interesting SNAP feature

[tho...@antispam.ham]

I encountered an interesting "feature" of the SNAP video driver. I've
got a Matrox G450 video card being used in dual-head mode with two
Samsung 204T monitors providing a 3200x1200 desktop. The backlight on
the left-hand monitor started to die recently (first flickering,
followed by a couple days of severely reduced brightness, followed by
total failure). In anticipation of not being able to see an important
part of my desktop after the next reboot, I used the System object to
reset the screen to single-head mode with 1600x1200 resolution. Of
course, the change doesn't take effect until after the next reboot. So
far, I haven't had to reboot, but I did use a full screen command prompt,
and after switching back to the desktop, suddenly my right-hand monitor
was showing the left side of the 3200x1200 desktop. Soon after, I
discovered that moving the mouse to the right edge of the display caused
the desktop to scroll. So I can pan around to see the entire 3200x1200
desktop on a single monitor. Again, I haven't rebooted since the screen
was changed back to single-head mode, so the changes supposedly haven't
taken effect. But something took effect to cause a single screen to
show the entire desktop.

Speaking of monitors, it seems that Samsung doesn't make any 1600x1200
displays anymore. I discovered that Dell apparently still sells an
older model with that resolution. Anybody else? Any recommendations
for a good quality flat panel with 1600x1200 pixels?

Alternatively, if I wanted to try replacing the backlight in my
monitor, where can one find replacements of the right size?

[Trevor Hemsley]

On Fri, 14 Jan 2011 23:46:23 UTC in comp.os.os2.setup.video, tho...@antispam.ham
wrote:

> Alternatively, if I wanted to try replacing the backlight in my
> monitor, where can one find replacements of the right size?

One quick search on flea-bay later...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SAMSUNG-SYNCMASTER-204T-20-1-LCD-CCFL-BACKLIGHT-LAMP-4-/18
0493875694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0645f9ee

I've replaced one backlight in a Thinkpad and decided against ever doing it
again.

> Speaking of monitors, it seems that Samsung doesn't make any 1600x1200
> displays anymore. I discovered that Dell apparently still sells an
> older model with that resolution. Anybody else?

There seem to a be few still being advertised in the UK but they are more
expensive than widescreen ones. HP LP2065, NEC LCD2090UXi and LCD2190UXp, Eizo
Flexscan S2100k and MX10 and L997. The HP is showing as in stock on
www.insight.com in the USA at $420.

--
Trevor Hemsley, Brighton, UK
Trevor dot Hemsley at ntlworld dot com