Analog vs. Digital

Question

Hi All, would using the digital cable vs. the analog cable make any difference in the way .jpg images look on my monitor? Currently they are 'blocky' looking, like the pictures are made up of several smaller blocks. Yes, everything is set correctly according to specification for the Dell 2001FP. Well, it actually calls for 1600X1200 but at that setting, everything is so tiny on this monitor you can't hardly see it. So, I have it set at 800X600.

SR45 · Answer

Setting it at something other than the native resolution will give you a lousy picture, not to mention that you paid for the real estate and now you have something far less . You could have gone to a 17 inch and saved money if you did not like the native resolution of that 2001 FP. Do you have ClearType on ? Check and see if it is. ClearType will give you a better picture as well. Digital is better than analog and if your video card supports it, hook up the white dvi cable to it.

Dim 4400 ( 2002 )
2.6 Ghz
Bios A06
768 MB DDR 2100
Windows XP Home
SP-2
1703 FP LCD monitor
Windows XP Firewall
Nortons Anti Virus 2005

Davey Doesmore · Answer

Last August I got a 2001FP Dell monitor and hooked it up to my 4600 with video card via the digital cable.  Absolutely great results.  Very bright and sharp with no problems at all.  Last week installed another 2001 on a similar machine at work, but with integrated video so did not use the digital hook up.  I've been trying to tell the difference in picture quality, but to tell you the truth, I can't detect any quality difference at all.  I really love this monitor!

TheBurg · Answer

I think I have learned a very expensive lesson here. Being a novice, and getting a little older, I thought that by getting a larger monitor, everything would look the same only bigger so I could read and see images better. I had no idea that it would be a totally different image than my Dell 15' FP, on which the images were all crystal clear. If I set the resolution at 1600X1200 as per the manufacturer, only about the left 2/3 of the screen is utilized, there by defeating the purpose of a larger monitor all together. I think that Dell should offer a service that lets you know what is compatable with what instead of just selling you anything you want. Had I known that at native resolution only 2/3 of the screen would be utilized, I would have never bought the thing.

LCD_Ninja · Answer

TheBurg,   I apologize but I missed an important part of your post.  What do you mean by '2/3 of the screen used at native resolution.'    Did you try the auto-adjust or used the On-Screen Display to adjust this? Message Edited by LCD_Ninja on 02-04-2005 10:49 AM

LCD_Ninja · Answer

I'd suggest that you purchase a CRT-based monitor if you want to be able to adjust the resolution to suit your needs.   CRT monitors can change the resolution to just about anything that is supported, without a loss of image quality.  The number of dots on the screen can be changed due to the way a CRT works.   LCD Flat Panels have a fixed number of dots on the screen, and if you run at a lower resolution the FP will have to scale the image.  Imagine drawing a picture on a 100x100 piece of graph paper by filling in the dots with a pencil, then try to take that same image and draw it on a 40x40 piece of paper...the image will become distorted becuase you lose information and stretch the image awkwardly.   There are lots of AMAZING CRT monitors you could buy for the price of that 2001FP, which still carries a good value on places like Ebay if you wanted to sell.

LCD_Ninja · Answer

I hate to tell you this, my friend, but that's just about 100% normal for ANY monitor.  It's all about the browser and how the webpage is designed.   CNN.com is the same way for me, as are a lot of web pages.  Most pages, like HotMail are designed to work with the largest variety of people...including those with older computers running at resolutions like 800x600, and 1024x768.    If special care isn't taken designing these pages, everything is skewed over like that at higher resolutions.  Thankfully, Google doesn't let this happen.   Someone else can chime in if they have more accurate info about this, but it has zero to do with your monitor...at least as a root cause.

LCD_Ninja · Answer

Have you tried firefox?  just for fun...it may look the same as IE out of the box, but I bet there's a way to tweak it (if you feel like it) by typing about:config in the address bar.   Beware, there are LOADS of config options for FireFox though   I'm not sure if it has the same problem.  It's my job to play with monitors and Flat Panels, so I have just gotten used to it after using all these higher resolution displays.  Over time it may not bother you that much, but seem people seem more offended by it than others.   Seriously though, you could sell that thing and get a good CRT (Trinitron maybe) monitor...plus some extra change...if you want to play with the resolutions more.

TheBurg · Answer

Thanks LCD Ninja, I really appreciate the feedback. That's what I was afraid of, hence my making a very expensive mistake. I thought I could stop wearing my reading glasses with a larger monitor but I see now that won't be the case unless I want all of the images to be very blocky looking LOL.

TheBurg · Answer

Let's see, how to explain. Well, if you have ever used Hotmail, this will be an example. When opening Hotmail at 800X600, the home page fills the whole screen with no slider bar at the bottom. The home page seems to fit the screen perfectly. Now, at 1600X1200, the right 1/3 of the screen is nothing but a blue panel. All of the text and everything shrinks down and only fills the left 2/3 of the screen. I suppose the images are a little sharper at 1600X1200, but I thought when I bought the monitor, I could get sharp images even when utilizing the entire screen.

SR45 · Answer

Burg, if you are still within the 21 days, return it for something else

schmoppa · Answer

Burg,

you can easily increase font size within your web browser, IE or Firefox (Firefox is highly recommended though.)

In fact, try this right now:

hold down the Ctrl buttin, then use your mouse wheel and scroll down. Your fontsize should increase, making things more legible

Don't return the monitor!

You can also increase font sizes within Windows itself, in Display Properties/Appearance/Font Size. You can customize even more if you want.

TheBurg · Answer

Thanks for the input schmoppa. However, the font size is fine, its just the blurry graphics that annoy me. By blurry I mean, the images look like they are made up of a bunch of smaller blocks of the picture. It's really weird. The pictures actually look blocky.

schmoppa · Answer

and you are running at 1600x1200? I run at 1600x1200 and I don't have a blue bar on Hotmail (i'm using firefox). I have a CRT, but that should not make a difference.

Monitors

Analog vs. Digital

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