Monitor calibration

[MikeScott]

I recently got a KVM Switch (a switch where you use one Keyboard Video Mouse to control two computers). It works great and I do nothing but render on one computer (stats in my profile) and do everything else on the other system.

 

Here's the problem though.. The older computer (windows 2000, S3 savage DDR video card) doesn't recognize the modes availible on my Dell G2410 monitor... It doesn't even have a mode that accomodates widescreen systems, so everything is stretched horizontally.

 

Right now, it's running 1280 by 1024, while my other computer runs it at 1920 by 1080, which makes more sense considering it's a widescreen monitor.

 

Doesn't AutoCAD have a monitor calibration system where I can measure a square on the screen and get it to redisplay? I could have sworn they had something like that.

 

Failing that, is anyone aware of any other way to compensate for it without buying a new video card?

 

Thanks in advance for your consideration!

[ReMark]

There are no manual or OSD controls for horizontal adjustment on the old monitor?

 

BTW...you're dating yourself with regards to monitor calibration via AutoCAD. And a circle was used not a square.

 

Someone at another website posted this answer to a similar question: Screen calibration hasn't been available starting with Rel 14.

 

Someone else suggested a resolution of 1280x768.

[MikeScott]

Ugh.. I had a feeling it wasn't in there anymore... To further date myself, I remember when it was still a square (unless I'm mixing it up with the printer calibration). I recall literally holding a ruler against the curved face of the monitor to measure a square..

 

I was using CAD long before Windows came along.

 

 

Good lord.. 1280 x 768.. lol

It was squarish, but the word "lol" was almost an inch wide. (rather than a quarter-inch wide)

 

I thought about the monitor OSD making the adjustments, but I'd have to readjust it everytime I switch computers, or everything would look like the end credits of a spaghetti western when it's using the good card.

 

Guess I'll just have to do an updated graphics card when I get back from vacation. Thanks ReMark!

[DaemonForce]

Is that really a card problem? Do a direct KVM connection to the computer with the S3 card and try changing resolutions.

 

I've had a crappy KVM switch for going back and forth between computers. I still have it somewhere too. I remember having two systems. One was what is now my production server. It had a Radeon 9200 LE at the time. The other system was a 400MHz AMD with a Rage Magnum.

 

Here's the fun part: The monitor was a Gateway VX1120 22" Flat-CRT display.

From either card I could stand a bare minimum of 1024x768(too big) and I could withstand looking at 1920x1440. Anyway the point is that for once my hardware wasn't a problem and the trouble started with the KVM switch. Without the switch, I could do 2048x1536 but the second I added the switch into the loop I got a restriction of 1600x1200 on that particular system.

 

Case in point, I suspect your KVM instead of the card. Check it out.

[MikeScott]

Hmm.. I'll have to investigate that, but I don't know how I'd work around it without adding a second card anyways. (ie- a powered "junk" video card to permit the KVM to use the monitor signal to let it know the computer is "live" because it won't permit keyboard switching to a dead computer.) I guess I could run the switch manually though instead of the keyboard.. It shouldn't know the difference from when I start-up the system.

 

What you're saying makes a lot of sense though. When I hooked-up the KVM switch I was a little concerned since it only seemed to permit a VGA connection, rather than "super" VGA because the cabling added the keyboard and mouse signals to the single monitor cable that goes into the switch. (it uses an HD-15 cable to handle the monitor plus mouse and keyboard... I suspect that threw the monitor signal back to a VGA, rather than properly handling super VGA.)

 

I've been considering bypassing the KVM switch on the monitor entirely, so I can use the DVI-D connection on my new system and and the HD-15 on the old connection. My monitor has both connections, and I can access either input through my monitor menu.

 

The way the KVM switch cables up, I suspect I may not have a lot of options though.

 

I might tell my new computer I'm running two monitors, and run the "junk" HD-15 to the KVM, and just manually switch the monitor to "listen" to the DVI-D input. That only takes care of one system though.. I guess if I had a second (junk) video card on the old system, I could send the junk signal to the KVM and the real signal straight to my monitor.

 

Hmm.. some experimentation is in order, but It'll have to wait until I come back from vacation.

 

Thanks very much for the insight!