Screen Size too big on my TV

[brianskeens]

I've installed the windows alpha version on my Vista HTPC attached to my Panasonic CRT 36-inch HDTV. However, when I run Boxee in full screen mode, it is oversized, with edges to the left and right off the screen and out of sight. I've tried adjusting the resolutions, but none helps. I encountered the same problem with XBMC on this HTPC and solved it by running it in "Windowed" mode. Is there a way to run Boxee in "Windowed" mode, or get more control over the resolution that's being used? FYI, I think it's related to overscan problems on the TV, that have been fixed using the video card settings and settings in VMC, but couldn't find those options in XBMC or Boxee.

[Derek]

Your TV most likely has what's called "Overscan". I'm not sure about ATI/AMD cards, but I do know Nvidia has support to fix overscan in the drivers. Here's a link http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nvidia.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2007&p_created=1168038608&p_sid=Tt*FIxnj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=2328&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9Niw2JnBfcHJvZHM9MCZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PSZ wX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJ nBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9b3ZlcnNjYW4*&p_li=&p_topview=1

[mimesis]

also most programs will window if you press alt+enter....not sure if boxee does since i don't have my invite sent to me yet but just thought i'd try to help

[brianskeens]

Thanks, I do have an nvidia card, and I've used their control panel to adjust the overscan issue already, when I was initially setting up this HTPC over a year ago, but it doesn't seem to have affected the Boxee program screen. Plus, the overscan of the normal screen is relatively minimal, while the size of the Boxee screen is much, much larger (in all resolutions, I've tried them all from within Boxee).

I'll try the Alt+Enter, and see if that works and report back.

[aktiveradio]

You can also setup the the screen resolution in the Boxee setting you can make it fit any TV.

[brianskeens]

You can also setup the the screen resolution in the Boxee setting you can make it fit any TV.

Yep, I've tried all the screen resolution settings inside Boxee, with a couple different resolutions on my TV.

[naikrovek]

Yep, I've tried all the screen resolution settings inside Boxee, with a couple different resolutions on my TV.

You don't need to change the screen resolution- they'll all be fullscreen with overscan anyway.

There is a mechanism within Boxee that lets you adjust the overscan so it draws everything where you can see it. For me, the "BOXEE" tab on the left was halfway cut off, so I had to adjust it so that it wasn't.

The wife is owning the television right now, so I can't give you the exact settings path to change the overscan, but there IS a setting to change it within boxee. Hunt and you will find it.

[brianskeens]

Ok, so here's how I got it to work:

Upon opening Boxee, I have to press Alt+Enter to get it out of fullscreen. (it pops up a little note saying to press / to return to fullscreen) Since I've already adjusted the overscan through the nvidia control panel, I don't need to do it in Boxee. However, each time I open Boxee, it opens fullscreen by default, I have to press Alt+Enter to get out of fullscreen, does anyone know the switches to add to the Boxee shortcut to get it to open windowized as default?

Thanks for all the suggestions and help.

[naikrovek]

Ok, so here's how I got it to work:

Upon opening Boxee, I have to press Alt+Enter to get it out of fullscreen. (it pops up a little note saying to press / to return to fullscreen) Since I've already adjusted the overscan through the nvidia control panel, I don't need to do it in Boxee. However, each time I open Boxee, it opens fullscreen by default, I have to press Alt+Enter to get out of fullscreen, does anyone know the switches to add to the Boxee shortcut to get it to open windowized as default?

Thanks for all the suggestions and help.

You adjusted the overscan so it won't draw past the edges of your tv when run fullscreen, but you don't want it to run in fullscreen? Why then did you bother fiddling with the overscan?

Let's start over. What do you want? Don't say that you "want it to start windowed" if you really want it just to not draw past the edges of your tv; say that you want it to not draw past the edges of your tv. If you want it to "look right on [your] tv" then say that. We can help you do this the best way if you ask the appropriate questions.

I'm not in the Windows beta yet so I can't run it now and tell you how to change the fullscreen setting, and my wife LIVES in front of the damned TV so I can't tell you how to do it on the apple tv version either. XBMC has such a setting so I'm sure Boxee does too.

[beefeh]

You can adjust the overscan in Boxee in the Settings - Screen menu. Here are a few screenshots to show you what it's about:

http://www.arsupport.co.uk/boxee1.jpg

http://www.arsupport.co.uk/boxee2.jpg

You move each edge extremity to fit your TV, then the subtitle line up. If your TV is a funny aspect ratio, you can also move the box in the centre until it's dead square.

