FYI: For Those with scaling issues / fuzzy screens

Raghnall · 06-28-2013, 11:35 PM

Screen scaling for the desktop was introduced in Windows 8.1.
This caused problems for me as it appeared that all my screens were fuzzy or out of focus when using my Display Link Dock.

I do not know if this is an issue with the beta Display Link drivers or with Windows 8.1 in general.
Regardless, to fix it - disable the (broken) screen scaling by doing the following:

Note that you will be required to log out for the changes to take effect

Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Display
Put a check on "Let me choose one scaling for all my displays"
Then set the "Change the size of all items" to "Smaller - 100%"
Click Apply

(you may have to do it twice for it to work)

jdowsett · 06-29-2013, 12:08 AM

That really helps and fixes my RDP over multiscreen issue - however I lose my mouse pointer. Crazy part is - if I'm in the RDP window I have a pointer - if on the local machine can't see the pointer on desktop or modern UI. I can tell the mouse is moving because of context changes has it moves over buttons and links.

TBolt · 06-29-2013, 12:09 AM

Did you guys update your video card drivers after updating to 8.1? Just wondering if that might help.

jdowsett · 06-29-2013, 12:19 AM

Its a surface pro - so there if nothing really to update past checking windows update.

TBolt · 06-29-2013, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdowsett

Its a surface pro - so there if nothing really to update past checking windows update.

Ah, sorry ... didn't realize that.

tboggs13 · 06-29-2013, 02:41 PM

I also have a Surface Pro and I experience the same issue, but I use DisplayLink at home and a displayport connection at work. The problem occurs with both monitors and is most definitely a problem with the new scaling options in Windows 8.1.

The problem is an old problem with scaling on Windows, requiring that you log out and log in to change you scaling options. In the past you could only have one scaling option for all monitors or you would have to manually change it every time you switched.

With 8.1, they are trying to address the issue of high resolution monitors and small screens. Unfortunately, they have not figure out how to accomplish this completely without us having to log out and back in. What we get instead is a hybrid of whatever scaling we selected for a monitor which typically looks awful. Some screen elements too small, some very fuzzy and some too big.

I have found that I can set a different scaling for each monitor and Windows 8.1 will remember. I have also found that it works best if I have the internal display disabled when attached to another monitor. Finally, I log out before undocking and log back in when accessing the Surface directly.

Too me this works better since I find the Surface a lot easier to work on when the scaling is set to large.

Kaldek · 07-01-2013, 01:36 AM

I have a Surface Pro with the new preview drivers installed. When connected to the dock (connected in turn to a 24" LCD via HDMI), Windows 8.1 is not handling the auto screen scaling. I assume it's a restriction in the driver.

What should happen is that the 24" monitor automatically scales to "Small" text and the internal panel on the Surface Pro stays at "Large". As Windows are moved between displays, they automatically resize as you move more than 50% of the Window into the other display.

If I connect to this external screen using the DisplayPort connector on the Surface Pro, the auto screen scaling between monitors works fine.

Kaldek · 07-02-2013, 11:48 PM

OK I've done more investigation and this issue is NOT caused by DisplayLink.

Rather, it appears to be a bug in Windows 8.1 where the scaling settings are inconsistent in the way they are applied.

Right now my scaling setting is one step up from "Small" and the auto-scaling is working - it's effectively set to "Small" (100%) on my DisplayLink-connected monitor, and about 120% on the Surface Pro internal display.

Five minutes ago I had the same settings applied and both monitors were scaling to 120%.

I'll leave it to Microsoft to fix this one.

06-28-2013, 11:35 PM	#1
Raghnall Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2	FYI: For Those with scaling issues / fuzzy screens Screen scaling for the desktop was introduced in Windows 8.1. This caused problems for me as it appeared that all my screens were fuzzy or out of focus when using my Display Link Dock. I do not know if this is an issue with the beta Display Link drivers or with Windows 8.1 in general. Regardless, to fix it - disable the (broken) screen scaling by doing the following: Note that you will be required to log out for the changes to take effect Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Display Put a check on "Let me choose one scaling for all my displays" Then set the "Change the size of all items" to "Smaller - 100%" Click Apply (you may have to do it twice for it to work)

06-29-2013, 12:08 AM	#2
jdowsett Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 15	Thanks - but new problem That really helps and fixes my RDP over multiscreen issue - however I lose my mouse pointer. Crazy part is - if I'm in the RDP window I have a pointer - if on the local machine can't see the pointer on desktop or modern UI. I can tell the mouse is moving because of context changes has it moves over buttons and links.

06-29-2013, 12:19 AM	#4
jdowsett Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 15	Tbolt Its a surface pro - so there if nothing really to update past checking windows update.

07-01-2013, 01:36 AM	#7
Kaldek Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 5	Display Auto scaling not working I have a Surface Pro with the new preview drivers installed. When connected to the dock (connected in turn to a 24" LCD via HDMI), Windows 8.1 is not handling the auto screen scaling. I assume it's a restriction in the driver. What should happen is that the 24" monitor automatically scales to "Small" text and the internal panel on the Surface Pro stays at "Large". As Windows are moved between displays, they automatically resize as you move more than 50% of the Window into the other display. If I connect to this external screen using the DisplayPort connector on the Surface Pro, the auto screen scaling between monitors works fine.

06-29-2013, 12:09 AM	#3
TBolt Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 11	Did you guys update your video card drivers after updating to 8.1? Just wondering if that might help.

06-29-2013, 02:41 PM	#6
tboggs13 Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 11	I also have a Surface Pro and I experience the same issue, but I use DisplayLink at home and a displayport connection at work. The problem occurs with both monitors and is most definitely a problem with the new scaling options in Windows 8.1. The problem is an old problem with scaling on Windows, requiring that you log out and log in to change you scaling options. In the past you could only have one scaling option for all monitors or you would have to manually change it every time you switched. With 8.1, they are trying to address the issue of high resolution monitors and small screens. Unfortunately, they have not figure out how to accomplish this completely without us having to log out and back in. What we get instead is a hybrid of whatever scaling we selected for a monitor which typically looks awful. Some screen elements too small, some very fuzzy and some too big. I have found that I can set a different scaling for each monitor and Windows 8.1 will remember. I have also found that it works best if I have the internal display disabled when attached to another monitor. Finally, I log out before undocking and log back in when accessing the Surface directly. Too me this works better since I find the Surface a lot easier to work on when the scaling is set to large.

07-02-2013, 11:48 PM	#8
Kaldek Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 5	OK I've done more investigation and this issue is NOT caused by DisplayLink. Rather, it appears to be a bug in Windows 8.1 where the scaling settings are inconsistent in the way they are applied. Right now my scaling setting is one step up from "Small" and the auto-scaling is working - it's effectively set to "Small" (100%) on my DisplayLink-connected monitor, and about 120% on the Surface Pro internal display. Five minutes ago I had the same settings applied and both monitors were scaling to 120%. I'll leave it to Microsoft to fix this one.