Dell GX520 graphics card

[Clar123]

I have bought a new monitor Hewlett-Packard S2231A, the instructions recommend setting the computer to1920x1080. The computer a Dell GX520 does not seem to support this. I am told I need a new graphics card to solve the `spreading` of the picture on the widescreen monitor. Can anyone advise what I need please? Not too expensive ( anything under £2.50 would be ideal!!!).

Thanks.

[ABerrant]

Specs for the Dell Optiplex GX520 indicate that it has integrated video (Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950) capable of a maximum resolution 2048x1536 at 75Hz.

http://support.dell.c...dspecs0.htm#wp1133451

http://www.intel.com/...sets/gma950/index.htm

How much system memory is allocated to the graphics?

[Clar123]

Hi ABerrant,

I haven`t a clue!!! Can you tell me where to find it?

[ABerrant]

Check the Video Memory Size in the BIOS System Setup...

http://support.dell.c...dvfeat0.htm#wp1132957

In an earlier thread you wrote that you were increasing the system memory. The Video Memory Size is probably set very low (i.e. based on the previous memory capacity) and could therefore be increased to use more of the increased available memory and thus allow a greater range of monitor resolutions.

[Clar123]

Hi ABerrant,

You are right, I did increase the memory. Using your indication, the memory size has a choice of 1MB and 8MB, and it appears to be set at 8MB.

[ChuckFickens]

Strictly speaking the 8MB is the frame buffer size, not the video memory size, that will dynamically allocated upto 224MB (although any memory the video card uses will be stolen from the rest of the system)

Assuming you want to run 32bit graphics (the highest colour setting) 8MB frame buffer isn't really enough

1920,1080 * 32 * 8 / 1024 / comes to 8100KB which is 7.9MB or in other words.... pushing it.

If you try dropping the colour depth to 24bit you'd get 1920,1080 * 24 * 8 / 1024 / which is 6075KB (about 6MB) which will give you a far better chance of running in 1920*1080 resolution.

The 2048*1536 ABE mentioned above would only be possible in a colour depth of 16bit.

Ideally, a better graphics card would be the answer, they can be got pretty cheaply, but before anyone can recommend one we'd need to know which case you've got as that dell comes in 3 case sizes and which card to go for is going to depend in what will fit in your case.

[Clar123]

Hi again,

The case when standing upright is:

40cm (h) x 11cm (w) x 34.5cm (d)

[ABerrant]

You have the Desktop case which only allows for low-profile PCI 2.3 expansion cards.

The BIOS (video memory) framebuffer setting reserves a memory allocation at bootup which can then be dynamically increased, as required, by the graphics driver once it has loaded. 8MB is not a MAXIMUM - it is the MINIMUM allocated framebuffer when the OS is operational and thus the problem you have may not be an inadequate framebuffer but rather the graphics driver just not having the 1920x1080 resolution preset for you to select. A (somewhat complex) work-around may be to hack the driver or enforce a custom resolution and refresh rate...

http://komku.blogspot...ll-hd-resolution.html

http://support.dell.c...id=3268&fileid=176135

There may be other (simpler!) 3rd party resolution managers able to produce custom settings.