OT, but somewhat related to WinCC Flexible.

Hi.

I have a HMI program made with WinCC Flexible, and it shall be displayed at an exhibition on a 43" widescreen monitor. I think it is a HDTV screen actually, but I havent been informed about the exact details. I do now that the screen has 16:9 aspect ratio though, and that is the problem. All the screen resolutions that can be selected in WinCC Flexible have 4:3 aspect ratio. 1600x1200 is the max resolution that can seleceted. Also from the PC there is only a DSUB-15 port (VGA) available, no DVI or HDMI.

Here are the questions:

1. How does one get a screen resolution in Windows of for example 1366x768 ?
The available selections that I have now are the typical 1024x768 .. 1280x1024 .. 1600x1200.
The typical HDTV resolutions of 1366x768 and 1680x1050 are not available.
Do I have to install a special driver ?
Or do I have to install a new graphics card ?

2. Is there a limit to what resolution can be achieved with a standard VGA output ?
I have heard something about DVI being required for the higher resolutions.

3. How do the typical HDTV screen react to that a signal with a resolution of say 1280x1024 being supplied to it ?
Does it interpolate the signal to its native resolution ?
Or does it "crop" the picture ?

Thanks.

It will stretch the picture to fit the screen unless you set it up to crop the picture. There will be a menu on the TV that will let you do this.

Even if your graphics card could talk to a 16:9 aspect ratio, the WinCC screens would be distorted unless you specifically designed your screens around that ratio..

Even if your graphics card could talk to a 16:9 aspect ratio, the WinCC screens would be distorted unless you specifically designed your screens around that ratio..

Click to expand...

Yes. That is the other problem. There are only a number of screen resolutions available in WinCC Flexible. And they are all with 4:3 aspect ratio. Marketing has arranged the screen without consulting me, and I have to try and make sense out of it.

Then you will have no choice but to set the HDTV at a 4:3 ratio and live with the black cropping on either side. The only other option (and you probably don't have time for this) is to hook up this TV to your PC and redraw the screens so they look right with a 16:9 ratio. They will look distorted on your PC, but they would look good on the TV.

What looks best (least bad) ?
Black cropping on either side of the picture, or a distorted picture where circles have become ovals ?

I have a large project with lots screen elements. Hmmm... I could "group" a complete screen, then resize the grouped elements, and then remove the grouping. But what happens to circles ? I dont think they will be exchanged for ovals. And I dont believe that this will look brilliant in the end.

Anyway, thanks for your time. It helps to talk to someone about it.

I would definitely go with the cropping unless you are willing to change all of the screen elements and fonts. For instance, all of the circles woud have to be changed to verticle ovals to make them look right.

Hopefully Siemens will address this issue soon. Virtually all TVs and computers will be using 16:9 in the near future.

hi there

May be this link can shed some light
http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-6307377-1.html

Also google aspect ratio converter

JesperMP said:

Here are the questions:

1. How does one get a screen resolution in Windows of for example 1366x768 ?
The available selections that I have now are the typical 1024x768 .. 1280x1024 .. 1600x1200.
The typical HDTV resolutions of 1366x768 and 1680x1050 are not available.
Do I have to install a special driver ?
Or do I have to install a new graphics card ?

Click to expand...

If it is WinXP, then it will only show the resolutions the current attached screen can output.
Attach the Widescreen and then check again. Should be able to select widescreen resolutions, but not sure if it's a TV....

JesperMP said:

2. Is there a limit to what resolution can be achieved with a standard VGA output ?
I have heard something about DVI being required for the higher resolutions.

Click to expand...

My VGA-output can achieve 1920x1440. It all depends on the gfx-card. But for more info ont he differences, check : http://www.thesmallest.com/lessonettes/dviandvga.html

JesperMP said:

3. How do the typical HDTV screen react to that a signal with a resolution of say 1280x1024 being supplied to it ?
Does it interpolate the signal to its native resolution ?
Or does it "crop" the picture ?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I don't exactly have a HDTV at hand, but I remember fooling around with a laptop and 48" Sony widescreen TV. There were settings on the TV for cropping, zoom, strech, fit to screen, 1:1,....Depends on the monitor/screen/TV.

And as for the project, I would do it like normal and then crop it on the screen. Or not make the project fullscreen and add info/adds to the sides, making it info/add - Project - Info/add. I would go for 4:3.

Jeebs

If it is WinXP, then it will only show the resolutions the current attached screen can output.
Attach the Widescreen and then check again. Should be able to select widescreen resolutions, but not sure if it's a TV....

Click to expand...

I dont have the screen at the moment, it will be delievered separately to the exhibition.
However, I can set WinXP to ignore the current screens supported resolutions, and get a list of the resolutions supported by the graphics card. And indeed there are many more options, but not the 1366x768 and 1680x1050 of typical HDTV.

Thanks for your information though.
It will probably end with a cropped display of the HMI, and then I have to figure out what to do with the cropped parts of the screen.
I am sure that the marketing guys will be pleased with this solution