A Common Pitfall...

[Ogion]

Okay so i just bought a new system after reading so much about computers i think my eyes are going to fall out, but at least i feel confident i made a good choice (Fozzik, your $1500 recommendation and Rabb1t, your recommendations have GREATLY helped me. thank you so much!). just one thing...

After reading Fozzik's LCD monitor guide, it said to make sure to get a monitor with a DVI connector instead of a monitor with the old VGA plug. Well, i bought my monitor a while ago and didn't know that piece of advise at the time, so i got a lcd monitor with a VGA plug. My new system has 2 DVI outputs on the video card I believe.

Anyway to fix this? possibly a VGA -> DVI adapter? i hope they have those!

[JDFors]

yeah they got them. They shouldnt be too hard to find.

[rabb1t]

Several graphics cards that have released over the past few years have included converters in their boxes. You may want to see if you have one.

Are you sure your LCD has no DVI port at all? That seems really weird.

I know peeps aren't made of money, but just as a thought, the BenQ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824014105) 1680x1050 is down near $250, and the Dell E207WFP (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-5123) is ~$275. Actually, those may dip after Xmas. My roomie mentioned a lot of stuff goes on sale in the weeks following. (I mentioned how crazy the sale crowds were when I was hunting for a PS3 on 'Black Friday'.)

My concern is that even if you get a converter and can connect to such a screen (one which only has VGA) that it's tech would be old enough that it would have a lot of issues with gaming (ghosting, etc.)

[Loopy]

What video card did you get. All the video cards that I have bought in the last six months, if they only had DVI outputs, came with DVI -> VGA adapters. If you don't have one you can probably go to the closest PC retailer or Radio Shack even and get one. If not...

DVI -> VGA (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814999901)

[Ogion]

i got a radeon x1900xt. I ordered it though, so it hasn't come in yet.

I hope you guys are right, that it does come with an adapter.

And if it doesn't, you say i can pick one up at radioshack or something? that sounds easy :)

I'm sure it is VGA. And the monitor i have was purchased about 2 months ago. So i don't know if that is old technology, or will do that "ghosting" thing you are concerned about, but i would hope not. Maybe i'll sell my monitor to my dad and buy a new one... once my bank account stops reeling in pain from my big purchase :)

[rabb1t]

Let me peep a box I have of spare bits. I recently RMAed an XFX card and they said to keep all the bits, but they sent me back an entire new sealed box... let's see several thingies here... looks like 2 DVI to old-school connector. PM me your addy (if you are in the U.S.) and I'll pop one in the mail to ya. ;) :D

[Fozzik]

It'll definitely come with the adapter. DVI was designed to be backwards compatible, so the VGA pins are still carried in the DVI plug. I don't know of any card with dual DVI outputs (at least in the mid and high end) that doesn't come with the adapters.

No worries, analogue should still work just fine. :)

[Ogion]

well the thing is, i ordered a whole system, piece by piece, and they are going to assemble it for me. sooo i don't know if they will keep the adapter or give it to me along with everything.

But wow, thank you Rabb1t, that is incredibly generous of you! I'll send you a pm straight away!

Thanks for everyone's help :)

[rabb1t]

I'd think that they'd give you all the boxes and all the bits that come in the boxes wouldn't they?

[Ogion]

They didn't say. I really won't know until it arrives, but i'll tell ya'll when it comes in.

*crosses fingers*

I wouldn't mind having spare parts