Overscan/Underscan on External Display in Desktop Mode?

[MoldySpore]

So you can scale the UI in SteamOS mode, but there doesn't appear to be a way to scale the display output for an external monitor while in Desktop Mode? Unless I am missing something? There are no options for Overscan/Underscan on the Display settings in desktop mode.

This is especially important for when you are traveling and only have access to hotel displays, that generally restrict access to the native menu that would allow scaling on the display itself. It is weird that there wouldn't be an option in desktop mode to overcome this issue. As it sits now any external display I connect to is overscanning past the edge of the screen so all my games are not displayed properly on external monitors while traveling.

[cattaman]

In the same boat with this would really like to have and answer

[Man's Best Friend]

Yay for issues that arise because TV manufacturers were incompetent from the start regarding digital inputs.

Sadly I have no advice for you, just venting because this is something that literally never should have been a problem. Overscan existed on analogue displays with analogue signals because they weren't precise. Overscan should never have been a thing once we went to digital displays with digital inputs because the display knows exactly how big its panel is, how big the incoming image is, and can scale the input to exactly the panel size. The fact that so many TVs used to (and I think some still do) default to scaling to overscan is just stupid.

[mcdgray129]

Indeed i hate that its not an option in desktop mode. In windows this isnt an issue but on steam deck when i use it on my samsung tv some of the edges are cut off. The picture settings are grayed out on the tv itself so cant change it from 16:9 to fit to screen. It really is driving me insane. In gaming mode it looks perfect. Does anyone even know an app that will allow scaling options on desktop mode in linux?.

[Holiday Haver Neren]

Originally posted by HTTP Error 418: I'm a teapot:

Yay for issues that arise because TV manufacturers were incompetent from the start regarding digital inputs.

Sadly I have no advice for you, just venting because this is something that literally never should have been a problem. Overscan existed on analogue displays with analogue signals because they weren't precise. Overscan should never have been a thing once we went to digital displays with digital inputs because the display knows exactly how big its panel is, how big the incoming image is, and can scale the input to exactly the panel size. The fact that so many TVs used to (and I think some still do) default to scaling to overscan is just stupid.

Personally I looked this up because I'm playing on a CRT but I guess this is a good enough point
The fact that this is a thing on a lot of displays should be enough of a reason to have implementation for it, though.
Annnd https://youtu.be/mVcwAR0319U
Looks like it's been solved. Just tried it out on my monitor and it seems to work just fine!

[Mr. IsItIn]

Originally posted by Hahasamian:

Originally posted by HTTP Error 418: I'm a teapot:

Yay for issues that arise because TV manufacturers were incompetent from the start regarding digital inputs.

Sadly I have no advice for you, just venting because this is something that literally never should have been a problem. Overscan existed on analogue displays with analogue signals because they weren't precise. Overscan should never have been a thing once we went to digital displays with digital inputs because the display knows exactly how big its panel is, how big the incoming image is, and can scale the input to exactly the panel size. The fact that so many TVs used to (and I think some still do) default to scaling to overscan is just stupid.

Personally I looked this up because I'm playing on a CRT but I guess this is a good enough point
The fact that this is a thing on a lot of displays should be enough of a reason to have implementation for it, though.
Annnd https://youtu.be/mVcwAR0319U
Looks like it's been solved. Just tried it out on my monitor and it seems to work just fine!

This is in Gaming Mode though. As OP stated, there’s no option when in desktop mode. I’m having is exact issue now. At a hotel and need to scale desktop mode because it’s cut off when using their TV. In gaming mode, the scaling works perfectly and was able to be configured as expected.

I’ve seen that there’s CLI commands you can play with, but there should be a native option in the OS settings..

[✪ Dr. Trees™]

Originally posted by MoldySpore:

So you can scale the UI in SteamOS mode, but there doesn't appear to be a way to scale the display output for an external monitor while in Desktop Mode? Unless I am missing something? There are no options for Overscan/Underscan on the Display settings in desktop mode.

This is especially important for when you are traveling and only have access to hotel displays, that generally restrict access to the native menu that would allow scaling on the display itself. It is weird that there wouldn't be an option in desktop mode to overcome this issue. As it sits now any external display I connect to is overscanning past the edge of the screen so all my games are not displayed properly on external monitors while traveling.

15th Nov 2023 and still having this issue. Anyone found a fix?

[nexfin100-senpai-sama-chan-kun]

3rd of December 2023, still no fix for this... trying to output on my parent's crappy Panasonic plasma tv while I'm there.

[Holiday Haver Neren]

Ah! I've been meaning to comment this for a while, but if you guys are in a pinch you can... not use Desktop Mode!
Sounds ridiculous but hear me out...
You can actually launch the desktop from inside of Game Mode, by making a script and adding it as a non-Steam game.
You can use this script by one of the KDE developers![gist.github.com]
It has all the advantages and disadvantages of being formatted as a game in Game Mode... so no multi-monitor support, but you do have the overscan adjustment option!
Hopefully this helps for anyone that's just in a place like a hotel and wants to use the TV as a monitor but can't/doesn't want to adjust its settings. It's an oddly specific case, but I hope this helps someone at least!

