kubuntu-users Digest, Vol 42, Issue 30

[Tom Bell]

Message: 5
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 22:31:12 -0400
From: david <d.mcglone at att.net>
Subject: flat screen tv as monitor
To: Kubuntu Help and User Discussions
> Message: 5 Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 22:31:12 -0400 From: david
> <d.mcglone at att.net> Subject: flat screen tv as monitor To: Kubuntu
> Help and User Discussions <kubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com>,
> "ChristianSource Group." <Christiansource at ofb.biz>, Central OH Linux
> User Group <colug432 at colug.net> Message-ID:
> <200807052231.12844.d.mcglone at att.net> Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="utf-8" 

> Hi all. I recently acquired a philips 21in flat screen TV and I would
> like to use it as a monitor for my desktop. Earlier today I fired it
> up on my desktop using an S-Video cable because it didn't have a vga
> to DMI cable and the picture was grainy and the fonts were completely
> unreadable. It was horrible. I managed to get a half-way decent
> looking desktop by using 800x600, but this makes everything so big
> that it doesn't fit and the whole desktop scrolls when you move the
> cursor to either side. 

> My question is, would I get a better picture if I used a VGA to DMI
> cable instead of the S-Video cable? 
No!  As far as I know there is no such thing as a VGA-to-DMI cable. 
What you need is a DMI cable.  DMI is a digital signal carrier, while
VGA is analog.
> Or do I need to get a better Graphics card? 
Yes, for DMI you probably need a new graphics card, the best route to go.
> Or should I just give up hope alltogether?
No!  See answer above.
> -- David M.
To solve the "huge" screen problem, you need to make sure you have a
high resolution and go to the "Settings", "Peripherals" and "Monitor &
Display" window and change the refresh rate to the highest available. 
Sometimes the second highest will do, but in any case it won't hurt your
monitor or graphics card.
Hope this helps!!!

Tom