[Solved] HDMI Overscan: Image size adjustment – how?

[ipso]

I have a huge difference between the laptop screen and my entertainment center TV/monitor (albeit: SL500--->HDMI cable--->GoogleTV--->HDMI cable--->TV)

I've marked this up to show how much is cuttoff.



I think this is intentional 'overscan' - http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/hd-1 ... tvs-do-it/

Probably happening in my older TV, and I'm not able to turn it off.

I need a workaround. I want to reduce the image on the ThinkPad (“underscan”?) so the screen output looks more or less like this, so I can see the entire image through the reduced system.



Yeah, I'm going to want to toggle that too somehow if possible. Ideally something more elegant than uninstalling and reinstalling video drivers... Preferably the permanent setting of the second display.

Oh yeah – it needs to be super-clean HD... Just not cut-off.

No updated Win7Pro drivers on the Lenovo site, and I'm not finding anything in the countless advanced display settings.

Has this hill been climbed before?

Thoughts?

Thank you.




(I post here vs. the SL500 forum thinking this a more ThinkPad-wide conundrum [and larger audience]. Please move post if more appropriate elsewhere.)

[Neil]

We used to use PowerStrip on our HTPC to adjust over-scan etc., on projectors and HDTVs years ago. I guess it's still the tool to use, but not sure.

[RealBlackStuff]

The SL500 is 16:10, your telly most likely 16:9.
That too causes misrepresentation.

[Neil]

Just had another thought come to mind this morning. I've never used Presentation Director, but doesn't it have the ability to adjust display settings for external displays? It might have overscan adjustments too!

[ipso]

Thank you guys for the information!

All the video I HDMI to my system is via the app VLC, so I just realized … all I have to do is adjust the app window size to max (but not full screen) and it fits almost exactly perfect, cutting off the top/bottom VLC menus (kind of like in the Firefox tabs in the image at very top ^) and leaving the left/right letterbox black.

Ghetto.., but problem solved.

Re: 16:10 vs. 16:9 – thankfully the SL500 display system is smart enough to change the desktop resolution automatically to fit the HDMI out (once I adjusted it once) which is convenient because my old HD TV only accepts the correct aspect ratio or shows nothing. Dodged a bullet there too, because it's all easy-peasy plug-n-play.

Life is good.



(Thanks RealBlackStuff for recomending the HDMI ThinkPad SL500 (elsewhere). Hats off to you. Works out perfect.)

Next … I need me a clean eBay T61p !!!