Resizing TV in XP

[Metimbo]

I know, probably a stupid question, but you all know about the search function here....

I have a ATI Radeon 7500 (or 7000 can't remember) PCI card hooked up to my 27" TV via S-Video.

The screen is too big where the top, bottom and sides are off of the screen.  Is there somewhere that I can adjust this like you do on a monitor?
Thanks in advance,
~Tim

[crashwg]

Try a program called Powerstrip.

[Metimbo]

Powerstrip didn't do anything.
F.Y.I.
I updated my driver for my video card and I found an option uder display settings in advanced tab for positioning and resizing the screen.
Thanks for the help )
~Tim

[Metimbo]

Well, in Windows XP I got the screen where it isn't cut off, but in MAME, I'm still getting some cut off.  I can move my mouse around and it moves the screen.  Is this what is known as overscan?  Can I correct this within windows by narrowing my screen even more?  What are my options here?
Thanks again,
~Tim

[Guardian]

Metimbo,
  I am "pretty" sure that what you are doing is stretching the resolution to your monitor.
What I mean by this (And it happens mostly on laptop displays) is a screen can only handle a certain refresh rate normally. If you set it higher in XP, it will give you that display resolution, but extend it past the edges of your actual screen, so when you move the mouse around, you see the rest of it.  You can look for an option I believe called Virtual Desktop or Display, but if not, then you are most likely running at say 1024x768 on a screen that can only handle 800x600 real format.  I have seen both ways, where you can turn off the option, and the screen stays at your resolution and fits to screen, and have seen it not work at all until you drop it to its intended resolution.
Are you using a laptop by chance?
Guardian.

[Metimbo]

No laptop.  I got it working in Windows, it is only doing this in MAME now.  I need to figure this out.  Maybe it's a setting in MAME somwhere?
~TIm

[Guardian]

Cool, glad you got Windows working. As for Mame, I am sure it is a setting, however I use AdvancedMame, and I imagine your using Mame32 and I haven't used that in a long time. Just keep looking in your settings, to match windows resolution or something similar.
Good Luck,
G.

[Metimbo]

Actually, I'm using regular MAME with MAMEwah front end.  It sound like it could be a stretching-type issue in MAME.ini or something.
Anyone have any suggestions?
My TV res is at 800x600.  That is the lowest res I can go.
~Tim

[ras2a]

I have this same problem where the edges of the screen dissappear in windows and MAME. In Windows, I can see about half of the taskbar etc.  In MAME I get a similar amount cut off...e.g. playing double dragon, I can't see the player health status properly.

Has anyone got a safe and relatively straightforward solution to get around this.  I assume it's sort of like adjusting the Horizontal/Vertical settings on regular PC monitor?

[TalkingOctopus]

You are going to need to use the driver tab under display properties to resize and position the screen for every screen resolution you use in MAME.  I recommend adjusting 1024x768 nicely and then forcing mame to use 1024x768 with these settings in the ini.

hwstretch               1
cleanstretch            auto
resolution              1024x768x32
zoom                    1
refresh                 60

[ras2a]

I'm using a TV, will the res go that high?  Also why do I need to adjust to 1024x768?, most mame games run at much lower resolutions than this.  Sorry, I've probably just misunderstood your post.  In addition, I'm not that keen on h/w stretch, it sort of gives objects on-screen a more dumbed down look.  If this is is the only way to go though...

cheers

Craig

[Trenchbroom]

Your TV should go lower than 800x600, it's just that XP doesn't allow you to select 640x480 as a desktop resolution automatically.  You have to go into your Display Properties--->Settings--->Advanced--->Adapter and then click the "list all modes" button which will give you more options.

MAMEWAH will automatically run in 640x480 if you set it that way as well. 

[ras2a]

I'm using an ArcadeVGA card.  My resolution for my TV (640x480) seems fine for now.  I sometims change it over to 640x288 (easier on the eyes).  But no matter which resolution I use, there always seems to be a tiny portion of the display going off the edge of the screen.  I think I read that this is something to do with overscan?  I wan't to get rid of this...but other than the reply above, I don't know how.  Will be testing the suggestion later

thanks guys.  Oh, I've also hunted around for any info on a service mode in my SCART TV....can't find anything.  I assume there must be one though.  I could always ask at the shop where I purchased it (rental shop...they do repairs too). 

Craig

[ras2a]

I found this link while searching the board.  Looks as though you can finely adjust the TV screen area/size etc.  It's cheap as chips too, so I think I'll go for it if I don't get any joy:

http://tvtool.info

EDIT: ARRGGH, Just realised, it's for nvidia cards only....bugger!

Craig

[TalkingOctopus]

Has anyone got a safe and relatively straightforward solution to get around this.

[ras2a]

That's superb, cheers for that Octopus.  Will try things out over the next few days.

Great stuff, thanks again

Craig

[ras2a]

Ok just got around to trying this out.  Just to recap, I have an ArcadeVGA hooked up to my 25" SCART TV.  The edges of the display dissapear off the edge of the screen.  I've just tried adjusting the position/size of the display and there are indeed settings to do this under display properties > advanced etc. However I can 'only' change the 'position' of the screen...the settings for adjusting the width/height seem to be greyed out and I cannot change them..  Anything else I can do?  I'm using the drivers that came with the AVGA card.

thanks a lot

Craig

[ras2a]

WooHoo, I think I just found how to get into the service mode of my TV.   Time to see if I can adjust the pos/size of my screen.

Craig