Is my computer screwed or is my monitor screwed? (picture)

[Woozie]

Spoiler: show

http://i55.tinypic.com/24e2nut.jpg

Yeah, I know it's kinda old. This just happened this morning while I was trying to buy a textbook. I rebooted a few times and checked my cables but it still looks like this. As far as I can tell, the computer is actually working normal, so I assume it's the monitor. I just want to be sure.

I managed to open up my itunes and play music just by remembering where the itunes is on my desktop. So my computer does seem to be running like normal.

Edit: I don't know my computer specs by heart. It's a compaq. I got it from best buy about a year and a half ago. I was about to say "I'll post specs when I get home" but then I remembered that the reason I'm making this thread is because I can't use my computer. I guess I'll post them tomorrow if anyone asks about them.

[xerodok]

Do you have another monitor available to plug it into? If so, just test and see if your desktop shows up on that monitor. This will answer the question weither it's the monitor or the PC itself.

If you don't have another monitor, try another DVI/VGA cable that goes from your PC to the monitor. Also make sure that they are plugged in all the way (which you said you already checked).

But, in all honesty, by the looks of the picture, I would just invest in a new monitor.

[Woozie]

I don't have any way to test with a different monitor, but I can try with different cables when I get home today.

[Franzer]

Just from looking at that dinosaur of a monitor, i'd say its the monitor.

[Isiolia]

The last CRT I owned (well, other than the one my brother left in my basement /rage) did that when it died - compressed to like one horizontal line - so I'd also say your monitor is kaput.

[Woozie]

My great great great great grandfather built that with his own two hands. Oh well, I guess I'll buy an LCD and take this one to the museum or something.

[AoE]

Looks like your computer is viewing the death of a galaxy.

[Caiyuo]

It's actually kind of awesome looking, I'd just keep it like that and play your itunes randomly to pretend you're from space when girls come by.

As far as a solution, if you're on a network and could get access to another computer that was as well you could try using remote desktop within windows to connect to your computer and see if everything's actually cool with it.

[Woozie]

It was my monitor. I just bought a new one and it works fine. Thanks everyone.

[Caiyuo]

Well that was zero fun, as success often is

[Woozie]

Okay, I'm an idiot when it comes to monitors. I got one that was a decent size for it's price, but everything looks funny. The resolution on the monitor says "1080p" but I can only turn the resolution on my computer to 1280x1040. Should I take this back and get a monitor that matches my max resolution? I didn't even look at the resolution when I was buying. I just looked at the size and price. Everything looks a little stretched out and I don't know if it's something I just have to get used to or if I should change monitors.

[Omniyoji]

LoL yes, if your gfx card doesn't support 1920 x 1080 then it'll look fuzzy like you stated.

[Caiyuo]

Jinxed, my bad lol

You said it was only a little over a year old though? What Omniyoji said sounds correct, but that seems like an awfully low resolution for something that recent. Integrated graphics?

[Woozie]

Integrated graphics?

Yeah....lol. I'd rather get a smaller monitor so my picture looks right than upgrade the graphics card.

[Omniyoji]

If you do pick up one I suggest getting one of those old Sony CPD-xxxx 15" or 17" trinitron CRT monitors. I still have mine from when I got a VAIO back in 98~99 very good quality and probably one of the best ones you could've bought then. Ah yes awesome warm radiation glow~~~~~~~

EDIT: found pic lol

http://notebookfacts.com/wp-content/...-rx462ds-2.jpg

[Caiyuo]

Yeah....lol. I'd rather get a smaller monitor so my picture looks right than upgrade the graphics card.

I'm honestly not sure if you'd find something like that without going second-hand or some overpriced legacy equipment. Even netbook native resolutions are usually higher than that, so it might be worth considering a graphics card, if your PSU could support one. I mean, you could use a lower 16:9 resolution to fit the aspect ratio of your new monitor that's within the confines of what you listed like 1280x800 (examples) so that it would at least look to-scale and appropriate, but idk how great that would look.

