I just got a Samsung 26" tv. System prefs wont let me view higher than 1360 x 768?

applecomputerapplecomputer
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Cripes! I just got this new HD widescreen tv and I want to use it as a monitor. The optimal screen resolution is 1360 x 788, but with a screen this large I really wanted to jam pack a lot of stuff onto my screen at any given time but the Displays panel in System Preferences won't let me. =(



Is there any way around this via software or do I just have a big monitor with too little pixels?



(man, everything is so big, it's hurting my eyes!)



thanks!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    applecomputerapplecomputer Posts: 63member
    Oops, its 1360 x 768!
  • Reply 2 of 15
    wingk1314wingk1314 Posts: 43member
    I don't think so... I've seen alot of screen hacks but never seen any that is able to increase your max screen resolution. I'm guessing it's to do with the LCD itself (fixed resolution). Some one correct me if I'm wrong.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleComputer

    do I just have a big monitor with too little pixels?



    More like a big monitor with too big pixels.



    You should really stick with the native resolution of your screen. You start getting all kinds of annoying glitches if you try to scale things. I've tried doing what you are trying years ago with some PC setup and image quality degrades VERY RAPIDLY! Text was unbearable, but graphics were a bit better. Still, if you displayed a perfect circle, it would come out with little jagged edges.



    If it is really important, high resolution is something to consider before you purchase a screen.



    If you can, hook up your screen using component connections. (there are better prices if you shop around) I'm hoping your screen registers as a 1080i device that would give you your screen real estate. Image quality will suffer greatly.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Currently, there aren't that many native 1080 devices, and the ones that are our there are costly. But they will be mainstream pretty soon, I'm guessing. Two years ago, the 768 sets were premium.
  • Reply 5 of 15
    applecomputerapplecomputer Posts: 63member
    "If you can, hook up your screen using component connections. (there are better prices if you shop around) I'm hoping your screen registers as a 1080i device that would give you your screen real estate. Image quality will suffer greatly."



    My screen is indeed 1080i. Using component would give me what I need? How badly would it suffer my graphics? How can it be worse than using a VGA connection?
  • Reply 6 of 15
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    By using a standard 1080i resolution, your TV will use built-in scaling hardware to fake a higher resolution and fit the image to your screen. The outcome depends a lot on the quality of your hardware and can result in anything from nasty jaggy edges to some pretty gosh-darn good pictures. (My luck is with the former rather than the later.) It boils down to: Did your manufacturer use the $0.40 cheap-ola signal processor or the $1.65 one? Still, any signal conversion in your TV set will never be as good as using its native resolution.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    AppleComputer, I suspect that your screen has a native resolution of 1360 x 768. Many "HD ready" LCD panels have this resolution. What is the model number?
  • Reply 8 of 15
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleComputer

    Cripes! I just got this new HD widescreen tv and I want to use it as a monitor. The optimal screen resolution is 1360 x 788, but with a screen this large I really wanted to jam pack a lot of stuff onto my screen at any given time but the Displays panel in System Preferences won't let me. =(



    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleComputer

    Oops, its 1360 x 768!



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mr. H

    AppleComputer, I suspect that your screen has a native resolution of 1360 x 768.



    Gee, where did you ever get that idea. Just teasing ya!
  • Reply 9 of 15
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ebby

    Gee, where did you ever get that idea. Just teasing ya!



    Yeah, yeah. It's just that some people buy "HD" LCD TVs expecting them to have 1920 x 1080 pixels (can't really blame them), when they actually have something like 1360 x 768.



    Sometimes, OS X doesn't present all of the resolutions that a monitor is capable of, so it is possible that the screen has more pixels. In this case, however, I suspect that that is unlikely. To know for sure, we need the TV model no.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    The TV is likly onl;y capable of 720p, so that is the max resolution. any 1080i content is probably automaticly scaled by the tv ro cable box to 720p.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    applecomputerapplecomputer Posts: 63member
    Thanks for all the replies, everyone!



    It is the Samsung LN-S2651D. And the manual did say that the optimal setting was the 1360 x 768, which was also the largest shown in the book as well. Looks like I will put it on eBay next week if anyone wants a great display for HD movies or HD games, i can get you a link! This certainly would fall into the category 'my loss is your gain.'



    So now I am in the market for a comparable monitor but with a significantly larger resolution. Either that, or two 19" flat screens.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,322moderator
    It says on all the product sites that it's 1366 x 768:



    http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...G=Search&meta=



    You could try switchresx:



    http://www.madrau.com/html/SRX/About.html



    or displayconfigX:



    http://www.3dexpress.de/
  • Reply 13 of 15
    mikefmikef Posts: 698member
    FWIW, the Sceptre X37SV-Naga LCD/TV has native 1920x1080 resolution and has been receiving praise.



    http://www.sceptre.com/Products/LCD/...X37SV-Naga.htm



    Not very expensive either for what it is...



    See AVSForum for more info, user comments, etc.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    applecomputerapplecomputer Posts: 63member
    i downloaded both of those, but the FAQ on one of those apps says that it is fruitless to attempt to fudge a new resolution on an LCD monitor.



    thanks!
  • Reply 15 of 15
    mikefmikef Posts: 698member
    That makes sense... whatever resolution you're trying to us above and beyond the physical resolution of the display is going to be scaled. This generally means a (possibly major) reduction in picture quality. For example, most text will become illegible.
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