How to get good quality external video?

[qwavel]

I just bought a Dell Ultrasharp 20" LCD and connected it to my Inspiron 6000. No problem with the resolution but the display looks crappy. A better VGA cable didn't help. When I connect the LCD to a different computer it looks good, so the problem is my Inspiron.

No problem - I was thinking of buying a new laptop anyway. But it is a good lesson - I have to make sure I buy something that provides good quality external video.

First question. I usually use the internal panel and my external LCD simultaneously. If my internal LCD panel has a very high resolution, does this reduce the resolution available for my external panel (everything else being equal).

Second question. I had planned to get the X3100 integrated video since I don't play games and I don't want the extra cost/heat, but now I wonder whether a better video card (eg. Quadro NVS in the Latitude, or the GeForce™ 8400M GS) would help me get a good picture at high res on the external LCD?

The only way I can see to get DVI is thru a port replicator like the D/Port. But how does it do that? Does it just translate the VGA, in which case it isn't DVI-D so it wouldn't really be an improvement.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[lambchops468]

if you get a lappy with HDMI, then you can connect an adapter that lets you change the HDMI to DVI (they are compatible, but you won't get sound, obviously). The dv2500t, i think, has a good enough signal that you can connect its HDMI (which only comes with the 8400GS) to a HDTV and use that as your monitor (some guy did that on this forum, but i don't know who, sorry)

[qwavel]

Yes, an HDMI port would be great, the problem is getting one.

The HP you mentioned is only 14" screen, and I want 15.4" or 17". The HP dv6500t is 15.4" but has a max screen resolution of 1280x800.

[kozzney]

The Asus G1S-A1 is 15.4", has a resolution of 1680x1050 and has both a DVI and HDMI port. Also has the NVIDIA 8600GT, so no need to worry about signal strength.

[qwavel]

The Asus G1S-A1 is 15.4", has a resolution of 1680x1050 and has both a DVI and HDMI port. Also has the NVIDIA 8600GT, so no need to worry about signal strength.

Thanks for the suggestion, but this notebook is almost twice the price of the vostro that I was looking at. For that price, I think I'd buy a D830 with a docking station (which has a DVI port).