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A friend lent me a newish PC. (Windows 10, with NVIDIA GeForce gtx 550 Ti) I hooked it up to my old monitor that I always used without problem on my old PC, but on this new PC the display is messed up.

Almost like barrel distortion but not quite, it's hard to describe with words alone. So look at this photograph I took of my monitor:

enter image description here

All of those circles were copied and pasted and should appear as perfect circles all exactly the same size and ratio, but instead they're all stretched. The one in the middle is too thin, and the ones on the edges are too wide.

Is this a glitch? Or an intentional feature that I need to disable? (Like, is this what's used for curved monitors? idk ) Either way, I can't find any information about it online.

(By the way, I already tried re-installing graphics drivers and stuff with no success.)

EDIT: My monitor is a "Emerson model number LD190EM2" I looked it up online and can confirm the max resolution listed for it is 1366 x 768. On my old PC, both 1366 x 768 and 1360 x 768 work perfectly. But on this new PC, neither work, both have the same problem I described here. I double checked the settings on the new PC. Here is a screenshot showing both the NVIDIA settings and the PC display settings: enter image description here

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  • Disable your scaling and observe the display. Also, go through the menus on your screen (not the computer) and see if there is a reset option to clear any possible misconfigurations there.
    – music2myear
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 16:10
  • Next, LCD screens have native resolutions, which are the actual physical number of pixels the screen is constructed containing. Because of this, native resolution is quite important on LCD panels, and any deviation from this will result in a degradation of image quality. Not that this is the only problem you are experiencing right now, but it is part of the problem. While 1360x768 appeared OK to your eyes, it is not the native resolution of the display, and using it causes the display to automatically stretch some sent pixels across non-whole pixels on the physical panel.
    – music2myear
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 16:13

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Your computer is sending an image with a resolution ratio or 4:3, and your monitor is 16:9 or similar and stretching the image it is receiving.

You need to open the Display Settings and select the resolution better suited for your monitor.

UPDATE:

Delete your graphics driver entirely. Uninstall it from the computer and download the most recent available driver from nVidia.com and install it.

Also, look through the menus on your monitor (not the computer) for a reset option and use it. If there is no reset option, unplug it from power and the computer and let it sit for an hour or so to see if this clears any setting. Or carefully examine the settings and try to set them all back to a Default state.

The root issue is still that the monitor is attempting to compensate for something. Typically this is a non-native resolution input, however, if you are 100% certain that is not the case, it is possible the monitor only THINKS that is it needs to compensate, and so is pinching and stretching the input image.

If you are 100% certain the computer is sending the correct signal, then the problem is with the monitor, and besides resetting the monitor settings to default, the only other option available is to replace the monitor.

Also, this is the manual for the monitor, and the page where it describes stretching methods. The "Wide" method of fill is what your picture shows: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/639723/Emerson-Ld320em2.html?page=15#manual

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  • Right, I forgot to mention that I already selected the correct resolution in display settings. (1360x768, about a 16/9 ratio) What do you mean "the computer is sending a square picture?" Shouldn't it send a 1360x768 rectangle like I selected? But regardless of what ratio it sends, why would it stretch the edges and squish the middle in such a weird way, rather than stretching the whole image evenly? You looked at the photo, right? :)
    – CaptainConfused
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 0:53
  • Wide screens stretch images in multiple ways, including a progressive stretch. This is not at all uncommon. What is the specific model number of your monitor, and please check the resolution you've selected again and confirm this. Then, use the EDIT button to add this and any other relevant information to the body of your original question to improve it and make it more clear and precise.
    – music2myear
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 0:58
  • The issue here is that your picture and problem description, and the information you've just replied with here do not agree. If your computer is sending at the monitor's native resolution then there would be no stretch. there is stretch, and therefore your computer and monitor are not agreeing on the resolution and the monitor is using a common stretch method to fill things out.
    – music2myear
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 0:59
  • Yeah, my bad for forgetting to mention that I already selected resolution, sorry about that. I added it to the question description now. :) Also, my previous comment sounded ruder than I realized so I apologize for that too. Lol Hmm, I've never heard of "progressive stretch" before. I'd like to know more about different image stretching methods. (I'm trying to search the net for it, but all I'm getting is exercise and fitness routines. If you know of an article, I'd really appreciate a link, thanks.)
    – CaptainConfused
    Commented Feb 22, 2019 at 2:14
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    I have seen this exact style of stretch on a 16:9 TV, when fed from 4:3 input. The idea is to the center of the picture, where most of the action is, in its normal aspect ratio while stretching the left and right portions to fill the screen and avoid vertical black bars.
    – Jamie Hanrahan
    Commented Feb 23, 2019 at 17:46
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How are you connecting this "monitor" (actually a TV) to your computer? HDMI, VGA... ? A lot of TVs do "odd" things when connected as monitors, such as simulating "overscan". This sometimes depends on which input you use, and sometimes on how you label that input in the TV's settings.

  • on the TV, be sure you are connected via HDMI, and set the "screen mode" to "Dot for dot". If that option is not available, try using the other HDMI input.

    • on the TV, if there is an option to label the inputs in the on-screen menu, set the input you're using to "PC" or "computer".

Your screen caps of the Windows and driver settings show some problems.

  • In the Windows Display settings, under "Scale and layout", change the settings from 125% to 100%

  • Click "advanced scaling settings" and wee what's under there

  • In the Nvidia settings, under "Select a scaling mode", change from "Full-screen" to "No scaling"

  • Your nVidia driver seems to think your panel's "native resolution" is 1920x1080. This does not seem to be settable, but you need to fix that. OR, try setting your computer (in the Windows settings) to 1920x1080).

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similar issue but with intel 630 UHD card. i had to open the inter graphic software installed with the driver, set scale to custom, and adjust my sliders to fit my screen. hope this helps

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