Desktop Wallpaper

[bigbanana]

i have a 19 inch widescreen LCD monitor set at a resolution of 1024 x 768. I've used a photo of a train from a website as my wallpaper. The photo I've used was 640 x 480. The wallpaper on close examination, looks a little "blocky" in parts and is not satisfactory. I know where I can get a similar photo at 2310 x 1654 resolution. Would this be better? Is this a case of anything at 1024 x 768 being fine for the purpose? Will a picture higher than 1024 x 768 be even better?
Sorry, but I'm a little confused about resolution and I'm not sure if a widescreen monitor would display a photo differently to a CRT screen.

Thank you.

[VHG]

Why are you using a widescreen monitor at a setting of 1024x768, that is not a widescreen resolution.

Monitors come in two main "shapes:

1) Old CRT monitors were "square" or 4x3 (so are non-widescreen TFTs)

2) Widescreen monitors are "envelope" shape, roughly 16:9

You need to set the correct resolution for youre shape of monitor.

Resolutions that are 4x3 include 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 etc

Resolutions that are 16:9 (or thereabouts) include 1280x720, 1680x1050, 1920x1080

All TFTs have a "native" resolutiuon and you should ALWAYS set your TFT at this native resolution, they dont look "right" at any other resolution. Check the documentation that came with your monitor to see what the native resoluition is.

You should then try to use desktop wallpaper at the same resolution as your desktop.

If you cant get the same resolution at least get the same shape (widescreen) and "stretch" it or "compress" it (you can do this with the Windows settings).

[VHG]

This picture may help you (or it may not)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vector_Video_Standards2.svg

All the resolution on the LEFT (in red) are square (4x3 resolutions)

All the resolutions on the right (different colours) are widescreen.

Your monitor is one of those on the right as it is widescreen.

[VHG]

Yet again a link does not work in Answerbank.

Try again

http://tinyurl.com/bxdfwd

[bigbanana]

Thank you Zacsmaster and VHG. I've just discovered my monitor, a LG L196WTQ, has a display image aspect ratio of 16:10. Does this make a difference?
My graphics card, an Nvidia Gforce 8600GT seems to have a maximum digital resolution of 2560 x 1600. I assume I can set the monitor resolution up to these figures if need be?

Thanks

[Cheeris]

While zacsmaster is essentially correct in saying that 'The higher the resoloution, the better', in that higher resolutions look better quality, it should be pointed out that higher resolution displays take up more memory and processing power and can slow your computer down on older computers.

If your screen takes a few seconds or more to properly update, e.g. if you are switching between Internet Explorer and the desktop, then you should change to the next lower resolution. Having said that, if your computer has a decent graphics card like you said it has, then there should be no problem.

To find the best setting you should first get rid of any wallpaper photos and see which resolution you are most comfortable with (i.e. are you straining to to look at the screen and read desktop icon descriptions etc.). Whatever YOU FEEL IS BEST is the correct screen resolution - don't be worried about experimenting with all the offered setting as it is impossible for you to damage anything and you can always change it back.

With regard to wallpaper photos, any picture at a lower resolution than your desktop settings is likely to look dodgy. 640x480 is almost certainly unsuitable on a widescreen monitor, but there most be hundreds of free images of trains you can find by going through Google.

[bigbanana]

i've now discovered that the monitor has a maximum resolution of 1440 x 900. I can't find anything about a "native resolution" in the documentation online.

[bigbanana]

Thanks Cheeris, I'm very grateful. Unfortunately, the photograph is of one particular train ("The Prince of Wales") that runs on the Vale of Rheidol Railway in Wales and although there are a few high resolution pictures available on Google, some have very odd sizes such as 2310 x 1654 and 1729 x 1390. Obviously, these sizes aren't in the wikipedia table cited by VHG so what would happen if I set these as wallpaper?

Thanks again.

[Cheeris]

Try them both - whichever you are happy with.

Like I say, first of all sort out the monitor resolution without any photo at all. Pick which one you prefer. The one YOU prefer! There is no right answer - I share an office with a work colleague and we have opposite opinions on what is a good resolution for our desktop, despite having the same computers. Whatever you think is best is the option you should choose, but please try different settings - there is nothing to be lost trying different things.

Once this is done, choose which photo YOU are happiest with. The resolution of the wallpaper picture doesn't have to be any type of standard. It's just that a wallpaper picture of a lower resolution than the desktop settings will be disappointing. If it looks rubbish don't use it - find another one.

[Jumbuck]

You could always crop / resize pictures using an editor.

[bigbanana]

Thanks again Cheeris. I think I've understood. I'll give it a go.

[bigbanana]

Err, are you saying I should crop to the desktop resolution Jumbuck?

[Cheeris]

There is no need to crop or resize pictures, unless you feel you could produce a more satisfying or dramatic picture than the author.

Otherwise, you might end up with the same problem you started this thread with.

[bigbanana]

I'll do as you suggest Cheeris. Thanks again.

[VHG]

>maximum resolution of 1440 x 900

This sounds like your native resolution, so set your screen resolution in Windows to 1440x900.

When you set a picture as your wallapaper you can set it to either "tile", "stretch" or display as normal size (right click on your dekstop to see these different options).

Tile will display it as many times as it can on the screen (tiled like bathroom tiles).

Stretch will make it fit the desktop by stretching it

And Display as normal size will display it at the normal resolution of the picture, no matter how big the computer desktop is.

Play around with these settings to get the beat image.