Do latest ATI Catalyst drivers offer option similar to NVidia Scaling?

[BernardP]

This can be done with NVidia drivers and could not be reliably done in the past with ATI drivers:

For general desktop use (non-gaming), with DVI connection:

--- Create a custom resolution, let's say 1384x864 on a 16:10 monitor
--- Have the video driver scale this resolution in the videocard and output a signal in the monitor's native resolution.
--- End result: the monitor is getting a video signal in its native resolution (1920x1200 for 24-inch), but displays a visible 1384x864 resolution to the user; screen is fully used, proper 16:10 aspect ratio is maintained.

It would be great if someone could try to do this with Catalyst drivers, and if it works, post screenshots of the options in Catalyst control panel.

 

[AmberClad]

There are at least a couple of modes, I'm not sure which one you have in mind.

- Stretch to fill the whole screen, disregard aspect ratio (I really hate this one and never use it)
- Display a 1384x864 area with no scaling, and any part of the screen that falls outside of that is rendered as black. So you end up with a little screen within the screen.
- Maintain the same aspect ratio as 1384x864, but scale it up (equally in both dimensions) to fit the screen. (I've only done this with "standard" resolutions, I have no experience trying this with non-standard ones)

 

[PingSpike]

Yes, with x1xxx and future cards using catalyst 8 drivers.

It took forever, but it actually works for me whereas nvidia's implementation never did.

 

[bradsh]

HOLY SHIT, they finally added this? We had been waiting for years and I finally jumped ship to nvidia for it. i'm honestly blown away if they added this.

So they really have all of the same options as nvidia? FINALLY? I can get the videocard to render black bars on ATi????

 

[AmberClad]

You guys are getting all excited over four black bars ...

Whenever possible, I prefer to use widescreen "hacks" that will make the app use all available screen space to render inside of (not the same as take the original and stretch/distort it to fit, mind you).

If that's not possible, then I guess prefer the letterboxed mode (black bars), especially for 1280x1024 apps, since the vertical resolution is relatively close to 1050. Or the maintain aspect ratio mode for smaller resolutions to scale it up, so I don't have to lean in to see the teensy window.

 

[PingSpike]

The holy shit is warrented. After ignoring a problem that effected such a large amount of users for so long, it was easy to believe that it would never be added/fixed. However, it does indeed work for me now...so while it took forever, its there.

 

[BernardP]

Thanks for the replies.

So flat-panel scaling now works properly with ATI. Good to know.

It would be great if someone with a 22 or 24 inch widescreen monitor would create the test 1384x864 resolution, post screenshots showing the Catalyst panel where it's done, and show it actually applied to the display.