[refael33]

I didn't find a nice app to fix it yet, but at least you can fix it this way

Note: this fix is for Panasonic TX-32LE8X TV you may adjust the numbers in the script to fit your TV

1. Open any text editor (like Kate or KWrite) and copy paste this script:
   

   #!/bin/bash
   
   # Steam Deck overscan fix for Panasonic XT-32LE8X
   sleep 1
   xrandr --output DisplayPort-0 --panning 1280x720 --transform 1.05,0,-32,0,1.05,-21,0,0,1

2. Save as "overscan_fix.sh" at your Desktop (must end with .sh)
   
3. in the Desktop right click on this file > Properties > Permissions, mark the "Is executable" check box and click OK
   
4. Double click on the file to execute it

The numbers after the "--panning" is the resolution of your TV and the numbers after "--transform" is the size and location you want to adjust like width, height, left, right, etc.
Play with them in the text editor until it fit your TV (don't forget to save and execute the file again to test the changes)

You will need to to execute the "overscan_fix.sh" file every time you switch to Desktop Mode,
to automate it:

1. Open System Settings > Startup and Shutdown > Autostart, click "+ Add" and choose "+ Add Login Script"
   
2. In the opened window choose the overscan_fix.sh file in the Desktop directory and click "Open"

I hope this was helpful for you.

[Holiday Haver Neren]

Heheh, two solutions at once! Nice work Refael

[MoldySpore]

Originally posted by Hahasamian:

Ah! I've been meaning to comment this for a while, but if you guys are in a pinch you can... not use Desktop Mode!
Sounds ridiculous but hear me out...
You can actually launch the desktop from inside of Game Mode, by making a script and adding it as a non-Steam game.
You can use this script by one of the KDE developers![gist.github.com]
It has all the advantages and disadvantages of being formatted as a game in Game Mode... so no multi-monitor support, but you do have the overscan adjustment option!
Hopefully this helps for anyone that's just in a place like a hotel and wants to use the TV as a monitor but can't/doesn't want to adjust its settings. It's an oddly specific case, but I hope this helps someone at least!

So no multi-monitor support, but when you launch it from Game Mode it can still switch off of the integrated screen and use an external monitor? And setting the resolution inside the Desktop Mode OS will scale to whatever external monitor is attached as it does when loading Desktop Mode normally? I/O still functions normally?

I am asking because I won't have access to my Deck for a while, so I can't check myself :)

[Holiday Haver Neren]

Originally posted by MoldySpore:

So no multi-monitor support, but when you launch it from Game Mode it can still switch off of the integrated screen and use an external monitor? And setting the resolution inside the Desktop Mode OS will scale to whatever external monitor is attached as it does when loading Desktop Mode normally? I/O still functions normally?

I am asking because I won't have access to my Deck for a while, so I can't check myself :)

It's locked to a particular resolution you choose in the code... Personally I made a shortcut for 800p and one for 1080p, since most of my monitors are 1080p! And yeah, just like anything else in Game Mode it'll switch to any external monitor you connect.

[retro_Ed]

Originally posted by mcdgray129:

Indeed i hate that its not an option in desktop mode. In windows this isnt an issue but on steam deck when i use it on my samsung tv some of the edges are cut off. The picture settings are grayed out on the tv itself so cant change it from 16:9 to fit to screen. It really is driving me insane. In gaming mode it looks perfect. Does anyone even know an app that will allow scaling options on desktop mode in linux?.

Years ago I had issues with Samsung television with cropped image from laptop.
When I changed default HDMI input name to PC, television accepted 1:1 pixel perfect image.

This is little late answer but still at least a worth to try.

[gn005gundamvirtue]

^This advice also worked on my LG C1 TV.

[MoldySpore]

Years ago I had issues with Samsung television with cropped image from laptop.
When I changed default HDMI input name to PC, television accepted 1:1 pixel perfect image.

This is little late answer but still at least a worth to try.

So the issue is that I would expect the majority of Deck users travel with it in some capacity. Almost every hotel/motel/etc. I've ever been in, across America and Europe, do NOT allow you access to the settings menu for the TV directly. All ability to control aspect ratio, the names of inputs (or even access additional inputs altogether sometimes) is walled off. They don't want you plugging in your own entertainment, they want you buying their services through whatever menu system they have hooked into the TV.

At home, or somewhere else where you have access to the real remote and settings, you can control the aspect ratio without a problem. But when traveling you don't always have access to it. This is where it is key to have the option to change the output from the device side, something that is lacking on the deck.