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PC monitor recommendations please - must have 4:3 button to switch ratios

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    PC monitor recommendations please - must have 4:3 button to switch ratios

    Currently using an obscure LG variant with a 4:3 ratio button on the front. Flatscreen HD monitor, works well. But the capacitors or wiring must be dying since it now has vertical lines all the way across. It's tolerable, but it's getting worse. I've read online it's due to a loose connection - I've tried tightening the cables but this does nothing.

    I use the 4:3 ratio button at the bottom extensively for retro games which use the 4:3 ratio. Windows 10 does not allow me to switch the OS to 4:3, and trying to run a 4:3 game on Windows 10 at widescreen stretches the 4:3 image and makes it look crap. So the easiest solution is just tap the 4:3 button and BOOM! The screen resizes itself to 4:3.

    This button is essential.

    I would like to buy a new flatscreen HD monitor with 4:3 button. I went into PC World and the guy didn't understand what I was saying. I was tempted to apply his face to the various display monitors until he brain processed the words I was telling him, but decided against it. After repeatedly walking him through the explanation eventually his gormless brain understood - or at least pretended to understand - what I was demanding. Sadly PC World does not have such monitors. None of the display monitors had any such button, and going through their built-in OS menus showed no options to swap ratios.

    So, please recommend something off Amazon.

    My needs are simple:
    * High definition
    * Flatscreen
    * Compatible with desktop computers running XP, Win7, and Win10.
    * Widescreen
    * Must have 4:3 button on the monitor itself so that you can swap between ratios at will
    * Longevity if possible - my current LG monitor was bought in 2010.

    I want to avoid swapping to 4:3 via menu, since this is time consuming. I like the direct button approach, since it allows me to switch to 4:3, play some games, then quickly swap back.

    #2
    I don't think you'll find any modern monitor with a 4:3 button included. However, I have a Dell monitor that allows switching of aspect ratio (16:9, 4:3 and 5:4) and also allows you to set two of the front bezel control buttons as shortcuts, so I have one set to go directly to the aspect ratio menu for quick selection.

    Not sure what size/spec screen you're after, but here's an example (has 2xHDMI and 1xVGA, handy for an older system):



    Manual is here if you want to read up on the functionality:

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      #3
      Hohum is right, monitors with an option to force the aspect ratio are becoming more and more rare. Dell monitors in the Ultrasharp range should still have the ability to force the aspect ratio to 4:3; I'm trying right now on a U2715H and you can costumize the OSD to have the aspect ratio option at the topmost level, while the Acer XV273K I have has to be piloted via the OS/drivers.

      You can force a resolution via the video card control panel, as well how scaling will behave (stretch, 1:1, or aspect scale). The procedure depends on the video card you have, but if you have an nVidia GPU it's pretty straightforward. The latest version of both AMD and nVidia drivers should have integer (nearest neighbour) scaling for old games.

      Also, monitors last as much as you need them to. Unless you absolutely want compatibility with the latest DP or HDMI revision you can keep a monitor until the LEDs are burnt out.

      As for "high definition", what do you mean? 1080p? 1440p? 4K? Do you want a better colour accuracy or fast response times? Any maximum budget? You can go for a fast IPS panel, but right now they are limited t 1080p or 1440p and can be quite expensive. Fast 4K monitors can be even more expensive than that.
      How far do you sit from the monitor? A 27" 4k monitor might display things too small for you (it surely does for me) and you might be disappointed you don't have more free estate to place icons because you need to scale everything up to be readable.

      Comment


        #4
        Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for the advice.

        Originally posted by Hohum View Post
        Not sure what size/spec screen you're after, but here's an example (has 2xHDMI and 1xVGA, handy for an older system):
        This looks nice! Sadly it's out of stock.

        But yeah, quick and easy switching to force 4:3 is great.

        To answer Brunswick_Krispycreme's questions:

        Using video card settings isn't an option. It sounds like a lot of work, meaning a lot of work to switch back to normal 16:9 usage.

        As for the hi-def, sorry, I'm still thinking old school. I mean as opposed to SD CRT levels of fidelity. So 1280 by whatever is probs fine. Not 4K. Even though my gaming rig could handle the strain, I find that the icons end up so tiny I can't see them properly. I think we're in the same boat there.

