Samsung Syncmaster B2030 - no option to set resolution to 1600 x 900

[leonsegal]

1. I have a B2030, 20 inch monitor
2. win 7 thought it was a B2230, 22 inch monitor
3. I changed the driver manually to B2030, 20 inch monitor
4. The device manager shows B2030, 20 inch monitor BUT the res. settings window shows it as B2230 still and only supports 1920 x 1080, whereas I actually want 1600 x 900.

Thanks for help so far - I am currently trying all of the suggestions and will get back to you

 

[leonsegal]

then it's a function of your built in video and how they implemented. best u can do is update your video driver and see if it appears.

any resolution you set that meets your monitors 1.77 (or 16:9 if u prefer) aspect ratio will look ok.

Have updated from intel website and still not working..

 

[leonsegal]

May or may not help but have you tried the monitor driver from Samsung?

Samsung

Tried this and it hasnt helped, unfortunately...

 

[Magron]

unlikely the exact monitor model is relevant to this problem.

Actually it is very relevant. His computer thinks it has two different monitors connected,

1 - B2030 which is a 20" monitor with a native resolution of 1600x900

2 - SMB2230 (or likely B2230) which is a 22" monitor with a native resolution of 1920x1080

of which the 1st shouldn't be able to even run at the higher resolution.

leonsegal let's see if we can't at least get Windows to detect the correct monitor. Start with setting Device Manager to show hidden and disconnected/ghost devices,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/77614-device-manager-hidden-devices.html

Under monitors right click and delete/remove any that are showing, and also tick the box to remove any software/driver. If there is more than one don't restart until all are removed. Once restarted hopefully that will force Windows to detect and install the monitor correctly. If not then install the monitor driver from Samsung I posted earlier.

cool. now explain to me how this affects the driver/chipset's offering of video modes.
we were already aware of the monitor listings but I am baffled as to how this supports claims of relevance. Please school me.
because I've always had modes offered that my monitors didn't support, on every system i've ever built or configured.
to the best of my knowledge the system pays no attention at all to the monitors capability, that's up to you. If it did, there would never be a video res offered that your monitor couldn't use, but there they are, on the list.
the monitor has always been the most completely neutral piece of hardware you can plug into a system.
Those aren't 'native resolutions' by the way. They are maximum resolutions that reflect the native aspect ratio.

 

[Magron]

Are you connected by VGA cable of HDMI? I find info on the net that tells me users often get more video res choices via VGA connect than HDMI. This surprises me...I kept a list of about 100 video modes when I switched over to hdmi last month but it might be worth looking into.

 

[stormy13]

If you're getting that then you either,

a. have something not installed or configured properly

b. your monitor isn't working properly if a LCD.

Monitors have this,

Extended display identification data - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

for a reason.

Extended display identification data (EDID) is a data structure provided by a digital display to describe its capabilities to a video source (e.g. graphics card, Set-top box). It is what enables a modern personal computer to know what kinds of monitors are connected to it. EDID is defined by a standard published by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The EDID includes manufacturer name and serial number, product type, phosphor or filter type, timings supported by the display, display size, luminance data and (for digital displays only) pixel mapping data.

 

[Magron]

If you're getting that then you either,

a. have something not installed or configured properly

b. your monitor isn't working properly if a LCD.

Monitors have this,

Extended display identification data - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

for a reason.

Extended display identification data (EDID) is a data structure provided by a digital display to describe its capabilities to a video source (e.g. graphics card, Set-top box). It is what enables a modern personal computer to know what kinds of monitors are connected to it. EDID is defined by a standard published by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The EDID includes manufacturer name and serial number, product type, phosphor or filter type, timings supported by the display, display size, luminance data and (for digital displays only) pixel mapping data.

and yet...modes monitors can't show continue to show up on the choice list. do they not?
besides which, both monitors are capable of the vid mode we're persuing.

 

[Magron]

The basis of this disagreement by the way is based on my own system. Besides past experience, my current samsung t260 has a maximum res of 1920x1200. my list of available resolutions include (and i'm looking at it at this moment)
2048x1152, 2048x1280, up to 2560x1440. So you will understand my confusion with your information.

