Windows 7 won't allow a certain resolution

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 15:07

My new install of Windows 7 on my media centre connected to an old CRT via S-Video won't allow the 720x480 resolution that Vista did allow. When I try to force it to use 720x480 I get a message stating 'Windows could not change your display to this resolution. Try and different resolution'. I have the latest drivers installed for the graphics card, which is a GeForce 8400GS. How do I resolve this and set the 720x480 resolution I want?

Thanks

Michael.

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 15:45

dustofnations said:
You could try powerstrip?

I've tried that but that won't allow me to set 720x480 either, and I can't see how to force this resolution. Any ideas? In the nVidia Control Panel there is an option to 'add resolutions' but this is greyed out. I know my graphics card supports this, as I've done this in Vista, and it looks like the ability to create custom resolutions is available in the Windows 7 driver release, so why can't I click this button to add the resolution?

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 16:54

I'm giving up on this as it is simply not supported by any means. Going back to Vista which does allow custom resolutions over S-Video.

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 18:23

Delvis said:
You do realise Windows 7 is not realeased yet? So its bound to have little niggles.

I have looked around for you, and some reasons for this happening include:

-Incorrect EDID detected by windows, power down the monitor removing power etc, uninstall the monitor first though mind, and let windows re-detect it so to speak, see what happens.

-If there is a .ini file, you could add the resolution in there?

-Another varient is to add the resolution in to the cards control panel (if you can that is) then go into the display properties of windows 7 and set the resolution there also.

Just have a look around, there are all sorts of things to try.

There was a little message in the nVidia control panel that said custom resolutions were not supported when a TV is connected via S-Video, making it impossible to set the 720x480 I wanted. The Vista drivers don't have this limitation. I can't understand why nVidia did this.

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 18:39

Delvis said:
Probably just Beta/RC issues I guess, might be resolved in the future before retail?

I'm running RTM with the latest nVidia drivers.

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 18:50

Delvis said:
Well yes, but they may still change things as of yet.

Maybe, but unfortunately I need that resolution now!

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 20:09

masterluke said:
are you aware of what the "R" int "RTM" stands for ?

this is an NVidia driver limitation and nothing to do with Win7 itself.. maybe try a few other (maybe older) Vista drivers?

I did give an earlier Windows 7 driver a try, but unfortunately that didn't do the trick either. I didn't think to try a Vista drive. Needless to say, nVidia seem to have deliberately removed this functionality from their driver, for whatever reason.

mrochester · 20 Sep 2009 at 20:42

Delvis said:
They'll probably open it back up once testing is done more thoroughly.

Last thing they want is people contacting them saying something is bugging up their display when they know its faulty already for instance

You can set custom resolutions, just not for TVs connected via S-Video.