non-widescreen apps on a widescreen monitor

[Rojo Habe]

I'm thinking of buying a widescreen monitor (Samsung 205BWseems to fit the
bill) but I'd like to know how it will behave with full-screen apps that
only support 4:3 (or 5:4) resolutions. One of three things can happen:

1) the monitor will distort the image horizontally to fill the screen
2) the monitor will zoom into the image, filling the screen but cutting
off the top and botom
3) the monitor will preserve the aspect ratio, displaying the image in
the middle of the screen with black bars down the sides.

Option 3 is what I would like to see.

One would imagine that, as with TVs, the user gets the choice. Having
played with the monitor's menus, however, I can't find any settings for
this. All the copies of Windows in the shop were (helpfully) locked out so
I couldn't try setting it to a 4:3 resolution and see what happens.

I'm off to the Samsung web site now, to see if I can download any manuals,
but if anybody can shed any light I'd appreciate that.

Thank you

 

[kony]

I'm thinking of buying a widescreen monitor (Samsung 205BWseems to fit the
bill) but I'd like to know how it will behave with full-screen apps that
only support 4:3 (or 5:4) resolutions.

What full screen app only supports 4:3?

I'm not saying there aren't any but how much of a problem it
is, depends on what it is.

A video card driver may have settings you can use which
either leaves a black bars around the remaining space that
deviates from the ratio it can support, for example on a
1280x1024 monitor it would display 1280x960 with small black
bars at the top and bottom.

Another setting would be to stretch the output to fit the
screen.

One of three things can happen:

1) the monitor will distort the image horizontally to fill the screen
2) the monitor will zoom into the image, filling the screen but cutting
off the top and botom
3) the monitor will preserve the aspect ratio, displaying the image in
the middle of the screen with black bars down the sides.

The bars would be on top and bottom, since 5:4 has more
vertical pixels given the same horizontal # of pixels as a
4:3. It would never zoom the image cutting off top and
bottom, unless this was a setting you specifically chose- it
is not a default behavior.

Option 3 is what I would like to see.

One would imagine that, as with TVs, the user gets the choice. Having
played with the monitor's menus, however, I can't find any settings for
this. All the copies of Windows in the shop were (helpfully) locked out so
I couldn't try setting it to a 4:3 resolution and see what happens.

I'm off to the Samsung web site now, to see if I can download any manuals,
but if anybody can shed any light I'd appreciate that.

Look in your windows Display Properties for related
settings. It could be buried behind a sequence of buttons
somewhere, not so obvious at first glance.

 

[Rojo Habe]

What full screen app only supports 4:3?

Mostly older games. Freelancer springs to mind.

A video card driver may have settings you can use which
either leaves a black bars around the remaining space that
deviates from the ratio it can support, for example on a
1280x1024 monitor it would display 1280x960 with small black
bars at the top and bottom.

"May have"? so you don't know, then? What I do know is that my 5:4 monitor
stretches 4:3 images vertically to fit the screen and thee's nothing I can
do about it. Citing Freelancer as an example once again, it can't do
1280x1024; only 1280x960 (or bigger, but still 4:3). this results in
squares that are rectangular and circles that are oval. Obviously the
difference is so slight that it's not really a problem, but stretching
something horizontally by a third of its width would be.

I've never been able to find anything in the Catalyst drivers that enables
me to pad things out to the correct reolution, which I believe is what
you're suggesting. Nvidia drivers may be different; I don't know.

Another setting would be to stretch the output to fit the
screen.

Exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

The bars would be on top and bottom, since 5:4 has more
vertical pixels given the same horizontal # of pixels as a
4:3.

I don't follow. 5:4 is 1.25 times wider than it is tall. 16:10 is 1.6
times wider. In other words, it's wider. Therefore, the black bars would
be at the sides. Granted, a 960 pixel high image on a 1050 pixel high
screen might also have black bars top and bottom (in addition to the bars at
the sides) but I could live with that. So long as the image is not
distorted.

I don't even much care if it sticks it in one of the corners, so long as I
can have it the right shape.

It would never zoom the image cutting off top and
bottom, unless this was a setting you specifically chose- it
is not a default behavior.

yet this is exactly what I saw on my nephew's new Christmas present when he
was playing Doom 3

Look in your windows Display Properties for related
settings. It could be buried behind a sequence of buttons
somewhere, not so obvious at first glance.

The display properties will only determine the best image size to fit the
screen. They can't tell the monitor what to do with it. At least that's
the case with my current monitor. The new one may be more intelligent by
virtue of its dgital input. This is one of the things I'm trying to find out
before buying.

