MSTS on Widescreen Monitors

[rikwesson]

Hi, I too have a wide screen monitor and dislike the distortion, but having read through this thread I am still none the wiser. It says at the start of the thread to do the following - "J:\Program files\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\train.exe" -vm:w,800,600,32. Could some one explain to me, pretending I'm a computer idiot, where this is done and if it is done does it change the screen when in desktop or just in trainsim. Any help would be appreciated. All the best, Rik.

[lateagain]

Firstly Rik do you not have the ability to use the control panel for your graphics card as illustrated above? That's easiest.

If not go to your Start button, Select Programmes, Select Microsoft Games and when the Train Simulator icon appears right click on that. In the pop-up list select properties. You should be on a tab called shortcut?

Look at the box: Target

Copy and paste all that line and save it in word or wordpad somewhere safe.

In it's place type the command you've quoted BUT the first letter must be the letter of the disc that YOU have MSTS installed on

Some folk have it on a default C: drive but others (as in your example use others)

The next variable is the numbers at the end of the line. The 32 is for 32bit so don't change that unless you want to run in 16bit colour for some reason.

The important one here is the second figure. IF you have a flat screen monitor it cannot display a figure higher than it's "native resolution" for instance my wifes laptop is 1440 x 900 yet my desktop LCD widescreen is 1680 x 1050. So on my wife's laptop I can run at 1024 x768 SO if I couldn't use the driver switch I'd type in the line and modify the ending thus -vm:w,1024,768,32

Let us know how you get on.

geoff

[rikwesson]

Hi Geoff, many thanks for the quick reply and the easy to understand instructions. I have a nvidia card but the control panel does not seem to have the option shown. I have got it to work in a better size screen but it doesn't have blacked out side bars, I can see the desk top and the bottom bar which are a bit distracting. Also, it does not work when using trainstore. Any thoughts on these two problems would much appreciated. Many thanks, Rik.

[steam4me]

I have a nvidia card but the control panel does not seem to have the option shown. I have got it to work in a better size screen but it doesn't have blacked out side bars, I can see the desk top and the bottom bar which are a bit distracting. Also, it does not work when using trainstore. Any thoughts on these two problems would much appreciated. Many thanks, Rik.

1. Is your monitor connected to the PC via a DVI cable? (See images of connectors below)



That's the only way you'll get the option for fixed aspect scaling to even appear.

2. The -vm:w switch in the setup Geoff mentions forces MSTS to open in a window rather than full-screen.

[dkightley]

May I remind everyone of this post of mine on this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=237&t=76832&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=17

[lateagain]

May I remind everyone of this post of mine on this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=237&t=76832&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=17

...yeah we have rather gone round in circles here. Trouble is it's one of those set it and leave it things you forget how you achieved

Yuri's point about the DVI connector is key here. I forgot that I'm not using that as I have a analogue monitor switcher, If you've only one box connected to your monitor then I'd suggest lashing out on a cable if your card and the monitor accept it. That's problem solved in the best way. I think I'm right in saying most laptops will give you the option anyway......? ducks and awaits flood of exceptions Still with a GPU switch, an aspect ratio switch on a monitor OR running in a window one of them's got to fit most scenarios?

Geoff

[steam4me]

I think I'm right in saying most laptops will give you the option anyway

Correct on every laptop (30+) I've looked at (and I do look at this on laptops in PC stores and Officeworks whenever I can as I want to be sure my tutorial is correct and up to date) - I guess the fact that the screen is tightly integrated with the laptop graphics means that the manufacturer doesn't have to support the old VGA standard. As an aside, I note some of the newer desktop graphics cards no longer have VGA connectors, so DVI is the way forward.

[rikwesson]

Hi, thanks all for the help. I missed the bit that mentioned it will open in a window. I will try to get a DVI cable today (if it is not too expensive) and hopefully the control panel option will appear. Once again, many thanks.

Rik.

[rikwesson]

Hi again, just checked my monitor and it doesn't except a DVI cable. Time for a new monitor me thinks! All the best,Rik.

[mickrik]

Hi There,

You can get a DVI adaptor which goes on the back of the graphics card to convert to normal monitor socket.

approx £7.99

[dennisat]

I have a nvidia card but the control panel does not seem to have the option shown.

If you have a desktop with an nvidia Series 8 card, to quote the latest nvidia driver release notes:

GeForce 8 Series GPUs

• GeForce 8800 GTX: Flat panel scaling control is unavailable when the display
resolution is less than 1920x1440. [501230]

I have this problem which has been outstanding forever, as far as I can find out. I get round it by using MSTS in a window which is more convenient because you can, for instance, browse the web while traversing a long boring stretch of track!!

Dennis

[rikwesson]

Hi, I have two GeForce 8800 GTX cards ( which are joined together ) and I already have an adaptor to go from the DVI slot to the normal connector so this does not seem to help. As for running TS in a window, it's nice to see the locos in the right proportion but the bottom of the window goes behind the task bar and I can't see the frame rate. Is there any way to temporarily get rid of the task bar? All the best, Rik.

[lateagain]

Hi, I have two GeForce 8800 GTX cards ( which are joined together ) and I already have an adaptor to go from the DVI slot to the normal connector so this does not seem to help. As for running TS in a window, it's nice to see the locos in the right proportion but the bottom of the window goes behind the task bar and I can't see the frame rate. Is there any way to temporarily get rid of the task bar? All the best, Rik.

Right Click on it, Select Properties, Select Taskbar tab and tick Auto Hide. Make sure Lock toolbars is off too I guess. Personally I use this as a default setting anyway. I want MY content displayed on the screen ....not what someone at M$ decided I ought to want to look at

The big advantage of Autohide is that if your mouse goes to the bottom of the screen OR you merely hit the Windows button on your keyboard, it automatically pops up. You don't loose any functionality and you don't have to look at the silly gthing when you're not using it. Simples?

Geoff

[rikwesson]

Hi, thanks Geoff, task bar now out the way - easy when you know how !

All the best,Rik.