1680x1050 resolution on external monitor on Dell D620 with Quadro

[Guest emtilt]

Hopefully this is the right forum for this post. If it is not, please direct me to the forum that would be more appropriate.

I have a Dell Latitude D620 with 2gb RAM and a 256MB NVIDIA Quadro NVS 110M as the GPU. I would like to buy and additional monitor for when I'm at home. I would like to get a 20 inch widescreen LCD with a resolution of 1680x1050 which I would preferably run concurrently with the laptop display for a dual display system. This would be achieved through the Dell D Port Advanced Port Replicator. The nVidia website (here) indicates that my graphics hardware's maximum digital resolution is 1600x1200. I am unsure if this indicates that it will or will not support what I would like to do. On the one hand, I need a horizontal resolution higher than the one they indicate as its maximum. On the other hand, 1600x1200 is 1920000 pixels while 1680x1050 is only 1764000 pixels, so the latter should require less processing and thus the card should theoretically be able to handle what I need. The nVidia website, however, seems to imply that it does not support this resolution.

I need to know if my setup can actually do what I intend before I purchase the monitor, and neither the Dell nor the nVidia website has conclusively answered that question. The Dell technical support people were worthless when it comes to getting ral answers. Hopefully, someone here can help.

If what I need is not possible normally with this setup, then I have a related questions that might provide a solution. This is why I am posting at this forum, because this possibility seems right up this forum's alley.

Is it possible to force the Quadro to use a 1680x1050 resolution even if it is not a supported resolution? It should theoretically be able to handle the processing, so I believe that if it is not capable of doing this it is only becase of an artificially created limitation, perhaps in the INF file. Can I tweak something to force it to support that resolution on a dual display system if it is not normally supported?

If anyone can help me out, I would be very appreciative.

[The_Lead_Factor]

Most cards support custom resolutions. Since there isnt that much of a difference between 1600 and 1680 you wont notice the tiny bit of streching that occurs.

[Fabrice Roux]

*cough* this stretching will kill your eyes. So use the LCD native resolution.

The Latitude D620 docking station has both DVI and VGA ports. Even if the DVI on this Quadro is crippled you will still be able to use the VGA port up to 2048x1536. Given your target resolution a good VGA cable will give a nice quality image.

[The_Lead_Factor]

The verticle stretch might not look so hot but the horizontal stretch wont be so bad. If you dont care too much for the widescreen then you might as well go for its native resolution

Edited July 29, 2006 by The_Lead_Factor

[Fabrice Roux]

If you buy a screen and not use it properly... buy a smaller screen. LCD are meant to be used in their native resolution... do it. You can't believe how much 17" LCD I see that still use the previous 15" CRT screen resolution 1024x768.

[Guest emtilt]

Well, thanks for the replies but I'm still not sure if what I need to do is possible. The card does not natively support this resolution, and I cannot simply use a custom resolution. So what I really need to know is if there is any kind of tweak, through using a modified INF or otherwise, that I can make that will allow me to use this resolution.

[The_Lead_Factor]

Why cant you use a custom resolution?

[Guest emtilt]

Unless there is some way that I do not know of, which is quite possible, there is no way to do so. At least, there is no way to set it to 1680x1050 in the normal display settings.

[The_Lead_Factor]

I took a screenshot of what you need to do to use custom resolutions....You need Pieter's modded INF to do this though.

Edited August 1, 2006 by The_Lead_Factor

[Guest emtilt]

Thanks a lot for your help.

I am going to try what you said to see if I can get the resolution I need. I am not enitrely sure, however, what modded INF I need to install, despite having read all that I can find on this website. Is it this "Enhancer" INF-generating page or is it one of the ones listed here or is it something else altogether?

Again, thanks for your help.

[Guest emtilt]

I made a mistake in my last post. I realize that list I linked to was just a list of naming schemes. I meant to just ask if that "Enhancer" link was what I needed to use.

[The_Lead_Factor]

That screen is enabled with ALL moded INFs. Theres no need to do anything else but download it, replace the original INF with the modded, and install.

[Guest emtilt]

Ok, I installed the v84.25 driver with the modded INF, and then went through the steps to add a custom resolution as your post instructed. Unfortunately, when I tried to add 1680x1050, it said, "The custom resolution cannot be added." So, I am still unable to get that resolution on a second monitor. The highest it will let me set it to is 1600x1200. I'm using a VGA port at the moment, so 1680x1050 should be well within the cards limitations.

Any ideas?

[Guest David F]

Ok, I installed the v84.25 driver with the modded INF, and then went through the steps to add a custom resolution as your post instructed. Unfortunately, when I tried to add 1680x1050, it said, "The custom resolution cannot be added." So, I am still unable to get that resolution on a second monitor. The highest it will let me set it to is 1600x1200. I'm using a VGA port at the moment, so 1680x1050 should be well within the cards limitations.

Any ideas?

Did you ever get your answer on this issue? I'm looking at buying the D620 with this graphics card and I was looking to do the same thing as you. I'd really like to know if you were successfull.

[Charlie T.]

I have a D610 with Advanced Port Replicator. Also I have an external LCD monitor attached to the APR via DVI port. Based on my experience, the Windows Extended Desktop option does work. The laptop resoultion and external monitor can be different. So as long as you can setup the customized resoultion 1680x1050, you should be able to use native mode for both laptop and monitor.