plus I can go up to 2048x1280 res.. are you running the latest ATI drivers?

LCDs in general have a brighter picture than CRTs but it shouldnt be a huge differance ,when I had my 2001FP LCD sitting next to it I noticed it was a bigger differance during the day , CRTs look a lot better with less light in the room..I always close my curtains in the room when playing games or watching movies. The LCD actualy looked alittle overbright to me, it was sort of like staring at a fluorescent lightbulb.

The main reason I stuck with CRT and got rid of the LCD was the fact the CRT had way better black levels (dark games & any movies looked washed out on the LCD) , viewing angles were crappy , the fixed/native resolution on the LCD was a drag and motion blur during gaming was noticable , framerates looked a lot smoother and fluid on the CRT. I play a lot of games so all that stuff was important to me.

 

[ITPaladin]

It could be that the 9600xt doesn't go that high.

I haven't looked.