# [SOLVED] Using HDTV as a second monitor, edges are cut off.



## damnphone

Hi,

I have a new-ish laptop and a brand new HDTV, a Proscan 26 inches with a resolution of 1366x768 (which is slightly weird and may be related to the problem). I have the laptop connected to the TV by HDMI as an extension of the desktop, and I'm running into a problem. On each edge of the screen, a small margin of the picture is cut off. Despite changing the aspect ratio of the picture in the TV settings to each option, changing the resolution to both larger and smaller settings, and reinstalling the driver for my video card, I haven't been able to find any setting that fixes this. I've spent a few hours on this and exhausted all my options as a more-or-less computer competent person, and I'm getting frustrated. It's simply as if the picture is zoomed in too far, even though there is no zoom setting. Can someone help me out here? I would be incredibly grateful.

-Tommy


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## larrsz

*Re: Using HDTV as a second monitor, edges are cut off.*



damnphone said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have a new-ish laptop and a brand new HDTV, a Proscan 26 inches with a resolution of 1366x768 (which is slightly weird and may be related to the problem). I have the laptop connected to the TV by HDMI as an extension of the desktop, and I'm running into a problem. On each edge of the screen, a small margin of the picture is cut off. Despite changing the aspect ratio of the picture in the TV settings to each option, changing the resolution to both larger and smaller settings, and reinstalling the driver for my video card, I haven't been able to find any setting that fixes this. I've spent a few hours on this and exhausted all my options as a more-or-less computer competent person, and I'm getting frustrated. It's simply as if the picture is zoomed in too far, even though there is no zoom setting. Can someone help me out here? I would be incredibly grateful.
> 
> -Tommy


I am not an IT Pro, but this is most likely an issue with your TV. Most sets, especially reasonably priced ones, come with Overscan turned on by default. Since there is often "noise" around the edge (mostly the top- which is actually data), by slightly zooming the image (overscan), the set maker can be assured they won't get a ton of calls about the nosie at the top of their tv picture. By the way, 1366X768 is a common resolution for TVs.

There are three ways to handle this that I have used in the past:

1. Find the setting in your TV and turn overscan off. However, many makers bury this capability in the service menu which is only meant for TV techs to access. You can sometimes find how to access it yourself online, but be careful as you can mess your set up badly if you don't know what you are doing.

2. Get a good graphics card. Many graphics cards (NVidia for example) have a setting in their software that allows you to choose a custom resolution which actually sets the computer desktop within a larger resolution. So, even though your TV is 1366X768, you select a custom resolution of, say 1288X724 (and you play with it by moving a slider until it works for you so it can be almost anything) and it works because the card displays that resolution "within" the 1366X768 screen it sends your TV/Monitor.

3. Try VGA. Many sets, even those that overscan the HDMI input, do not overscan the VGA input if the TV has one. They do that just for the reason outlined above- they know a computer needs to see the "start" button for example.



Hope this helps.


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## larrsz

*Re: Using HDTV as a second monitor, edges are cut off.*

I think I found your TV Owner Manual on the Proscan site and it seems that there is no user adjustment for overscan (not surprising). You should try the VGA input to see what it does.


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## damnphone

*Re: Using HDTV as a second monitor, edges are cut off.*

Thanks everyone. I wasn't able to turn off Overscan, but I was able to set a custom resolution using NVidia software. All is well now.
-T


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