Swapping PC's (and Hard Drives). Need Advice

One of my favorite features of my new LCD is the ability to use it as a mega PC monitor via a VGA cable. However, my PC's resolution only goes up to 1280 by 1024. My mom's PC, which she rarely uses, can go up to 1600-something, which I'm told would make a big difference with my monitor.

So I'm planning to exchange PCs, swapping hard drives so we keep our saved info. I want to swap both the primary and secondary drive. I'm told however that it isn't as simple as just swapping the hard drives though, and that I may have to do some configuration with Bios.

So I would like your help on what I should be prepared to configure after the swap to make the experience as quick and painless as possible. Thanks.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Just swapping the hard drives is the worst thing you can do as it will no doubt screw up your entire OS installation. Do not do this. Ever.

You might want to check your graphics card and driver capabilities as these are the only things restriction resolutions. If your computer isn't ancient, it should support resolutions beyond 1280x1024. Have you even tried hooking the computer up to the new LCD and see if it detects higher resolutions?

Besides, as long as that LCD of yours isn't a full 1080p set, 1280x1024 is about the best you can get. You are talking about HDTV, are you?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

This is my LCD in case you were wondering.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-HOlS8yg...e&i=647LVM37W3

And yes, it DOES support 1080p. And no, I wasn't able to get the resolution any higher. My graphics card is an Intel 82865G Graphics Controller. I tried downloading a driver from Intel's site, but it didn't bump the resolution up. Is there maybe a third party driver or something else I could download to increase the resolution?

As for drive swapping, what about just swapping the secondary drives (where I keep most of my stuff in)? Then I would just have to backup whatever few files I have saved in the primary drive, right?

Oh, and my PC is a Dell Pentium 4, only about 2 or 3 years old.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Soldier, just connect the monitor. Your Windows Control panel won't display resolutions bigger than your currently attached monitor can display. Your Video Card is perfectly capable of using other resolutions.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

If that was the case, then why was I unable to increase the size when I hooked it up to my (much larger) LCD?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Soldier:

Using the integrated graphics on your system will probably not allow you to get 16x9 resolutions. Especially if your system is older. Your best bet is to consider getting a graphics card. Do you have a AGP slot open inside the computer? A PCI-Expressx16 slot? Or a open PCI slot?

Anyone of those slots will allow you to add a graphics card that will do 1:1 pixel mapping via DVI at 1920x1080p. It will look fantastic. And you won't even need to get an expensive card to do this. I'll help you pick out a card, but I need to know what kind of slots you have available.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I'm away from my computer until tommorow, so you'll have to wait until then, but I *think* I have a PCI slot. I don't need a graphics card fancy enough to run PC games, because I don't play any, but I would like any that will max out the resolutions for my LCD. I mainly want to use it for saved videos and emulators (SNES, PS1, MAME, etc).

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

I'm away from my computer until tommorow, so you'll have to wait until then, but I *think* I have a PCI slot. I don't need a graphics card fancy enough to run PC games, because I don't play any, but I would like any that will max out the resolutions for my LCD. I mainly want to use it for saved videos and emulators (SNES, PS1, MAME, etc).

We can easily pick one out for you that is under $50 that will suit you fine. Hopefully you will have an actual graphics card slot open (AGP or PCIe16). This will keep the cost lower. Let me know what slot you got and we'll pick something out.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I appreciate that, and I'll let you know first thing.

Since I'm also looking into a TV Tuner (standard or HD, preferably the latter), is there perhaps a graphics card that also acts as a TV Tuner?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16814102463R

that's the cheapest all-in-wonder card i could find (hell, it's the ONLY one i could find on newegg). it's PCI-express only though, so i don't know if it will work.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Looks like my best bet. Buying both products seperately would cost me around the same price anyway.

So I'm back at my PC, but what's the easiest way to tell you whether I take PCI or not? Is it listed anywhere in the Device Manager, or would you require a camera shot of my PC's back?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I linked to the different ports in my post above. You should be able to identify which ports you have. I'm sure you have a PCI slot, but if you can figure out if you have the AGP or PCI-express slot, thatd be great.

If you can't figure it out, post a specific model number, a motherboard picture, or something that I can munch on.