        My laptop is 1366 x 768, which is is OK, even though it's physically a bit small to game on. It's 13" and honestly I'd be satisfied with 20" to 24" diagonal, and a slight bump in resolution.

        I will only be connecting via VGA connector. Only one of my desktops even have HDMI output, and I plug that directly into my 720p HDTV, for armchair gaming.

        So the advice I'm getting is: buy what I can right now, rather than later, because the ability to force 4:3 is dwindling, and soon if not already, will not be possible at all?

        Comment


          #5
          If you set the video card to do 1:1 or proportional scaling, it's set for everything. If a game is 4:3, the card will set the correct aspect ratio and will then show a full 16:9 desktop or whatever other aspect ratio you're using. Not to mention that all modern drivers allow to create profiles that will set all sorts of things once you launch any application, games included.

          You can try to get a used Dell U2715H (27", 2560x1440), I use it a secondary monitor and I can confirm you can customize the OSD to have the aspect ratio button at the topmost level. However you will need a VGA adapter as it doesn't have a VGA input (only HDMI and DP).

          You can also get a Dell U2412M (24", 1920x1200), it's a lower quality panel, but it's cheaper, has VGA, and accordign to the manual has the same customization function as the U2715H.

          Comment


            #6
            I'm surprised none of PC World's monitors had the option. It was probably buried in a menu somewhere, although I've come across monitors that don't allow changing the ratio when using HDMI, only VGA.

            If you can't find a monitor that lets you switch ratios easily, forcing aspect ratio on your graphics card is actually really simple. Heck, even the onboard Intel graphics can do fixed aspect ratio scaling. It's a right-click option on the Windows desktop.



            However, being a laptop, there's a chance you might need to pop into the BIOS settings and disable stretching for the laptop's panel. I'm not sure if that setting affects any connected monitors.

            Also, it just occurred to me that you'd have to change each game's resolution to a 4:3 one(e.g. 1024x768) to benefit from the graphics card's scaling options. Whoops!
            Last edited by randombs; 30-03-2020, 09:28.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by randombs View Post
              Also, it just occurred to me that you'd have to change each game's resolution to a 4:3 one(e.g. 1024x768) to benefit from the graphics card's scaling options. Whoops!
              The desktop PC in question, which requires the new monitor, is running Windows 10, and I couldn't find the graphics card settings. Windows 10 seems to hide everything behind simplicity and removal of user control. But I will have another look.

              It's just for a few games currently. Brigand Oxaca was coded in DarkBasic and only supports 4:3 resolutions by default. Running it widescreen makes everything look chubby. The other is Jagged Alliance 2. Although the modern patches allow widescreen resolutions, they shrink the map strategy screen to the size of a literal postage stamp, which is ****ing annoying. I can force it run in the lower resolutions, allowing fullscreen map, but these are not natively widescreen, they're 4:3, which again causes everything to look distorted and chubby.

              It's madness I tell you. MADNESS!!

              Comment


                #8
                If all drivers are installed properly, accessing video card options is simple as right clicking on an empty part of the desktop, then select the nVidia or AMD/Radeon control panel. If you haven't customized any settings, you probably have an icon in the system tray too. And both are present on Win7, maybe WinXP too.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Sketcz View Post
                  It's just for a few games currently. Brigand Oxaca was coded in DarkBasic and only supports 4:3 resolutions by default. Running it widescreen makes everything look chubby. The other is Jagged Alliance 2. Although the modern patches allow widescreen resolutions, they shrink the map strategy screen to the size of a literal postage stamp, which is ****ing annoying. I can force it run in the lower resolutions, allowing fullscreen map, but these are not natively widescreen, they're 4:3, which again causes everything to look distorted and chubby.
                  DOSbox or any other Virtual Machine should do nicely without requiring you to mess with monitor or settings. You can try with VMware Player or VirtualBox, set the VM program to run in full screen mode and you wouldn't even know you're running a PC within a PC.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Both the games I mentioned run natively in Windows, not DOS.

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                      #11
                      Either way, I'd first try a VM and scaling options, definitely cheaper than changing monitors.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by briareos_kerensky View Post
                        Either way, I'd first try a VM and scaling options, definitely cheaper than changing monitors.
                        Aww, but Babaloo_Kzitenburgsky, I said in the first line of my original post that my current monitor is getting vertical lines and needs replacing. The monitor needs to be changed at some point no matter what.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Buy the same monitor again.

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