I have a [noparse]4:3[/noparse] CRT Monitor.
I want to be able to set my source games to a widescreen resolution, but instead of stretching I want it to have “theatrical” letterboxing (the black lines above and below the picture).
Is this possible?
Note: I don’t want to do this system-wide, just in my games. Thanks!
Sell that antique and get a proper widescreen LCD monitor.
I will when I’m not a poor college kid. But for now, I want letterboxing.
The only time I’ve seen letter boxing is if someone is using 2 monitors and they’re duplicating the displays. The monitors are of different size and they’re using the resolution of the smaller monitor. I’ve typically seen it when someone’s using a laptop on a docking station and it uses the resolution of the laptop. Probably not much help but that’s the only time I’ve seen it where it’s not stretched.
I think that nvidia drivers have some scaling options that may include letterboxing, but they only work if you’re using a HDMI or DVI monitor.
just set a widescreen resolution and change some settings of your monitor in the monitor osd
Yeah, Pfannkuchen, that’s what I figure I’ll have to end up doing, sadly 
There’s the problem… 
In fact, it is not.
seriously it is.
what about playing windowed with a black background?
Hey, that’s not a bad idea.
Can’t you change the aspect-ratio in the game and set a wide-screen resolution? :S
Works regardless of connection type. Problem is that it’s a system setting, while the op wants it only for the games.
To the rest, wtf is wrong with you flaming for a 4:3 aspect ratio? It’s more convenient for pretty much everything but shizz and movies. I’d give anything to get a new screen with normal proportions but all the fancy stuff is now 16:10 or even worse, 16:9.
Widescreen is best no matter you sayin.
That’s one way to make a point.
4 : 3 is for acrotomophiliacs that opt for chopping off the sides of their screen instead of their limbs.
I too agree that a widescreen would be good for me. Especially since I’m a web developer / graphic artist. However, I don’t have that luxury at the moment. I will try in windowed mode perhaps with -noborder
If you use an NVidia card then under “Adjust desktop size and position” try setting the option “When using a resolution lower than my display’s native resolution…” to “Use NVIDIA scaling with fixed-aspect ratio.”
This should do pretty much nothing when you’re on the desktop at a normal resolution, but when you switch to a widescreen resolution in-game it should automatically scale it full-width, without distorting the aspect ratio.
‘Should’ being the key word. I dumped my last CRT about a year ago now for my second 24" LCD so I honestly can’t test it for you.
What driver/cp version are you using? 2.8.254.08 and the option is there for me right where the arrows are.
Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.