EDIT:
If you have an AGP slot, this should be perfect for you -> http://www.pcprogress.com/product.as...00PRO64A&m1=pg

If not, this PCI card should work ok as well -> http://www.compuvest.com/Description...SQ9?iid=275536

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Whats wrong with the 29 dollar one on that same page? http://www.compuvest.com/Description...&cid=304&sid=0

Its cheaper and it still does high resolutions.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Well, as I mentioned before, I'm looking for a card that can give me the maximum resolutions my TV can handle (1900-something, IIRC) as well as a TV Tuner to watch SD channels. The ability to watch HD channels as well is desirable, but not immediately recquired if it makes a huge difference in price. But if I can get the same HD channels off the tuner, then I wouldn't have to pay for renting out Comcast's cable box anymore.

Anyway, I went ahead and took a picture of my motherboard.

So I definetely do have PCI slots, but I can't tell if that green slot is an AGP.

Anyway, I appreciate the suggestions, and please offer me your best recommendations by today. I'm trying to have my x-mas list ready before the day is done.

Double Post:
Thanks to Metal Sphere's help, he picked out the two items I'm looking for.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116310

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102043

He did a lot of searching, and told me it would be cheaper for me if I bought these two instead of an all-in-one. With this, along with a DVR cable, he says that not only will I get resolutions up to the 2000's, but that I'll also get 1080p quality for SD and HD channels. Nice.

If you have any other recommendations, though, I'm happy to listen.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by xen0phobia

Whats wrong with the 29 dollar one on that same page? http://www.compuvest.com/Description...&cid=304&sid=0

Its cheaper and it still does high resolutions.

Specifically, because it uses a much older chipset which HDTV Radeon drivers may not be compatible with. And I could never recommend a card as crappy as a 7500.

Moving on...

@SOLDIER
Metal Sphere's advice is good. Especially if HDTV into you computer is something your looking for. That ATI HDTV tuner gets some of the best HDTV reception, especially for the price. Also, getting a seperate AGP card and PCI tuner card is the way to go. The 9600XT is not a bad pick either.

Well, sounds like you got your solution. I would have hoped to give you just as good advice if I only couldve seen your mobo sooner .

BTW, I too have a Westy LCD HDTV, and they are damn fine for the money. You have good taste.

FELIPE NO

Oh, don't worry about it, I'm just glad I found an ideal solution. If I can get just one of those two items for christmas, I can purchase the other one shortly after. If all goes well, I can probably use this as my source for HD channels, and can return the receiver to Comcast (thus, I would only be paying for the channel service, $5). There's still the question on whether I'll still receive all the extra channels I got from the receiver (and there's a lot; 5 HBO's, 5 Encore's, G4, 3 HD exclusive channels, Fearnet, etc). But I'll take better quality and a cheaper monthly rate over the other option.

I lucked out with the Westy brand during Crutchfield's cyber monday sale. The TV is so good I spend more time trying to find flaws than pluses (I know, it's sad). The biggest flaws are the look of SD channels (which is why I'm trying this PC setup) as well as games under 480p (I'm still calibrating to find the ideal look for PS2 games).

But man oh man, 1080p Blu Ray movies look fantastic. I still need to do a journal entry soon.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

Oh, don't worry about it, I'm just glad I found an ideal solution. If I can get just one of those two items for christmas, I can purchase the other one shortly after. If all goes well, I can probably use this as my source for HD channels, and can return the receiver to Comcast (thus, I would only be paying for the channel service, $5). There's still the question on whether I'll still receive all the extra channels I got from the receiver (and there's a lot; 5 HBO's, 5 Encore's, G4, 3 HD exclusive channels, Fearnet, etc). But I'll take better quality and a cheaper monthly rate over the other option.

I lucked out with the Westy brand during Crutchfield's cyber monday sale. The TV is so good I spend more time trying to find flaws than pluses (I know, it's sad). The biggest flaws are the look of SD channels (which is why I'm trying this PC setup) as well as games under 480p (I'm still calibrating to find the ideal look for PS2 games).

But man oh man, 1080p Blu Ray movies look fantastic. I still need to do a journal entry soon.

