Problem with new screen resolution . my avi looks too wide or too narrow

[Natalia280]

Hello. i have problem with new screen resolution and how it looks in second life. I got new Lcd wide computer screen 22" . the model is    LG 22EA53T-P .  

 My old screen which i had at least 6 years , was also lcd wide about 20.5" from tech company, and i used there resolution of  1024x768 .  I know that most people don't use this old resolution but i don't like the too small writing when using high resolution so i prefered that low one. Everything looked normal size  in it on SL as well. But if i set this resolution on the new screen then my avatar in second life looks too wide and not in it's normal size. like it's get stretched.. same if i use 1152x864 resolution and even many others higher resolution.  And there are other resolution as well as the 1280x800 and more. and then the avatar in second life looks closer to it's normal size but it becomes then too narrow from what it was. So basically i tried all the resolutions i can change in the setting of windows and each gives me too narrow or too wide avatar. not normal size.  My graphic card is nvidia geforce gt 630. I tried to change setting in control panel but this issue still stays .  I heard about fixing aspect ration , i taught maybe this can help me , but i don't know how to do it and didn't find this option in windows. I have windows 7 . How can I play second life with the new screen  and see my avatar in normal size, not too wide or narrow,  as i had  ? but still on full screen with no black bars at the sides and too small writings ? any advice will be helpful. Also does the aspect ratio will help and how do i change it ? really need help . thanks alot :)

[Freya Mokusei]

Oof, LG.

1024x768 is an aspect resolution of 4:3, you should keep this in mind when selecting your resolution.

Note that 4:3 is only realistically suited to old 'TV' or 'CRT' type screens, which were quite square. Modern monitors have an aspect ratio as high as 16:10. Your new LG monitor has an aspect ratio of 16:9, and you should be using a resolution to suit this. It's possible you had a bad combination before, which would've given you a distorted view of your avatar and your view.

Correct resolutions for your new monitor are as follows:-

1366 x 768

1600 x 900

1920 x 1080

You cannot change the aspect ratio of your monitor (changing the aspect ratio of the image displayed creates the black lines around the sides). You can change your display resolution in Windows 7 by right-clicking the desktop and selecting Screen Resolution from the right-click menu.

I highly recommend you check out these sources to learn more:-

Wiki: Aspect Ratio

Wiki: Video Standards

LG; LG-22EA53T-P

Windows 7: Increasing text size

[Natalia280]

Thanks for your reply .

I believe the view i had in my older screen was the right size at least in second life. Because i play over 2 years . seen many screenshots of other people and compared , for me it looked the same.

The problem is when i make the right resolutions  here that you told me, i see the avatars in sl and mine too, like long , narrow and thin. it seems to me as not in the normal size. also high resolutions give me everything too small. It's not only the writing. everything looks so small and i don't like it...i mean especailly when surfing the internet , even open applications and etc..

And 1366 X 768 is the same thing and also not appear on full screen. i have narrow black bars at up and down using that resolution.

So far what looks the closest  is the 1280 x 800 and the things also not too small. but even that makes the avis too narrow. 

Basically i tried all resolutions that i see there in windows display setting , and with all lof them the avis looks too wide or too narrow.  Isn't there a way to play with lower resolution as 1152 X 864 for example, when i like the size of things that's not to small. but without the game to be stretched and avis looks too wide ? ( as i had before in older screen and it was fine )  or with other a bit higher resolutions but without it to become too narrow ?

 

 

[Freya Mokusei]

---

Natalia280 wrote:

And 1366 X 768 is the same thing and also not appear on full screen. i have narrow black bars at up and down using that resolution.

---

Whether black bars do or don't occur at a standard resolution varies by device (LG screens especially do not give you a top grade experience). It's also possible the settings of the screen itself are not ideal. You can configure these using the on-screen menu (and by reading the manual).

Unfortunately I don't have the capability to guess the discrepancy between what you think looks stretched. If you can upload images that show this, or can otherwise demonstrate this in a way I can objectively test for you, then I will try to help. As it is, I believe this is just something you may need to readjust to, or carry out your own research. View test patterns for your screen and compare against print-outs - but it's not something users on a web forum can help you with.