Hope this helps your and any other's problem with this.

[brianskeens]

When I open Boxee, it "supposedly" comes up in fullscreen mode, but it looks approximately 50% larger than my actual screen. Then I press Alt+Enter, and normally that makes a program run "windowized", but on my screen, Boxee looks more like what fullscreen should look like, to me. I don't see the window borders, or any of those controls. I am aware that XBMC has a windowized option available, and I use it with much success. I have already deleted the "-fs" switch in the shortcut for Boxee, but it still opened the same way as I described above.


PS. naikrovek, I want Boxee for windows to "look right on my screen". I'm trying to describe that as best I can. I want to help provide feedback for the Boxee team, so they can continue to make a great product.

[naikrovek]

naikrovek, I want Boxee for windows to "look right on my screen". I'm trying to describe that as best I can. I want to help provide feedback for the Boxee team, so they can continue to make a great product.

50% larger? Are you using an analog connection to the television?

The previous poster showed how to control overscan; have you tried those settings?

[brianskeens]

50% larger? Are you using an analog connection to the television?

The previous poster showed how to control overscan; have you tried those settings?

I'm using a digital connection to my TV (DVI to HDMI cable).

Once I get out of fullscreen by pressing Alt+Enter, there's no need to adjust overscan, because it looks right on the screen. But if I return to fullscreen by pressing /, then it gets too large again, and when I go to the overscan settings, I can't even see the arrows in the top left and bottom right to adjust the overscan.

I think I've got the solution, if I could just figure out the switches to get it running in "not fullscreen" (or windowized), upon startup (see my previous post).

[naikrovek]

I'm using a digital connection to my TV (DVI to HDMI cable).

Once I get out of fullscreen by pressing Alt+Enter, there's no need to adjust overscan, because it looks right on the screen. But if I return to fullscreen by pressing /, then it gets too large again, and when I go to the overscan settings, I can't even see the arrows in the top left and bottom right to adjust the overscan.

I think I've got the solution, if I could just figure out the switches to get it running in "not fullscreen" (or windowized), upon startup (see my previous post).

I suppose that's a fine solution, if it ends up doing what you want.

I would still not worry about that "start windowed" thing and adjust the overscan. it can't be too bad if you're using a digital connection; when prompted to move the lower right corner, adjust with the "left" and "up" buttons on the ATV remote. When prompted to adjust the upper left corner, use "right" and down". Adjust them until you see the fine white lines at the corner edges of your screen. Do that and you won't have to worry about fullscreen vs windowed anymore.

If you decide to do that, the calibration screen will show you what your correction values are in parenthesis at the top of the screen. I'm very curious to know what those numbers are, if you don't mind.

[wxiao]

I had the same exact overscan problem with my hdtv. I figured out how to get to the video calibration page to adjust the top left and lower right corners. But here is where I got stuck: my Boxee window is too big to fit on the TV screen, so I cannot see the top left and lower right arrows. My mouse cannot get there! Luckily, by default the cursor rests on the top left corner, so I used the keyboard (blindly) to lower the edge and got a perfect fit. However, I cannot switch to the lower right corner! I tried "tab", and it did not work. Is there any key that will move the focus of the cursor to the bottom right so I can adjust the lower corner? Help!

[m1nkyb0y]

I too have this problem. I have ant ATI card using HDMI, Vista x86. My Vista X64 computer doesn't have this problem, but it is connected via DVI and a Nvidia card.

[FabledFoe]

I was hoping it wasn't this, because I like being able to read my screen from across the room, but I tested it and the size issue went away.

Change your DPI setting to the default 96dpi by right clicking desktop, personalize, and adjust DPI setting.

It will shrink your fonts, windows, etc. to their default desktop size, but it does indeed fix boxee. The devs need to find a way to make fullscreen work without depending on the DPI setting. All other fullscreen apps ignore it.

[Mitski]

You guys are I believe all wrong on this. There is a very easy fix. You have to set the Compatibilty mode of the Shortcut to Boxee to not scale fonts. Then use the Shortcut to start Boxee

See this thread...

http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=4870

Worked like a charm for me on my Dell Hybrid HTPC connected to my 50" Kuro. All these scaling issues went away (I have my DPI set at 144%). It was so key I think someone should make this thread a Sticky.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!
Mitch in NYC