MC overscans about 1/2" - I have it set for computer monitor (which should be pixel for pixel) - W7 desktop is perfect. I have looked in the registry to see if any overscan was set there, and it is all zero. This brings the channel logo bottom almost flush to the bottom of the display, and it should be at least 1/2" up.

This has been my experience as well. In fact I even get some overscan when using Media Center in windowed mode. I would love to know of a way to disable it as well. The funny thing is that extenders don't have this overscan.

Yeah, last night realized that it actually cuts off the bottom of my channel logo in the lower right, it's that bad! Guess it's better than underscanning!

mmatheny:

MC overscans about 1/2" - I have it set for computer monitor (which should be pixel for pixel) - W7 desktop is perfect. I have looked in the registry to see if any overscan was set there, and it is all zero. This brings the channel logo bottom almost flush to the bottom of the display, and it should be at least 1/2" up.

Does your graphics card support your TV resolution natively?  AMD told me my on board 3200 chip does not support 1080i, which is crazy to me.  I had a perfect picture on my 1080p tv but couldn't keep my 2 year old from pushing the buttons.

Yes it does - again, the desktop is perfect, it only in MC that the overscan occurs.

Every time I do a reinstall of any windows 7 build, I have to fix overscan on my samsung lcd tv connected to an ati hd4550 through hdmi.

I run the desktop at 1080p 60hz.

When I setup media center, I have to set the resolution to something other than 1080p (1280x768 normally) and finish the display setup.

Then I go back in and chose either 1080p or 1920x1080 60hz (1080p is not always there for some reason) and the picture fills the screen perfectly.

Have you tried setting the display type to flat panel as a test?

Are you sure that the resolution isn't changing when you launch MC full screen? I ask because on ATI cards the overscan is on by default at various resolutions and you have to turn it off on each individual resolution. So if you were running one res when on the desktop and one in MC, you may need to disable overscan for both.

I always have to sort the overscan out for 1080p in the catalyst software, and I run both the desktop and mc at 1080p 60hz.

When I first run media center and run through the display setup, it asks if I want to keep the current resolution (1080p 60hz). If I say yes and finish the wizard, I get overscan.

There must be a bug somewhere, as it doesn't matter if I say no and then choose 1080p or 1920x1080 in mc, until I set the resolution to something different, and then back to 1080p, I get overscan!

This never used to happen in vista with the exact same hardware (it also happens if I use an old vista catalyst driver with win7).

holidayboy:

Every time I do a reinstall of any windows 7 build, I have to fix overscan on my samsung lcd tv connected to an ati hd4550 through hdmi.

I run the desktop at 1080p 60hz.

When I setup media center, I have to set the resolution to something other than 1080p (1280x768 normally) and finish the display setup.

Then I go back in and chose either 1080p or 1920x1080 60hz (1080p is not always there for some reason) and the picture fills the screen perfectly.

Have you tried setting the display type to flat panel as a test?

Flat panel as opposed to what? I'm not a home, so I don't remember the choices for monitor type.

In 7MC, display type of projector and connection type of either "DVI, VGA, or DisplayPort", "HDMI", or "Component" will get you no overscan on the video but menus are all underscanned. Choosing "Component" for other display types will also get you the same but you get a message warning you that something appears incorrect if you have your display resolution set to 1920x1080@60 and connection type set to component. The only way to get rid of the overscan on video without getting that message is to choose Projector as your display type and "HDMI" or "DVI, VGA, or DisplayPort" as the connection type.

The reason it overscans video is to get rid of the VBI and other video stuff that's beyond the safe area, which is normally already overscanned by TV's but not by PC displays. The downside to getting rid of overscan all together is that you are going to see that VBI data (especially in SD content).

To get rid of overscan and fix the re-sized MC menu, in 7MC, set display type to Projector, connection type to HDMI or DVI and then exit media center and modify the registry as follows:


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\MCE.PerUserSettings]
"marginLeft"=dword:00000000
"marginTop"=dword:00000000
"marginRight"=dword:00000000
"marginBottom"=dword:00000000
"marginSaved"=dword:00000001
"useDefaultOverscanMargins"=dword:00000000

If you want to see the history of coming to this conclusion:
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/1/370876/ShowThread.aspx

Thanx, but I already checked those registry settings and that is what they are set at. I believe I got this info from that link.

mmatheny:

holidayboy:

Every time I do a reinstall of any windows 7 build, I have to fix overscan on my samsung lcd tv connected to an ati hd4550 through hdmi.

I run the desktop at 1080p 60hz.

When I setup media center, I have to set the resolution to something other than 1080p (1280x768 normally) and finish the display setup.

Then I go back in and chose either 1080p or 1920x1080 60hz (1080p is not always there for some reason) and the picture fills the screen perfectly.

Have you tried setting the display type to flat panel as a test?

Flat panel as opposed to what? I'm not a home, so I don't remember the choices for monitor type.

 

There is a setting for monitor and a setting for flat panel as well as tv and projector etc..

mmatheny:

Thanx, but I already checked those registry settings and that is what they are set at. I believe I got this info from that link.

It's not the registry settings that get rid of the video overscan, it's setting the display type to projector. When you make that change you will notice the video is no longer overscanned but all the menus in 7MC are underscanned (the menus are displayed within a "window" within the full 7MC window). You will see what I'm talking about when you make the change. That second problem is what those registry changes fix (the current settings will be modified when you change the display type to Projector).

Setting your display type to flat panel will not get rid of the video overscanning. It will make the menus fit the screen properly but the video area will be overscanned to hide the non-safe area. In many cases you'd never even notice the video is overscanned without doing an A/B comparison against a set top box (or until you set the display type to projector).

bjdraw:

Are you sure that the resolution isn't changing when you launch MC full screen? I ask because on ATI cards the overscan is on by default at various resolutions and you have to turn it off on each individual resolution. So if you were running one res when on the desktop and one in MC, you may need to disable overscan for both.

You reinforced why I listen to your show religiously.  That was exactly my problem.  The desktop was a lower resolution.  Everytime I adjusted the overscan in CCC it was for the lower res and not 1080i.  Saves me lots of aggravation.  Thanks for the help.

Glad to hear you got it resolved, and thank so much for the kind words.