Incorrect active signal resolution

Question

Hello, I am having problems with the display resolution and would like some help on the matter.

My setup is the following:

 - Screen 1: laptop screen - Native resolution 1920x1080

 - Screen 2: Dell monitor connected on a USB-C port using a DP adaptor - Native resolution 1920x1080

 - Screen 3: Samsung monitor connected over HDMI - Native resolution 1360x768

All monitors are using the integrated Video Card - Intel HD Graphics 620 and my OS is a Windows 10 pro version 1803.

I set the indicated resolution on each screen but the screen 3 is looking blurry. Go to "advanced display settings" and I can see even though the "Desktop resolution" is correctly set, the "Active signal resolution" is set to 1920x1080. From here I go to Display adapter properties for Display 3 and select a different mode with my resolution. Nothing changes.

Sometimes I would take the laptop elsewhere and connect another monitor with a 1920x1080 resolution using the HDMI port, so I am guessing that somehow is still detecting the active signal resolution as that one, even though the monitors' models and makers are different.

How can I force the "active signal resolution" to be the monitor's native 1360x768 instead of 1920x1080?

Answer 1

I resolved the issue w/ tools that Came from the Graphics Card provider, on my laptop it was some Intel Graphics tools.  Two monitors, same max res, different result, and different Active Signal Resolution in the dialogs.   They had a setting that was different in their tool to "Maintain Display Scaling" vs Maintain Aspect Ratio.  Setting both to the same (Display Scaling) fixed my issue and text became clear and not blurry.

Hope this helps you too,

-

Johnny Coder

Answer 2

No help.

This is a apparently new function of windows.  Previous builds of Windows 10 could change the output resolution of the video card, even if it was more difficult than it needs to be.

Currently, the "Desktop resolution" and the "Active signal resolution" are completely separate and the "Desktop resolution" is scaled to match the "Active signal resolution".  I need to change the "Active Signal Resolution" to match my display.  I would then be happy to change my "Desktop Resolution" to anything and keep a constant "Active Signal Resolution" (in my case, 1366x768).

I am trying to connect a 1366x768 display to my computer and I set the resolution to 1366x768.  That resolution is currently being scaled to "1080p" and sent to the monitor.  This is causing issues.  How do I force WINDOWS to output the correct resolution that my monitor was designed for?

The monitor is an NEC V321.  It will display the image, but the video quality suffers because it is being scaled twice.  Once from 1366x768 to 1920x1080 (by the computer) and again from 1920x1080 back to 1366x768 by the display.

This scaling also isn't cheap on power/CPU-GPU (built-in graphics).

Windows needs an "I'm not an idiot" checkbox for those of us who are smarter than software.

Answer 3

I just cleared this on my system (one screen had a lower active rez than desktop and was a bit fuzzy) in Win10. Even the settings panel on the monitor showed 2560x1440@60Hz on that monitor while the other identical monitor showed 3840x2160@30Hz.

Display Settings>Advanced Display Settings>Display Adapter Properties for Display X

I hit the "List ALL Modes" button on the Adapter tab and chose the monitor's native resolution from the list. Hit Apply, blink, and it's done.

Advanced Display Settings now shows the same values for desktop and active signal for both monitors and the fuzz is gone.

You know, I think this started when I turned on the "Fix scaling for apps" option in Advanced Scaling Settings. Off now and we shall see.

Answer 4

I've found a potential fix to this, I'm not sure how (or why) it works, but this far it does it for me:

1. Set the display resolution to your desired one, the normal way (open Display Settings, set the resolution)
2. On the Display Settings page, go to Advanced Display Settings. Then go into Display adapter properties for *your display*.
3. Go into List All Modes.
4. In the list, select the same resolution as in step 1.
5. Click OK. You should now have both the Active signal resolution and Desktop resolution as the same one.

Apparently "List All Modes" really means "Select Output resolution". That's some good UX right there.

Answer 5

Our problems are that the device (or it's 'decoder section' are incapable of accepting a signal at these frequencies and GENERALLY display a blank screen if 'driven at these resolutions/frequencies! (NEC NLT-32W TV for example!)

Uninstalling and reinstalling drivers, whilst a functional monitor is connected is GENERALLY not a solution, as the new/reinstalled driver will re-install to an 'active signal resolution' that is acceptable to the display that is connected and functional, at the time!

As I see it we simply MUST 'drive our (older/lower spec) devices at a resolution/frequency that they can accept!

There MUST be a way to adjust this 'Active Signal Resolution'! (=output!)