Dell installed a higher res screen, but it is really pixelated- please help

The Dell tech just left after installing a 1600x900 screen on my Studio 1458. The screen is really blurry and pixelated on the highest setting. I was wondering if there was something I could do to the graphics card settings to help this. Under the tech specs of the system it says the laptop supports up to 1600x900 resolution screen, even though you cannot order that screen yet in the US. The specs are in my sig. I checked the ATI site and the specs for the graphics card says it supports way higher than 1600x900. Thanks guys

 

Can we get a picture?

 

First double check that the resolution is set on 1600*900.

If it is, it sounds like you've got a problem and need to contact Dell.

 

When I put 1600x900 it is too distorted to read. I will contact Dell. Thanks guys

 

A picture taken with a camera of the screen would be best. I'm not sure that a Print Screen is going to pick up on it, as Print Screen takes an image of what the GPU is outputting, not what the screen is displaying.

 

But he says he has the higher resolution display installed, so it isn't that. Also, I've never seen the option to set the resolution higher than what the monitor can display, so his computer reads the monitor as one with a 1600x900 native res.

You can try updating your bios just in case.

Also take a screenshot and save it as a jpeg with paint. Then look at the properties to see if it is really 1600x900. Then put it up on imageshack or something so that we can take a look at it to see if the image set at 1600x900 on your computer looks fine or distorted.

 

To me too, you seemed to be implying that he is trying to run a resolution greater than the native resolution of his panel.

And like Trottel, I've never seen the option to set the resolution higher than the native resolution of the display. (except for some 1024*600 netbooks that offer 1024*768 for compatibility reasons)

 

Sorry. I was actually referring to the fact that he/she said his/her card is able to display much higher than 1600 x 900 in their original post. Feel free to delete my posts after my first one, I'll fix it up.

 

Sorry guys. I will post a pic of the screen. Dell called me and said they will send a new screen out, but I still don't see why this wont work. I am going from a 720p to a 1600x900. The resolution properties says 1600x900, but it is blurry. Even at the 720p it is blurry. Let me set up my camera to get a picture up.

 

The highest resolution should not be blurry. Anything lower can and will be blurry.

 

Can you get a screenshot please?

 

Here are the shots guys. Sorry it took so long, it was difficult getting shots of a screen. Let me know if you need more. The first is a screenshot

 

The screenshot really doesn't help when it is reduced in size. Can you upload it to imageshack without resizing it?

 

Damn...something looks super messed up...like its running at a higher-than resolution that the LCD cant take or something...hope you get it fixed!

 

Odd how the screenshot is scaled to a quarter with all that blank white space. Could it be botched in doing some multi-monitor or multi-desktop setting?

 

If your graphics card supports the monitors native resolution and you are running on your native resolution you should have the crispest possible picture as LCD's love to run on their native resolution. You definately have a major problem if your native rez looks like crap. Service call time.

 

I don't know what good a screen shot would do. Wouldn't it look as clear as the resolution that was displaying it? Anyway, here is the bigger screen shot.

EDIT: I looked at this thread with my my other system and it looks fine. The screen shot does not show the distortion.

 

Well, now we know that the computer is producing the image correctly. It could be something with the cable or a defective screen.

 

Did you try changing the display driver? Not the display adapter (although maybe that too). The reason I ask is it looks like the display driver thinks it is only 1366x768 and therefore is interpolating to try and force 1600x900 on 1366x768 but then the hardware is scaling it back to full screen.

Edit; The reason I say this is look at the "M" in "PM" it is pixel shifted to try and fit the charcter in the aloted size. The double filtering of both resolution degradaton and then regrowth could cause your issues.........

 

Have you changed the cleartype configuration?

It's hard to see with those pictures...

 

That's not it because the screenshot is 1600x900.

 

I made sure I had the most recent ATI driver. What is a "cleartype"? I don't know how to change that. Dell said they might have sent the wrong LCD panel, so they are sending out a new one. This is what I have tried to far:

I changed the resolution to 1600 x 900 in the control panel and in the ATI Catalyst program. I updated the Catalyst program driver and the BIOS to A04. I did a Dell chat and the tech remotely accessed my laptop and tried to get the settings right. Obviously he couldn't see a problem because his screen was producing the right picture. Someone from Dell called me yesterday and said they might have sent out an incompatible/wrong panel. They are sending a new one on Monday. The guy from Dell was upset that the tech left my screen this way, but I told him I asked him to. I thought I could fix it over the weekend (with the help of my forum friends).

 

Control panel -> Display -> L/H side "Adjust Cleartype Text" - it's pixel hinting. If you've configured it in the past, with a different screen and different resolution, it can make text look kinda weird.

But, as you've not heard of it, I'm guessing it'll not be that...

 

The screenshot would be 1600x900, the graphics card ouputs 1600x900, what the display driver does is interpolate down to 1366x768 then the hardware in the screen display brings it back up.

I saw this once before on a desktop system, and agreed it may not be the case but it was cost free to look into. If the drivers were changed as mentioned above then it may not be the issue.........

Edit; the screen shot is just the buffer, I have a 1366x768. When set to 800x600 the screen shot below of full screen is what you get. It will work the same for both over or under the displays native resolution.....

 

So, a Dell tech came and put a new screen. This one is worse than the first. Now the screen is fuzzy and has a very deep red tint. The tech got on the phone and Dell said they will just issue a replacement. The tech said he thinks something is wrong with the motherboard.