Resolutions

[Rich78]

Just wondering what is the optimal setup for movie playback etc?

Using the StarWars EPIV as a reference stored on MyMovies.

Tried playing with my XP Display settings and found when I run 1024 x 768 the picture quality is really good but I have huge borders at the top and bottom of the picture.

If I change my XP Display settings to 768 x 576 I have smaller borders and a bigger picture but the picture quality is poorer.

I also don't understand the aspect ratio settings.

Normal and Original seem strange terms to use for aspect ratio settings and so I don't know the difference?

All I know is if I use Original on any media (Movies/TV) the picture is really small and centralised in the screen.

Normal seems the right one to use but with StarWars I have the borders described above.

I'm currently using my VGA out of my graphics card to connect to the PC input on my LCD, I do have a DVI output on the graphics card and a DVI HD input on my LCD but I always get no signal displayed on the screen when I use this connection.

Thanks

[mbuzina]

Originally Posted by Rich78

Just wondering what is the optimal setup for movie playback etc?

Using the StarWars EPIV as a reference stored on MyMovies.

Tried playing with my XP Display settings and found when I run 1024 x 768 the picture quality is really good but I have huge borders at the top and bottom of the picture.

If I change my XP Display settings to 768 x 576 I have smaller borders and a bigger picture but the picture quality is poorer.

Check your display manual for how many pixels your LCD has and use those values. If your Display has 1366 x 768 (a common value) try using those. One Computer Pixel will be exactly on display pixel. Otherwise the display either shows borders (1px still = 1 px) or scales (e.g. 1 px = 1.75 px which is lousy).

Originally Posted by Rich78

I also don't understand the aspect ratio settings.

Normal and Original seem strange terms to use for aspect ratio settings and so I don't know the difference?

All I know is if I use Original on any media (Movies/TV) the picture is really small and centralised in the screen.

Normal seems the right one to use but with StarWars I have the borders described above.

If the borders are also there on your normal desktop, no setting will change that (the borders are the limit of your computers display, so MP can not go beyond).
Original: 1px in the movie is 1 px on the screen. So if the movie is low-res (e.g. normal TV, PAL or NTSC recorded), it will be small. If the movie is encoded to a low resolution to save space it will be even smaller.
Normal: It will enlarge the movie to be as wide or as high as it can be but it will keep aspect ratio as is. This means people will not be fat or extremely thin.
The others mix this behavour.

First set windows to use the best resolution and then continue checking the mp settings.

Originally Posted by Rich78

I'm currently using my VGA out of my graphics card to connect to the PC input on my LCD, I do have a DVI output on the graphics card and a DVI HD input on my LCD but I always get no signal displayed on the screen when I use this connection.

Thanks

You have to tell your GFX card to output to the DVI connection instead of the analog VGA. Advanced button in Display settings.

[Rich78]

Thanks for the advice very much appreciated and makes a lot of sense.

Just to clarify, if I encode a film to a compressed format such as divx, the resolution will be smaller so the borders will be increased on original aspect?

I'm having to download upgraded drivers for my GFX card to hopefully solve the DVI output.

My LCD TV seems to not want to go higher than 1024 x 768, I'm hoping this is due to it using the PC input as opposed to the HD input which I will be able to use when my PC uses the DVI output.

[mbuzina]

Originally Posted by Rich78

Just to clarify, if I encode a film to a compressed format such as divx, the resolution will be smaller so the borders will be increased on original aspect?

Yes. The Original Aspect is most usefull for High-Quality stuff. Otherwise I prefer normal (as it does not change ratio). For others I am tempted to zoom up, esp. if it is a 16:9 broadcast "stuffed" into a 4:3 TV channel.

Originally Posted by Rich78

My LCD TV seems to not want to go higher than 1024 x 768, I'm hoping this is due to it using the PC input as opposed to the HD input which I will be able to use when my PC uses the DVI output.

