Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Hi,

Have a Phillips wide screen tft monitor that I bought Last saturday and having a few 'issues' with it.

Its reccomended that the resolution be set to 1280 x 1024 but I find that this does not make text look very good at all. I have a Laptop to the side and its screen is perfect ??

Should I take It back and exchange it for a non wide screen one or Is there something that i can do to make it better?

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

1280x1024 doesn't sound like a widescreen resolution. Could you double check the documentation, as I suspect you need a different resolution. Also, have you used the Philips set up software for screen calibration?

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

1280x1024 isn't a widescreen resoloution. What size is the monitor?

Try 1280x768.

Check to see if Clear type is off or on too.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

did you say its widescreen? i would have thought that would distort the fonts

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

my Samsung 17" widescreen tft runs 'native' at 1280x768, worth a try, handyman?

-edited to include screendump

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

If it's set up correctly it is fine :)

My dad has a widescreen laptop. I don't like it myself - but he does and watches a lof of dvd's on it. Anyway - his fonts etc are ok.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

It should be set to 1280x768.
Try enabling "cleartype" for fonts in the display properties.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

That must definately be a subjective thing - if I'm working on a system with cleartype on it's tft - the first thing I do is make sure it's disabled. :)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Cleartype made an improvement but setting the resolution to 1280*768 was a right mess. it seems that the resolution is not right as all the text seems different sizes and is still a bit blurry.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Do you have a model number? Also, did it come with 'Flat Panel Adjust'? - give that a run if you haven't already.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

OK - How about 1024x512?
I think 512 is right...

Try different resolutions until it looks ok.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

I don't know if it is busted, but when my Philips monitor went funny, I gave them a ring, and they delivered a new monitor to my door and picked up the old one with very few questions asked. When I say new, I should say refurbished, as this was an older monitor, but I actually managed to get a brand new one out of them as they didn't have the right one in stock for a while. Seeing yours is brand new, they should replace it with a new one.

So, if you can't get it to look right, you could always try having it replaced.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

dont tft's have a native resolution ????????????????????

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

They do indeed.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

so they dont work on any other resolution then :confused:


well not properly anyway :erm:

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Exactly - They'll work fine (in most cases) in other resolution's but will be very bluury.....

Which sounds like what's wrong in this case.

(This is a pain in the arse when I'm playing a game at 800x600 for example :()

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

well i wonder if that is what is going on then , we shall have to wait and see i suppose :D :D :D :D

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

I dont have that resolution??

I haver a ati graphics card and the monitor is a phillips 170w.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

I thought TFT's weren't good for gaming?Not that I know,only having the old fashioned sort of monitor myself.

Incog.:)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

They are - if you are playing at the native resolution.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

HHHmmm 1280x768 is definately the right one for that monitor.

I don't suppose you can do us a screen dump.

Just as an afterthought - what frequency are you running it at (not that it should make much difference on a tft - but you never know)

Are you using the DVI or VGA connection?

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

The text is still blurry despite playing about with the resolutions. When I set the monitor to 'native' mode or fill with aspect it cuts off a inch and a bit off each side yet I cannot change the resolution to fill this bit at all. If I select Full screen it fills but the text is very dodgy. Going back to the shop at this rate...

screen dump now attached.

its analogue as well.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Has the operating system (windows?) picked up the monitor as a plug and play one?

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

specs for that deffo say 1280x768

what do you have the refresh rate set at - my 'optimal' in adapter settings is 60hz, which is 'recommended' on the 170w spec sheet.

I also have it set for 'small fonts' & 'normal size' (96dpi) on the 'general' settings.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Sounds like a calibration problem if bits are being cut off. Have you had a play with the settings on the actual monitor itself?

That screen capture is not in a widescreen resolution.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

is this a driver issue ???????????????????

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

My monitor does this if I don't use the 'auto adjust' option :confused:

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

I dont know???

when i look at the text close up its not all black. It shows bits of grey in the make up of it. Checked on a laptop tft its deffo all black.. This is very confusing.

Thanks for the help so far.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Guess you'll have to try covering all bases so......
- Latest drivers for video card?
- Set res to 1280x768
- Run the Flat Panel Adjust application which comes with Philips screens (well mine did anyway)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

The grey stuff could be the cleartype - try flicking it on and off to check.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

yeah mine runs on analogue, as well, I didn't realise a DVI cable wasn't included - when I saw the price of them, I realised why :erm:

- anyway it is still sharp as a pin on analogue, so I ain't too fussed.

Strange thing, hm, that screendump looked fine to me :confused:

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

1280/768 is the native for that unit

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

The screen shot looks ok to me as well :(

Which suggests to me that the monitor itself isn't set up correctly - I can't seem to find the manual.

