Monitor : black area problem

[BlueMax]

I get a permanent black area all aound a monitor that I often use.

It is a BenQ M2200HD with a max native resolution of 1920x1080
Graphics card is a 512MB ATI Radeon HD4350

the OS is Win XP SP3 with all the latest updates
I have tried various media players such as MediaPlayer Classic, WMP, RealPlayer, VLC and Cyberlink PowerD Ultra

Any way I can get to use full area of this monitor?
Thanx

[anon]

Tried using its menu pad to expand the image's horizontal and vertical size? :unsure:

[BlueMax]

Tried using its menu pad to expand the image's horizontal and vertical size? :unsure:thanks but it not the size of window. It is the maximum viewable size, that is the problem; like the size of the desktop.

[darkstate01]

Can you post a pic of the problem, It may give us some ideas as It maybe an easy fix by looking at the picture.

[BlueMax]

Can you post a pic of the problem, It may give us some ideas as It maybe an easy fix by looking at the picture.a 'print screen' won't show it. cos the black area is outside that...
ie. outside the desktop area.
Tried various settings in 'display properties' in 'control panel'

I wonder if it is a hardare mismatch ?!!!!!!

[darkstate01]

I was thinking more of a camera picture as you said it was on the screen. So as you said it wouldn't show via printscreen.

[anon]

thanks but it not the size of window.

I wasn't talking about windows... your monitor should have a menu pad on its front. You can expand the image's size with it.

[BlueMax]

thanks but it not the size of window.

I wasn't talking about windows... your monitor should have a menu pad on its front. You can expand the image's size with it.Yes. monitor has number of buttons along the right side.
I had tried those and the only one that I could find so far that made any difference to the size is:
In 'display mode' I set 'overscan' to 'full'.
That made the image size liitle wider.
Now there is about 12mm each left and right plus 6mm each top and bottom.

[BlueMax]

Haven't done this before; hope it works!
two pics attached. taken with my Nokia 5800. quality poor but hope it shows the prob.

[Detale]

Lemme guess you're using an ATI video card right??

I had this same issue that drove me nuts for about a week. I don't use that card anymore so I'm going by memory here. In the catalyst control center t here is an option you need to uncheck but I can't remember for the life of me which it is. I think it's Image Scaling in the Monitor/Digital Panel Properties but Im not sure. Play around in there as I'm sure thats it.

EDIT: Yep I looked up the CCC options and it says here


Image Scaling: This section allows you to choose whether to have the images on the screen 'Scale to full panel size', or 'Use centered timings'. For most displays the 'Scale image to full panel size' is the best option, however the further away your current resolution is from your display's 'native' resolution, the blurrier the onscreen image will be. Note, you can use the free Microsoft ClearType (http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/Step1.aspx) utility to make text in non-native resolutions much clearer. If you want to force all resolutions to display at your monitor's native resolution - hence providing the sharpest image quality - select the 'Use Centered Timings' option, however note that any resolutions below your native resolution will appear as a centered box on the screen with black borders.Edit 2: Damn just re-read that you said you have an ATI. I really missed that the first time around.

[BlueMax]

Thanks 'Detale' :)

Few months back, when I got this PC, I was tad busy.
Saw 'BenQ M2200HD on ATI Radeon HD 4350' in the 'settings tab' of the 'display properties'. I thought windows had done its thing and left it at that.

When I saw you reply, I couldn't figure out what 'catalyst control center' meant! Then I found couple of CDs for the ATI card. Ran the setup and 'ATI Catalyst Control Center' is now showing up as a tab. But nothing happens when I click on it.

Anyway, now that you have put me on the right track, I will read the manuals on the CD and may start from scratch and reinstall the drivers and other ATI software.

I will report back.

[darkstate01]

I have the ATI ccc and I couldn't replicate the black lines you have, I think its not that, The only way I could replicate it was with the menu in the monitor settings,goto image setting H-position v-Position

[Expeto]

Does this happens before windows?L Does also the BIOS screen is the same?

Don't your monitor have zoom option? Play with monitor setting, stretch it little bit.

[darkstate01]

Or see if theres an option in the menu setting on the monitor for factory default setting, then build from there.

[Detale]

LOL, no it's definitely what I said. It's one of the options in there. I may just throw together a rig and slap that old card in there to figure it our for you. If I have some time tomorrow I'll do it. It really is as simple as unchecking something.

[darkstate01]

I checked and unchecked all the settings, I learnt something on the way, about the 3d, Anyways we will see, Im curious to his problem, Looks an easy fix though .

[Detale]

A HA! You have to set the overscan to 0% Thats it. If you set it different the borders will appear ;)

Right click on the small monitor icon and select configure.

[darkstate01]

I only have overdrive not overscan on mine and it doesn't do what you say, but hey my setup is fine. Hope it solves it for him/her

[BlueMax]

Does this happens before windows?L Does also the BIOS screen is the same?

Don't your monitor have zoom option? Play with monitor setting, stretch it little bit. with the PC swiched off and the monitor 'on', the screen fills up.
There is the problem black area in BIOS menu screen.
So I guess it happens before windows.

[BlueMax]

Deleted drivers and apps for the card. Also deleted directories and sub-directories to do with ATI. Then used CCleaner and restarted.
Re-installed drivers and apps using the supplied CD-ROM. Tab for 'ATI Catalyst Control Centrer' is there but when I click on the bar, hour glass flashes on and off three times. Nothing else. Same happenes when I go into 'start', 'all programs' and 'catalyst control centre' and try to run CCC, CCC-Advanced or CCC Wizard.
Felt as if these apps try to run but gives up!

Then I went to ATI website, downloaded the latest drivers and apps (ver 10.4 for XP). Deleted everything as before and reinstalled using the latest. But no change.

Pressing the buttons on the side of the monitor takes me to five different screens. All work except the 'Display' (pic below) which is greyed out. If this worked, I could have tried adjusting the 'H.position' and 'V position'. It says 'Auto Adjustment'. No place anywhere to change it to manual!

Is it possible that there is some kind of conflict between the card and the monitor?

[BlueMax]

You guys have taken a lot time to help me with this. Thanks a lot.

[Detale]

I don't think it's a conflict at all bud. I think you need to get CCC installed correctly and work it out.

Here are some pics I came across as to where to find the overscan.

http://i43.tinypic.com/20fep2c.png
http://i39.tinypic.com/2hcm7ns.png

Also if you adjust the v/h positions it will warp your view unnaturally.

[darkstate01]

mine doesn't have that, It has the first picture but not the second. My monitor settings are fine, 4:3

[BlueMax]

yup! getting CCC installed correctly is the answer. It will then enable me to make the adjustments that u showed.
Tried to install from the CD and failed. Then downloaded the latest '10-4_xp32_dd_ccc_wdm_enu'
Also downloaded and ran '10-4_agp-hotfix_xp32_dd_ccc' , a hotfix file.

I will have another go later and report back