Video Card Resolution Jargon

mjs90201

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Jan 9, 2007
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I just purchased a Chaintech SA5200 video card [Nvidia G-Force FX5200 version 1024, AGP 8x, 256 MB of DDR, 128 bit] to use with my old Dell Dimension 8100 desktop and my new Dell 2007WFP widescreen LCD monitor. Since Newegg shows this videocard as having a max resolution of 2048x1536, I thought it could run my new monitor at its native 1680x1050 resolution. After intalling the card and the latest fiirmware and driver, the maximum resolution I could access is 1600x1024; I am using the DVI cable that came with my monitor. The Chaintech website says the following regarding this card's resolution: "Dual, 350MHz RAMDACs for display resolutions up to and including 2048x1536@75Hz" & "Support for single-link DVI for compatibility with next-generation flat panel displays with resolutions greater than 1600x1200 without the need for reduced blanking." On a pdf document from the nVidia website, however, I found the following statement about their G-Force FX family of graphics processing units: "DVI support for compatibility with next generation flat panel displays with resolutions up to and including 1600×1200" This seems to conflict with the above claims. Can someone please help me cut through the jargon and tell me whether this card is supposed to be able to run my LCD monitor at its native 1680x1050 resolution through its DVI port?
 

Painman

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Feb 27, 2000
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This likely has to do with the resolution table from the display's "driver" (it's usually is just a resolution table that gets added to the registry). Be sure to D/L and install that from the Dell site if they didn't give it to you on disc with the display.

There is no reason why an FX5200 couldn't drive 1680 x 1050. It probably just isn't being asked to properly.
 

vhx

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Jul 19, 2006
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The max you could get out of the DVI would be 1600x1200 unless you have Dual Link DVI, as for VGA, that is the one that has the 2048x1536 max resolution.

You could try adding a custom resolution in the control panel to make sure though, but pretty sure it wont get you anywhere.
 

mjs90201

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Jan 9, 2007
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Are you suggesting that my videocard does not have "dual link DVI" and therefore cannot generate resolutions above 1600x1200? If so, then why is my maximum resolution 1600x1024 instead of 1600x1200?

 

ViRGE

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Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: mjs90201
Are you suggesting that my videocard does not have "dual link DVI" and therefore cannot generate resolutions above 1600x1200? If so, then why is my maximum resolution 1600x1024 instead of 1600x1200?
It's not that, a single link drives up to 1920x1200.
 

drum

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Feb 1, 2003
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Originally posted by: vhx
The max you could get out of the DVI would be 1600x1200 unless you have Dual Link DVI, as for VGA, that is the one that has the 2048x1536 max resolution.

You could try adding a custom resolution in the control panel to make sure though, but pretty sure it wont get you anywhere.

That is false.
 

CP5670

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Jun 24, 2004
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He may actually be right in this case, as many 5200s follow the DVI specification too loosely and don't work with the 1920x1200 monitors.
 

Arkaign

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Go to http://www.nvidia.com and download the latest video driver. After installing+rebooting, see if you have more resolution options. Often, the built-in windows driver and/or the crap drivers they put on OEM cds just don't do the job right. Latest gpu mfg driver ftw! Good luck.
 

vhx

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Jul 19, 2006
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Well, I have yet to see someone with a resolution above 1600x1200 with most single link video cards, unless someone can link me an article where they did such a thing. :eek:
 

Matthias99

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Oct 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: vhx
Well, I have yet to see someone with a resolution above 1600x1200 with most single link video cards, unless someone can link me an article where they did such a thing. :eek:

1900x1200 (24" widescreen LCDs use this) works on almost all cards. I've done it myself.

Although it's slightly out-of-spec for single-link DVI; IIRC it has to use reduced blanking interval.
 

vhx

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Jul 19, 2006
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Well, Looking at places like EVGA, most cards for digital support only 1600x1200.
EX: FX5200 6600GT

Then again it could probably just be that manufacturer's.
 

Matthias99

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Originally posted by: vhx
Well, Looking at places like EVGA, most cards for digital support only 1600x1200.
EX: FX5200 6600GT

Then again it could probably just be that manufacturer's.

Officially, single-link DVI tops out at 1600x1200. But most video cards have the capability to bend the spec a little bit by adjusting the video timing so that you can squeeze out 1900x1200. It's not 100%, but it usually works.

I was able to run a Dell 2405FPW at 1900x1200 on a RADEON 9800Pro, so it's definitely possible.
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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Originally posted by: Matthias99
Originally posted by: vhx
Well, Looking at places like EVGA, most cards for digital support only 1600x1200.
EX: FX5200 6600GT

Then again it could probably just be that manufacturer's.