Post your make & model here maybe someone has the same and can help you. But to my personal blame, I bought a Philips 37" LCD and only found out after buying that it does not allow it's original resolution of 1368 x 768 as an input signal :cry: .

[Rich78]

OK my model of LCD is:

Philips 32PF5520

Model of GFX Card is:

Nvidia GEForce4 Ti 4200

The input for DVI on the back of the set is share for PC or DVI input, it uses a supplied adapter to convert the socket to a standard PC monitor socket.

Currently I can get 1024 x 768 resolution from the monitor out of the graphics card into the supplied adapter in the DVI input of the LCD.

I have to select the PC input option from the av menu on the set to view the picture.

If I select the HD input option from the av menu on the set I get no signal displayed.

If I use another DVI adapter plugged into the DVI output of the graphics card and plug the monitor lead into it. I get no signal displayed on both the PC input and the HD input channels on the set.

I have tried rebooting the PC with the DVI output connected on the GFX card instead of the monitor output but still get no signal on both HD and PC inputs on the set.

If I then plug in the monitor output on the GFX card I then have to reboot the PC in order to get my display back on the PC input of the set.

So basically I cannot use the DVI output of my GFX card and I can't work out whether it's the output of the card or the input of the set that's the problem?

I have tried the support site of my GFX card but cannot find anything that helps.

[mbuzina]

Hi,

Try an original HD resolution (I guess you have the same issue as I have, you will allways have a border around your PC image or it is enlarged out of apsect). I use 1280 x 720 @ 50 (or 60 Hz).

That might still give you some borders all around, but you will have a clear image. For your DVI issue I don't know, but the difference in quality is usually minimal between DVI and VGA (in my humble opinion).

[Rich78]

Can I just confirm when you use that resolution that you do it over VGA or DVI?

Is your DVI/VGA connection on the LCD shared like mine?

I just want to confirm because normally if I go above 1024x768 I get a message, can't remember what message but it basically means the resolution is too high for the set.

I think this may be because it's set on the PC input and I think that the HD av input option from the menu on the LCD may allow a higher resolution?

Hope that makes sense.

With regard to the DVI/VGA picture quality being minimal, firstly I want to get a true HD resolution from my graphics card to the LCD which I can't seem to achieve via the PC input on the LCD and I also would like to have the option of using the DVI output since it has one.

Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it.

[Paranoid Delusion]

I have the same issue with the 26" version, but use 1280 x 768 otherwise icons look a bit squashed and its still easy to read, tried forcing 1366 res, but everything went off screen at the edges.
yes mines connected DVI to HDMI and i would say a superb picture.
Have tried outputting as HD, but this actually lowers the resolution, giving big hit you in the face icons.
So anyone out there knows how to get 1366x768 working on a philips LCD tv let me know.

[Rich78]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Delusion

I have the same issue with the 26" version, but use 1280 x 768 otherwise icons look a bit squashed and its still easy to read, tried forcing 1366 res, but everything went off screen at the edges.
yes mines connected DVI to HDMI and i would say a superb picture.
Have tried outputting as HD, but this actually lowers the resolution, giving big hit you in the face icons.
So anyone out there knows how to get 1366x768 working on a philips LCD tv let me know.

So have you got yours using the HD option on the LCD menu instead of the PC option?

And I assume your LCD has the same shared input as mine? DVI input with an adapter which came with the set to allow you to plug a VGA lead instead?

If that's the case then you'd probably find you couldn't go higher than 1024 x 768 using the VGA input and selecting PC input on the set.

But if you can go higher with the DVI then that answers one of my questions, that the set only allows 1024x768 resolutions for the PC input?

[mbuzina]

Originally Posted by Paranoid Delusion

I have the same issue with the 26" version, but use 1280 x 768 otherwise icons look a bit squashed and its still easy to read, tried forcing 1366 res, but everything went off screen at the edges.

Your Philips shows 1280 x 768? Mine just goes blank (I think blue) when I try that. Which refresh rate do you use?