 

[kony]

Mostly older games. Freelancer springs to mind.

"May have"? so you don't know, then?

You failed to tell us about your hardware in a hardware
group. Obviously I can't know about any hardware you fail
to tell us about. The monitor is only half of the story.

The video card driver provides addt'l functionality, if your
video card is without such options and outputs only 1280 x
960, the monitor can scale that to a blurrier 1280x1024. I
mean it will scale it, unless the monitor has addt'l menu
settings which some don't.

Citing Freelancer as an example once again, it can't do
1280x1024; only 1280x960 (or bigger, but still 4:3). this results in
squares that are rectangular and circles that are oval. Obviously the
difference is so slight that it's not really a problem, but stretching
something horizontally by a third of its width would be.

I've never been able to find anything in the Catalyst drivers that enables
me to pad things out to the correct reolution, which I believe is what
you're suggesting. Nvidia drivers may be different; I don't know.

"Catalyst"... Now we're getting somewhere...

If your Catalyst Control Center app doesn't show an option
under Digital Panel Properties, to "use centered timings"
(or similar if not worded exactly the same), then update
your *driver* to a newer version. Select the appropriate
Catalyst Control Suite, not the driver-only package.

http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/

I don't follow. 5:4 is 1.25 times wider than it is tall. 16:10 is 1.6
times wider. In other words, it's wider.

I thought you were trying to put a 4:3 game resolution on a
5:4 panel, no? Unless I missed it, this is the first you
mention of it being a 16:10, widescreen display you have.

The display properties will only determine the best image size to fit the
screen. They can't tell the monitor what to do with it. At least that's
the case with my current monitor. The new one may be more intelligent by
virtue of its dgital input. This is one of the things I'm trying to find out
before buying.

Before buying what?

If your goal is to game at 4:3, might you be making it hard
on yourself instead of buying a 4:3 monitor like 1600x1200
resolution?

Regardless, the setting is there in the Catalyst Control
Center, it'll just waste a lot of space on a 16:10
widescreen monitor.

 

[Rojo Habe]

OK, first off, I wasn't trying to wind you up, so please try and keep this
friendly. Here we go then...

You failed to tell us about your hardware in a hardware
group. Obviously I can't know about any hardware you fail
to tell us about. The monitor is only half of the story.

At the time of my original post I was asking about a widescreen monitor and
my reservations before shelling out the money. The specific hardware was
therefore undecided but I believe I did mention a Samsung 205BW (I neglected
the word "Syncmaster" but they're all called that).

"Catalyst"... Now we're getting somewhere...

In this day and age, unless someone specifies differently, it's safe to
assume they either have ATI or nVidia

If your Catalyst Control Center app doesn't show an option
under Digital Panel Properties, to "use centered timings"
(or similar if not worded exactly the same), then update
your *driver* to a newer version. Select the appropriate
Catalyst Control Suite, not the driver-only package.

http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/

I have 7.1.

I thought you were trying to put a 4:3 game resolution on a
5:4 panel, no? Unless I missed it, this is the first you
mention of it being a 16:10, widescreen display you have.

I gave you ne reason to think that. Read the subject line. I do not have a
16:10 widescreen display yet. That's the point.

Before buying what?

A widescreen monitor. Possibly a Samsung Syncmaster 205BW. I believe I
did mention that.

If your goal is to game at 4:3, might you be making it hard
on yourself instead of buying a 4:3 monitor like 1600x1200
resolution?

My "goal" is not to play 4:3 games. I wouldn't be looking for a widescreen
monitor if it was. I used that example to illustrate that not all apps
support widescreen resolutions, and the fact remains that I do possess some
such apps.

Regardless, the setting is there in the Catalyst Control
Center, it'll just waste a lot of space on a 16:10
widescreen monitor.

Yes it is. I've been reading up on other forums. It only appears if you
use the DVI input. My current monitor only has a VGA input, which is why I
couldn't find it.

I thank you for your response, but if you'd spent more time reading the post
(and the subject line), and less time making assumptions, we might not have
had this little misunderstanding. If there was any pertinent information
I'd not provided, you only had to ask. I'd also like to apologise if my
last post in any way implied that what you were trying to tell me was
incorrect. that wasn't the intention.

 

[kony]

A widescreen monitor. Possibly a Samsung Syncmaster 205BW. I believe I
did mention that.

Yes it is. I've been reading up on other forums. It only appears if you
use the DVI input. My current monitor only has a VGA input, which is why I
couldn't find it.

It is worth mention that the above monitor needs DVI for
best results, will be degraded with an analog connection.

Now that you know the Catalyst Control Center has the
option, we can conclude your query is resolved?