1200 x 800 is aspect ratio 2:3, it sits somewhere between 3:4 and 16:9 - you probably expect a view like this since it's going to be more suitable than 1024 x 768 and more comfortable than 1366 x 768.

Your screen is 16:9 (I checked the manufacturers website against the Product Number you provided, and posted this link for you also), you should continue to use a screen resolution that is also in 16:9, and correct your text size independently - I included a link in my first post to improve text size in Windows 7. Resolution is not a substitute for zoom.

Again, please read the source links that I posted. Everything I've said can be verified.

[Coby Foden]

I'm adding here to Freya's post: a complete list of resolution for 16:9 aspect ratio displays.
For your 16:9 aspect ratio display you should use resolutions only from this list, anything
else will distort the picture - either stretching horizontally or vertically.

854 x 480
1024 x 576
1280 x 720
1366 x 768
1600 x 900
1920 x 1080 <<--- this is the native resolution for LG 22EA53T-P LCD display.

For LCD displays it is always best to use the native resolution of the display. Using any other resolution will blur the picture; it's not as sharp and clear anymore as it is with native resolution.

So, my recommendation is that you set the resolution to 1920 x 1080 and use the Windows 7 settings to adjust the text and element sizes instead of using lower resolution. Your eyes will thank you in the long run.

Selecting resolution:

I have display with 16:10 aspect ratio. All resolutions for my 16:10 display are shown, the native resolution is selected and bolded. If I select any resolution between those resolutions shown then the image will be distorted due to stretching.

Selecting text and other items size:

Even if after selecting proper resolution for your display you still think that the display is streched two things come into my mind:

• Your eyes are used to see things stretched already in your old display and therefore it looks to you normal. Thus it may appear to you that actually correct display looks wrong.

• It might be that your display is not set up correctly. Set your resolution in Windows to 1920 x 1080, then press the "Auto" button on your display. That should correct it if the display was not set up right.

Finally, here is a perfect circle in a square to check your display. The sides of the square should be all equal length when measured on your display (get a ruler and measure, don't scratch the display surface!).

If all sides of the square are equal then you're done. Perfect. :smileyhappy:

[Theresa Tennyson]

---

Natalia280 wrote:

Hello. i have problem with new screen resolution and how it looks in second life. I got new Lcd wide computer screen 22" . the model is    LG 22EA53T-P .  

 My old screen which i had at least 6 years , was also lcd wide about 20.5" from tech company, and i used there resolution of  1024x768 .  I know that most people don't use this old resolution but i don't like the too small writing when using high resolution so i prefered that low one. Everything looked normal size  in it on SL as well. But if i set this resolution on the new screen then my avatar in second life looks too wide and not in it's normal size. like it's get stretched.. same if i use 1152x864 resolution and even many others higher resolution.  And there are other resolution as well as the 1280x800 and more. and then the avatar in second life looks closer to it's normal size but it becomes then too narrow from what it was. So basically i tried all the resolutions i can change in the setting of windows and each gives me too narrow or too wide avatar. not normal size.  My graphic card is nvidia geforce gt 630. I tried to change setting in control panel but this issue still stays .  I heard about fixing aspect ration , i taught maybe this can help me , but i don't know how to do it and didn't find this option in windows. I have windows 7 . How can I play second life with the new screen  and see my avatar in normal size, not too wide or narrow,  as i had  ? but still on full screen with no black bars at the sides and too small writings ? any advice will be helpful. Also does the aspect ratio will help and how do i change it ? really need help . thanks alot

---

The "aspect ratio" of a monitor is the relation to how wide it compared to how tall it is. It's impossible to change the aspect ratio of a monitor (unless you use a hacksaw, which I don't recommend.) Various screen resolutions also have aspect ratios which you can find by doing some simple math. If you use a screen resolution that has a different aspect ratio than your monitor either you'll get black bars or the image will be stretched in one direction.