Officially, single-link DVI tops out at 1600x1200. But most video cards have the capability to bend the spec a little bit by adjusting the video timing so that you can squeeze out 1900x1200. It's not 100%, but it usually works.

I was able to run a Dell 2405FPW at 1900x1200 on a RADEON 9800Pro, so it's definitely possible.

Argh, your vendor doesn't matter. Install the latest drivers for your Gpu for your ATI or Nvidia product on almost anything that isn't prehistoric, and blammo, you have support for 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, etc. It *DOES* work. I've run 1680x1050 on a AGP Ti4600 FFS.
 

Painman

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In any case, 1680 * 1050 is 1.764 Mpixel, while 1600 * 1200 is 1.92 MPixel... unless there's something I'm missing here, I don't see why his DVI port wouldn't be able to drive it.
 

Arkaign

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Originally posted by: Painman
In any case, 1680 * 1050 is 1.764 Mpixel, while 1600 * 1200 is 1.92 MPixel... unless there's something I'm missing here, I don't see why his DVI port wouldn't be able to drive it.

Drivers :)
 

Painman

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Originally posted by: Arkaign
Originally posted by: Painman
In any case, 1680 * 1050 is 1.764 Mpixel, while 1600 * 1200 is 1.92 MPixel... unless there's something I'm missing here, I don't see why his DVI port wouldn't be able to drive it.

Drivers :)

Drivers? Me?

No, I'm not missing any drivers.

The OP, now there's a guy who's missing some drivers. :D
 

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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Originally posted by: Painman
Originally posted by: Arkaign
Originally posted by: Painman
In any case, 1680 * 1050 is 1.764 Mpixel, while 1600 * 1200 is 1.92 MPixel... unless there's something I'm missing here, I don't see why his DVI port wouldn't be able to drive it.

Drivers :)

Drivers? Me?

No, I'm not missing any drivers.

The OP, now there's a guy who's missing some drivers. :D

lol I stand corrected ;) :beer:
 

mjs90201

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Jan 9, 2007
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As I stated in my first post, I did install the latest available driver (from the nVidia website) for the graphics card. I also installed the driver for my new Dell monitor that came on the installation CD for the Dell 2007WFP monitor.

Also, I would like to reiterate that the native resolution of my widescreen monitor is 1680x1050 (not 1600x1200), and that the highest resolution I can access is 1600x1024 (which is less than 1600x1200). As Painman pointed out, 1600x1200 is more pixels than 1680x1050. This, along with the fact that I cannot access 1600x1200 resolution, leads me to believe that my problem does not stem from a limitation of DVI.

I am still confused about whether my videocard is supposed to be able to support my monitor's 1680x1050 native resolution...or whether the fault lies with my old computer/operating system. Has anyone realized 1680x1050 resolution through the DVI port of an nVidia GeForce FX series graphics card???
 

postmortemIA

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Jul 11, 2006
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your monitor does not support 1600x1200 resolution: you have only 1050 vertical lines. That is how LCDs work.

Second,you can add custom resolution using nVidia drivers.

Third, you can use modded nv4_disp.inf file that contains that resolution.
 

mjs90201

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Jan 9, 2007
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I did suspect that graphics card drivers would not allow one to access a resolution that exceeded the capacity of the attached monitor(s), but I was not sure.

I have tried to add 1680x1050 as a custom resolution through the nVidia display menu, but I always get the message: "The custom resolution cannot be added."

Can you recommend a link where a novice like me could learn to use "modded nv4_disp.inf" files?

I do not think I mentioned that my Dell computer is running Windows ME. Is it possible that this operating system does not support video resolutions greater than 1600x1024?
 

Painman

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Something tells me that running ME may be the crux of the problem. There's no huge, overarching reason why they couldn't add a proper resolution table to the Win9x version of the drivers, but this is the kind of random thing that happens when your OS gets outdated and support for it becomes an afterthought.

A registry hack and/or or editing of nv4_disp.inf to add 1680 * 1050 to the res table may be the answer; unfortunately I can't assist much further since I'm not running an nV card atm.

Hope you get this worked out. Please do consider updating your operating system. :)
 

mjs90201

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Jan 9, 2007
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I purchased a similar nVidia graphics card from a local store (with a return policy) to make sure I did not have a defective card. This new card showed the same resolution limitation. I just got off the phone with tech support for this card. He said that the nVidia driver WILL display available resolutions that exceed the capability of the attached monitor, but not resolutions that exceed the capability of the motherboard. He suggested that my motherboard (Dell Dimension 8100 Pentium 4 desktop) is at fault. If this is true, then upgrading my OS and purchasing the most expensive available AGP card would make no difference.:(