Articles in Category: Displays and Display Devices

Displays, monitors, screens … the output device on which your computer displays its activities and results, include LCD, CRT and whatever technologies they think of next.

800 x 600

Why Is 800X600 My Only Resolution Option?

Sometimes 800×600 is your only option. We’ll look at ways to work with this.

Computer display on TV.

Can I Use My TV as a Second Display?

Most modern TVs and computers can be connected easily, but there are a few issues to be aware of.

VGA vs. HDMI - Fight!

Use HDMI When Possible

HDMI is better than VGA. I’ll explain why, and what you need to look for.

Screen Size

How Does Screen Resolution Work?

Screen resolution is a simple concept, but when combined with the myriad ways that Windows can be configured, it can become confusing.

No Signal

No Signal: What it Means and What to Check

“No Signal” is a message coming from your display device (not from your computer), indicating it has nothing to display. I’ll review possible causes.

Black Screen

Why Do I Get a Black Screen on My Computer After a While?

A black screen is most commonly caused by a screen saver, but there are other possibilities.

Size

How Pixels, DPI, Resolution, Picture Size, and File Size All Relate

Photographic images have a number of characteristics that we often don’t consider or understand. I’ll review how digital pictures are constructed and stored, and what you need to keep in mind when sharing or publishing.

UPS

How Do I Shut Down a Machine with No Display?

It’s not difficult to shut down a machine if you can’t see its screen — as long as you plan ahead.

Scale

Making Things Look Bigger in Windows 10

Windows 10 makes it easy to make things bigger on the screen.

Resize - before and after

Adjust the Size of What’s on Your Screen in Windows 10

Windows 10 made adjusting the size of items on your display much easier.

Brightness Control

How Do I Adjust the Brightness of My Screen in Windows?

Adjusting the brightness of a monitor or display can often be done right on the display itself. Sometimes it’s also possible to adjust the brightness in software.

VGA Connector

Will My Old CRT Work with a New Computer?

Of course it depends, but you may be able to get that old monitor working with a new computer.

Touch Screen

Why Are Touch Screen Monitors so Much More Vivid?

Touch screens are normal screens with touch detection built in. There’s no obvious reason it would be brighter, but I have a few thoughts.

Laptop with External Monitor

How Do I Use My Television Screen with My Laptop?

It is common to use an external screen, or even a projector with a laptop. More than likely you can set up your TV using the same connectors.

External Monitor

Why Does My Monitor Go Dark for a Few Seconds?

A monitor going dark could indicate a couple of different problems, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a hardware issue with the computer itself. I’ll show you a couple of ways to diagnose the problem.

Can I Add More than One External Monitor to My Machine?

Depending on the hardware ports that you have on that laptop, you should be able to simply plug in a monitor. I’ll show you your options.

External Monitor

Why Does My Monitor Stretch and Distort My Display?

To get the clearest image possible it’s important to have a graphics card that can produce the native or prefered resolution of your monitor.

External Monitor

What’s this obscure message on my monitor and why can’t I make it go away?

Computer monitors are smart devices these days but they too can fail. It’s not always your PC showing an error, and that message on your monitor might be from the monitor itself.

Can I Replace My LCD Screen From One Laptop to Another?

Many components in laptops are device specific, which makes it difficult to exchange one laptop screen with another. Replacing that screen is going to be a problem.

Why is my Windows screen sometimes stretched beyond my monitor’s borders?

Usually an issue with the monitor, we’ll look at ways to adjust your screen.

External Monitor

Why Does My Screen Go Black After the Windows Screen When I Boot?

It usually means your desktop settings don’t match your video card’s or your monitor’s capabilities.