Steam link black borders

[GustavZucker]

Hi guys,

I have recently started to run into an issue when streaming my desktop to my Steam Link. My desktop has a native resolution of 2560x1080, my tv has a resolution of 1920x1080. I have configured my Steam client to switch the resolution of my desktop to 1920x1080 when streaming to the Link. Up until now this worked perfectly. As soon as I connected the Link to my desktop, the resolution would switch and I would have no issues at all.

Recently however, I’ve been encountering an issue where when I connect my Link to my desktop, my tv only shows part of the Big Picture mode. The Big Picture interface is partially cut off by black borders. Interestingly, I can still minimize the Big Picture mode to show my desktop without any issues. Also, I can play games without any issue. The issue lies solely with my Steam Big Picture interface. My desktop monitor does not display these borders. Does anyone know how to fix this?

BTW, the resolution of my desktop is in fact changed to 1920x1080 when I connect to my desktop. Therefore, this is likely not a scaling issue. Also, when I boot up my Link, there are no black borders. They only appear when I’m in big picture mode.

Thank you for your help!

[Elated Mind]

Hi, I have exactly the same problem, it appeared after the Windows 10 1803 update

https://ibb.co/eCoHdJ

https://ibb.co/b0k8ky

[Packetdancer]

There was a note in the latest Steam client beta update changelog -- https://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta#announcements/detail/1657768283096895947 -- about fixes for Windows 10 build 1803. While this wasn't the issue called out—that one being the games starting up minimized—you might still want to try the beta build just to see if the tweaks fix it.

[Elated Mind]

Originally posted by Packetdancer:

There was a note in the latest Steam client beta update changelog -- https://steamcommunity.com/groups/SteamClientBeta#announcements/detail/1657768283096895947 -- about fixes for Windows 10 build 1803. While this wasn't the issue called out—that one being the games starting up minimized—you might still want to try the beta build just to see if the tweaks fix it.

Update steam beta did not solve the problem :(

[_I_]

black boarders is due to resolution aspect ratio differences

if a monitor is 16:10 and tv is 16:9 you will get black bars on the sides
2560x1080 is 21:9 being scaled to 16:9 leaves black bars on teh top/bottom

tick the box in steam streaming settings to change res to match client
steam -> settings -> streaming -> advanced host options

[Elated Mind]

Originally posted by _I_:

black boarders is due to resolution aspect ratio differences

if a monitor is 16:10 and tv is 16:9 you will get black bars on the sides
2560x1080 is 21:9 being scaled to 16:9 leaves black bars on teh top/bottom

tick the box in steam streaming settings to change res to match client
steam -> settings -> streaming -> advanced host options

before the steam link and the steam itself worked fine, now, when you turn on the option, changing the desktop resolution to match the broadcast client, the black bars and the crooked interface appear, but you should disable the Steam Big Picture and enable it, the permission of the Steam Big Picture comes back to normal.

1) http://www.picshare.ru/view/8830249/
2) http://www.picshare.ru/view/8830250/
3) http://www.picshare.ru/view/8830251/
4) http://www.picshare.ru/view/8830252/
5) http://www.picshare.ru/view/8830253/

[braaains]

Same exact problem here except I'm using the steam link app on Nvidia Android TV. Looking forward to a fix!

[Elated Mind]

Up

[Aapje]

I also have the same problem. I think it probably is caused by big picture not responding well to the setting to switch resolutions when the steam link connects.

[Aapje]

More information:
I have a 1980x1200 monitor and in game the setting to switch the resolution when the steam link connects works perfectly. Desktop mode also works. It is just the Big Picture mode that shows these black bars.
When I look at my monitor (which is directly connected to my computer) I also see these bars.

[4RmHalls]

So I thought I had my problem all fixed by ticking the box for matching streaming client, alas now, sporadically the letterbox shows up after having played certain games without the letterbox. Furthermore, when I exit the game Steam Link's big picture mode is cropped on all sides, but this doesn't happen every time. As I said I enabled the option of matching the resolution of the client and that worked for a couple of games a couple of times but now it sometimes will open without letterbox, sometimes with the letterbox, and at times crop the big picture menu.

[Chaotic]

Had anyone found a solution yet? I'm having thr same issue with the change resolution box ticked. However, when I exit big picture mode and reopen it, it opens showing perfectly until a open and close a game, after which point I'm not really sure what happens but it looks like the monitor strix he's back to its native res (2560x1080).

[theconstable]

I read somewhere in the forums about this issue:

"I just went through this issue too and found a solution. I'm using a HTPC for In-Home Streaming and have the desktop scaled to 175% to make all the icons easier to see on my TV for Windows. This caused Steam BPM to down res.

You need to go into your Program Files directory or wherever you have Steam installed, find the Steam.exe, right click, select Properties, click the Compatibility tab, and click the option for 'Disable display scaling on high DPI settings'. Hope this helps someone else."

The entire forum post can be followed here:
https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/558747287910875204/?l=english

For Windows 10, to "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" you need to click on the tab compatibility, click on "Change high DPI settings" and then check "Override high DPI scaling behaviour."

Let me know if this fixes the issue for everyone

[JayD]

This exact issue is happening to me too. Windows 10 host computer's resolution is 2560x1080. Steam Link's display resolution is 1920x1080. When I start streaming, the resolution on the host computer is correctly set to 1920x1080 but BPM gets cut off on either side. I tried the DPI fix creaturex5 mentioned but it did not work.

[out_of_band]

Same issue here. Seems to be linked to the fact that I have an ultrawide aspect ratio (32:9). I've tried the compatibility mode suggestion and also found that it didn't work. It's somewhat annoying having to exit big picture and then re-enter it.

Being able to change the desktop resolution to match my client is a nice option if I want to play a game that's a shortcut into Steam (and can only run in a borderless window). Wish there were some kind of proper solution for this or acknowledgement of the issue.

[Athayna]

Originally posted by _I_:

black boarders is due to resolution aspect ratio differences

if a monitor is 16:10 and tv is 16:9 you will get black bars on the sides
2560x1080 is 21:9 being scaled to 16:9 leaves black bars on teh top/bottom

tick the box in steam streaming settings to change res to match client
steam -> settings -> streaming -> advanced host options

So I tried exactly this and it will show the games in the right aspect ratio without black border. Rejoice!... Unfortunately not... My host monitor will always change it's resolution from 2560x1080 to 1280x720 instead of 1920x1080, which would be the native resolution of my client device. Does anyone have a solution for that?