LCD Letterboxing

[jer0608]

Suppose I want to run a 1280x960 resolution (4:3) on a 1280x1024(5:4) LCD screen. Instead of vertically stretching the image, I would like to leave the topmost/bottommost 32 pixels unused, creating horizontal black bands above and below. My questions:

1) If I do this, it seems I would avoid the loss of clarity associated with running a non-native resolution, since no pixel interpolation should be necessary. In theory, the image should be just as crisp and distortion free as native resolution. Is this true?
2) Can I do this on any LCD monitor?
3) Is this a monitor function or a video driver setting?
4) If a driver setting, are there associated downsides/limitations?

 

[McArra]

It's an interesting idea, I also want some feedback on that 😀

 

[TStep]

I know I can do it on my 9800 with a 12x10 LCD. IIRC, there is a box to check in the control panel.

 

[jer0608]

Originally posted by: TStep
I know I can do it on my 9800 with a 12x10 LCD. IIRC, there is a box to check in the control panel.

So, for ATI at least, this is a driver feature? Does it result in any image or performance degradation?

Anyone know if this works with Nvidia cards?

 

[cbehnken]

Originally posted by: jer0608

Originally posted by: TStep
I know I can do it on my 9800 with a 12x10 LCD. IIRC, there is a box to check in the control panel.

So, for ATI at least, this is a driver feature? Does it result in any image or performance degradation?

Anyone know if this works with Nvidia cards?

What purpose do you hope to serve with this? Nothing looks stretched on a 5:4 monitor. Especially considering your desktop and all applications display the aspect ration you have your screen set to. The only thing that could possible stretch is a 4:3 movie, but the stretching amount would be so little that it would be inperceivable.

 

[JBT]

Nvidia cards/drivers can do this no problem too. I'm not really sure why you would want to do this at all though... like REALLY no idea why...

 

[McArra]

I found it and it's great to improove IQ in 1024x768 games, just see them a little bit asmaller but with as good IQ as with native 1280x1024. Yo have to go to the control panel, then Nview, then "adjust device" I think (i'm guessing since I have the spanish version of XG 71.84) in device config. There you have 2 tabs, in the one in the right there are some options and the last one is keep ratio or something similar. Check, readjust your monitor if necesary and you are done!!

 

[cbehnken]

I guess you are only running that low of a res in games that don't support higher, lol

 

[Cheesetogo]

When I watch movies in power dvd it automatically puts bars on the top and bottom, which is a feature of the software.

 

[jer0608]

Originally posted by: JBT
Nvidia cards/drivers can do this no problem too. I'm not really sure why you would want to do this at all though... like REALLY no idea why...

OK, an example:

The game Sid Meier's Pirates, at least on initial release, had support for 1280x960 (4:3) rather than 1280x1024. On a 17" 5:4 LCD, running at this resolution resulted in perceptible vertical stretching, as well as fuzziness due to pixel interpolation.

For similar applications only supporting 4:3 resolutions, I was wondering if I could avoid this image degradation, however slight it might be.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: cbehnken
I guess you are only running that low of a res in games that don't support higher, lol

I just run this res in Sprinter Cell 3 demo, is the only playable res with HDR and SM3.0 enabled an 8xAF, the IQ is superb but framerates are bad in this game. Some driver and engine optimizations should fix this anyway since this is only a demo. With this aspect ratio lock the IQ is as good as 1280x1024 but with a little bit smaller size in the monitor.

 

[McArra]

Try it, is looks great.

 

[jer0608]

Originally posted by: McArra
I found it and it's great to improove IQ in 1024x768 games, just see them a little bit asmaller but with as good IQ as with native 1280x1024. Yo have to go to the control panel, then Nview, then "adjust device" I think (i'm guessing since I have the spanish version of XG 71.84) in device config. There you have 2 tabs, in the one in the right there are some options and the last one is keep ratio or something similar. Check, readjust your monitor if necesary and you are done!!

Thanks, McArra!

Did you notice if you took a frame rate hit by doing this? I thought I read somewhere on these forums that Nvidia's driver implementation results in a performance decrease.

 

[McArra]

It doesn't 😉

 

[jer0608]

Originally posted by: cbehnken

What purpose do you hope to serve with this? Nothing looks stretched on a 5:4 monitor. Especially considering your desktop and all applications display the aspect ration you have your screen set to. The only thing that could possible stretch is a 4:3 movie, but the stretching amount would be so little that it would be inperceivable.

I respectfully disagree with the bolded statements.

 

[McArra]

Ok, I found the only evident benefit was text in my LCD so I unchecked it again sice I can't see degradation in 3d environments.

 

[cbehnken]

Originally posted by: McArra
Ok, I found the only evident benefit was text in my LCD so I unchecked it again sice I can't see degradation in 3d environments.

Who'd have dreamed it. You can't tell...except on the windows desktop where you can run 5:4 no problem

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: cbehnken

Originally posted by: McArra
Ok, I found the only evident benefit was text in my LCD so I unchecked it again sice I can't see degradation in 3d environments.

Who'd have dreamed it. You can't tell...except on the windows desktop where you can run 5:4 no problem

Not only windows, in game text looks better with it on, but everything apart from that looks almost the same, so not really worth it foor me.