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Widescreen external monitor with Laptop

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by norman_law, 2006/05/12.

  1. 2006/05/12
    norman_law

    norman_law Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi all

    I have a Dell Latitude laptop with a standard 5:4 screen aspect ratio. I would like to connect an external monitor with 16:9 aspect ratio. When I do so I do not get the full display showing on the monitor, it shows full width but cuts of the bottom of anything displayed on the built in screen.

    I can set the resolution of the the external display differently to the main display but none of the options are for 16:9 displays.

    I have downloaded and installed the latest video bios and display drivers for the display card (nVidia GeForce4 440 Go) but still no 16:9 options.

    Anyone got any ideas to be able to use the external display with this laptop?
     
    norman_law,
    #1
  2. 2006/05/12
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Norman

    I am aware of this problem, but in reverse :)

    Scenario - widescreen laptop + standard digital projector - part of the screen on the projected image is missing at the bottom.

    The problem is the same as yours - a mismatch in image ratios. I don't know of a workaround to this. Ideally you require an external monitor of the same aspect ratio as the laptop.

    Standard 1280 x 1024 = 5:4 ratio

    Widescreen 1280 x 800 = 16:9 ratio

    Never the twain will meet :)
     
    PeteC,
    #2


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  4. 2006/05/12
    norman_law

    norman_law Inactive Thread Starter

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    Pete

    I'm beginning to accept that this might be the case. :mad: A colleague of mine uses a wide screen laptop but he can choose 4:5 or 16:9 aspect ratios for the external monitor. His laptop (also a Dell) is later than mine so probably has a later video card.

    As this requirement is for my personal/home use and the laptop is supplied by the company it makes it difficult to argue the case for a replacement machine. :rolleyes:

    Actually it's not an external monitor but a HD TV with VGA (dSub) connection that acts like a monitor. I want to be able to run photo slide shows off my laptop to see the sort of resolution I get. I don't want to burn CD/DVD slide shows as the photos get 'down res'd' for a standard PAL or NTSC display resolution.
     
    norman_law,
    #3

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