Thinkpads Forum

CRT screens can change contrast but I have never seen an LCD that could. Am I missing some that do/did??

Do the high-end RGB high saturation LCD's have contrast control??

If not, anyone know why?

Why don't LCD screens have any "contrast" adjustment???

Because the contrast is adjustable through the video driver now, as are several other LCD attributes.

At least some monitors offer contrast controls. The Dell UltraSharp series, for example (I have the U2410). But I don't use it because it's overridden by the far more useful-to-me AdobeRGB and sRGB presets.

But in general, hardware manufacturers much prefer to control things in software -- e.g., the video driver Harryc mentioned -- rather than add physical controls which add cost. (And, sometimes, an impression of complexity... though having a knob that just does what it's supposed to can simplify things a good deal.)

Harryc wrote: Because the contrast is adjustable through the video driver now, as are several other LCD attributes.

So, it *is* possible to control contrast albeit via software settings? Do such software settings exist in the T60p flexview or the T410 800p?? I'm still looking.

davidhbrown wrote:At least some monitors offer contrast controls. The Dell UltraSharp series, for example (I have the U2410). But I don't use it because it's overridden by the far more useful-to-me AdobeRGB and sRGB presets.

But in general, hardware manufacturers much prefer to control things in software -- e.g., the video driver Harryc mentioned -- rather than add physical controls which add cost. (And, sometimes, an impression of complexity... though having a knob that just does what it's supposed to can simplify things a good deal.)

Yes, sorry. I'm talking about laptop displays, not stand-alone monitors (although they fall into the same LCD category, granted). I've checked in both my T60p and my son's new T410 800p and neither have any way to control contrast, not that I have found, anyway. But, again, I may just be unaware of where such settings may be controlled. (??) Thanks for your response.

Btw, checking into your UltraSharp, it sounds like the gold standard of monitors. Has everything anyone could want: IPS, full color density (110%, even), and it sounds like it is fully adjustable. What more could anyone want??

How do you like it? How would you compare it to your W520 FHD screen?

You can find brightness/contrast/gamma settings in either ATI Catalyst Control Center, Intel Graphics Control Panel, or NVidia's Control Panel.

Hovercraft work! wrote:Btw, checking into your UltraSharp, it sounds like the gold standard of monitors. Has everything anyone could want: IPS, full color density (110%, even), and it sounds like it is fully adjustable. What more could anyone want?

I know that you're not talking to me and I even have a different model of Ultrasharp (2007fpb) But, man, I love mine. After getting used to Flex's on my ThinkPads I hated my old TN monitors so I bought a couple of (manufactured Oct 2008) 2007fpb's. Brilliant monitors, 3:4 ratio, just as I like it, UXGA and IPS. (You had to be careful with the 2007s, Dell snuck in some S-PVA screens into some of them but mine are both IPS, I got to view before buying.)

I shudder at the thought of using TN screens for any period of time now.

Colonel O'Neill wrote:You can find brightness/contrast/gamma settings in either ATI Catalyst Control Center, Intel Graphics Control Panel, or NVidia's Control Panel.

Yes, I discovered that, upon closer inspection. Thanks for pointing it out.

misfit wrote: I know that you're not talking to me and I even have a different model of Ultrasharp (2007fpb) But, man, I love mine. After getting used to Flex's on my ThinkPads I hated my old TN monitors so I bought a couple of (manufactured Oct 2008) 2007fpb's. Brilliant monitors, 3:4 ratio, just as I like it, UXGA and IPS. (You had to be careful with the 2007s, Dell snuck in some S-PVA screens into some of them but mine are both IPS, I got to view before buying.)

I shudder at the thought of using TN screens for any period of time now.

Have you ever had one of your Thinkpad IPS flexviews next to the newer FHD 1080p Thinkpad screens?? If so, how do they compare for image quality, color representation, adjustability, etc??

Thank you.

Hovercraft work! wrote:Have you ever had one of your Thinkpad IPS flexviews next to the newer FHD 1080p Thinkpad screens?? If so, how do they compare for image quality, color representation, adjustability, etc??

Thank you.

Sorry, no, I haven't. I don't see much in the way of newer ThinkPads as I'm a poor invalid who collects and refurbishes (older) ThinkPads as a hobby. Also I feel that ThinkPads peaked at the T60 era and that the later, largely Lenovo machines aren't as good as the earlier machines. Of course this is merely my opinion. (But it has been borne out by my one experience with an R500.)

Best,

misfit wrote: Sorry, no, I haven't. I don't see much in the way of newer ThinkPads as I'm a poor invalid who collects and refurbishes (older) ThinkPads as a hobby. Also I feel that ThinkPads peaked at the T60 era and that the later, largely Lenovo machines aren't as good as the earlier machines. Of course this is merely my opinion. (But it has been borne out by my one experience with an R500.)

