just bought a new monitor for my pc

[IJ300]

and the resolution is suppose to be set at 1600x900 but my comp says it only goes to 1280x1024.

is there anyway to get my resolutions to 1600x900.

im using a hp pavilon a810n.

 

[Arnold]

that is a limitation of your video card.

 

[IJ300]

so would i have to purchase another one?

 

[Arnold]

yes

 

[IJ300]

any suggestions?

 

[jmorrison]

It depends how in depth you want to go with this.

You can:

1) Open your case and see if you have an AGP/PCI or PCI express slot on your motherboard. If you do, you can purchase a new video card that will perform to your standards.

if it does NOT then you can:

2. Build your own system, (or get a knowledgeable buddy to do so for you). It is cheaper and easier than it used to be, and this will get you the best bang for your buck.

3. Go to a site such as Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more! and look at some of the systems they have for sale there. You can find absolutely insane deals there.

 

[Mudge]

1600x900 is an oddball resolution requirement, but mine happens to support it (GeForce 8600 GT).

Monitor support is one thing, but like Prince said your video card/drivers have to support it. Try a driver update, if it still doesn't go, you can check the MFG website, and it'll probably not list it as a supported resolution.

 

[Butler]

I would go with a driver update first and see if that works. If it is an on board graphics card then I doubt it will be able to handle that resolution and you might need to get a new graphics card.

I just done a quick check at newegg and you can pic one up with both VGA/DVI ports for under $25, and if you aren't using it for gaming that's all you should need.

 

[IJ300]

i tried the driver update, but i don't know which type i currently have installed...or if i even have one installed.

 

[KelJu]

Dude, unless you play video games I wouldn't go to the trouble of buying and installing a new video card just to get to the recommended resolution of the monitor. Very very people use the recommended resolution. Hell, most people just use 1024x768 and be done with it. Play around with the different resolutions offered by your video card and pick the one that looks the best.

 

[IJ300]

yea, but its a 20in wide screen and things look weird to me for some reason, like they're stretched out.

 

[jmorrison]

xp or vista?

 

[IJ300]

xp.....

 

[Mudge]

HP Drivers

HP Update This probably would be handy for you.

Original video driver Sometimes you can find out who makes the video 'card' or chipset, and update it elsewhere if there are no proprietary changes made to whatever reference design was used.

Googling around it looks like you cannot use 1440x900/1600x900 via your SiS 760. The machine is old enough that resolution may not have ever been used at the time, nearly any $25-$50 video card you toss in there from newegg.com or otherwise would be a big improvement. So if you want that resolution, it sounds like an upgrade is mandatory without rewriting age old drivers.

I recently got a new HP w1907 monitor, which has a 1440 x 900 native resolution. My computer however, won't allow me to choose that resolution. I updated the BIOS on the HP website (I am using a hp pavillion a810n) and I also updated the UniVGA 3 to 3.84 and 3.85. This gave me far more resolution options, but 1440 x 900 wasn't one of them.

What can I do? Surely this computer must be capable of displaying such a resolution.

Heres some additional info on the computer:

HP Pavillion a810n
512 MB DDR SDRAM
SiS 760 / 128 mb Shared Graphics Memory
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.15, 10/19/2005

More than one search result shows people with WXGA resolution problems, there seems to be no real widescreen support at all.

Last thing you can check is that the LCD monitor is detected correctly, and not as generic CRT display.