Determining aspect ratio of an lcd computer moniter?

[Boomyal]

I have a ViewSonic LCD monitor that is NOT wide angle. Its screen measures 13.25 wide x 10.75" high. It has a diagonal measurement of 18 inches. I need to get an additional monitor but slightly and proportionately larger. Looking on line, I cannot tell what is what so I cannot pick which one to order.

The other question I have is about the connectors. I was going to borrow my son's monitor until I could find a new one. There were two different receptacles on the back of his monitor. The cord and receptacle that he was using was different than what I would consider the standard video connector. What might that alternative be called? My computer does not have a receptacle of that type so I would need to use the std blue video connector and I did not have a cord for it.

 

[MTboatguy]

The second connection is called a DVI connection which stands for Digital Video Interface, it was the fore runner to the HDMI system. There are actually several different DVI connections, so you have to make sure and get the correct one, do a google search for DVI interface and look at the pictures of the various connections. In the mean time, you can pick an adapter up to go from DVI to regular VGA on your computer.

Now on to your monitor, what model number is it, if it has an 18 inch diagonal measurement, then it is an 18 in monitor, you will find small variations between manufactures, but not much. If you want one slightly larger, I would go to a 19 or 20 inch, it might be a bit difficult to find one these days that is not a wide screen, most of them I see these days are a 16:9 aspect ratio.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_aspect_ratio

 

[bruceb58]

Divide the width pixels by the height pixels and it should be 1.77 for widescreen. Why do you think it needs to be proportional to your current one?

High def monitors are either HDMI or DVI-D. If you are trying to drive a nice monitor with VGA it's going to look horrible.

if all you have is a VGA, buy a new graphics card that has an HDMI or better yet 2 so you can use 2 monitors if you want. I can't imagine having a desktop computer with only one monitor. I have 2 24" monitors on my desk at home.

 

[WIMUSKY]

We have a 24" for our desktop too, but only 1........

 

[Boomyal]

Divide the width pixels by the height pixels and it should be 1.77 for widescreen. Why do you think it needs to be proportional to your current one?

High def monitors are either HDMI or DVI-D. If you are trying to drive a nice monitor with VGA it's going to look horrible.

if all you have is a VGA, buy a new graphics card that has an HDMI or better yet 2 so you can use 2 monitors if you want. I can't imagine having a desktop computer with only one monitor. I have 2 24" monitors on my desk at home.

Bruce, I like the shape (i've learned) of the 1280 x 1024, 5:4 ratio screen. I think a 19" diagonal will fit in my space. It needs to fit, on the switch console, to the left of the new Printer.

I only have so much room and I just got done crafting a new stand for my new Brother, color, laser, all-in-one printer. In the process took my old CRT monitor to the electronics recycler.

Maybe I'll stop by Goodwill and see if they have anything that will work. I don't want to spend a lot of money modifying the old P4 'puter.

 

[MTboatguy]

Being honest with you, I rarely buy a new monitor these days, I know when I was back to Vanc. In Dec. All of the Goodwills had tons of LCD monitors in stock for $25 or less

 

[Boomyal]

Being honest with you, I rarely buy a new monitor these days, I know when I was back to Vanc. In Dec. All of the Goodwills had tons of LCD monitors in stock for $25 or less

Mt, I did stop by Goodwill on 78th st this morning, Out of a half dozen only one was a 19" 5:4 a/r unit and it was pretty scuzzy. Bestbuy and Costco are only carrying the 16:9's even though there are plenty of new 5:4's on the internet.

I ended up going to a recylce/donation place down below Minnihaha, between St James and St Johns. It is called Empower. I bought a super clean NEC MultiSync 90GX for $30.00 with VGA cable. It also has the DVI connection if I need that for later.

 

[bruceb58]

OK...didn't realize this for your old computer.

 

[MTboatguy]

I ended up going to a recylce/donation place down below Minnihaha, between St James and St Johns. It is called Empower. I bought a super clean NEC MultiSync 90GX for $30.00 with VGA cable. It also has the DVI connection if I need that for later.

I stop in the place every single time I come back to town, those guys are pretty good people and I have bought a lot of stuff from them in the last couple of years with no problems at all.

 

[Boomyal]

OK...didn't realize this for your old computer.

Yeah Bruce, I like to squeeze the last bit of life out of things that I purchased with my blood and sweat. That is why, amidst family protest, we are still watching a 16 y/o 42" Toshiba rear projection TV. I have vowed I will not replace it until it goes kaput. That combined with the fact that I built a beautiful matching stand for it, out on the side yard, out of scrap plywood. It is painted the same color as the TV and looks like factory made. When the TV goes, so goes my incredible handiwork.

I guess that is why my service van (me, in semi-retirement) is now 18 years old with 320 K miles on it.

 

[bruceb58]

Oh man, I can't even watch anything anymore unless it's hig def...your poor family!

