Solved SP4 high-dpi multi-monitor fix - alternate 3:2 aspect ratio resolutions

[surfdock]

Folks, I got the multi-monitor optimizations working for the SP4! Now you can get the same seamless multi-monitor experience with the SP4 that so many loved on the SP3. Download the regkey here:

• Surface Pro 4 - high-dpi multi-monitor optimization regkey - danchar - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

This will add several 3:2 aspect ratio resolutions to the control panel that you can select from. The alternate resolutions provided in the default install are all 4:3 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratio which will leave black bars aka letterboxing. The resolutions added with the regkey will use the full screen with no letterboxing so you can be sure you're getting the most out of your screen.




If you're using a dock with your monitors, please let me know how you're using it by filling out a quick survey so I can help improve the experience:

http://www.instant.ly/s/4Ut7b

 

[surfdock]

Just updated the regkey to add a few more resolutions:

• 2400x1600
• 2304x1536
• 2160x1440
• 2056x1368
• 2040x1360
• 1920x1280
• 1800x1200
• 1728x1152
• 1536x1024
• 1440x960
• 1200x800
• 1152x768
• 1080x720

 

[surfdock]

Added the popular 1368x912 resolution (1/2 SP4 native res) and got it working on one SurfaceBook as well.

Please let me know if you have any issues using the regkey and getting the extra resolutions. If you do, please run dxdiag.exe and attach the log file.

 

[JordanAT]

Nice. Is there a way to automagically switch between resolutions when docked/undocked? i.e. use the 1/2 res/100% scaling when docked and adjacent to my regular monitors, but switch back to full res when undocking?

 

[surfdock]

Jordan. Yes there is. In fact Windows already does this automatically by remembering the various monitor "topologies". For a complete explanation, please see the SP3 article I wrote last year:

Hi-dpi Multi-mon with Surface Pro 3 / Pro 4 - dpi-scaling tweaks - danchar - Site Home - MSDN Blogs


Sometimes Windows is dumb and forgets the settings so now and then you may need to go into control panel and set the proper resolution again, but most of the time it works great. My wife has used this config with her 3-in-1 VESA mounted Surface Dock I made for her for the last year or so. Undocked, the tablet runs at native resolution. When docked, it flips to 1080x720 mode and matches perfectly next to her 1920x1080 monitor like the youtube demo we put together. If that's an experience you're interested in getting for yourself, PM me and maybe I can build one for you to get more BETA testing feedback.

 

[JordanAT]

Jordan. Yes there is. In fact Windows already does this automatically by remembering the various monitor "topologies". For a complete explanation, please see the SP3 article I wrote last year:

Thanks for the reply. The dock looks really cool, but I'm in the process of trying to use my surface as a drawing tablet while using my big monitors for holding / searching in reference materials. Docking/undocking would obviously not work for me in that case.

So far the transitions seem pretty smooth, though I have to logout and login if I am working on the surface alone and then dock into my 30". Also, one program I use (Blubeam Revu v12.6) gets into an "impossible" mode if I exit while it's on the screen at 100% scaling and then re-open it when I'm at 200% scaling. It can't close out, can't minimize, and can't maximize - the app window is essentially frozen. Even uninstalling and reintalling doesn't work because it leaves settings buried somewhere in the registry (no doubt to discourage people from trying to get multiple free trial periods). Reinstalling just has it open to the impossible condition. Reverting to 100% scaling allows me to open it, resize the window to fit the screen, then I can switch to 200% again.

 

[Theartiszan]

I guess it isn't meant to be for the sb.
I ran the reg file and restarted and no new resolutions showed up for me. Anyone get this on the sb working

 

[surfdock]

Theartiszan, which SB model do you have? I got it working on a SB at work, but there may be some nuances in the drivers depending on the discrete GPU and Intel CPU setup you have. I haven't had a chance to test on all the different models yet.

If you can spare the time, would you mind creating a system restore point, then force installing the latest intel.com .ZIP driver Intel® Download Center then trying the custom resolution tool from there? If the custom resolution tool works for you, please run regedit and search for "C_MODES_LFP" The ones I added were C_MODES_LFP_5 and C_MODES_LFP_5d. So if the intel driver added something else to your machine, that's the missing link!

Step by step on installing the intel driver and using the custom res tool is in my SP3 writeup:
Hi-dpi Multi-mon with Surface Pro 3 / Pro 4 - dpi-scaling tweaks - alternate 3:2 aspect ratio resolutions - danchar - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

 

[Theartiszan]

Sure. I will give that a try later today. The surface book I have is the i7, 16, 512, dGPU model. Thinking the nvidia card could through it off, I installed this and rebooted while it was not on the keyboard base.

 

[surfdock]

Updated regkey to v5. Should work with more SB models now:

Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 - high-dpi multi-monitor optimization regkey for alternate 3:2 aspect ratio resolutions - danchar - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

If v4 did not work for you on SB, please try this new key and let me know the result.

 

[Theartiszan]

Just tried the version 5 that was released. That has worked fine on mine. Haven't tested gaming with it, but it does have the right resolutions on it.

 

[No_ax_to_grind]

How would you go about doing custom resolutions on an external monitor?