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42 Using the Display
If you choose a resolution or color palette that is higher than the display supports, the settings adjust
automatically to the closest supported values.
To set the display resolution and refresh rate for your display, perform the steps in the following section
that corresponds to the operating system your computer is using.
Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP
1
Click
Start
→
Settings
→
Control Panel
.
2
Under
Pick a category
, click
Appearance and Themes
.
3
Under
Pick a task...
, click the area you want to change, or under
or pick a Control Panel icon
, click
Display
.
4
In the
Display Properties
window, click the
Settings
tab.
5
Try different settings for
Color quality
and
Screen resolution
.
NOTE: As the resolution increases, icons and text appear smaller on the screen.
Windows Vista™
1
Click the Windows Vista Start button
→
Control Panel
.
2
Under
Appearance and Personalization
, click
Adjust screen resolution
.
3
In the
Display Settings
window, under
Resolution
, slide the slide bar to the left/right to
decrease/increase the screen resolution.
4
Click
How do I get the best display?
for further instructions.
If the video resolution setting is higher than that supported by the display, the computer enters pan
mode. In pan mode, the entire video image cannot be displayed at one time, and the taskbar that usually
appears at the bottom of the desktop may no longer be visible. To view the parts of the video image that
are not visible, you can use the touch pad or track stick to "pan" (or move) the image up, down, left, and
right.
NOTICE: You can damage an external monitor by using an unsupported refresh rate. Before adjusting the refresh
rate on an external monitor, see the user’s guide for the monitor.
Using an External Monitor Simultaneously as an Extension of Your
Computer Display
You can attach an external monitor or projector to your computer and use it as an extension of your
display (known as "dual independent display" or "extended desktop" mode). This mode allows you to use
both screens independently and drag objects from one screen to the other, effectively doubling the
amount of viewable work space.
To use extended desktop mode, perform the steps in the following section that corresponds to the
operating system your computer is using.