Maintaining 4x3 aspect ratio on 16x9 monitor - HELP!

[idata]

To anyone who can help me,

I am the owner of a Toshiba Satellite laptop equipped with Intel graphics.

Until recently, whenever I opened a program designed to run on a standard 4x3 monitor, it would automatically letterbox on my 16x9 monitor, adding black bars on either side of the screen. Whenever I exited the program, the aspect ratio would re-adjust and revert back to widescreen when it exited to my desktop.

A few days ago, my son was demonstrating some of the features of the function keys on the machine, and zoomed in as an experiment. After exiting the zoom feature, the aspect ratios of my programs no longer readjust. Now they stretch out horizontally to fill the widescreen monitor.

I have gone in to the intel graphics properties menu, and learned the hotkeys to manually adjust the display (stretch full screen, centre image, maintain aspect ratio) whenever I am in a program, but when I exit, the display does not revert back to widescreen as it used to, so I have to manually reset the resolution settings.

As my laptop used to automatically adjust these features, I wish to know the necessary steps to reset things the way they used to be. I've figured out the manual way, but am not sure what else to do.

Any assistance would be most appreciated!

[idata]

Update:

When I go into the Intel graphics properties menu, the scaling option is automatically set to "scale full screen". If I lower the resolution and select "maintain aspect ratio", then readjust the resolution to its native 1366x768, the maintain aspect ratio function remains selected. However, the moment I attempt to run one of my 4x3 programs, it still stretches full screen, and when I exit the setting has reverted back to "scale full screen". Since it used to maintain the aspect ratio, I figure there must be a way to get the aspect ratio setting to stick.

[idata]

I found this thread by searching a solution for the same problem, but it seems that this is a bug with the intel software.

What I found out about the Keep Aspect Ratio option:

- Does not work if selected when running native screen resolution. I can select it, but as I chance to an application with a different full screen resolution, the setting gets resetted to Scale Full Screen. A possible reason could be that some programmer at intel wrongfully concluded that this option is redundant when running native resolution and thus gets resetted.

- Works fine as long as native screen resolution is not selected. This is a huge shortcoming of course, but it provides for a (annoying) workaround.

Also, unlike Keep Aspect Ratio, Centering Image is not affected by screen resolution. With my 1440*900 resolution, this is fine for 4:3 applications that are able to run in 1200*900, but no scaling becomes annoying for lower resolutions of course.

I really don't understand why stretching is almost always the default method. Not before long, there were wide screen displays and graphic cards that didn't even provide alternatives to always stretching the image to fullscreen. Is there anyone out there who even wants that?

So far, I haven't found a real solution on the Internet, I hope, this problem gets addressed in a future version of the intel GMA software.

[idata]

Thank you! Yes, it does seem that this is a problem, but it hadn't occurred to me to not have the native resolution in effect. My native resolution is 1366x768, but by adjusting it to 1366x760, which doesn't change much, the maintain aspect ratio function locks in place and the 4x3 programs display properly.

I know that it's still an issue for the native resolution, but for now this takes care of my issue without any major adjustment. Thanks for your helpful tip!

[idata]

See this thread: http://communities.intel.com/message/153132# 153132 http://communities.intel.com/message/153132# 153132

[idata]

If you have an Intel chipset integrated with Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 (GMA 4500), like the Intel Q45 Express Chipset (Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Family), you could try installing an older driver for the GMA 4500, which will allow you to choose "Maintain Aspect Ratio" in the scaling option of the "Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel" at a resolution of 1366x768. The driver you should look for is 8.15.10.2182 (15.17.9.2182). For certain Dell computers with 64-bit version of Windows, search for INTEL_MULTI-DEVICE_A07_R279357.EXE, which is provided by Dell, although it might work for non-Dell computers. For other computers with Windows 64-bit, you could try installing WinVista7_64_15173, which is found in the Intel website, but I'm not sure it will work for you, because its version 15.17.3 2104 instead of 15.17.9.2182, but since it's older, it might work for you. I haven't found version 15.17.9.2182 (8.15.10.2182) in the Intel website.

Once you have found it, uninstall your current driver using the Windows Device Manager by accessing the properties of the driver, which can be found under "Display Adapters". Then, go to the driver tab and press the uninstall button. You have to uninstall both driver and its software (the "Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel"). You want to make sure that the driver's software application (the "Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel") gets uninstalled, because if you don't uninstall it and replace it with the older one, you might not be able to see the "Maintain Aspect Ratio" at a resolution of 1366x768, even if you have installed the older driver (8.15.10.2182) !!

If the uninstallation of your current driver is successful, your screen will be at a low resolution. In addition, the "Intel Graphics Media Accelarator driver" will no longer appear in the list of Programs of the Windows Control Panel. By the way, before uninstalling, be sure to disconnect your computer from the internet, because once the uninstallation has been successful, Windows will try to install the latest driver from the internet, and you don't want that.

Now, install the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator driver 8.15.10.2182 (15.17.9.2182). This will install the driver for GMA (the integrated graphics of the chipset) as well as its software: the "Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel", which is also known as

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator driver, like the driver itself. The "Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel" is the Graphical User Interface for the properties of the GMA graphics. If the installation has been successful, you will see the "Maintain Aspect Ratio" in the scaling option of the "Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel" for a resolution of 1366x768.

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Please provide the following information, I would try to replicate this problem and confirm whether this is a driver or hardware problem.

Processor model, graphics driver version, operating system version also if 32 or 64 bit

Thanks

[LC5]

I am having this same problem on my Asus VivoTab tablet, it pillar boxes all resolutions that are not the native resolution. There is no option to stretch to display as you would expect in the Intel options for panel fit, center is the only option. The hotkey doesn't work as there is only one option.

I have a Atom x86 tablet with Intel GMA graphics and driver 9.14.3.1099 installed with Windows 8 (32bit).

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Hello lukejr,

Please note that the driver we currently handle for your Graphics controller is for Windows* 7 32 bit only.

Since you are using Windows* 8 in your component, I recommend you contacting the system manufacturer of the unit and request the corresponding drivers that they have developed specifically for the tablet.

[LC5]

Thanks Kevin. I am using the supplied manufacturer driver.

[BGonz9]

FYI, I found a registry value buried in HKLM, once configured it forced the "Maintain Aspect Ratio" to be ticked on a Toughbook CF-53JXXXX. Here is my write-up for building a script to change the setting and also set my desired Display Resolution.

http://supportishere.com/script-to-force-intel-graphics-card-to-maintain-aspect-ratio-when-switching-display-resolutions/ Script to Force Intel Graphics Card to Maintain Aspect Ratio When Switching Display Resolutions. | Support is >Here<

[JTerr5]

This is honestly the most annoying bug in the software. Any time you create a custom resolution at 4:3, you have NO OPTION to maintain aspect ratio. It's complete crap. The driver always decides to stretch full screen.

Please make this the # 1 thing to fix. Make it so we can MAINTAIN ASPECT RATIO for custom resolutions.

I'm purposely bumping all aspect ratio questions so you programmers know how serious of an issue this is.

Also fix the limited 60hz problem for monitors that can go to 120hz. That's another huge bug.

[Kevin_M_Intel]

Thank you for your feedback. Please note this is being handled here:

/thread/51712 https://communities.intel.com/thread/51712

Kevin M