Widescreen Gaming Forum

I know there are some people with Nvidia video cards (namely the 7900 series) that the fixed aspect ratio scaling option doesn't work. I have read it is a problem with some driver versions, or with some monitors. You will see a garbled screen or no change or the wrong change.

I have been playing around with my 7900gt trying to get the fixed aspect ratio scaling to work, and I came up with this.

I am using TweaksRUs driver version 93.71, and the classic control panel. I am not sure if any of that matters though.

Select the resolution you want. Then go to advanced timing. First under the timing standard select CVT standard and apply it. Go to flat panel scaling and select fixed aspect ratio scaling. Select the back-end active. The difference between it and the front-end active has to be the same as the difference between the aspect ratio of the resolution and aspect ratio of your monitor.

Example: .625(16/10) / .75(4/3) = .83333
.625(16/10) / .8(5/4) = .78125

So, for 1024x768 it would be 1024 / .83333 = 1228

Put the 1228 in to the back-end active and hit apply. If all goes well it should have black bars on the sides. If the screen goes blank or you get some kind of error back it off a little bit to say 1225. If I went to high the monitor would say no signal in put, and I would have to restart the computer.

Screen shot:


1440x900:


1024x768 pillarboxed


This has worked in the few games I have tried, if you select the resolution you want in the desktop before you start the game.

This worked for me anyway. I would be interested to know if this works for anyone else.

Wow, I have been looking for a solution to this problem, and have messed with the control panel to no avail till now, it worked flawlessly, thanks very much! I have a XFX 7900gt with the official 93.71 drivers. Thanks again!

Glad to know it worked for someone else. Just out of curiosoity what monitor are using?

It's a Hanns-G HW191D

Whats the code for 1680x1050 ? im to retarded to understand this shit

KillerP

This is what i get :

Just select the resolution want to be pillar boxed, like say 1024x768, then on the screen in your screen shot click the advanced timing button. Then, follow the instructions in my first post. Let me know if it works.

Sorry it took so long to reply. I have been getting the new rig up and running. :D

I wonder if there's a way to make it work with "letterboxed" resolutions, ie, 1280x720? I've been trying to do it for that res, only changing the 4:3 with 16:9, and putting the results in the back end box, of the vertical lines, because I want black bars on top and bottom. It worked (sort of), I don't have two black bars, but only one at the bottom of the display. Any help to maybe have the 2 bars on top and botom?

This is great! Been playing around with it but can't seem to figure out if there is a way to store these settings, I like running Windows at 1680x1050 but would still like to be able to play games in Pillar box like Baldur's Gate which runs at 640x480 (or 800x600 for BGII).

Thanks in advance
Jimmy

edited: I don't think that it's possible to do resolutions lower than 800x600. Hope thats no so. Also can't seem to get 1280x1024 working yet :(

trx,

Use the Edit button & cut & paste your first post up top &

paste it into http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/

rename the title to: Tutorial: Fixed Aspect Ratio Scaling Solution

Where is it that you can normally change it to have black borders or to have the screen stretched?

tnx

Where is it that you can normally change it to have black borders or to have the screen stretched?

tnx

For nvidia cards

Powestrip: How To: Game With Black Bars (non-widescreen)?

This is great! Been playing around with it but can't seem to figure out if there is a way to store these settings, I like running Windows at 1680x1050 but would still like to be able to play games in Pillar box like Baldur's Gate which runs at 640x480 (or 800x600 for BGII).

Thanks in advance
Jimmy

edited: I don't think that it's possible to do resolutions lower than 800x600. Hope thats no so. Also can't seem to get 1280x1024 working yet Sad

I didn't have any trouble with it not saving the settings. :? They just stayed were I put them. Also I got it to work with 640x480. For the 1280x1024 try setting the horizontal back end active to 1625. That's what mine is at.

NICE~!! i been plagued by this problem for so long, gonna try it once i download ta drivers,

ps: have u try 1024x1280 on ur 19" lcd does it scale ?

thanks for sharing man~ :D


updates... it works~!!!! finally thanks~!!

it works fine @ 6600GT with 93.71 @ HW191D , too, but when i start a game which supports only 4:3 aspect ratio, the monitor or the 6600GT switches back to full mode and stretches the resolution of the game, which looks terrible. How can i fix it, so that the scaling works for games, too, not only for the desktop, which i prefer to use in the full width and height?

thanks,
andreas

P.S:
sry 4 my bad english, but i'm german and don't pay attention at school enough :wink:

Is this only for DVI inputs? My 27" LCD TV doesn't allow me the option of forced aspect ratio when in advanced timings nor does my Acer AL1916W (19" wide) - both are using Sub inputs.

it works fine @ 6600GT with 93.71 @ HW191D , too, but when i start a game which supports only 4:3 aspect ratio, the monitor or the 6600GT switches back to full mode and stretches the resolution of the game, which looks terrible. How can i fix it, so that the scaling works for games, too, not only for the desktop, which i prefer to use in the full width and height?

thanks,
andreas

P.S:
sry 4 my bad english, but i'm german and don't pay attention at school enough Wink

Make sure you pick the resolution you want before you start the game. That's all I did. Try going in to the game menu and selecting the same resolution as your desktop. What games have you had trouble with?

Don't worry about the English. It's my first language and I still have enough trouble with it. :roll:

Is this only for DVI inputs? My 27" LCD TV doesn't allow me the option of forced aspect ratio when in advanced timings nor does my Acer AL1916W (19" wide) - both are using Sub inputs.

As far as I know it only works with DVI.

As far as I know it only works with DVI.

Thanks. That could explain it. Just bought a DVI cable off eBay, hopefully this'll end my non-widescreen gaming nightmares :P

I'm having the same problem described by the OP with my eVGA 7600 GS, 1680x1050 ViewSonic 2025wm and the same drivers, but the fix doesn't seem to be working.

The ONLY 4:3 resolution that results in pillarboxes on my desktop is 1400x1050. Any other resolution I set (640x480, for example), stretches to full screen. Furthermore, when I run a 4:3 app, the image is stretched even when my desktop is running at 1400x1050 pillarboxed.

I've also tried setting to 640x480 (stretched) and then manually adjusting the horizontal back-end active to 768, but I get a "no signal" message. Could someone please post their exact settings for a 640x480 pillarboxed resolution? I'm testing using StarCraft, if that matters.

Any other comments welcome. Thanks.

I'm having the same problem described by the OP with my eVGA 7600 GS, 1680x1050 ViewSonic 2025wm and the same drivers, but the fix doesn't seem to be working.

The ONLY 4:3 resolution that results in pillarboxes on my desktop is 1400x1050. Any other resolution I set (640x480, for example), stretches to full screen. Furthermore, when I run a 4:3 app, the image is stretched even when my desktop is running at 1400x1050 pillarboxed.

I've also tried setting to 640x480 (stretched) and then manually adjusting the horizontal back-end active to 768, but I get a "no signal" message. Could someone please post their exact settings for a 640x480 pillarboxed resolution? I'm testing using StarCraft, if that matters.

Any other comments welcome. Thanks.

Try 765 for the horizontal back-end active. That is what I have mine at. Then set that for your desktop resolution, and start the game.