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Setting Up Your Monitor

Dell™ E197FP Flat Panel Monitor

  Connecting Your Monitor

  Using the Front Panel Buttons

  Using the OSD

  Using the Dell Soundbar (Optional)

 


Connecting Your Monitor

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the Safety Instructions.

  1. Turn off your computer and unplug its power cable.
  2. Connect the blue (analog D-sub) display connector cable to the corresponding video port on the back of your computer. (The graphic is for illustration only. System appearance may vary).
  3. Connect the power cable for your display to the power port on the back of the display.
  4. Plug the power cables of your computer and your display into a nearby outlet. Your monitor is equipped with an automatic power supply for a voltage range from 100 to 240 Volt at a frequency of 50/60 Hz. Be sure that your local power is within the supported range. If you are unsure, ask your electricity supplier.
  5. Turn on your display and computer.

    If your monitor displays an image, installation is complete. If it does not display an image, see Troubleshooting.

Using the Front Panel Buttons

Use the control buttons on the front of the monitor to adjust the characteristics of the image being displayed. As you use these buttons to adjust the controls, an OSD shows their numeric values as they change.

 

 

A


MENU

The 'MENU' button is used to open the on-screen display (OSD), select function icons, exit from menus and sub-menus, and to exit the OSD. See Accessing the Menu System.

B


Brightness/Contrast Hot Key

Use this button for direct access to the 'Brightness' and 'Contrast' control menu.

B C


- and + buttons

Use these buttons to adjust (decrease/increase ranges) items in the OSD. 

 

 

NOTE: You can activate automatic scroll feature by pressing and holding either + or - button.

C


Auto Adjust

Use this button to activate automatic setup and adjustment. The following dialog will appear on screen as the monitor self-adjusts to the current input: 

       Auto Adjust In Progress

Auto Adjustment button allows the monitor to self-adjust to the incoming video signal. After using 'Auto Adjustment', you can further tune your monitor by using the 'Pixel Clock' and 'Phase' controls in the OSD.

NOTE: Auto Adjust will not occur if you press the button while there are no active video input signals, or attached cables.

D


Power Button & Indicator

The green LED indicates the monitor is on and fully functional. An amber LED indicates DPMS power save mode. 

The Power button turns the monitor on and off.

 


On Screen Menu/Display (OSD)

Direct-Access Functions

Function

Adjustment Method

Auto adjustment  

 

 

Use this button to activate automatic setup and adjustment. The following dialog will appear on screen as the monitor self-adjusts to the current input: 

Auto Adjust In Progress

Auto Adjustment button allows the monitor to self-adjust to the incoming video signal. After using 'Auto Adjustment', you can further tune your monitor by using the 'Pixel Clock' and 'Phase' controls in the OSD.

NOTE: Auto Adjust will not occur if you press the button while there are no active video input signals, or attached cables.

Brightness / Contrast

 

With the menu off, push button to display the 'Brightness' and 'Contrast' adjustment menu.

The 'Brightness' function adjusts the luminance of the flat panel.

Adjust 'Brightness' first, then adjust 'Contrast' only if further adjustment is necessary.

"+" increase 'brightness'
" - "decrease 'brightness'

The 'Contrast' function adjusts the degree of difference between darkness and lightness on the display screen. 

"+" increase the 'contrast'
"-" decrease the 'contrast'

 


Using the OSD

Accessing the Menu System

  1. With the menu off, push the 'MENU' button to open the OSD system and display the main features menu.

A

Function icons

B

Main Menu

C

Menu icon

D

Sub-Menu name

E

Resolution

  1. Push the - and + buttons to move between the function icons. As you move from one icon to another, the function name is highlighted to reflect the function or group of functions (sub-menus) represented by that icon. See the table below for a complete list of all the functions available for the monitor. 
  2. Push the 'MENU' button once to activate the highlighted function; Push -/+ to select the desired parameter, push menu to enter the slidebar
    then use the - and + buttons, according to the indicators on the menu, to make your changes. 
  3. Push the 'Menu' button once to return to the main menu to select another function or push the 'Menu' button two or three times to exit from the OSD.

Icon

Menu Name and Sub-menus

Description

EXIT

This is used to exit out of the 'Main menu'.

Positioning

Horizontal
Vertical

'Positioning' moves the viewing area around on the monitor screen. 

When making changes to either the 'Horizontal' or 'Vertical' settings, no changes will occur to the size of the viewing area; the image will simply be shifted in response to your selection/change.

Minimum is '0' (-). Maximum is '100' (+).

 

Image Settings

 

 

Auto Adjust

Even though your computer system can recognize your new flat panel monitor on startup, the 'Auto Adjustment' function will optimize the display settings for use with your particular setup.

 

NOTE: In most cases, 'Auto Adjust' will produce the best image for your configuration; this function can be directly accessed via Auto Adjustment  hotkey.  

Pixel Clock

The 'Phase' and 'Pixel Clock' adjustments allow you to more closely adjust your monitor to your preference. These settings are accessed through the main OSD menu, by selecting 'Image Settings'. 

Use the - and + buttons to adjust away interference. Minimum: 0 ~ Maximum: 100

Phase

If satisfactory results are not obtained using the 'Phase' adjustment, use the 'Pixel Clock' adjustment and then use 'Phase' again. 