A 6-year old widescreen monitor would probably have a ratio of 16:10 - that was the standard ratio of widescreen monitors in the mid-2000's.  You were running a resolution that would be appropriate for an old 4:3 monitor, or a 16:12 aspect ratio. My math skills (which have been known to be fallible) suggest that you're used to seeing things that are stretched horizontally by about 20%, which is comparatively subtle. . If you also looked at other people's sceenshots on the same monitor they'd all be stretched the same amount as well. Your view was never "right" - it couldn't be. However, it's not a huge difference - many people set up their widescreen TV's to stretch old shows at least this much and you get used to it. This stretching might also be the cause of the "softness" you used to see in SL and which you liked as well.

Your new monitor has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which means that the 16:12 resolution you're used to using is now being stretched 33% instead of the 20% you're used to. However, if you use a screen resolution that's correct for your monitor (like 1360 x 768) it won't be stretched like you're used to seeing it and things will then look too thin.

You have two fairly common choices and one more that I don't really recommend.

If you use 1360 x 768 for your resolution everyting will be the same height as you're used to and it will have the correct aspect ratio for your monitor. Everything will look narrow to you but if you get used to it you'll finally see things the way they were meant to be seen.

If you use 1280 x 768 things will be the same height and will be stretched slightly horizontally - not as much as you're used to, but you should be able to get used to it quickly.

1360 x 768 and 1280 x 768 are both fairly standard resolutions - at least they come up as options for my monitor, which is quite similar to yours. You can also TRY setting 1092 x 768 as a custom resolution. If my math hasn't failed me that will stretch things the same amount as you're used to seeing. I don't know if it will even work though.

 

 

 

 

[Natalia280]

Thank alot for your reply and links . i have read them.

I will try then to make some snapshots and show you the issue . The problem is when i use my native  screen resolution then my avatar looks so  thin. i don't believe this is how it's suppose to be... it's just too much. seems as distorted picture.

I discovered a resolution which is a bit better looking with the avi. 1600 x 1024 which still is not what i used to have my avi looking  but a bit  better ,but then all the writing and interface in SL  becoming too small to use. I tried to make the things bigger as you said. but this have no effect on SL. After reading  a bit i have find out that if i increase the UI size in SL viewer it will make the interface look bigger. and i have tried to do so.. It made it bigger but still weird looking fonts , less convenient from the normal default ones. And also it created a new problem. if the Ul size is increased , so if i look at profile feed pictures or different profile pictures of mine or other people then it's looking so blur and can hardly see anything. and this is real downside for me because i m looking much at pictures.  So it seems as any problem solved creates a new one . Do you know maybe a differenent way to increase the user interface in SL ? without causing this blur picture problem or weird fonts ?  

Also you have told me that  especially LG screens  don't give a top grade experaince. I wanted to ask what brand of monitor you recommand then and thinks that it gives the best experaince also with resolutions and everythings ? maybe i can still replace my LG. so just need some advices. thank you

[Dora Gustafson]

It is possible to adjust the size of the User Interface and the size of the chat text for the viewer
These settings are in PREFERENCES
The adjustments made in the operating system (windows 7) will not do for the viewer

:smileysurprised::smileyvery-happy:

[Natalia280]

Thanks everyone for the detailed replies and help :)/ really appreciate it.

As i replied to Freya , the problem is that if i use my native screen resolution i see the avatar too thin and i can't believe it's suposse to be like this because it looks way too much. and not to mention how it's makes all the Viewer interface and writings too small to read or use.And as  i wrote in my previous post , when i try to increase the UI size in the viewer i m facing new problems.

I find that even in this screen which is 16:9 i like more how the 16:10 resolutions looks in SL and with my avi...these are the only ones which not makes the avis looks totallly thin or totally wide...but still it's making it look too thin and not as i used to have.

