Recommended external monitor resolution?

I'm looking for a 24'' external monitor and was interested in one by Asus:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236052

Well, technically it's 23.6''...But I noticed the resolution is 1920 x 1080, meaning it is 16:9. I know my MBP has a resolution of 1440x900 making it 16:10. I understand that most widescreen TV's use 16:9, however widescreen laptops use 16:10. Will connecting a 16:9 external monitor to my Macbook Pro have any problems?

 

No, you will not have any problems with resolution. Your MacBook will detect the monitor's native resolution and use the correct one accordingly. I would actually check the compatibility of the ASUS monitor though, the MiniDisplay Port to DVI-I connector has some issues with some monitors(that I read on the Apple.com store feedback).

I use a 22" Samsung at home, and although it's a different resolution, it works perfectly with the DVI adapter.

 

I have a 2007 MBP, so it doesn't include a MiniDisplay Port. I'll just use a DVI to HDMI cable I have to connect my MBP to the external monitor.

Will part of the desktop get chopped off when it's displayed on the external monitor though?

 

Oh that's right. Well on the older gen MBP, you should have a built-in DVI port on the left side of the machine(if I remember correctly). You don't need a DVI to HDMI cable, just a straight DVI cable to your new monitor.

 

Well, I have a DVI to HDMI cable and the external monitor will have an HDMI input. If not, I have a HDMI-DVI converter so I can attach that.

Do you know if my desktop will get chopped off going from 16:10 on the MBP to 16:9 on the external monitor?

 

Nope, it'll fill the screen just like with your MBP. And it won't stretch either.

 

Awesome. I just purchased the 24'' monitor...I hope it isn't too big.

 

Nothing can ever be too big

 

If you are using HDMI, Apple screwed up HDMI in 10.5.7, you can not get native resolution until its fixed (probably not anytime soon).

 

I haven't heard that, but that's for telling me. Can you elaborate on this and how this will affect the external monitor resolution I will be connecting to my MBP?

 

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2004318&tstart=0
The issue affect all HDMI and some DVI monitors. Temporary solution is to use switchresx, but I haven't tested it.

I have the same monitor (VH242H), and you won't get 1920x1080, most you can get is 1920x1080i (not usuable, image shakes), one lower is too low resolution which makes HDMI unusable with 10.5.7.
I am using it with DVI now. The monitor has blue screen problem with HDMI (read newegg reviews) so its better to use DVI anyway unless you are using audio out but OS X doesn't support it.

 

Well, I haven't installed 10.5.7, so I shouldn't have any problems with the resolution. If I connect my MBP to the monitor via DVI, I was planning on using HDMI for an Xbox 360. Have you tried anything like this?

 

Yea if you didn't install 10.5.7, you are good.
HDMI for 360, DVI for PC would work good. Problem is with HDMI, the monitor doesn't sleep or change inputs automatically, so you have to manually switch inputs for 360.
I have my 360 connected from VGA, mine is a first gen without HDMI.