As I've said - on my monitor as soon as i loose bits of the side etc I use the 'auto adjust' option from the monitors menu system the monitor then sorts itself out. I'm assuming that the philips one has the same kind of thing - maybe that could be tried :confused: Because I'm running out of suggestions now.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

dump looks fine to me as well :confused:

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

There is also a Registry setting, something like 'Use HR' that can be adjusted for high res monitors, I'll see if I can find the correct key, I know it makes a difference with some monitors, exactly same symptoms as you say, fuzzy / blurry fonts etc.

Edit - see this MS article...http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ew/highdpi.asp

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Half a mo.... isn't that screenshot 1280x1024 and NOT 1280x768??? or is it just me?

edit - i WILL get the 2nd half of that res right :)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

You aren't wrong....I've just enabled it and it's doing my eyes in :spin:

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Nope it's not just you ;)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

thanks dilligaf1701, you confirmed what I was thinking, if the screendump is ok then the output from the graphics card must be ok & the problem is with the monitor setup.

- to pick up the earlier point about 'plug & pray' - have you tried deleting the monitor from device manager & re-booting to get it detected again, hm?

- then, like dilligaf', says, try the 'auto adjust'?

<edit> blimey 3 million people posted while I was typing that :D

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Looks fine to me (tft....non widescreen)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

yes it is, its as reccomended for the wide screen model. looks mush worse in 1280*738

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Sorry - getting tired :D

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Due to the way tft screens work - the ONLY way you are going to make it look ok is in the native resolution for that monitor which is 1280x768 according to the tech specs for a philips 170w

Can you put it in 1280x768 - THEN do a screen dump for us...

I don't suppose you have a digital camera or something so you can take a picture of the screen to show us what's wrong?

p.s. have you tried that auto adjust thing yet

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

cleartype :Yikes: :Yikes: :Yikes: :Yikes: :Yikes: , its enough to make you :cry: and then be :sick: and then have a :fit: , sorry , i just love the smileys , especially the :fit: one :D :D :D

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Here's one more thing for your list to try :)

In my drivers here on my laptop - under advanced>displays>panel - there's an option to scale the image to fit the display.

I don't know if you have that in your drivers - but it's something else to check.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

1280*768 screen dump as requested.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

You know handyman if I was you I'd be on 'oscar' alert by now :(.... I'm sorry I'm not being much more help :(

That screenshot also looks ok - Once you've made sure the output is 60hz I'd say it's a monitor problem - let us know how you get on with the auto adjust and driver suggestions.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

That also looks ok. Under your display/system device manager settings what is listed as your monitor? And have you tried the Flat Panel Adjust yet?

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Is it just in IE that the text isn't right ? have you looked at it in MS Word?
If it's just IE that reg key and the correct DPI setting should do it,
Add the UseHR Registry Entry
The UseHR value is added to the Main key under "Internet Explorer" as follows:


HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Microsoft
Internet Explorer
Main
UseHR= dword:00000001

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

looks ok to me as well , sorry i cant be of any more help than that :(

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Sorry I can't see any problem.Looks great to me!!

Incog.

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

sorry hm, the screendump looks ok to me too, short of trying the synchronisation settings, (which can leave you with a totally screwed display, mine is set on "-" - but mine ain't a Phillips), I can't think of anything else, either :(

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Seeing this problem doesn't seem to go away despite the expert advice of so many people, may I repeat what I said earlier? My experience is that Philips have a great returns policy. I gave them a ring when my monitor went funny, they asked (a) few questions about the problem I was having, and then delivered a replacement, and picked up the old monitor.

I should add, this was all -free of charge- and this was for a two year old monitor.

I would think the amount of trouble you are having setting this up would get them to send a replacement out. Easiest way of finding out if it is a monitor problem I would think (provided they don't send you a faulty one)

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Can we have the model number of this TFT screen?

If you can, I suggest you use a DVI-D cable. Failing that, set the graphics card to EXACTLY the same resolution as there are dots on the glass (native resolution) and then adjust the clock and phase on the monitor for the best picture. With some monitors you can display a calibration image and then press the 'auto' button so that it does it for you.

This one is for a 1280x1024 screen:

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

It's a philips 170w - the native res should be 1280x768...
And we are waiting to see what the auto button does (it's been suggested several times :))

Re: Is my monitor busted or not?
 

Sorry - not paying attention here!

Here is the product page:
http://www.lcdmonitors.philips.com/l...cts.asp?pid=38

There is a download for the brochure (which reveals a little more information) and a photograph but no manual.

The screen grabs will just show what the graphics card has been told to produce - not the actual output - and this is why they look okay to us. If they are set up correctly then this could be a problem with either the graphics card or the monitor. After setting the screen resolution to 1280x768 and experimenting with the auto button, I would suggest moving the monitor to another PC.