My old screen was 20.1" , 16:10 monitor and native resolution of 1680x 1050 . even low resolution as 1024x768 looked perfectly fine with it in SL. it's the resolution i used.  Which in this new monitor looks extremly wide and strecthed

My new screen is 22" 16:9  and max resolution of 1920x1080

So could be all the cause for this it's the type of the monitor ? because i have now the 16:9 instead of 16:10 monitor as i had ?

I made a bit of search for 16:10 monitors...they are really hard to find but the ones which are -20 " 21-22" which i found and had also 1680x1050 resolutions  , had  a TN panel which is bad. i tried to view TN panel once and the picture was so bad from limited angles too.   It's why i wanted to find 20, 21 or 22 " . 16:10 but with ips panel. and i don't seem to find it after a search i made in the internet. Someone know about a monitor like this ?

The only 16:10 with ips panels which i found were 24 " . and native resolution of  1920x 1200 . dell have one with great reviews.  the ultrasharp  U2412M,  but i fear it will be too big and also the native resolution is bigger then my old screen the 20.1" .... i fear the big size and the high resolution will still makes the things look too wide and stretched if i will use lower resolution with big enough interface in SL.  but maybe because it's 16:10 screen it will still look better then now ? Can someone pls help me and tell me if this can work ? or the 24 " will be too  big ?

thanks

 

[Coby Foden]

---

Natalia280 wrote:

 

My old screen was 20.1" , 16:10 monitor and native resolution of 1680x 1050 . even low resolution as 1024x768 looked perfectly fine with it in SL. it's the resolution i used.  Which in this new monitor looks extremly wide and strecthed

---

Aha, now it comes clear what has happened to you - you actually have taught your eyes to see the stretched image as a normal one. :smileyindifferent:

I'm sure that in your old 16:10 monitor the native resolution of 1680 x 1050 looked perfect without any stretching. The native resolution has aspect ration of 16:10, exactly the same as the monitor. Perfect match.

However the resolution 1024 x 768 has aspect ratio of 4:3. So it does not match the aspect ratio of the monitor. 4:3 aspect ratio is narrower than 16:10 aspect ratio. So when you have used 1024 x 768 on your old monitor the picture has been stretched horizontally and your eyes have learned to see things in SL as if this was the normal view. But actually you have been looking all the time the wrong stretched view!  Surely if you use that wrong aspect ratio on your 16:9 monitor the picture will look even more streched than on the 16:10 one.

There is nothing wrong with your new 16:9 aspect ratio monitor. As it has ISP panel it's excellent. Your problem would not solved by changing your 16:9 monitor to 16:10 monitor. Your problem is solved only by that you use only those resolutions which are for 16:9 aspect ratio monitor. As your eyes have learned to look stretched image then at first the non-stretched SL view will look strange. But your eyes will learn in few days to the normal non-stretched image. Trust me!

So here are again the resolutions which are suitable for your 16:9 aspect ratio monitor:

854 x 480

1024 x 576

1280 x 720

1366 x 768

1600 x 900

1920 x 1080 <<--- this is the native resolution for LG 22EA53T-P LCD display.

Use any of those and nothing else. 

Only the the native resolution will give the sharpest image possible on LCD screen. Any other resolution than native one will give a softer, a bit blurred, image (not stretched though as all those above listed have 16:9 aspect ratio, suitable for your monitor).

 

[Coby Foden]

I add here one more picture to make the matters clear.

• The first two show unstretched image on 16:10 and 16:9 monitors. Perfect image.

• On the third picture a 4:3 aspect ratio image is on 16:10 aspect ratio monitor. Result: stretched image.
• On the fourth picture a 4:3 aspect ratio image is on 16:9 aspect ratio monitor. Result: stretched image.

Naturally on both those monitors the wrong 4:3 aspect ratio image is distorted, stretched horizontally. This is exactly what happens if you use 1024 x 768 resolution on your 16:10 and 16:9 aspect ratio monitors.

[Coby Foden]

One more example what happens when wrong aspect ratio resolution is used on a monitor.

• The first picture shows resolution of 1024x768 (it is 4:3 aspect ratio resolution) on 4:3 aspect ratio monitor. The image is clear and sharp. It is not stretched in any way.

