Software Resolution Framer for LCD Monitors

[Marty Chang]

Bit of an odd request, but...

You know how on some LCD monitors, if you're not running the native res, it'll "frame" the resolution with black bars so it doesn't look stretched/squashed/ugly? Is there a software program that can do that?

I ask because I want to play Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, which has neither a windowed mode nor support for my native res (1440x900). My monitor doesn't have the aforementioned framing feature, so RCT2 looks at best fuzzy and unattractive and at worst squashed and confusing.

Thanks in advance.

[Phait]

If you have an nVidia card it should be in it's control panel

[Marty Chang]

Originally Posted by Phait

If you have an nVidia card it should be in it's control panel

I have an ATi card.. perhaps it has the same feature tucked away somewhere?

[Phait]

I would imagine so.

[Marty Chang]

Well, I had some luck. I set the "Image Scaling" option to "Use Centered Timings" which implies that it would center the frame. However, if I run Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, I get two black bars, not a complete frame. It'll set it to the right aspect ratio, but it'll still blow it up. Still trying to figure it out.

[peoplessi]

The three settings are quite self-explanatory

Centered timings _should_ display the correct resolution, and doesn't scale it anyway. Again the other two explain themselves

Sometimes, it just doesn't work, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 might be one of those games. One I know to have problems with the GPU scaling is Flight Simulator X. It's not perfect on nVidia either, so if you want something that's foolproof you need to get a screen that supports 1:1 pixel mapping.

Originally Posted by Marty Chang

Bit of an odd request, but...

You know how on some LCD monitors, if you're not running the native res, it'll "frame" the resolution with black bars so it doesn't look stretched/squashed/ugly? Is there a software program that can do that?

I ask because I want to play Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, which has neither a windowed mode nor support for my native res (1440x900). My monitor doesn't have the aforementioned framing feature, so RCT2 looks at best fuzzy and unattractive and at worst squashed and confusing.

Thanks in advance.

You could try DXWnd, if you want it in windowed mode.

[Yatta]

Originally Posted by Marty Chang

if I run Roller Coaster Tycoon 2, I get two black bars, not a complete frame

I have the same issue when I adjust my nVidia settings.

The only way I can get around it is to configure my monitor manually every time so it shows a 1:1 ratio picture. I don't know if this applies to your monitor, but check it out anyway:

When I press the menu button on my monitor, I navigate to the following areas:

Screen --> ARC

In my ARC menu, I have two options: "Full" and "1:1."

Yours must be set to full right now because you only get two black bars. It's like that for me as well under "Full," but when I change it to "1:1," I get a complete frame on my monitor when anything lower than its native resolution is displayed.

[Marty Chang]

Originally Posted by The Stinger

You could try DXWnd, if you want it in windowed mode.

RCT 2 didn't like that very much. Gonna try fooling around with it more.

[Yatta]

Does your monitor have an option to change from Full to 1:1 scaling, like I was talking about? Look into that for sure.

[Marty Chang]

Originally Posted by Yatta

Does your monitor have an option to change from Full to 1:1 scaling, like I was talking about? Look into that for sure.

It doesn't, I'm sure of it.

[Yatta]

What model monitor do you have?

[Phayzon]

Originally Posted by Phait

If you have an nVidia card it should be in it's control panel

Ive actually been looking for something like this. Where is it in the nVidia control panel?

EDIT: Found it, but the options are all grayed out. Googleing tells me theres some issues with Vista and the 8800 series (Just my luck...). Does anyone know of another program that can do this?

[Yatta]

Originally Posted by Phayzon

Ive actually been looking for something like this. Where is it in the nVidia control panel?

EDIT: Found it, but the options are all grayed out. Googleing tells me theres some issues with Vista and the 8800 series (Just my luck...). Does anyone know of another program that can do this?

Yes the options are grayed out but it's not Vista fault. I have had the same problem in XP with my 7800 GT ever since I upgraded my drivers. Here's the workaround:

type this in start--> run--> cmd:

rundll32.exe NvCpl.dll,dtcfg setscaling 0 DB 5

[Marty Chang]

Originally Posted by Yatta

What model monitor do you have?

It's an Acer AL1916W. Going through the OSD settings reveals nothing about scaling.

EDIT: Okay, something weird..

Remember when I mentioned that ATi's control panel had a "centered timings" feature? Well, it turns out that if I change the resolution in Windows to a size smaller than 1440x900, it works right. It just works weird with RCT2 (i.e. the image no longer scales vertically, but it still scales horizontally).

EDIT2: Upon more testing, the framing only seems to work right with 1360x768. When I set it to 1280x800, I get the same issue in Windows as I did in RCT2.

[Phayzon]

Originally Posted by Yatta

Yes the options are grayed out but it's not Vista fault. I have had the same problem in XP with my 7800 GT ever since I upgraded my drivers. Here's the workaround:

type this in start--> run--> cmd:

Error: API not supported on this version of Windows.

[Yatta]

Originally Posted by Phayzon

Error: API not supported on this version of Windows.

You don't have command prompt? That's standard even in Vista. Look for it in system tools.

[Marty Chang]

Originally Posted by Yatta

You don't have command prompt? That's standard even in Vista. Look for it in system tools.

No, that's the error gets get in the command prompt.

[Bit-Cloud]

if its duel out put (V. Card) why not use a CRT as a secondary and have your LCD as your primary? that could work.

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[Marty Chang]

Originally Posted by Bit-Cloud

if its duel out put (V. Card) why not use a CRT as a secondary and have your LCD as your primary? that could work.

Two problems: One, fullscreen applications almost always use the primary screen; two, I don't have a CRT on me.

[Yatta]

Originally Posted by Phayzon

Error: API not supported on this version of Windows.

type this in cmd: rundll32.exe NvCpl.dll,dtcfg setscaling 0 DA

Originally I made a mistake when I told you about this command. Try the new one.

[Phayzon]

Same error still :\

Btw, Im running 64bit, I dont think I remembered to mention that.