 

[stormy13]

Not when everything is working as it should. I have two monitors connected, a 22" with native 1680z1050 and a 19" with native 1440x900, and neither of them can be set higher than their native resolutions,

besides which, both monitors are capable of the vid mode we're persuing.

No they are not. Once again,

B2030 is a 20" monitor and has a native/max resolution of 1600x900

B2230 is a 22" monitor and has a native/max resolution of 1920x1080

The only thing they have in common is they are both have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The basis of this disagreement by the way is based on my own system. Besides past experience, my current samsung t260 has a maximum res of 1920x1200. my list of available resolutions include (and i'm looking at it at this moment)
2048x1152, 2048x1280, up to 2560x1440. So you will understand my confusion with your information.

Try setting it that high and see what happens. They shouldn't be available at all if the monitor is reporting its capabilities correctly, and the driver for both the monitor and video card are installed and working properly.

 

[Magron]

aha..this actually got me interested enough to poke around a little. and i thought the magic was completely gone after 25+ years.
right click desktop -> screen resolution -> advanced settings -> monitor tab

is the little box next to 'hide modes that this monitor cannot display' checked?
uncheck it , refresh the list. Now what do u see?

 

[Magron]

Not when everything is working as it should. I have two monitors connected, a 22" with native 1680z1050 and a 19" with native 1440x900, and neither of them can be set higher than their native resolutions,

View attachment 167366

besides which, both monitors are capable of the vid mode we're persuing.

No they are not. Once again,

B2030 is a 20" monitor and has a native/max resolution of 1600x900

B2230 is a 22" monitor and has a native/max resolution of 1920x1080

The only thing they have in common is they are both have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The basis of this disagreement by the way is based on my own system. Besides past experience, my current samsung t260 has a maximum res of 1920x1200. my list of available resolutions include (and i'm looking at it at this moment)
2048x1152, 2048x1280, up to 2560x1440. So you will understand my confusion with your information.

Try setting it that high and see what happens. They shouldn't be available at all if the monitor is reporting its capabilities correctly, and the driver for both the monitor and video card are installed and working properly.

both monitors support 1600x900 according to mfg specs. max res (or native..new term..u got me on that one) is not relevant.
of course my monitor will fail to show pic if i set it that high. it's beyond spec. what does that prove?

 

[Magron]

Ok..a little poking around and I see the point now.

Native resolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"But in practice, most monitors apply a smoothing algorithm to all smaller resolutions, so the quality still suffers for these "half" modes (for a VGA connection, when the monitor is responsible for scaling). In the case of a DVI connection, the scaling is provided by the video adapter, not the monitor."

Thus the importance of the computer seeing the correct monitor and NATIVE resolution..yes..if he's connected HDMI or DVI the samsungs monitors capability to scale the image is turned off and the video card takes over scaling.
Dell might well not have built that in. it costs money. Actually interesting. thanks.

 

[leonsegal]

aha..this actually got me interested enough to poke around a little. and i thought the magic was completely gone after 25+ years.
right click desktop -> screen resolution -> advanced settings -> monitor tab

is the little box next to 'hide modes that this monitor cannot display' checked?
uncheck it , refresh the list. Now what do u see?

still nothing

I am starting to wonder if it is because there is an integrated vid card? will getting a different one fix it?

 

[leonsegal]

my connection is a blue headed (standard?) cable - is that the problem?

 

[stormy13]

Also known as VGA. It could be. If you have one available try a DVI cable instead.

 

[Britton30]

Here is a comparison of VGA, on the left, and DVI connectors, in this case both white. Some DVI plugs have more pins too.

 

[leonsegal]

B2030 doesnt support dvi, sadly (B2230 does though apparently when I went back to the store)!

I am running out of ideas - I might just take it to someone who can look at it for me

 

[BugMeister]

get an adapter plug:
Novatech DVI-A - VGA Adapter

 

[leonsegal]

get an adapter plug:
Novatech DVI-A - VGA Adapter

oh yeah! you would've thought the guys at the shop could've suggested that!

 

[stormy13]

B2030 doesnt support dvi,

Unless they have different revisions of that model monitor depending on where it was sold, it certainly looks like it does from here,

Newegg.com - SAMSUNG B2030 Glossy Black 20" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 250 cd/m2 DC 50000:1(1000:1)

and that one even came with a DVI cable in the box. Also here is the back of it,