Widescreen aspect ratio problem

VWW · Sep 11, 2006, 09:55 AM

Hi

I've just purchased a Chimei CMV 221D widescreen LCD but i have a problem with it. I want to run older games that run in 4:3 so that they are not stretched across the whole screen. I have a 6800GS and using 91.48 drivers.
So for example, i have warcraft 3. If i run that it stretches the game across the whole screen and it is very distorted. I want it to run with black bars down the sides so as to maintain its 4:3 aspect ratio. Is there any way to do this?
I have looked everywhere and can't find a solution. Any help would be mightily appreciated.

V.

mkk · Sep 11, 2006, 12:12 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Look first into the menues of the LCD and see if there are any aspect ratio or scaling settings. I have no experience with your type of screen, but some screens like my own Viewsonic VA1912W forces stretching of the whole of the image no matter what one tries to do in the graphics card driver settings. Just mentioning in case you're out of luck too.

VWW · Sep 11, 2006, 03:30 PM

Thanks for the reply mkk. I've looked into the LCD menu... there isn't many settings available, and nothing to do with the aspect ratio or scaling.

I haven't managed to try anything in the driver settings because unfortunately i can't even find any settings that might help with this problem. Any idea where these settings would be hidden?

mkk · Sep 11, 2006, 03:52 PM

A shot of the classic control panel. Looks a bit different in the new but it's basically the same.

The setting you should try first is the "fixed aspect ratio scaling". If that doesn't help then there's a chance that "centered output" might if you set the game to a resolution lower than the screens native resolution. If that works then you can at least get a small correctly aspected image.

VWW · Sep 11, 2006, 04:49 PM

Thats really strange. My control panel doesn't have that option. I do use the newer 91 series but i have switched so that i use the classic control panel, but its still not there.... in fact there's nothing even close. What version drivers are you using? Any idea where it might be in the 91 series drivers? Or could it perhaps have been removed? I can't even find the option in the new control panel.

mkk · Sep 11, 2006, 05:00 PM

I'm revising that picture a bit. In the new control panel there should be a "change flat panel scaling" icon under the display section. Perhaps your screen isn't identified as a flat panel for some reason. Try connecting the monitor cable to the other DVI connector on the card (if it has two), or try using the DVI connector if the current cable is standard VGA.

VWW · Sep 11, 2006, 05:09 PM

Unfortunately i only have one DVI connector on my card.... plus one VGA. I am currently using the DVI to connect to the monitor.
I also unfortuantely don't seem to have the option you mention in my control panel. I guess my screen isn't being recognised correctly

It's strange cause it does recognises it as a DVI connected LCD.

mkk · Sep 11, 2006, 05:17 PM

Odd. Unless it's some kind of bug in 91.48 I'm out of ideas. Using 91.47 here and staying with that until I can download something newer straight from nVidia.

VWW · Sep 12, 2006, 04:18 AM

Nah its not a bug in 91.48. I was using 91.47 myself and only upgraded to 91.48 once i couldn't find the option in the drivers... i was hoping 91.48 would have it.

I guess i'm outta luck.... ah well. Thanks heaps for your help though

311junkie · Jul 24, 2007, 07:36 AM

Hi guys! I realize this thread pretty much died back in Sept 2006, but I just recently purchased the Chmei 221D monitor myself and ran into the same problem with Warcraft 3. However, I did find a solution that I thought may be useful to anyone who runs into problems with the lcd monitors automatically stretching the image to fullscreen.

I'm running the 94.24 nvidia drivers and if you go into the classic control panel and select "nView Display Settings" then you should be able to see the "Device settings" button. Click on that and make sure the "Treat Digital Display as HDTV" is UNCHECKED. Once the HDTV setting is unchecked, you should be able to click on the Device Settings button and select "Device Adjustments." There you will see the option for fixed aspect display ratio as shown above in the previous posts.

I don't see any drawbacks to disabling the HDTV option, but I just found the solution out tonight. Are there any problems that I may encounter from disabling the HDTV setting?

Hope that helps!

BlueMak · Jul 24, 2007, 08:22 AM

the reason you have this solution is that the driver you are using is before nvidia decided to fuck up their drivers on this issue.
Up to 95something or 96 the nvidia scaling with correct aspect ratio worked fine, thus it works fine with you.

311junkie · Jul 24, 2007, 04:09 PM

Ah, that sucks. Yes, I did forget to mention that I am running a 6800GT, so the 94.24 drivers are the latest available for my card.

Hope nVidia fixes that issue soon then.

