Will Sis video on my 2.8GHz AMD drive a widscreen LCD display?
 

People,

I have an '05 bare-bone (built-to-order) 2.8GHz AMD box with a Gig of memory and SiS video. Right now this box is driving a 19" Hitachi SuperScan Elite 751 at 1280x1024 without any problem. I want to do my small/tiny part in energy conservation and buy a flatpanel -- hopefully widescreen -- display. I have found a nice 20.1" LCD display and would like any best-guesses as to whether the Ubuntu 6.06LTS version would drive this display.

I would buy a better video card but because I am physically disabled, can't put the card in the box.

Any SWAGs? Should I just do-it and take the LCD back if it flops?

Thanks for any input.

-gk

PS: FWIW: this box had run flawlessly for 3 years. Ubuntu is ++good here, IMHO.

Video is video. There's no difference in the interface for tube vs LCD displays other than you might have to get a DVI-XGA adapter to match the cables. As long as you can plug it in and drive the resolution you want then it should work. I switched from my NEC tube monitor to LCD with no more issue than lifting the thing and plugging it in. One thing that might bother you though is refresh rates. Many (most?) inexpensive LCD monitors are limited to 60 Hz. Check that before you buy.

Thanks for your help. The inputs on this ``Sceptre'' brand display are given as a DVI port and a VGA port.
The specs on the resolution are "1680x1050 WSXVGA+". I haven't a clue what that last string is except I would guess that the "XVGA" might mean that it will fit. I have four computers all running into a 2000 or 2001 KVM switch. So analog. As I consolidate and upgrade I'll go all digital. My one new-ish computer is a Dell 8200 that I'm pretty sure has a VGA running into the KVM box; and my hunch is that the widescreen display's "VGA" might be an "XGA". The power ranges from 100 - 240AC, and 50/60Hz. 2ms refresh! The max v-sync is 75Hz, the max H-sync == 82KHz.

The Viewsonic is only a bit more, and has a regular VGA 15-pin input. Says nothing about DVI. 5ms response.
The max sync rate:: v,h are 76Hz and 81KHz.

This is from a local wholesaler, Costco.

Your video should be able to use the 1680x1050 def (at least), after that let play XFree (or Xorg). If you use SuSE, it's quite easy, call sax2 and set your screen def. In the case of your screen is not already defined, you 'll be able to describe a new one by settings defs and frequencies.

I won't explain how to do inside the console with commands such defmod, xf86config, ...

NP, :-); I've had years of messing with CLI toys like xf86config. It's xorg, and from what I've read, xorg does understand XGA.

A FWIW here: I'll post the results of what happens on this forum. If I buy the low-end widescreen or the ViewSonic, or the $300 Dell, it will give everyone else more datapoints.

(slightly) inexpensive widescreen does work on my 2.8Ghz Ubuntu
 

Well, guys, after weeks of deciding whether I wanted to stay with a 10-year-old clunker that burned energy like crazy [[ and worked flawlessly, BTW ]] *or* buy a new widescreen, I decided to take the "risk"; you guys were right. What I got here in Seattle is a
"Sceptre 20.1" widescreen LCD". I can't read the DOG/Windoze docs because the docs are on a CD. --Maybe I'll try it on my daughter's MacBook so that I can find more specs. But, nutshell, it works, or, Just-Works [TM].

I did have to go into Ubuntu and type

# X -configure

to get a new xorg.conf. It was in /root/xorg.conf.new; I tested that and moved the file to /etc/X11. But that was the only very minor hack.

As of last Sunday or Monday, I'm that much greener, and I'm grateful to you gents for your info.