Computer help forum: widescreen monitor-adjust stretching of image

You did not mention if the display you have is a fixed pixel type. A fixed pixel type would be either an LCD or a plasma screen, or something else like that (LCD being the most common).

IF SO, then you need to set the Windows screen resolution to the actual native resolution (the actual number of pixels in your display).

Once you do that, there won't be any more stretching, since Windows will display screen dots to the monitors pixels at a 1:1 ratio.

If you can not adjust the Windows screen resolution to the pixels of your monitor then you'll need to find an updated video driver (or video card) that will permit that setting.

I think you meant the following aspect ratios:

4:3 -- 640 x 480, 1024 x 768
5:4 -- 1280 x 1024
16:9 -- widescreen (usually found on TV's, projectors, DVD players)
16:10 (8:5) -- widescreen

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_display_standard

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I changed the resolution to 1680x1050 (a 8:5 ratio) and that solved the stretching problem. However, now the print is an eye test. All the other resolution settings that provide larger displays use other aspect ratios, mostly 4:3. Any ideas on how to keep the 8:5 aspect ratio but get a magnified display?

In another thread of this "Computer help" forum I have posted the following (here is a link to that message, but just so you don't have to go elsewhere, I will repeat it here also):
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There is a lot of confusion

and here is my attempt at clarification, based on not only fact but also actual results.

First, a point of clarification.
An LCD native resolution is the actual number of screen pixels horizontally and vertically (and the number are always related to in that order, h then v). To attempt to drive the LCD panel at any value other than its native resolution will always result in non-crisp images (pictures or fonts) (Well, unless you happen to hit upon a value that is exactly a value that divides cleanly into the native resolution - highly unlikely).

Most 17" and 19" non-widescreen LCD displays have the same resolution, 1280x1024.
Many widescreen 19" and 20" LCD panels have a resolution of 1440x900
And the other widescreen 20" and most 22" LCD panels have 1680x1050 resolution.

The LCD monitor will nearly always be filled out completely. There are some oddball situations that can force the output of less than the LCDs native resolution to only fill out to the output pixels (such as you have a 1280x1024 panel, and are sending an 800x600 signal to it, thus, there will be a black border from the "unlit" pixels) but I have only seen that in some laptop computers with the internal display, not in any separate LCD display.

Once you set your video resolution to the native resolution of the LCD panel (and to NOT do so, you are really doing yourself, and your eyes, a disservice) if the display icons and fonts are too small for you, then there are adjustments to the individual groups accessible via the properties of the display.

But before you attempt to individually adjust those items, there is one global adjustment you can make that affects the whole of the display and nearly every other thing. Try that first!
Believe me, I know adjusting for the large icons, and the large or extra large fonts, and then having to adjust the icon spacing so that things are not crowded on the screen is tedious and time consuming, and also most times less than satisfactory.

So, here is where you can find that one global adjustment:
Right-click an unused area of your desktop, and
select [Properties],
select the "Settings" tab,
click the [Advanced] button,
on the "General" tab change the 'DPI setting'
It, most probably is already set to something like "Normal size (96 DPI)"
Setting it to a higher DPI will make everything respectively larger.
Such as the other common setting should be "Large size (120 DPI)"
If you have tried that, and like neither, you can also select "Custom setting"
There's a ruler, that you can drag, or a number% you can enter, there.
Set it something you like.

While this "global" DPI setting does adjust icons and fonts equally, WinXP does not do a perfect job of it. There are still some applications and windows that get their internal sizing to the actual screen pixels. And, by the way, WinVista does do a better job of getting it done right - still not perfect, though.

So, once you have made this global setting, and still you want, or need, to tweak, do it then.
There are the IE quick font sizing tricks (Ctrl and roll the mouse wheel) or clicking on the Zoom level (IE v7) or View text size controls.

I want to say again, because it seems like so many people get it wrong, drive your LCD panel to the native resolution, and adjust other things to make things bigger or smaller.

Last point, there is a "ClearType" adjust setting for the display (and I always use it) that can be further tweaked by going to the Microsoft ClearType website (http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypeInfo.mspx) but that just affects the fonts on the screen, not images.

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As for my personal results. I have 4 LCD screens:
17" 1280x1024
19" 1280x1024
22" 1680x1050 (yes, a widescreen), and
15.4" 1920x1200 (a laptop, not only a widescreen, but extremely small pixels)

In every case, I have first set the display to the native resolution for the clearest of displays, then set the ClearType, then set the Display's Advanced setting to some personal preference of screen DPI, and then finally adjusted whatever minor tweaks I like in various applications to get my desired look.
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Thanks for your help Chuck. I don't know why this information can't be made clear in the monitor documentation. Obviously, a number of people have questions about this issue. Your posting was very clear.

What you need to do is alter...
by Edward ODaniel - 4/22/07 12:09 PM
In reply to: widescreen monitor-adjust stretching of image by lmlarsen70
the actual picture. For instance a 640 X 480 graphic will stretch proportionally and fill a screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 or 1280 X 1024 and not be distorted although it will definitely be distorted on a widescreen with a resolution of 1440 x 900 or 1680 x 1050.

That is because 640 x 480, 1024 x 768, and 1280 x 1024 are all ratios of 4:3

Wide screen formats are a ratio of 8:5

Resizing the graphic by cropping top and bottom to change its actual size to 640 x 400 will allow the graphic to be proportionally stretched on a wide screen format without distortion.

On the other hand if the picture is large enough and you just don't want it stretched just right-click on an empty space on your desktop then choose properties. Now, select the Desktop tab then choose an option on the "Position" drop-down menu..choose stretch if you want to your wallpaper to occupy your entire desktop background or don't stretch as desired.

GREAT POST...NOT MANY PEOPLE REALIZE SIMPLY CROPPING WILL FIT THE PICTURE PERFECTLY TO THE SCREEN..I AM IMPRESSED. Cheers: Coach Carter

...the first reply is relatively recent, and it asked if anyone ever solved the "old" problem.

Here's how I fixed my "widescreen monitor-adjust stretching of image" problem

Download PowerStrip. PowerStrip will enable more display options. I think I used "display defaults." PowerStrip should resolve your "widescreen monitor-adjust stretching of image" problem.

http://download.cnet.com/PowerStrip/3000-2193_4-14972.html?tag=mncol;1