I don't have a 1080p Westy, but I almost did.

I bought my 32" 1366x768 TV last year from Best Buy. Had a great deal going, and I picked it up with 3 years 0% financing at $899. Definitely a steal at the time. I went to Best Buy and tested the 32" and the 37" 1080p monitor. I was having alot of trouble deciding which one to pick up. Since I run a HTPC (PC as the main component of my entertainment center), I decided that quality of use was more important than resolution. At 37", 1080p would be very hard to text read unless you were like 3ft away. And PC games would require SERIOUS horse power to run at 1080p.

So by settling for 720p, I got much more readable text at 6ft away, and much easier to run graphics for my PC gaming. I've been really happy with it, and right now I'm typing across the room from my screen on the couch... Beautiful.

I really love the 1080p goodness though. I take it you have PS3 if you are watching Blu-ray discs? Let me ask you this, how much is it really worth it to get HD-DVD/Bluray over DVDs? To me, I've been super happy with DVD, and most high resolution trailers I watch that are 1080p or 720p are cool, but don't really leave me with the sense of HD being necessary to enjoy a movie. I guess I'm wondering how much difference is there to you with "drawing you in" to a movie?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well, keep in mind I've only seen a couple of Blu Ray movies, being Corpse Bride and Ice Age 2 as of this writing (and only bits of Talladega Nights, but that most certainly is not a movie worth judging toward the potential of Blu Ray). However, as someone who's enjoyed some of the finest DVD transfers over an LG upconverting player, I can assure you that there's a huge difference in quality.

Granted I haven't seen either movie on DVD, but I could tell right away that Blu Ray movies, at least in 1080p, deliver the single greatest image quality I have ever seen. There is absolutely no film or video noise that is common on even the best DVD transfers, and nearly every single frame looks like it's being printed right on the screen.

Even the sound has managed to impress me with the extra clarity given to its positional audio (in other words, all the speakers, even the rear ones, deliver the same level of boom and pitch). Considering that the Blu Ray format is still in its early stage, this has me very excited for what can be achieved later on, especially by Disney and doubly especially by any anime companies.

So yeah, if you ever get a chance to check out what Blu Ray can do, make sure to try out either of those movies, as they're confirmed to have the best transfers for now. If there's any complaint, is that 1080p is a bit TOO perfect; my eyes get a bit sorer as I take in all the extra colors and lighting (my sister mentioned the same thing when she glanced at it), and anything less just doesn't measure up (which is why I've been hesitant with the HD channels, with all the visual noise and such).

Anyway, I hope the combo of the tuner and graphics card can pull off what I want. I forgot to ask if I would need any extra RAM or any other crap I might have overlooked. If not, I hope to use my PC as the new receiver for both standard and hi def channels. I've played around with my settings so the HD channels appear quite a bit better (hint: lower the sharpness), but standard channels still balance from decent to craptacular.

Edit: I'm not sure why the popup isn't working, but here's a look at what I'm trying to emphasize.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...s/IMG_8713.jpg

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Buying blu ray supports evils more vile than microsoft. Don't do it.

http://fuckbluray.com/

Quote:

# Ladies and gentlemen, I have proof that the MPAA and RIAA want to eat your children.
To them, DRM is more important than human life. Wow.

# "Hacking" your player, for example to remove the region coding, or playing a bootlegged disc, may lead your player to self destruct. (Applies to Blu-ray only).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

There better be a fuckhddvd.com to because all that shit applies to it as well.

I like how the future of technology also means fucking over your rights.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Merv Burger

There better be a fuckhddvd.com to because all that shit applies to it as well.

I like how the future of technology also means fucking over your rights.

Amen. I wouldn't even blame either "camp" as it's the motion picture industry that gave them both a ridiculous list of "requirements" for each format before they would start moving films onto them. Think of it as them overcompensating for not putting enough security measures into DVD before it blew up into what it is today.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Looks like I have to reconsider the TV Tuner portion of my planned setup; it seems it only supports over the air HD, and not digital, which I require.

So I need your help in finding an HD TV Tuner with QAM (digital) and an AGP slot. Hopefully it won't lead to something too pricey.

Most amazing jew boots