Vista - 4 x 3 Media Center Window on widescreen monitor

Hi all:

I have 2 Vista PCs. One with Home Premium, one with Ultimate. On my home premium pc I have set up the Media center window to be 4 x 3 since all shows will be in 4 x 3..........but I forgot how I did that! On my newer Ultimate pc, I tried to set up the Media Center window for 4 x 3 but Media center said I have a wide screen and should use 1650 x 1080 resolution(wide-screen). If I select 1024 x 768 resolution for Media Center anyway, it also uses that resolution for the desktop. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to set the Media center window for 4 x 3 but keep the desktop display at 1650 x 1080? I hate it when I know it can be done but forgot how to do it LOL!

newnerd

Within Media Center, click on Settings.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows

"newnerd" <newnerd.2yfct4@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:newnerd.2yfct4@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...

Hi Carie:

I have tried several times to change the Media Center window to a 4 x 3 but no matter what settings I choose the window stays in 16 x 9 format even at different resolutions. Since I already have one 16 x 9 monitor displaying a 4 x 3 Media Center window in Vista, I know it must be possible. If it can be changed in "settings" can you explain how to do it? I have tried changing settings to "monitor">"4x3">"1024x768">"DVI" and all it does is change the resolution to 1024x768 but leaves the window in 16 x 9 format! I hate having a 16 x 9 window for Media Center since I play no DVDs in wide format and all programming now and probably forever will be in 4 x 3 since I can't get over the air tv and Media Center won't allow me to use cable to receive HD 16 x 9 signals due to digital rights conflicts! Why would anyone want a 16 x 9 window to display only 4 x 3 tv programming and recordings?

newnerd

You should setup MC for the real resolution of your monitor. MC knows the
aspect ratio of the program you are watching and will therefore display them
properly on your widescreen monitor.

"newnerd" <newnerd.2yfjr4@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:newnerd.2yfjr4@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...

Hello JW:

Thanks for your reply. To tell you the truth, Media Center thinks I would prefer to have a 16 x 9 "window" because I have a 16 x 9 monitor. This is absolutely not the case! I just hate having an "oversize window" with black bars taking up 1/3 of the window space when the tv programs I watch will ALWAYS & FOREVER be in a 4 x 3 format because I am not allowed to watch 16 x 9 content in Media Center due to digital rights issues. 90% of the time I am using the pc I have Media Center running a tv show and I don't need to waste all that valuable screen space displaying black bars when I am surfing the net and have Media Center in window mode and not full screen. I am posting this on my other Vista pc with Home Premium and I have the Media Center window in a 4 x 3 view on a 16 x 9 LCD monitor. The problem is, I can't remember how I set it up that way and I want the same set up on my Vista Ultimate pc as well. When I want a full screen view at 16 x 9 Media Center offers the option to ZOOM, which I seldom use due to lousy picture quality. I have tried connecting a borrowed 4 x 3 crt monitor up and setting up Media Center using that display. It displays Media Center in 4 x 3 mode at full screen fine but in windowed mode it still displays at 16 x 9 on a 4 x 3 screen. It doesn't do that in Home Premium.........why is Ultimate different?

newnerd

There is no way a 16x9 display can display 4:3 aspect ratio programs in full
screen without either distorting the video by stretching it horizontally or
zooming in out it and cutting of the top and bottom of every frame.
Also if you have a 1680x 1024 monitor it is a 16x10 monitor and not a 16x9
monitor like almost all other PC monitors as compared to 16X9 TVs.
"newnerd" <newnerd.2ygau2@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:newnerd.2ygau2@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...