• On the second picture 1024 x 768 resolution is used on 16:10 aspect ratio monitor. The picture is stretched horizontally and is not sharp.

• On the third picture 1024 x 768 resolution is used on 16:9 aspect ratio monitor. The picture is stretched even more horizontally and is not sharp.

LCD monitors will give the best sharpness, best image clarity and best colour rendering when used at their native resolution. That's how they are supposed to be used. Any other resolution on LCD monitor will make the image blurry, there will be also some artifacts and colouring errors.

 

[Natalia280]

Big thanks for the great explaination .. I understand it now.  But if the very thin picture as i see it, was the correct one, then  all this time  i had too skinny avi  and i didn't know it ....i don't like how it looks now.

Also just wondered, if i'm using high resolution and then i get very small interface in SL which is hard to use...then if I increase the Ul size in the preferances  then all profile pictures, feed pictures, pick pictures, of mine or other people are looking very blur and impossible to look at. Is there any way to increase the Ul size but without causing this new problem ?

Also about the 2 first screenshots from second life that you added, the ones in the correct resolution, i see the circle in the 16:9 is smaller then in the 16:10 monitor , why is that ?

About a bit softness in SL , i kinnda liked this look. when it's a bit soft but not blur....It's why i played SL viewer version 3.5.3 all the last months but i had to update about 2 weeks ago to the new version or i couldn't log in....I really liked how everything looked in the older version. The colors, the softness, sunset , sunrise without the exaggerated glow on the water. Everything looked more natural and with more dimention. I guess because lighting and shadows were on too....in the current version it's called advanced lighting model instead. but if it's on it looks totally different then once,. . Water, colors ,sunset, sunrise .,ligthing which i dont like .I tried my best to play with the setting and nothing worked.  And advanced lighthing model is off then the colors and ligthing are better , but it's completely loses the softness and dimention. it becomes very sharp and flat.  ...In closed places as clubs and etc can't hardly see the change that has been done in the new version but it effected alot on the nature.. and the water, sunset  ..I guess it bothers me a lot  and i m sensitive to it because i really liked the nature places in SL , also  have a beach land which faces sunset and the lighting i use mostly in SL is sunset.. i just like it better.  I wish there was some way to bring the older view back.  I know it's totally different issue lol but  had to mention it again because the softness issue came up .   And again much thanks for your help and making it so clear

 

[Coby Foden]

I'm glad to hear that the explanations helped. :matte-motes-smile:  Now as you are seeing how SL really looks I think you need to start feeding your avie some fatty foods. :smileyhappy:

Never mind about the smaller circle in the 16:9 SL picture. It is just an overlay image I slapped on the SL snapshot just to show that the circle will be perfect round one when the view on the screen is not streched. Why it is smaller on 16:9 than on 16:10 screen? Well, 16:9 screen has fewer pixels vertically than 16:10 screen so I made the circle smaller so it fitted in the screen image.

About the UI size change in the viewer: I guess it is unavoidable consequence that there will be some blurrines when the UI elements are made larger from the default one. I always use the default UI size on my 24 inch, aspect ratio 16:10, resolution 1920 x 1200 monitor. I have had no need to use bigger UI size.

I am mostly using viewers:
Second Life 3.6.13 and Firestorm 4.5.1 - in both of those the scenes look quite identical. I don't remember seeing much difference to earlier viewer versions what I used.

I have always Advanced Lighting Model on (because to be able to see materials it must be on). Sometimes I enable shadows too for photography. To me everything looks ok and nice. There are some differences how the scene - for example sunset reflections on water - will look depending on is Advanced Lighting Mode on or off. Concerning sharpness/softness: for me it looks the quite same whether Advanced Lighting Model is on or off. (I'm using anti-aliasing 2x in the viewer preferences). 

In some places (like clubs) it could happen that the lighting is too glaringly bright when Advanced Lighting Model is on. Then I temporarily disable Advanced Lighting Model and then the lighting will look ok in that place.