 

[Boomyal]

Oh man, I can't even watch anything anymore unless it's hig def...your poor family!

Well Bruce, maybe my new $30 NEC monitor will catapult me into the 21st century. I just plugged it in and turned it on. It has a beautiful picture.

It turns out that my new used monitor was a $500 item in it's day. It has an incredible picture with a 4 ms reaction time, With patience and a lot of looking, I really scored with this one.

 

[southkogs]

... we are still watching a 16 y/o 42" Toshiba rear projection TV...

Oh man, I can't even watch anything anymore unless it's hig def...your poor family!

Boomer if they get pickin' on ya' too much: the Admiral and I just replaced our old TV (19" box we bought 20 years ago when we were first married) with a 50" rear projection Sony (used cast off from my BIL). So, there's one other dude on the forum who's just catchin' up with you :encouragement:

 

[Boomyal]

Boomer if they get pickin' on ya' too much: the Admiral and I just replaced our old TV (19" box we bought 20 years ago when we were first married) with a 50" rear projection Sony (used cast off from my BIL). So, there's one other dude on the forum who's just catchin' up with you :encouragement:

True, true southkogs. One mans floor is another man's ceiling. Additionally, I just gave away a 32" Flat Panel CRT Sony Wega Trinitron w/ matching stand, that had been sitting out in the garage, under moving blankets for 10 years. We had only used it for a year before the FIL gave us the 42" Toshiba. We gave it to a couple that was using a 27" CRT. Aside from nearly breaking our backs getting it out of the garage, into my Van, then up the 4 steps into their house, they were tickled pink to have that state of the art CRT TV sitting in their living room.

I think I was lucky to find a home for it even though it was free. I tried to sell it several years ago, on Craigslist, for a hundred bucks. There were no takers. It would have broken my heart to have junked that fine instrument with so little use on it.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I know I've mentioned it before but, I finally broke down and bought a widescreen. Mainly because with the black on the top and bottom of my 27" WEGA Trinitron flat screen kept me from seeing scores etc. And if I could see the scores they were tiny due to the "scrunched" screen. I got tired of having to look hard to read something on the tv all the time. That one ended up in our bedroom which is perfect. Still have a 35" Mitsubishi CRT non flat screen in our semi family room. At the time that was the cat's meow.....

We still have a 20" RCA that my wife had in college many moons ago that works like it's new. It "was" in our bedroom. I can't get myself to dump it even tho it's not being used.

 

[Boomyal]

I know I've mentioned it before but, I finally broke down and bought a widescreen. Mainly because with the black on the top and bottom of my 27" WEGA Trinitron flat screen kept me from seeing scores etc. And if I could see the scores they were tiny due to the "scrunched" screen. I got tired of having to look hard to read something on the tv all the time. That one ended up in our bedroom which is perfect. Still have a 35" Mitsubishi CRT non flat screen in our semi family room. At the time that was the cat's meow.....

We still have a 20" RCA that my wife had in college many moons ago that works like it's new. It "was" in our bedroom. I can't get myself to dump it even tho it's not being used.

I hear ya WIMUSKY! For guys who appreciate the craftsmanship, the effort and the blood and sweat that it took to buy these items, he has trouble with this throw away world.....but I guess that is the price of progress. I just took another load of various other electronic stuff to the recycle place. No point in having a lot of this stuff just pile up and sit there. At least they are not going in the trash where all the valuable materials would be totally wasted. That's one consolation, even if just a little one.

In some instances it is a real vicious cycle. I almost think that there is a conspiracy between equipment manufacturers and format/program developers. Just about the time that the manufacturers come out with a run of perfected equipment, they whisper over to the developers and say PSSST! It is time to make new formats and programs so we can build new equipment that people will have to buy.

 

[MTboatguy]

Actually the change to LCD/LED TV's was due to every evolving energy issues, the old CRT type screens consumed way to much energy and the governments around the world were starting to legislate them out of existence.

 

[bruceb58]

Pretty much the CRT was going to fade away for a number of reasons besides power. Too expensive to produce, too deep, too heavy, can't achieve the same resolution at a reasonable cost.

I have a High def 55" LCD projection TV that I am going to get rid of and replace it with a 60" LED at a vacation home I rent out. Will put a free ad on CL to get rid of it likely. It's just not reliable enough with a lamp that can burn out.

I have 2 60" high defs in the house I live in. One is in my bedroom! They are pretty inexpensive. Can get a 60" less than $800 now.

 

[Boomyal]

.......Can get a 60" less than $800 now......

Ya but, you will already be a generation behind. 4k seems to be the new plateau.

 

[bruceb58]

Ya but, you will already be a generation behind. 4k seems to be the new plateau.

If you have a 100" TV and sit 9' from it, then you need 4K. If not, you will never see the difference.

Here is a chart with optimum viewing distance with various resolutions.