SOLVED - Switched HTPC from VGA to DVI/HDMI; now edges are way cut off

[bovinda]

I have an HTPC outputting to a Samsung LCD HDTV (LN52A650). It was connected by VGA cable, but I just finally got my DVI to HDMI cable and plugged it in. It definitely looks clearer and crisper, but the edges of the screen are really cut off. For example, I can barely see the edge of the Vista taskbar at the bottom of the screen, and it's like that all the way around. :frown:

What happened? It's the same resolution, same settings. I did go into NVidia's control panel and find a desk-top resizer, and used that, but then aren't I losing some of the quality of the picture? Is this TV not truly 1920x1080?

Any thoughts/suggestions? Should I go back to analog?

EDIT: Answer was to change the aspect ratio to "Just Scan." Thanks guys!

 

[BassBomb]

If its nvidia card make sure to "Resize HDTV desktop" its probably overscanning. Resize HDTV desktop will cut the resolution by the amount that its going over.

Make sure you've turned off any zoom features of your tv.

When you were using analog what resolution were you using?

 

[Elcs]

First port of call in my experience over 4 graphics cards (2 Nvidia, 2 ATI), this would be the Aspect Ratio of your TV. You need to fix it to 16:9 in your TV Settings.

If you still need to tweak, BassBomb has the right idea. Resize HDTV desktop should work. Im a bit cloudy on some parts of it but I think there is a way which resizes the desktop correctly without modifying resolution. I know that ATI's over/underscan facility works this way.

 

[bovinda]

OK, this is weird...maybe you guys can explain to me what this is and why it worked. I had it set to resize like Bass said, without an zoom or anything. It was the same resolution it had been it with analog (1920x1080). So I checked the wide-screen settings like Elcs said, and it was set 18:9 already. But there was another setting, "Just Scan" When I set it to that, and got rid of the resize my desktop thing, it fits perfectly (and looks really awesome. What's that all about?

I'm glad it's working, but what did I do?

Edit: didn't mean to be rude - thanks for the help too, guys! Wouldn't have got this fixed without your suggestions.

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: Elcs
First port of call in my experience over 4 graphics cards (2 Nvidia, 2 ATI), this would be the Aspect Ratio of your TV. You need to fix it to 16:9 in your TV Settings.

If you still need to tweak, BassBomb has the right idea. Resize HDTV desktop should work. Im a bit cloudy on some parts of it but I think there is a way which resizes the desktop correctly without modifying resolution. I know that ATI's over/underscan facility works this way.

Yes it removes the amount of pixels you choose when you fix it up. I had to do this but it looked like crap... then I realized someone put my TV on zoom rather than Dot by Dot.
Turns out I did not need to compensate on my TV since it did not overscan when set to dot by dot.

Recommended Course of Action for OP:
1. Make sure TV is not zooming, and is displaying 1:1 with your computer outputting 1920x1080. If this looks right now, great. Otherwise go to step 2.

2. Use resize HDTV desktop to remove some pixels to fit. Yes this does actually lower your resolution but it normally will be on the magnitude of less than 50 pixels wide.

Haha posted a little late there.
Must have turned out that you werent displaying at the right ratio on the tv, once you set that right you didn't need any resizing.

 

[bovinda]

No worries, makes sense now...thanks man! It looks awesome now!

 

[Elcs]

*shrugs*

It works!!!

Aspect ratio bit me in the backside on my 42" Panny with my 7600GT on Component.... didnt solve the issue until deep into my 8800GT days and my DVI-HDMI cable.. Recently switched to a 47" LG and had no problems.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

overscan has been an issue since day 1. why can't manf's get it together?

 

[Shawn]

you have to turn off overscan.

 

[Throckmorton]

Don't compensate for overscan with the video card control panel. That makes the TV interpolate every pixel to get from whatever the card outputs back to 1920x1080. Figure out how to set the TV to 1:1 pixel mapping.

I have no idea why 1:1 isn't the default for TVs-- Everything is freaking digital now.

 

[bovinda]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Don't compensate for overscan with the video card control panel. That makes the TV interpolate every pixel to get from whatever the card outputs back to 1920x1080. Figure out how to set the TV to 1:1 pixel mapping.

I have no idea why 1:1 isn't the default for TVs-- Everything is freaking digital now.

Overscan is something you would turn off from within the TV, right? I feel like I keep seeing people mention overscan, but I didn't find the option on the video card (I didn't look that hard, though). Having it set to "Just Scan", that's like 1:1 pixel mapping, right?

 

[BassBomb]

Its an option from your TV.

Dot by Dot for Sharp LCD's

 

[Elcs]

Originally posted by: bovinda

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Don't compensate for overscan with the video card control panel. That makes the TV interpolate every pixel to get from whatever the card outputs back to 1920x1080. Figure out how to set the TV to 1:1 pixel mapping.

I have no idea why 1:1 isn't the default for TVs-- Everything is freaking digital now.

Overscan is something you would turn off from within the TV, right? I feel like I keep seeing people mention overscan, but I didn't find the option on the video card (I didn't look that hard, though). Having it set to "Just Scan", that's like 1:1 pixel mapping, right?

Overscan and Underscan are listed under the Nvidia Control Panel as being Re-size Desktop.

Your TV is best off being set to "Just Scan". You should not need to underscan or overscan anymore hence you want to reset this to a default level, no over/under scan at all.

 

[mooncancook]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
Its an option from your TV.

Dot by Dot for Sharp LCD's

yeah it took me a while to find the dot to dot option. I tried scaling from nVidia control panel first and the result was terrible.

 

[Elcs]

Just to add:

This thread has helped me immensely. I forced a 16:9 aspect ratio on my TV and then used ATI's tool to underscan the image... to make it all fit on the screen.

With this thread, I set my TV to "Just Scan" and I now do not need to use an Overscan or Underscan.

Things looked great before. I cant wait to try them out now!

 

[bovinda]

Originally posted by: Elcs
Just to add:

This thread has helped me immensely. I forced a 16:9 aspect ratio on my TV and then used ATI's tool to underscan the image... to make it all fit on the screen.

With this thread, I set my TV to "Just Scan" and I now do not need to use an Overscan or Underscan.

Things looked great before. I cant wait to try them out now!

Hey Elcs, glad to hear it was helpful for you too, especially since you helped me figure it out!

 

[Bryf50]

Im not sure why but Ive had much better luck with ati cards then nvidia. My nvidia card would cut overscan and the only way to fix it was in the control panel which lowered the resolution and looked like ass. For my ati card i just set it to the right resolution and it looks great with no overscan.