Mikus, thanks for the detailed reply, certainly helped.... hmmm stuck with SuSE 9.1 but I think I'l give it a bash... Cheers. On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:28:14 -0600, Mikus Grinbergs <mikus@bga.com> wrote:
In list.suse, you wrote on Fri, 25 Feb 2005 04:15:13 -0600:
I would like to upgrade my monitor to an LCD ( TFT ??? ) Monitor, however I'm concerned about spending the money to then discover that it won't work with my suse box....
I have several SuSE systems with LCD monitors. It has been my experience that I was more comfortable with telling YaST/SaX2 to use the GENERIC (LCD) specification rather than choose from their model list (my LCD panels were so new they were *not* in the list, and I wasn't happy with the substitute model number it chose).
I'm using SuSE 9.2, which uses xorg rather than xfree86 for X. I had to get the *latest* SaX2 for it to work with xorg -- the SaX2 that was on the 9.2 distribution DVD did not work for me.
Are there any considerations that need to be made in choosing an lcd monitor... i.e. what happens if it not in the list of know monitors in YaST ? I also noticed that some monitors say required os are windows / mac ??? aren't monitors os independent ?
There is at least one well-advertised LCD monitor which does __NOT__ have any buttons -- *all* adjustments (brightness, color, etc.) are made through software. I kinda doubt that anyone has ported this "adjustment software" to Linux.
Lastly, how easy is it to actually swap monitors over in linux, I mean as long as suse knows which graphic card is being used then swapping a monitor should not be a problem ?
I don't know how to answer this. Assume that nothing in life is easy.
I use the DVI (digital) cable on my LCD monitors. With one of them, I had to tell the graphic card to *use* its DVI socket -- and I had to __see__ the software panel I was typing in to. So I had to first hook up the analog cable (so I had a screen with which I could work), then switch to the digital cable once the graphic card was set up.
OT question... I've been told to look for a monitor withe + 1.3 million pixels, but when I look at the specs I don't see such details ??? is this supposed to be something else, like colors maybe ?
Affordable LCD panels come in two kinds of construction -- they have either a six-bit or an eight-bit "digital to analog converter". __If__ you are going to be doing any kind of graphical design work (or if your main activity will be to watch color movies) you NEED the eight-bit version. [It will be advertised as supporting 16.7 million colors (note the '7').] If your main activity will be games (i.e., less emphasis on *exact* color), you'll do ok with the six-bit version. [It will be advertised as suppporting 16.2 million colors (sort of true -- but only if you count dithering between pixels).]
Panel size is an interesting question. Since spring 2004, a number of *good* 17-inch models have come on the market. [Though earlier not-so-good models are still being offered - avoid anything with a "response time" of 35 milliseconds, or worse.] This "quality upgrade" wave has (IMHO) NOT YET spread to 19-inch models.
1.3 million pixels corresponds to a screen of 1280 x 1024. Yes, "quality" LCD panels come in this size. Note: if you use the "digital" cable, the picture will look horrible *unless* you set the graphics card at the same numbers as the "native" panel size.
And if "game playing" is the be-all and end-all of your existence, buy the LCD monitor with the fastest "response time" that you can afford - even 20 milliseconds might be slower than you want.
Good luck, mikus (I am *not* a gamer)
-- devosc