Help me with my new laptop/monitor

[Planterz]

I just got my new laptop, along with which I got a monitor for use at home. Right off the bat I'm having difficulty getting it set up, and the manuals are no use.

Using the HDMI cable, it allows me to use the monitor in 1920 x 1080, but the view doesn't use the full screen. There's about an inch on each side and half an inch on the top and bottom that are just black. Worse, the cursor (mouse/touchpad) goes to the right past where the the screen "should" end (ie, it goes into the black part, but isn't visible). It only does this on the right side, not any of the other sides.

There is no menu option on the monitor to adjust the screen size when the HDMI cable is used.

When I use VGA instead of HDMI it automatically adjusts the screen to fit properly. Unfortunately, it's at a lower resoultion (1280 x 720), and I can't adjust it any larger. However, when using VGA, the cursor stops where it should.

Finally, I can't get the colors on my laptop screen and the monitor to match, regardless of which cable I connect them with. I have no idea which is "correct" either.

I've updated Windows and checked for any driver/hardware updates, and everything is up to date.

Help!

 

[Grimspoon]

There's a good chance your laptop doesn't support 1080p resolution, and is using centered timings.

Just checked and that seems to be the case. Your laptop's native resolution is 1366 x 768 and the native res on your new LCD is 1920x1080. Your monitor's display is being centered on the new LCD instead of stretching it.

You "might" have some luck getting the resolution you want with a program called Powerstrip, but no guarantees.

 

[gadgetgeek]

what happens if you run the HDMI at a lower resolution?

 

[SPXTrader]

Grimspoon is spot on with the problem, and possibly the solution. As for color, I've had a bunch of different laptops, and none I've found have the ability to deliver the number of display colors, contrast ratio or response time that you find in a desktop machine to an external monitor. The closest I have found was a Sony Vaio, but you got a real nice machine with the Acer. I've been beating on one for over a year now, and zero problems.

 

[Planterz]

what happens if you run the HDMI at a lower resolution?

Same issues.

I think I've found an acceptable solution. If I run it off of VGA and use only the monitor (instead of duplicated on both), it allows me to run at a higher resolution. 1920 x 1280 doesn't work right; not only does the cursor go off the screen, but the bottom is completely cut off (no menus at the bottom), but everything displays and works properly at 1680 x 1050.

I've also downloaded Powerstrip, and although it's not helping me with resolution issues (yet), I've been fiddling with the color adjustments and I think I can get the colors where they should be.

Thanks.