Dell Studio 1737 question

If anyone here as a Dell Studio 17 laptop could they confirm whether or not it has an option in the BIOS to enable/disable scaling on the LCD? I'm looking for something that does, I hate seeing 4:3 resolutions in the wrong aspect ratio.

BostonB

You used to be able to lock this in the nvidia software controls. Never seen it in a bios. Have you seen it in a bios? What are you looking at in 4:3 where you won't have it in a window?

The Inspiron 6000 and 6400 have this option in the BIOS. I've also seen it on an XPS model (can't remember which one) and also a Toshiba Satellite L40. While you can set it in Windows using the ATI or NVidia control panels this only applies when Windows is running and the driver is active. Setting it in the BIOS applies the setting across the board to boot screens or other operating systems too.

BostonB

I don't really get buying a widescreen laptop than wanting to run the OS in 4:3 when it supports widescreen. I used to do it for certain games then didn't support it. But hey if thats what you like.

Oh I'd get a 15" 4:3 laptop if I still could, I don't tile windows or watch DVDs on my machine so widescreen is useless to me. Unfortunately a desktop PC isn't any good to me either as I've no room for one. So it seems a laptop is the only way.

I didn't mean that I'd run the OS in a 4:3 resolution, I just don't want anything that runs in 4:3 appearing in "fattyvision" - I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to aspect ratios.

BostonB

What do you use that runs in 4:3 that won't be windowed with the proper aspect ration.

Older games, DOS apps, boot splash screens, safe mode, well anything outside Windows, to name but a few. I found out that the Studio 1535 doesn't have the panel expansion option so I'd assume the 1737 doesn't have it either.

BostonB

Dosbox will allow full screen 4:3 with black bars each side on a windows widescreen res.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=768589

Thanks for your reply.

I've actually found a better way than altering the BIOS! In the DoSBox configuration file, you go to the fullscreenresolution setting and alter it to equal 0x0 then go to the output setiing and alter it to equal ddraw.

This makes DosBox use DirectDraw. When you switch to fullscreen in DosBox, the command prompt looks stretched but as soon as you start a game, it makes the image fill the screen without stretching (leaving a black border either side as in the 4:3 mode of a widescreen TV).

bigears1

Glad you sorted your BIOS problem, I have just taken delivery of a 1737 and was wondering what you thought of the sound, my sound is dreadful and the volume is non existant, however when I plug in external speakers its OK,

Donald-Duck

bigears1 wrote: »

Glad you sorted your BIOS problem, I have just taken delivery of a 1737 and was wondering what you thought of the sound, my sound is dreadful and the volume is non existant, however when I plug in external speakers its OK,

Laptops aren't supposed to come with good sound or volume...

BostonB

Donald-Duck wrote: »

Laptops aren't supposed to come with good sound or volume...

Dunno about that. Sound and volume on my Inspiron 9400 is decent. Far better than any other laptop I've used. Has a mini sub woofer, maybe thats the difference?

bigears1

No this is really bad, the volume though the speakers is just about the same as a set of ear phones plugged in and lying on my desk!! any studio 17 owners out there would like to comment before this goes back to Dell!

Well I didn't get one in the end so I can't help, sorry. I'm still deciding what I want.