[cainiskey]

Hey all,

Just looking for a couple answers about widescreen monitors and the like...

I have a Geforce FX 5700...when I go into the 'display' properties and list all the available resolutions, the "native resolution" of the monitor i'm looking at buying is not listed; all the resolutions are in 4:3...I'm using a non-widescreen CRT right now though. So..
1) Are there no wide-screen resolutions listed because my card can't support it? Or because I'm not on a wide-screen monitor?

Also:
2) How good is Windows XP with wide-screen? As in, am I going to have to contend with a distorted desktop?
3) How about games and movies? If they don't support wide-screen, will the edges get blacked, or will it stretch?
4) What's a good recommended contrast ratio/brightness combo? is a 500:1 CR with a 300 cd/m2 brightness good enough for movies and games?

Sorry about my ignorance; I have NO experience with wide-screen anything...

Thanks in advance,

~G

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1) Are there no wide-screen resolutions listed because my card can't support it? Or because I'm not on a wide-screen monitor?

alot of times you won't see the resolution you want because the gfx card knows your monitor can't do it...

2) How good is Windows XP with wide-screen? As in, am I going to have to contend with a distorted desktop?

shouldn't be any issue i've got some "wide screen" systems at work and the desktop does fine when on the wide screen resolution

3) How about games and movies? If they don't support wide-screen, will the edges get blacked, or will it stretch?

not sure but i would think that they would just center themselves intheir normal resolution

not a clue on the last one

[dsenette]

1) Are there no wide-screen resolutions listed because my card can't support it? Or because I'm not on a wide-screen monitor?

alot of times you won't see the resolution you want because the gfx card knows your monitor can't do it...

2) How good is Windows XP with wide-screen? As in, am I going to have to contend with a distorted desktop?

shouldn't be any issue i've got some "wide screen" systems at work and the desktop does fine when on the wide screen resolution

3) How about games and movies? If they don't support wide-screen, will the edges get blacked, or will it stretch?

not sure but i would think that they would just center themselves intheir normal resolution

not a clue on the last one

[warriorscot]

For 3, the codec and software used will adjust the image to fit the screen so in a widescreen spect movie the black edges of the letter box will be decreased in height to compensate for the longer screen, but itll be adjusted to fit you can also manually select aspect ratios.

[HPDV8315LOVER]

I love XP with widescreen mode.

When u play a game that doesnt have widescreen mode, It will stretch out.