I think you're pretty much stuck with it like that, I have a Packard Bell monitor from 1994 that has no vertical or horizontal adjust either and I agree it's annoying to have that big border. 🤣

You can probably fix that with PowerStrip, I have a vague memory of doing it 20 years ago.

I did a quick search and found this http://www.ramelectronics.net/powerstrip.aspx

Advanced timing options are the settings you want to mess with.

Skyscraper wrote:

You can probably fix that with PowerStrip, I have a vague memory of doing it 20 years ago.

I did a quick search and found this http://www.ramelectronics.net/powerstrip.aspx

Advanced timing options are the settings you want to mess with.

Awesome, i was wondering if there was any kind of software to fix the problem 😀
Im definitely going to give it try, thanks!! 😎

can you run it at 800x600

Looks like an old VGA-only monitor (as in 640x480 max) because of the general lack of external picture size/centering controls, but there should be internal potentiometers to make those adjustments. They tend to look like this:

and the silk screen on the circuit board usually tells you what each one does. If you want to enlarge the picture look for something marked H.SIZE / H.AMP and V.SIZE / V.AMP / HEIGHT or something along those lines. You only need a small screwdriver to make the adjustments, usually turning clockwise results in a larger size or a positive shift.

You have to do this with the cover off and the monitor turned on and displaying a picture since the adjustments are usually very twitchy so be careful.
Personally I like my old fixed-scan monitors with their default large borders 'cause I believe that's the manufacturer's way of saying 'this is the picture area where you'll find the highest performance in terms of geometry/convergence' but in the end it's all down to personal preference. If you want a larger picture by all means open it up and adjust it to fit your taste. 😉
If you open it up and are unsure of where to begin you can post close-up pictures of the circuit board and we'll help you with that.

I recommend displaying a perfect circle or square when doing the adjustment so you can maintain the correct 4:3 aspect ratio.

Remember, for mains gear, always use high impedance tested footwear and always operate with one hand in your pocket. I also recommend using an RCD/GFCI protected circuit. Mains electricity can kill you. If you have any doubt, seek the assistance of someone more experienced.

Skyscraper wrote:

You can probably fix that with PowerStrip, I have a vague memory of doing it 20 years ago.

I did a quick search and found this http://www.ramelectronics.net/powerstrip.aspx

Advanced timing options are the settings you want to mess with.

With that software i was able to expand the image vertically, but not horizontally, anyways i appreciate your tip, since i didnt know that software and its very useful to take the most of several graphic cards.

Davros wrote:

can you run it at 800x600

Yes it runs on that resolution, but it gets even worst/smaller.

133MHz wrote:

Personally I like my old fixed-scan monitors with their default large borders 'cause I believe that's the manufacturer's way of saying 'this is the picture area where you'll find the highest performance in terms of geometry/convergence' but in the end it's all down to personal preference. If you want a larger picture by all means open it up and adjust it to fit your taste. 😉

Thank you so much for your help on trying to guide me through the process, but i definitely agree with you, if the image comes smaller from the manufacturer, its a sign of being the best option for that monitor size and refresh rate.

gdjacobs wrote:

Remember, for mains gear, always use high impedance tested footwear and always operate with one hand in your pocket. I also recommend using an RCD/GFCI protected circuit. Mains electricity can kill you. If you have any doubt, seek the assistance of someone more experienced.

Electronics its not my area of expertise, and the process of doing that manually its dangerous, and going to a professional its out of the question, the labour hours are more expensive than the equipment itself.
I want to thank all you guys for trying to help me, but i guess I’ve to assume its a real old monitor, and if i want to have resize functions, Ill have to buy myself a new one 😒

It's a shame there isn't a vintage electronics/computing club local to you. It might be a good place to find someone to help in exchange for something like pizza and beer.

Edit: HAM radio clubs can also be good places to orbit around if you need to find a circuit bender

My KFC/Smile 9" Monochrome displays are like this though they have a V-adjust pot hidden way down under the tube inside.

I suspect these displays were made to be cheap only to "get the job done" as they would likely have to show only a simple interface and nothing more. Even the latest and greatest PoS software looks like something a twelve-year-old would make in Visual Basic at the weekend. If it bothers you so much, the circuitry isn't complicated and should be fairly simple to reverse engineer if you have a decent knowledge of electronics, there is very little of anything smart in these monitors - mine are assembled almost completely from passive components. Unfortunately I will probably be of little help as CRT displays terrify me and I try to avoid taking the lid off them. I'm quite happy to write them off as "sorcery in a box" and let them do their own thing for the most part.