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Monitor is a Dell 3008wfp. Very nice. Max resolution 2560 x 1600.

Video card is an ATI Radeon HD 4350. I like it because it was cheap and is fanless. (Noise bugs me.)

I would like to switch from DVI to HDMI, but when I use HDMI, the resolution drops to 1920 x 1080.

Do I need to change out my video card to get the full resolution? How can I pick one that will do the max resolution?

EDIT Reasons to switch to HDMI:

  • Smaller connector
  • no screws on the connector
  • audio (1 less cable back there)
  • can use the DVI port to run a second monitor
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  • ATI cards can generally also run audio from their DVI ports if you use an ATI-specific DVI to HDMI dongle. If your card didn't come with one, they waffle between being slightly difficult to nearly impossible to find. You also have to get the right one for your card series as well (e.g. I know that they changed between the HD 2xxx and HD 3xxx cards.) All that said, thepurplepixel's answer is most correct in that I think you'd need a different video card to do 2560x1600 over HDMI. I'm not immediately aware of any cards that can do that though.
    – afrazier
    Jun 18, 2010 at 18:00
  • I've actually talked to customer service at ATI about this. I bought a lower-grade ATI card that also has both DVI and HDMI, with audio w/ DVI support, but my card only came with the HDMI cable. I asked if I was supposed to get the special ATI DVI cable as well; the support rep said my model doesn't come with it, but he could place an order for one for me right there on the phone. I think the price was around $15-20 + S&H. So I would just call up ATI support and place an order. Jun 19, 2010 at 1:28

3 Answers 3

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In order to use HDMI at the full resolution, you would have to make sure that both the video card and the monitor are HDMI 1.4 compliant. The Radeon HD 4350 is "HDMI compliant via dongle"; as such, it only supports up to HDMI spec 1.2. The best solution to take advantage of the entire resolution would be to use a dual-link DVI-D cable, which can handle WQXGA (2560x1600), instead of HDMI.

Why would you want to switch from DVI to HDMI anyways?

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The image quality via DVI and HDMI is exactly the same. The only advantage you get from HDMI is a smaller connector and the cable can also carry audio along with the video signal. If you already have the DVI cable and it works, just keep using that.

FYI: You can buy a HDMI --> DVI adapter for very cheap (should be less than $5). Then you can use the HDMI port to run a second smaller monitor.

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  • 7
    +1; as a matter of fact, HDMI carries video in the same exact format as DVI. It is 100% the same, except for the shape of the connector and the resolution limit. No reason to switch.
    – nhinkle
    Jun 17, 2010 at 21:11
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    100% the same except for the shape of the connector, carrying sound, the convenience of a screwless connector, and freeing up the DVI port on my laptop. That's not 100%.
    – Jay Bazuzi
    Jun 18, 2010 at 5:23
  • Honestly, I had and having artifacts if I use the DVI connector. VGA and HDMI is fine. (BenQ E2200HD display). So thats may be a reason.
    – Apache
    Jun 18, 2010 at 18:45
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I would like to switch from DVI to HDMI

Why?

Do I need to change out my video card to get the full resolution?

Yes, the Specifications page says maximum resolution is 1920 x 1080

How can I pick one that will do the max resolution?

Check the specifications page first? :) It looks like all the AMD cards only support 1920x1080 via HDMI.

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