Question New Ultrawide monitor, can't get Display scaling to work right when in PBP mode

[clucas127]

I have a new 5120x1440 Ultrawide monitor with picture-by-picture mode. I have two computers hooked up to it, my gaming rig and my work laptop. My gaming rig works perfectly with the monitor, switching to 2560x1440 when in PBP. My work laptop displays fine in 5120x1440, but when I turn on PBP mode it maintains its resolution and the image is scrunched into half the width.

The laptop is a Dell Precision 5540 with Intel graphics. After researching the issue, I tried downloading Intel's Graphics Command Center and setting the Display Scaling to Custom, but this caused the whole image to go haywire and I had to restart the computer to get things back to normal.

At a redditor's recommendation I looked up the max resolution for my laptop (which is hooked up through a USB-C dock to the monitor via DisplayPort) and found the following: DP: 4096 x 2304 u/60 Hz, 24 bpp

So it looks like my resolution is not technically supported, but I've gotten 5120x1440 to work anyways, so I feel like I should be able to make it work in PBP too somehow, right?

Please help if you can, thanks!

SOLUTION: The issue was with my USB-C dock. I bought a DP to USB-C cable to cut out the middle-man and everything works great now.

 

[hotaru.hino]

If you want PBP to work without squishing the image, you must use a 16:9 resolution.

 

[clucas127]

If you want PBP to work without squishing the image, you must use a 16:9 resolution.

I'm not sure I follow you. The problem is that the resolution does not switch from a 32:9 to a 16:9 once PBP is activated. If I then try to manually switch it it only takes up half the screen.

The same is true in reverse. if I am able to get the 16:9 looking right in PBP, then when I switch back to 32:9 now the image is stretched twice as wide.

 

[hotaru.hino]

I'm not sure I follow you. The problem is that the resolution does not switch from a 32:9 to a 16:9 once PBP is activated. If I then try to manually switch it it only takes up half the screen.

The same is true in reverse. if I am able to get the 16:9 looking right in PBP, then when I switch back to 32:9 now the image is stretched twice as wide.

PBP doesn't automatically change the resolution your computer outputs. You're going to have to manually change it every time you switch.

And no, there's no real way for any monitor to tell the computer to switch resolutions automatically.

 

[clucas127]

PBP doesn't automatically change the resolution your computer outputs. You're going to have to manually change it every time you switch.

And no, there's no real way for any monitor to tell the computer to switch resolutions automatically.

My gaming PC is automatically adjusting to the PBP though, so that statement is incorrect.

 

[Glenwing]

PBP doesn't automatically change the resolution your computer outputs. You're going to have to manually change it every time you switch.

And no, there's no real way for any monitor to tell the computer to switch resolutions automatically.

Computers read a list of supported resolutions from the monitor and should automatically change to one that's on the list. When entering PbP mode the monitor should change its EDID data so that it is identified as a 2560×1440 monitor.

 

[hotaru.hino]

My gaming PC is automatically adjusting to the PBP though, so that statement is incorrect.

I missed that detail then in your OP. But either way, if the laptop is still seeing it as a 5120x1440 monitor, then there's something between your laptop and the monitor that's not being communicated correctly.

So either try a different interface, a different cable, or see if there's additional software from the monitor's manufacturer that you need to install. If none of these work, then this is just a limitation between how the two work with each other and you're going to have to deal with manually changing resolutions.

 

[clucas127]

The issue was with my USB-C dock. I bought a DP to USB-C cable to cut out the middle-man and everything works great now. I have updated the OP