Solved! Cannot scale to full screen on LCD with ATi hd5650 mobile

[blacksheeptom]

Hello,
i am running a mobility radeon hd5650 on a toshiba satellite pro L650-17p platform. i cannot install the latest ati catalyst as it says it's not compatible with my drivers. cannot update driver as there's no other version. the deal is that i got an external lg W2442PA-BF display which doesn't display a full screen picture if set to 1920x1080 mode. if i choose 75Hz it automtically set the resolution to 1200x1080 (it's connected via VGA at the moment, dont have DVI but HDMI possible)
thanks

 

[Guest]

Presumably the laptop's max resolution is set to the limits of the built in screen.

 

[blacksheeptom]

how do i reset this? i have now worked out that movies run in full screen mode whereas i can only work on the field in the middle in 1920x1080 mode (4cm black to each side, up and down)

 

[blacksheeptom]

also 75Hz doesn't seem to work in the highest resolution...

 

[Guest]

The maximum capability of the video circuitry is based on number of colours, resolution and refresh rate. Stick to the native refresh rate of the monitor (usually 60Hz).

 

[blacksheeptom]

well, i have left everything at its default... i have now changed the primary monitor to the lg w2442pa-bf and it now let's me scale to full screen but that's not the ideal solution as i have to change it all again each time i wanna take the laptop out i presume?
thanks

 

[photonboy]

First, most laptops require that you update the video drivers ONLY FROM THEM. This is due to specific tweaks added. They don't let you upgrade because you'd wreck their tweaks and break some laptop functionality. This attitude is changing, and we'll eventually see all laptops compatible with the same desktop drivers.

Settings:
You can tweak the settings for BOTH your laptop screen and the OUTPUT screen. Do that when your output screen is hooked up.

Example:
My dad's HP laptop has NVidia graphics. I can open the NVidia control panel, and adjust the laptop screen to max (1440x900) and HDTV (HDMI output to TV) to 1920x1080.

If I CLONE both screens I have to choose the origin screen. Since the screens are different ratios, one will be stretched slighty (not something you want when playing a MOVIE!)

I can use EXTENDED mode where one screen is the main and another has no Taskbar.

To watch MOVIES, I actually switch to my HDTV output ONLY.

NOTES:
1. I can TOGGLE between video modes using FUNCTION KEY + F4 (varies). I do this to switch to HDTV only, then again to go back to LAPTOP ONLY (I can watch on Extended mode too, but having two screens causes BluRay movies to have glitches.)

2. Audio switching is done from the System Tray (lower right). I switch the source to Realtek Digital which sends out HDMI instead of the laptop speakers and then I have to change that back again after a movie.

3. You can easily find out the resolution of either screen. For example, if using HDTV ensure it is 1920x1080.

4. Most HDTV's can accept Monitor or TV signals. If you have HDMI it's likely in TV format such as 1080p. If it's through VGA format it's likely in monitor format and only works through the PC-VGA input. Some TV's now have an HDMI input that is PC-compatible (meaning it will scale any signal such as 640x480, 800x600... up to 1920x1080).

 

[photonboy]

Other:
1. Can't switch screens if a video is open.

2. There is a video setting that allows THREE modes: pixel-by-pixel, stretch, and scale (with Aspect). You almost ALWAYS want the screen to scale as high as it can go but not change its ratio. For example, on a 1920x1080 screen an 800x600 video would be distorted if it fit the entire screen. You don't want that. You want it to fit to top and bottom and have black bars on either side.