Sep 11, 2006, 09:55 AM	#1
VWW DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Widescreen aspect ratio problem Hi I've just purchased a Chimei CMV 221D widescreen LCD but i have a problem with it. I want to run older games that run in 4:3 so that they are not stretched across the whole screen. I have a 6800GS and using 91.48 drivers. So for example, i have warcraft 3. If i run that it stretches the game across the whole screen and it is very distorted. I want it to run with black bars down the sides so as to maintain its 4:3 aspect ratio. Is there any way to do this? I have looked everywhere and can't find a solution. Any help would be mightily appreciated. V.

Jul 24, 2007, 08:22 AM	#11
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,242 Rep Power: 326 System Specs	the reason you have this solution is that the driver you are using is before nvidia decided to fuck up their drivers on this issue. Up to 95something or 96 the nvidia scaling with correct aspect ratio worked fine, thus it works fine with you. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Sep 11, 2006, 12:12 PM	#2
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,375 Rep Power: 120 System Specs	Welcome to the forum. Look first into the menues of the LCD and see if there are any aspect ratio or scaling settings. I have no experience with your type of screen, but some screens like my own Viewsonic VA1912W forces stretching of the whole of the image no matter what one tries to do in the graphics card driver settings. Just mentioning in case you're out of luck too.

Sep 11, 2006, 03:30 PM	Thread Starter #3
VWW DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for the reply mkk. I've looked into the LCD menu... there isn't many settings available, and nothing to do with the aspect ratio or scaling. I haven't managed to try anything in the driver settings because unfortunately i can't even find any settings that might help with this problem. Any idea where these settings would be hidden?

Sep 11, 2006, 03:52 PM	#4
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,375 Rep Power: 120 System Specs	A shot of the classic control panel. Looks a bit different in the new but it's basically the same. The setting you should try first is the "fixed aspect ratio scaling". If that doesn't help then there's a chance that "centered output" might if you set the game to a resolution lower than the screens native resolution. If that works then you can at least get a small correctly aspected image.

Sep 11, 2006, 04:49 PM	Thread Starter #5
VWW DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Thats really strange. My control panel doesn't have that option. I do use the newer 91 series but i have switched so that i use the classic control panel, but its still not there.... in fact there's nothing even close. What version drivers are you using? Any idea where it might be in the 91 series drivers? Or could it perhaps have been removed? I can't even find the option in the new control panel.

Sep 11, 2006, 05:00 PM	#6
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,375 Rep Power: 120 System Specs	I'm revising that picture a bit. In the new control panel there should be a "change flat panel scaling" icon under the display section. Perhaps your screen isn't identified as a flat panel for some reason. Try connecting the monitor cable to the other DVI connector on the card (if it has two), or try using the DVI connector if the current cable is standard VGA.

Sep 11, 2006, 05:09 PM	Thread Starter #7
VWW DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Unfortunately i only have one DVI connector on my card.... plus one VGA. I am currently using the DVI to connect to the monitor. I also unfortuantely don't seem to have the option you mention in my control panel. I guess my screen isn't being recognised correctly It's strange cause it does recognises it as a DVI connected LCD.

Sep 11, 2006, 05:17 PM	#8
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,375 Rep Power: 120 System Specs	Odd. Unless it's some kind of bug in 91.48 I'm out of ideas. Using 91.47 here and staying with that until I can download something newer straight from nVidia.

Sep 12, 2006, 04:18 AM	Thread Starter #9
VWW DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Nah its not a bug in 91.48. I was using 91.47 myself and only upgraded to 91.48 once i couldn't find the option in the drivers... i was hoping 91.48 would have it. I guess i'm outta luck.... ah well. Thanks heaps for your help though

Jul 24, 2007, 07:36 AM	#10
311junkie DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Hi guys! I realize this thread pretty much died back in Sept 2006, but I just recently purchased the Chmei 221D monitor myself and ran into the same problem with Warcraft 3. However, I did find a solution that I thought may be useful to anyone who runs into problems with the lcd monitors automatically stretching the image to fullscreen. I'm running the 94.24 nvidia drivers and if you go into the classic control panel and select "nView Display Settings" then you should be able to see the "Device settings" button. Click on that and make sure the "Treat Digital Display as HDTV" is UNCHECKED. Once the HDTV setting is unchecked, you should be able to click on the Device Settings button and select "Device Adjustments." There you will see the option for fixed aspect display ratio as shown above in the previous posts. I don't see any drawbacks to disabling the HDTV option, but I just found the solution out tonight. Are there any problems that I may encounter from disabling the HDTV setting? Hope that helps!

Jul 24, 2007, 04:09 PM	#12
311junkie DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Ah, that sucks. Yes, I did forget to mention that I am running a 6800GT, so the 94.24 drivers are the latest available for my card. Hope nVidia fixes that issue soon then.