Comments on: SX270 vs. SX280 http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:25:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: The SX280 Comes Out of Depreciation – Jeff Duntemann’s Contrapositive Diary http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953&cpage=1#comment-2237 The SX280 Comes Out of Depreciation – Jeff Duntemann’s Contrapositive Diary Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:44:14 +0000 http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953#comment-2237 [...] changed my mind again; take note, and remember that it’s good practice. I recommended the Dell SX270 here over the SX280 last fall. Having had some time to spend with a couple of SX280s, I’m thinking that the [...] [...] changed my mind again; take note, and remember that it’s good practice. I recommended the Dell SX270 here over the SX280 last fall. Having had some time to spend with a couple of SX280s, I’m thinking that the [...]

]]> By: Jeff Duntemann http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953&cpage=1#comment-1004 Jeff Duntemann Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:57:37 +0000 http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953#comment-1004 I just drug up my Samsung 213T monitor from downstairs and hooked it to the SX280, and indeed, the list of available modes depends on the display attached to the machine. With the 213T attached, its native mode (1600 X 1200) is available, along with several others that will display as subsets of full resolution. The XP/SP3 drivers just don't seem to have it in them to do 1600 X 1200. I just drug up my Samsung 213T monitor from downstairs and hooked it to the SX280, and indeed, the list of available modes depends on the display attached to the machine. With the 213T attached, its native mode (1600 X 1200) is available, along with several others that will display as subsets of full resolution. The XP/SP3 drivers just don’t seem to have it in them to do 1600 X 1200.

]]> By: Jeff Duntemann http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953&cpage=1#comment-1003 Jeff Duntemann Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:55:26 +0000 http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953#comment-1003 The SX280 I just bought came with XP/SP3 installed, but it only appears to support four resolutions: 800 X 600, 1024 X 768, 1152 X 864, and 1280 X 768. I see no sign of 1680 X 1050, and I wonder if it's detecting the Samsung display (native 1600 X 900) and not showing as options any resolution it figures is too far afield for the graphics system to handle. I just tried a Kubuntu LiveCD on the SX280, and it detects the 1600 X 900 display and sets the graphics accordingly. So the SX280 hardware can do that resolution without any trauma--it's Windows that can't seem to figure out how, even with the help of the PowerStrip utility. Still stumped. I haven't tried the SX280 on a monitor with a larger display so I can't be sure this is the case, but it's a worthwhile experiment. The SX280 I just bought came with XP/SP3 installed, but it only appears to support four resolutions: 800 X 600, 1024 X 768, 1152 X 864, and 1280 X 768. I see no sign of 1680 X 1050, and I wonder if it’s detecting the Samsung display (native 1600 X 900) and not showing as options any resolution it figures is too far afield for the graphics system to handle. I just tried a Kubuntu LiveCD on the SX280, and it detects the 1600 X 900 display and sets the graphics accordingly. So the SX280 hardware can do that resolution without any trauma–it’s Windows that can’t seem to figure out how, even with the help of the PowerStrip utility.

Still stumped. I haven’t tried the SX280 on a monitor with a larger display so I can’t be sure this is the case, but it’s a worthwhile experiment.

]]> By: Richard Clark http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953&cpage=1#comment-1001 Richard Clark Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:16:35 +0000 http://www.contrapositivediary.com/?p=953#comment-1001 Largely because of your recommendation, I have picked up a couple of SX270s and a SX280. They were cheap, from a guy in town that refurbishes them. My SX270s are loaded with Linux, so I can't check, but the SX280 will run at 1680x1050 at least. It did not support that resolution with XPSP1, but the choice appeared after I loaded SP2 and SP3. They are pretty good little boxes for fifty bucks - thanks for the pointer. Largely because of your recommendation, I have picked up a couple of SX270s and a SX280. They were cheap, from a guy in town that refurbishes them.

My SX270s are loaded with Linux, so I can’t check, but the SX280 will run at 1680×1050 at least. It did not support that resolution with XPSP1, but the choice appeared after I loaded SP2 and SP3.

They are pretty good little boxes for fifty bucks – thanks for the pointer.

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