From: tpang@fraser.sfu.ca (Tsui Ting Debbie Pang)
Subject: Re: Monitor size and resolution
Keywords: multi-sync, multiple resolution, monitors
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 08:50:59 GMT

rseymour@reed.edu (Robert Seymour) writes:
>In article <8610023@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> dlc@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dennis Clark)  
>writes:
>> In comp.sys.mac.hardware, hades@coos.dartmouth.edu (Hades) writes:
>> > dlc@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dennis Clark) writes:
>> > >In comp.sys.mac.hardware, guiyu@spectra (Kui Yu Chang) writes:
>> > >> MON size	resolution	hori. freq(Khz)
>> > >> --------	----------	---------------
>> > >> 12"		 512 x  384	24.15
>> > >> 13" or 14"	 640 x  480	35.0		 <-- [also 15"]
>> > >> 16"		 832 x  624	50	(approx.)<-- [also 17"]	
>> > >> 19"		1024 x  768	60	(approx.)<-- [also 20"]
>> > >> 21"		1152 x  870	68.24
>> > >>Above are the STANDARD resolutions used on the respective SIZE of the
>> > >>monitor.  True, you can display 1152 x 870 on a 14", but a 14" is not a
>> > >>STANDARD to display it. Thus, when people say 16" resolution, they mean
>> > >>832 x 624.
>> > >  Hmmm, I am running a SuperMac Spectrum 8 card with a Sony 16" at  
>1024x768 -
>> > >it is NOT WYSIWYG however, but it is nice.
>> >     The person above was not talking about multi-synch monitors that can
>> > display other resolutions than the "standard" resolution for the
>> > monitor's size. 16" standard resolution is 832x624.
>>   Neither am I, this is a standard SONY 16" Trinitron monitor, not a multi-
>> sync.  It is a 60HZ monitor and a standard in the unix market.
>> DLC
>	Your talking about two different things here. In one case you have  
>mulit-synchronous monitors, and in the other multiple resolution. Multi-sync  
>monitors are built to be compatible with a variety of graphics (hardware)  
>drivers by accepting more than one scan rate. However, multiple resolution  
>monitors are able to display more than one resolution, thus allowing hardware  
>pan and zoom.
>	The above stated 16" Sony is multiple resolution (often this is the  
>sole province of the driving hardware (i.e. board)). This is independent of  
>it's being multi-sync. The pixel resolutions given above are the *standard*  
>resolutions at each size (note other size designations, the trend seems to be  
>to use the bezel dimensions [case in point AppleColor 13" --> MacColorDisplay  
>14" even though they are the same monitor with different curcuitry]). 
>	In a multiple resolution setup, other resolutions may be used (i.e. the  
>1024x768 used on a 16" monitor as above). However, when displaying at higher  
>resolution, the display is no longer WYSIWYG, so this limits it's usefulness  
>for publishing, graphics, or layout.

Although sometimes you can have more than one "apparent" resolution with
one horizontal frequency to a monitor, usually this is not the case. As
stated from the chart above, moving from 640x480 to higher frequency for
example, the horizontal frequency has to be increased as well. Otherwise
you don't have a picture! On the other hand, if you are driving the
monitor at 60kHz (approx.) with 1152x900 resolution, for example, you
can down the size of the resolution to "virtual" 640x480 without
decreasing the frequency, but not possible to increase the resolution to
1280x1024 without increasing the frequency to 68kHz. (My data might not
be accurate, but you get the idea).

Therefore, as a general rule, multiple resolution almost always associates
with multiscanning because of changing driving horizontal frequency.

>--
>Robert Seymour				rseymour@reed.edu
>Departments of Physics and Philosophy
>Artificial Life Project			Reed College
>Reed Solar Energy Project (SolTrain)	Portland, OR

Strike 3! You are out! :)
I don't mean to flame. Mr. Seymour knows very well in most of the matter,
and he explained well on the Trinitron technology without mistakes. But
I'd like to clear up several ones he made in other postings. It is not
personal.

David Tse