Replacing Compaq ES-1869 videocard (&/or new cable?

[JudySmith]

OK, I'm starting a new post as a continuation of the following discontinued thread:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=1079832

I'M COPY-PASTING THE LAST FEW POSTS FROM OLD THREAD:

First of all, thanks to NTB, jliechty, foofoo, Confused, vonkas, artemedes and to everyone else for your input.

NTB your instructions re: Icon size and font size helped somewhat - thanks!
vonkas I think I should first try a new video card, then maybe a cable. I don't have access to try anyone's cable, so I can't see if it would help.

BTW, I'd also bought Cyber Accoustic CA-15 magnetically-shielded speakers that are on either side of the Samsung. Might they by some chance be responsible for the blurriness? (I imagine not...

Originally posted by: pukemon
I have the same monitor the 151S except in WinXP.

To the original poster, here's the no-nonsense scoop:

1) Set the screen resolution to 1024x768 People are saying to do this because it is the "native resolution." They are correct. What that means is the actual number of dots is 1024 horizontally and 768 vertically. If you set it to anything else it WILL look blurry.

I just now realized that the text did not become small after doing this. I had thought it became small because the text on this forum is way small

2) Set the font size to large or extra large. This will make the fonts look bigger.

Yes, I did follow NTB's instructions, and it did help some. But my text is still not sharp the way it was on the KDS monstrosity.

3) Since you aren't using WinXP, you don't have Cleartype which smooths the fonts and makes everything look much prettier. So the fonts will be jagged. There's nothing you can do about it.

I can live with jagged. It's the clarity that's a problem. Uh, let me amend what I just said, because I just now analyzed the screen more closely, and now I do see what you mean about jaggedness. It's like I'm able to see each pixel on the screen (so maybe the text is still virtually blurry, because the pixels aren't in close enough proximity to each other??) Is there any way to get around this? Can a video card help this situation? See, while the text isn't "double" the way it was before, it's still taking a toll on my optic muscles.

Another thing: When I scroll up & down screen, the text flickers, and that's hard on the eyes as well.

4) Set the screen refresh rate to 60Hz. In Win98 it will be "Adapter default" setting it to anything won't do anything to make it better because LCD's don't have to deal with refresh rates the same way as CRTs do.

I had tried setting the refresh rate to 60Hz, but then when I checked to see if it registered, it had automatically switched it back to 75Hz

So, there's no getting away from a new video card? Which video card should I get? What do I search for on Newegg (or any other store that accepts checks)? But, above all, how do I open up the Compaq Presario box to install the card? This is scary.

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RESPONSE BY VONKAS - IN ORIGINAL THREAD:

Judy - definetely try the cable first. Just buy one, they are cheap. And someone said "set resolution to 1024x768" this is definetely a MUST! I find thast the best quality video comes from ATI cards - get the lowest cost Radeon you can find (I like the 7000 series). Great would be if it had a digital port next to the standard VGA (as has indeed the 7000). I think your 151 cannot take digital but your next one will! So then you can keep the card. Older, cheap Radeons (like the 7000) will be fast enough for the next few years and plenty fast for ANY LCD out there - no need to spend big on the latest!

 

[JudySmith]

OK, I searched Newegg, for the Radeon and it yielded this:

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=ati+radeon

Questions:

(1) Which of the Radeon 7000's on above URL is the one you meant?

(2) I can't seem to get the refresh rate to 60 hz. It keeps automatically defaulting to 75 hz. Besides, the temporary view in 60 hz is blurrier than the 75 hz, which is odd, since the Syncmaster manual does say that 60 hz is ideal.

(3) I unscrewed the back of my Compaq Presario CPU, and my heart sank when I saw how inaccessible the ES-1869 graphics card is. And even if I could somehow access it, still it's a nightmare with wires which look like licorice whips connected every which way from the card. I can't even get the lummoxy cover back on - not with my strength. Whoever designed it deserves the ignoble prize.
So how on earth will I manage to get the 1869 disconnected & the Radeon connected? It's better I know this before buying anything.

(4) To find a good quality video cable, which keyword should I search for on Newegg?

P.S. I'd been wanting sharp imagery, so I don't understand - where does "speed" come into the picture?