[Woozie]

If you do pick up one I suggest getting one of those old Sony CPD-xxxx 15" or 17" trinitron CRT monitors. I still have mine from when I got a VAIO back in 98~99 very good quality and probably one of the best ones you could've bought then. Ah yes awesome warm radiation glow~~~~~~~

EDIT: found pic lol

http://notebookfacts.com/wp-content/...-rx462ds-2.jpg

Well, if I'm getting a new monitor, I may as well get an LCD since they use less electricity.

I'm honestly not sure if you'd find something like that without going second-hand or some overpriced legacy equipment. Even netbook native resolutions are usually higher than that, so it might be worth considering a graphics card, if your PSU could support one. I mean, you could use a lower 16:9 resolution to fit the aspect ratio of your new monitor that's within the confines of what you listed like 1280x800 (examples) so that it would at least look to-scale and appropriate, but idk how great that would look.

My last PC was one that I built, and when I wanted to change stuff around, I could just call my friend who would tell me what's compatible. Then I (or he) would just put it in myself (himself). For this PC, I'm not sure if the warranty is still on it (I think it was one or two years. Probably two. Even if it was 1, I think MasterCard doubles it). Point being, I don't want to open it and do stuff myself. How would I find one that's compatible and where would I have to take it to get it installed? I've never taken my computer anywhere before so I have no clue where to go.


I have an HP Compaq Presario. I don't know what other info you would need, so here's a bunch of stuff.

http://i55.tinypic.com/2d1pawm.jpg

Also, would I save money by getting a smaller resolution monitor so that I don't have to find a graphics card that goes to 1080p or whatever this is? Just replacing the monitor with a smaller one alone could save me like 50 dollars.

How can I tell what graphics cards are even compatible with my system?

Edit: Oh man my movies and UFC videos look blurry. This is awful.

Edit 2: Actually they don't look so bad when it's not full screen. If I put it at the size of my last monitor it looks very similar. I can't tell if one is better or worse without a side-by-side comparison though.

Edit 3: Nevermind, this is definitely worse.

[Caiyuo]

Well, in terms of simplicity, finding a monitor would probably be the easiest and you'd be looking at like a 15" or 17" LCD in that case. Gonna look on newegg to see what kind of price or even availability is like for that and edit this in a moment.

*edit: This is newegg's listing of monitors that are natively 1280x1024, which I presume is supported since you said the highest it listed was 1280x1040: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...NG&PageSize=20

This has no consideration for anything else like speakers or available connections so it's just a sampling, but since nothing's really reviewed in this group, you'd be looking at $100-150 being practical. In comparison, if a graphics card that supported a new monitor was bought, you'd be looking at like $100~ depending on how low or high-end you went paired with a monitor of about the same price as you'd spend on one of those listed above that would be considerably nicer and larger. The hang-up being it's more overall, $250~ for monitor + card versus whatever the smaller monitor costs, and some details I'll include below.

The CPU-Z screens don't really tell me anything since what would be relevant is the actual model number of your Compaq PC so we could look up what you're working with. What I'm thinking is that if your PSU won't support a graphics card, then you'd have to just go with the smaller monitor because in my experience Compaq/HP cases use a proprietary PSU size that keeps you from swapping them out with anything but their brand and their shit is overpriced as fuck.

[Woozie]

Woah! Problem solved. My computer just let me change my resolution all of a sudden. I swear I've been trying for a half hour now and I didn't do anything different just now. i I just kept trying to set it higher and higher and for some reason the scroll bar thingy grew so that I can set it to 1980x1080. I don't know what made it change, but I think it was MAGIC!

http://bummertimes.com/blog/icp10.jpg

Thanks everyone for the help, and special thanks to Caiyuo, for fixing my resolution problems with telekinesis/wizardry. I really appreciate it.

[Caiyuo]

That's awesome, congrats! It seemed like a such a weird problem with a computer that new lol