Widescreen monitors + Windows 7 + Standard Projectors?

[netadmin]

We are looking at replacing our campus desktops with Dell Optiplex 780 SFF machines, running Windows 7 Professional. A number of our classrooms have ceiling mount projectors (standard 4:3 resolution). Several of the teachers have requested widescreen monitors with the new computers.

 

Are there any graphic cards available that can output the proper widescreen resolution to the widescreen monitor, and duplicate the image (reducing to 4:3 resolution) on the projector?

[Ric_]

The real estate of a 4:3 and a 16:9 screen is fundamentally different so you will nver be able to have them both display the same picture without black bars on one display. The only options you will have is to 'waste' some screen, use a 4:3 monitor or swap the projector (and screen) too.

 

Do these users have a legitimate business case for requiring widescreen monitors?

[sted]

or set the pc to extended desktop and drag to appropriate screen

[ZeroHour]

or set the pc to extended desktop and drag to appropriate screen

 

yeh pretty much get a dual headed graphics card and have native res on each.

[john]

yeh pretty much get a dual headed graphics card and have native res on each.

 

Yeh I'd go with that option as well, means you can keep the MIS open on your main screen and the lesson on the other one and work on your reports etc in Sims / Serco etc and the students enjoy the Powerpoint etc

[enjay]

Do these users have a legitimate business case for requiring widescreen monitors?

 

That would be my opening question, too, before I get too bogged down in how to deliver it, I would start with why.

[mpe]

We are looking at replacing our campus desktops with Dell Optiplex 780 SFF machines, running Windows 7 Professional. A number of our classrooms have ceiling mount projectors (standard 4:3 resolution). Several of the teachers have requested widescreen monitors with the new computers.

 

Do they actually need new monitors?

 

Are there any graphic cards available that can output the proper widescreen resolution to the widescreen monitor, and duplicate the image (reducing to 4:3 resolution) on the projector?

 

You'd either have to chop part of the RHS of the widescreen image or convert it to "letterbox". Assuming you can even find graphics cards to do this they are likely to be expensive.

[Flakes]

unless your using CAD or creating very large documents which require you to be able to see two pages at any one time there is no business need for widescreen monitors. i wrangled one because i code allot and often have a web browser open at the same time to check that my code is correct.

[enjay]

unless your using CAD or creating very large documents which require you to be able to see two pages at any one time there is no business need for widescreen monitors.

 

I frequently use the widescreen, for example, to have a set of instructions on one side of the screen and the application in question on the other, or a list of names on one side and the Management Console or SIMS on the other.

 

Also, it is increasingly hard to buy 4:3 monitors...

[netadmin]

Thanks for the responses. They have not yet provided a good business reason for the widescreen monitors. It would probably be best to use 4:3 monitors. After looking closer on the Dell Premier site, I found 19" 4:3 monitors available, so finding them won't be an issue luckily.

 

(We're looking at new monitors because most of our monitors are old CRT monitors with poor picture quality).

[enjay]

We're looking at new monitors because most of our monitors are old CRT monitors with poor picture quality

I wonder if that is actually what they mean when they say they want widescreen - they have nice TFTs at home (which just happen to be widescreen) and nasty CRTs in school, so when they say they want a widescreen, they actually mean they want a new screen. Offer them a 4:3 TFT and see what they say.