NOTE: This function may change the width of the display image.  Use the 'Horizontal' function of the 'Position' menu to center the display image on the screen.

Color Settings

'Color Settings' adjusts the color temperature and saturation.

 

Normal Preset

'Normal Preset' is selected to obtain the default (factory) color settings.

 

Blue Preset

'Blue Preset' is selected to obtain a bluish tint. This color setting is typically used for text based applications (Spreadsheets, Programming, Text Editors etc.). 

 

Red Preset

'Red Preset' is selected to obtain a redder tint. This color setting is typically used for color intensive applications (Photograph Image Editing, Multimedia, Movies etc.).

 

User Preset

'User Preset': Use the plus and minus buttons to increase or decrease each of the three colors (R, G, B) independently, in single digit increments, from '0' to '100'.

NOTE: 'Color temperature' is a measure of the 'warmth' of the image colors (red/green/blue). The two available presets ('Blue' and 'Red') favor blue and red accordingly. Select each one to see how each range suits your eye; or utilize the 'User Preset' option to customize the color settings to your exact choice.

 

OSD Settings

Each time the OSD opens, it displays in the same location on the screen. 'OSD Settings' (horizontal/vertical) provides control over this location.

Horizontal Position

- and + buttons move OSD to the left and right.

Vertical Position

- and + buttons move OSD down and up.

OSD Hold Time

The OSD stays active for as long as it is in use.
'OSD Hold Time': Sets the length of time the OSD will remain active after the last time you pressed a button.
Use the - and + buttons to adjust the slider in 5 second increments, from 5 to 60 seconds.

NOTE: Default 'OSD hold time' is 20 seconds.

OSD Lock

'OSD Lock': Controls user access to adjustments. When 'Yes' (+) is selected, no user adjustments are allowed. All buttons are locked except the menu button. 

All buttons can be locked or unlocked when the 'Menu' button is pushed and held for over 15 seconds.  

 

 

NOTE: When the OSD is locked, pressing the 'Menu' button will take the user directly to the 'OSD settings' menu, with 'OSD Lock' preselected on entry. Select 'No'(-) to unlock and allow user access to all applicable settings.

Language

Language sets the OSD to display in one of the five languages (English, Español, Français, Deutsch, Japanese).

NOTE: The language chosen affects only the language of the OSD. It has no effect on any software running on the computer.

 

 

Factory Reset

 

 

 

'Factory Reset' returns the settings to the factory preset values for the selected group of functions. 

'Exit'  is used to exit out of 'Factory Reset' menu.

For 'All settings', all user adjustable settings are reset at one time except language settings.


Automatic Save

With the OSD open, if you make an adjustment and then either proceed to another menu, or exit the OSD, the monitor automatically saves any adjustments you have made. If you make an adjustment and then wait for the OSD to disappear the adjustment will also be saved.


Reset Functions

Factory Preset Restoration

'Exit' leaves this submenu without resetting any values. 

'All Settings' returns your monitor settings to those that were set at the time of manufacture. This includes 'Color', 'Position', 'Clock frequency', 'Phase', 'Brightness', 'Contrast' and 'OSD hold time'.

'DDC/CI (Display Data Channel/Command Interface)' allows you to adjust the monitor parameters (brightness, color balance, etc.) via software applications on your PC.

You can disable this feature by selecting "Disable".
For best user experience and optimum performance of your monitor, keep this feature enabled.

NOTE: There is no "Undo" when you use the 'Reset function'. To return to the previous function settings, you must adjust the functions again. 'Reset' will set the clock and phase back to factory settings, activating auto adjust may be required and this will optimize the image for your system.


OSD Warning Messages

A warning message may appear on the screen indicating that the monitor is out of sync.

Cannot Display This Video Mode

Optimum resolution  1280 X 1024 60Hz

This means that the monitor cannot synchronize with the signal that it is receiving from the computer. Either the signal is too high or too low for the monitor to use.  See Specifications for the Horizontal and Vertical frequency ranges addressable by this monitor. Recommended mode is 1280 X 1024 @ 60Hz.

NOTE: The floating 'Dell - self-test Feature Check' dialog will appear on-screen if the monitor cannot sense a video signal.

Occasionally, no warning message appears, but the screen is blank. This could also indicate that the monitor is not synchronizing with the computer.

See Troubleshooting for more information.


Using the Dell Soundbar (Optional)

The Dell Soundbar is a four-speaker, two-channel system adaptable to mount on Dell™ Flat Panel Displays.  The Soundbar has a rotary volume and on/off control to adjust the overall system level, a blue LED for power indication, and two audio headset jacks.

 

1. Attach mechanism
2. Headphone connectors
3.  Power indicator
4. Power/Volume control

Soundbar Attachment to the Monitor

 

 
  1. Working from the rear of the monitor, attach Soundbar by aligning the two slots with the two tabs along the bottom rear of the monitor. 
  2. Slide the Soundbar to the left until it snaps into the place. 
  3. Connect the Soundbar with the power brick.
  4. Plug the power cables of the power brick into a nearby outlet. 
  5. Insert the lime green mini stereo plug from the rear of the Soundbar into the computer's audio output jack.

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