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Just how bad is the 5:4 stretch with DOS Games

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First post, by FioGermi

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How bad is the 5:4 stretch of DOS games compared to a proper image on a CRT/4:3 monitor? I haven't had a proper CRT in a long time and have been using a NEC 4:3 19' monitor as my main retro display. Iv been told 5:4 is actually quiet ugly but it doesn't look too bad to my eyes. Anyone have any good comparison screenshots from DOS games? and any good recommendations for a proper 4:3 flat monitor to look out for? (NEC Multisync?)

Reply 2 of 8, by Joseph_Joestar

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Barely noticeable for 320x200 and 640x480 resolutions.

But if you go higher than that e.g. 800x600 and 1024x768 then it does worsen. Those higher resolutions are very uncommon in DOS games though.

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Reply 3 of 8, by Gmlb256

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Other common resolutions in DOS games are 320x240, 640x400 and 640x350. Not very problematic with the first two ones on a 5:4 monitor but with the last one the vertical streching will be a lot worse.

And then there are more unusual screen resolutions which may or may not scale well with your monitor.

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Reply 5 of 8, by Gmlb256

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rasz_pl wrote on 2022-05-10, 14:18:

afaik all 19 inch LCDs are 5:4

I had a 19 inch LCD monitor from Dell with 16:10 aspect ratio that has the maximum resolution of 1440x900.

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Reply 6 of 8, by greasemonkey90s

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Gmlb256 wrote on 2022-05-10, 14:39:
rasz_pl wrote on 2022-05-10, 14:18:

afaik all 19 inch LCDs are 5:4

I had a 19 inch LCD monitor from Dell with 16:10 aspect ratio that has the maximum resolution of 1440x900.

And how did your monitor fair?. I have the same rez/aspect ratio monitor as well that havent tried.

Reply 7 of 8, by Gmlb256

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greasemonkey90s wrote on 2022-05-13, 21:34:
Gmlb256 wrote on 2022-05-10, 14:39:
rasz_pl wrote on 2022-05-10, 14:18:

afaik all 19 inch LCDs are 5:4

I had a 19 inch LCD monitor from Dell with 16:10 aspect ratio that has the maximum resolution of 1440x900.

And how did your monitor fair?. I have the same rez/aspect ratio monitor as well that havent tried.

I no longer have that monitor but IIRC mine didn't have the settings to adjust the aspect ratio with DOS games. This means that the scaling will be ugly for resolutions other than 1440x900.

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Reply 8 of 8, by chinny22

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This link has a few examples and links to even more
https://www.neogaf.com/threads/ms-dos-games-a … t-ratio.1108226

I've kept a Dell 15" as 15" is the last screen that does 4:3 by default but it never gets used.
The 17" feel so much bigger and I don't really notice the stretching.

Main reason I got a CRT is for the games that use video modes that modern screens don't support, it also doubles for anything below 800x600 since upgrading again to 21" wide screens that allow you to lock the aspect ration at 800x600 and above.

(now 320x200 stretched on those screens DOES look terrible) 🤣

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