16bit color on external monitor? (m1210)

I have a 1901FP (native res 1280x1024) connected as an external monitor to my m1210. I want to use the m1210 as my primary display, but also drive the external monitor in extend desktop mode. However, when I do this, I have to chose between fewer colors at max res (16bit) or true color at a lower res -- these are both with regard to the external monitor. I read about people using monitors with much higher res than mine, so I was wondering if others were experiencing this/found a way around it.

Thanks.

 

You shouldn't have to stick with low color (16 Bit). If you attach your notebook, go into the Display Properties and select dual monitors, and clone the screen. If that doesn't work, try restarting the notebook. I find that the same issues surrounding connecting a projector applies to an LCD monitor.

Are you getting 32 Bit color on at least one output device? (Either the monitor or notebook screen?)

 

Sorry I didn't specify this. My laptop LCD is fine at 32bit color by 1280x800. It's only the external monitor that I can't get up to full color and resolution. Also, I am trying to do extended desktop, and not clone. Is this simply too much for the graphics card to do? (i.e., too many pixels and colors to render)

 

edron79 - I guess I don't know what you mean by an extended desktop...sounds like you need a monitor switch box if you want to use two monitors to display a Windows desktop.

I thought that you had in mind to display the notebook's screen on the external LCD.

 

Very good advice

 

Try adding a custom resolution in the Nvidia video driver control panel. That's what I had to do when hooking up a 2007WFP to my D620, by default it would only display in 16-bit colour for the native resolution of 1680x1050 and 32-bit on anything lower.

Seems like a Nvidia driver problem, since hooking up a 600m with an ATI Radeon 9000 didn't have this problem.

 

Thanks for the replies. What I meant by "extended desktop" was that both displays are on, but the external LCD is not a clone of the laptop LCD. Rather, they function as one big workspace. This allows one to, say, drag a window from the laptop screen over to the external LCD.

I've yet to find any place where I can set the resolution on the external to native (1280 x 1024) and keep 32 bit color. I tried the nvidia control panel, but I didn't see a custom option there. I played around with the sliders for colors and res but no dice. Also, the control panel called my external LCD a CRT. I wasn't sure if this was just because it was connected over VGA or if there's something weird going on.

Thanks for the continued help.

 

Display Properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> NVidia Control Panel

There is a section in there, the name escapes me, which allows you to set custom resolutions. Try looking in there for that option.

 

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/wiki/index.php?title=Nvidia:_Add_Custom_Desktop_Resolution

If you're using the new Nvidia Control Panel, then it's under Display -> Manage custom timings.

 

I was able to get access to some more settings under the nvidia control panel, ut not exactly what is shown in that link. I do have some "manage custom timing" options for the external monitor. Which would I use to get higher color values? Right now it is set to query windows (the first/default option).

 

I fixed the problem. Once I switched to the old school nvidia panel, there were lots of extra options. One of them on was performance versus picture quality. When I switched to picture quality, the refresh rate on the external dropped, but the available color content increased. Hopefully it stays stable... Thanks for your help all.

 

Since you wanted the extended, not cloned, desktop your problems sounds like you have run out of video memory.

If you’re using Photoshop, dedicate one screen for your pallets and tools at lower res and bit depth and your working editing screen at full bit depth.

Clone, on the other hand, simply drives two or more monitors at the same settings so no additional memory required.

Refresh does not use memory but is used for flicker control on non LCD panels. LCDs normally require 60Hz refresh where CRT look stable at 70-80+Hz.