8-Bits wrote:The key being an OS driver is needed as opposed to being supported by the built-in OS (Windows or Linux) defaults. I have an Acer laptop that runs at 1366x768 @ 60Hz and even with its special drivers that resolution confuses many apps. so I had to patch it to use 1360x768 which is a standard, common, traditional, normal, etc. resolution.
You must be a Linux user if you had to "patch" the driver to use that resolution.
I work in the computer manufacturing business, but we're Windows centric. I've had more devices that use 1366x768 resolution than you can shake a stick at, monitors, tablets, laptops, and never had to patch anything.
Granted that that the driver needs to be installed to get full access to the display adapter capabilities, but more often than not, even with the "in-box" drivers, that resolution is supported. It really depends on what E-DDC/EDID information the monitor firmware passes to the OS.
Some monitors are not recognized automatically, and the OS simply chooses a default resolution, other times, they pass the information correctly, and expose their capabilities to the OS, so the in-box generic driver works fine.
In this particular case, this monitor doesn't have properly written firmware EDID, because it doesn't expose its capabilities, or the RPi doesn't know how to read that information, and relies on manual editing of the configuration file.
IN this particular case, it appears that replacing the monitor is an option, so yes, I agree that's probably the best solution, but that may not always be the case.
Edit:
Technically, it's not the OS that addresses the display, it's the display adapter (video card), that's why you need a driver. Windows either understands the video card and installs the built in (in-box) drivers, or treats it as a VESA standard display adapter. through the VESA interface it tries to probe the display device and get information as to its capabilities, but the information coming through the VESA interface, is not always complete. That's why a proper driver is required. Once the driver is installed, it can probe the display device and extract additional information regarding it capabilities. At least this is how it works in Windows. Obviously that's not how it always works in the Linux world
To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods, Printrbot Simple Maker Ed., FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.