Best,

All right, thanks for your reply. You've got a good hobby, no matter what situation you're in.

As for the alleged decline in Thinkpads, I might have more to say about that in the future. I heard some grumblings about the less than IBMish quality when lenovo took over full time, but could not compare until we just got my son's new T410. I have to say that it is a nice machine. The keyboard is even better than my T60p: solid almost everywhere, good feed-back, nice key size, *not* as metallic feeling as on the T60p. I'll have more to say as warranted as time goes by, but for now, we are all very pleased with it. The 410 runs so **COOL** compared with my T60p, plus with the i5 it runs faster and smoother. Some occasional bottle-necks, but not too many. And the standard sound is also *much* better on the 410 than the 60p. ... Stay tuned....

Hovercraft work! wrote:As for the alleged decline in Thinkpads, I might have more to say about that in the future. I heard some grumblings about the less than IBMish quality when lenovo took over full time, but could not compare until we just got my son's new T410. I have to say that it is a nice machine. The keyboard is even better than my T60p: solid almost everywhere, good feed-back, nice key size, *not* as metallic feeling as on the T60p. I'll have more to say as warranted as time goes by, but for now, we are all very pleased with it. The 410 runs so **COOL** compared with my T60p, plus with the i5 it runs faster and smoother. Some occasional bottle-necks, but not too many. And the standard sound is also *much* better on the 410 than the 60p. ... Stay tuned....

Handy to know, thanks. I've also heard good things about the T4x0 and T5x0 machines. I had nothing but trouble with the R500 though. It looks well-built but... I don't know, maybe it was just the one I was working on, it was mighty flaky and unreliable.

I've heard the opinion expressed that only the T4/5x0 machines should carry the ThinkPad name but, as I say, I don't have a big enough data-set to make that sort of judgement.

Cheers,

misfit wrote: Handy to know, thanks. I've also heard good things about the T4x0 and T5x0 machines. I had nothing but trouble with the R500 though. It looks well-built but... I don't know, maybe it was just the one I was working on, it was mighty flaky and unreliable.

I've heard the opinion expressed that only the T4/5x0 machines should carry the ThinkPad name but, as I say, I don't have a big enough data-set to make that sort of judgement.

Cheers,

It may be that certain lines of the "Thinkpad" series have better quality components and better overall quality control; I wouldn't be at all surprised. It is a well-established fact that Asian countries prioritize their products and put their very best effort into their top-tier "flagship" line(s). [Had a Kawasaki motorcycle, their top line product, about 20 years ago, and it was made at their home office factory while their lower-shelved models were farmed out to different manufacturing plants around the globe. So maybe the T -- and I would also surmise their W -- series machines are given the highest priority. Wouldn't surprise me at all. I think I'm catching on the way they do things.

The new T series seems pretty darn good is what I know for now. .... But I'm ever watchful and will report any failures should such occur. .... Hope they don't, though.

Colonel O'Neill wrote:You can find brightness/contrast/gamma settings in either ATI Catalyst Control Center, Intel Graphics Control Panel, or NVidia's Control Panel.

I feel like an idiot, but where the heck is this found on a T60/p??

If you have the CCC installed, you should be able to just right-click on the desktop. Should be the first selection on the context menu.

Hmmm, in that case I guess my machines do not have this installed. Where do I get it?

goofyGAguy wrote:If you have the CCC installed, you should be able to just right-click on the desktop. Should be the first selection on the context menu.

goofyGAguy wrote:If you have the CCC installed, you should be able to just right-click on the desktop. Should be the first selection on the context menu.

mbarker wrote:Hmmm, in that case I guess my machines do not have this installed. Where do I get it?

I believe that it's included with the latest drivers from Lenovo for your machines. CCC = Catalyst Control Centre, ATI's utility for tweaking display properties.

ATI Mobile: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/w ... n7-32.aspx
nVidia: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
Intel: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Default.aspx?lang=eng

All 3 can be accessed in most(all?) versions of windows through the contol panel, or right click desktop menu, or a tray icon.

May(should) be in the OEM's(Lenovo Driver), but if not get it from the manufacturer's links above. Sometimes these will be newer then Lenovo's too.

Thanks for all the help guys.

The software from ATI apparently will not support Mobility Radeon/FireGL ...however, I was able to find the appropriate package on the Lenovo support site. I installed it on both of my T6x and now have the CCC- works great! Thanks again.

In case anyone is interested, the appropriate ATI software is found here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62841

...for the moment at least. Lenovo seems to be changing their support site around.

I think the older "Dual scan" / DSTN screens had some contrast controls, but since they probably haven't been around mainline for at least 10 years I might be wrong here....