Computer monitor compatibility questions

[Bigprairie1]

Anyone know how compatible computer screens are to different operating systems and computers?
ie: Can you use a viewsonic or other PC type monitor on a MAC?
(my sister has a 3-5 year old MAC computer and she is thinking of trying to get a bigger better monitor for it...so I'm trying to find out what she can look for).
Separately, if you have a 5 year old PC, as I do, could I put a Dell monitor on it? or just about any type of monitor on it?
As well, I run a Dell laptop (M6400 precision) and I was thinking of getting 1-2 nice new/newer flat monitors to replace my Viewsonic CRT type. I would attempt to run the laptop view in the larger monitor screen while I'm working at home from time to time.
It seems that this stuff depreciates so quickly I can't help but wonder if it is a matter of no longer being compatible....or what?
Any help would be appreciated guys!
Many Thanks
BP

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

They are all pretty well standard nowadays. Just check whether you have a VGA or DVI connector. However there are adapters to convert one to the other and a lot of monitors accept either type of cable.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

With the MAC you'll have to look and see if it uses a standard VGA or DVI connector. If it does, you're golden, if it's proprietary MAC, she better be ready to spend big bucks on a bigger screen.

As for PCs, they all use either VGA or DVI and have pretty much since they were introduced. Buy any monitor you want and plug it in. Hell, buy a huge plasma or LCD TV with VGA/DVI/S-Video input and use that if you want.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

Lcd screens will use a little more RAM ...64 megs or more....just make sure system is not under Ramed or profermance will suffer

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

Lcd screens will use a little more RAM ...64 megs or more....just make sure system is not under Ramed or profermance will suffer

Since when do LCD monitors use more RAM?? There is no difference in monitor performance from 16Mb to 128Mb. System video performance will suffer but the monitor has nothing to do with RAM use.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

I went thru this just a ittle while back with a Dell Dimension 3000. I wound up having to replace the graphics card to get proper resolution.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

You just said it different......thanks eh.....I was meaning that they use more VIDEO ram than crt's

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

Sorry man but that's also not true. Just a different way of displaying the same image. Now if your point is that an LCD monitor may make a crappy graphics card more apparent? Well then I agree with you.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

There we go eactly most crt's are running on crappy cards where lcd wouldn't run ....more ram

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

um no.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

Driving a monitor at 1024x768 requires the same resources regardless of the monitor type. Simplistically where you will see a difference is in the color depth, performance, and refresh rate.

Color depth and performance will drive memory usage, but again this is not monitor dependent. Refresh rate you actually get a break because LCDs typically do not need anyting above 60hz. CRTs are most comfortable above 70hz (reduction of flicker)

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

The only thing video card RAM does for a computer is it takes the burden off of the motherboard RAM. CRT, LCD, Plasma... don't matter.

 

[BeaufortTJustice]

Re: Computer monitor compatibility questions

The resolution is a factor that video card memory size does have a great effect upon. The higher the resolution that you run, the more the video card memory is taxed. The larger the LCD monitor, the more likely it will be capable of higher resolutions that would require a video card with adequate amount of memory in order to perform as intended for some applications.

That being said, just about any video card produced in the last few years will be able to handle a windows desktop at the monitors higher resolutions. It is when you try to run graphics intensive applications, such as games, that the video card's memory size will become a limiting factor on graphics / display performance.