WMC switching from Fullscreen to windowed

[Chuggy]

About a week ago my system started switching from FullScreen to windowed mode every time i turn the TV off or change inputs. Upon coming back to WMC the screen is still open, but in a small window instead of full screen. I had installed a couple of programs that i thought may be causing the issue, but after uninstalling the issue is still present. Has anyone else had a similiar issue or have any ideas. I tried to do a system restore, but it told me they were all missing or corrupt (which is also odd).

Any help would be appreciated.

[tzr916]

Sounds like hdmi handshake issue....

Windows version?
Connected via hdmi?
Model GPU?
GPU driver version?
Are you using an AVR between the Tv and the PC?
What model is the Tv (and AVR)?
Do you leave WMC running on Live Tv when you change inputs/shut down the Tv?

When the problem happens:
Is WMC actually switching to windowed mode (where you can see the windows desktop in the background on the rest of the screen), or is the desktop (everything) being shrunk into a small window?
Where is the small window? corner, middle, etc
If you press ALT+ENTER on your PC keyboard, what happens?
If you press INFO on your Tv remote control, what comes up on the Tv screen?

[ewtaylo]

When windows loses the connection to a display it "helps" you out by switching its resolution to 1024 x 768 (which squishes the desktop and the full screen WMC gui). When you switch the display back on windows changes the desktop back to 1920 x 1080. However sometimes whatever was running on the desktop does not change back. I have been fighting this issue for many months.

I solve it by placing a $10 HDMI A/B splitter between my HTPC and the display so that windows never gets the "display disconnect" event. Now the HTPC will continuously output 1920 x 1080.

My way is not the most appropriate. The best thing to do is to use event ghost to see the "display disconnect" event and kill WMC gui. Then when it sees "display connect" it starts WMC gui up again.

[Chuggy]

Windwos 8.1
HDMI connect from computer to TV.
Intel i5 with 4600 Graphics
Older Sharp Aquos
Typically live TV is not running.

It is switching to Windowed mode where I can see the desktop. I tested XBMC and it does in fact stay in full screen. The smaller size screen is toward the bottom left. Ctrl alt del is standard reaction. Standard wmc controls work in small screen.

The interesting thing is that i had audio issues related to HDMI handshake that were fixed and now i have no audio issues, but the resizing issue.

[crawfish]

When windows loses the connection to a display it "helps" you out by switching its resolution to 1024 x 768 (which squishes the desktop and the full screen WMC gui). When you switch the display back on windows changes the desktop back to 1920 x 1080. However sometimes whatever was running on the desktop does not change back. I have been fighting this issue for many months.

I solve it by placing a $10 HDMI A/B splitter between my HTPC and the display so that windows never gets the "display disconnect" event. Now the HTPC will continuously output 1920 x 1080.

If this is the same problem I'm thinking of, you may be able to solve it with "The Pin 19 Trick". That's the one where you block off pin 19 in an HDMI cable with electrical tape to eliminate hot plug detection; there's a picture of it on this page:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?ti ... pid1357945

I employed this trick when I got a GTX660 for my gaming machine and was able to resume using dual monitors with it. I run the PC's HDMI output for the TV through an AVR so I can get 5.1 audio, but every time I would turn off the TV or AVR or switch inputs, Windows would detect the TV as unplugged and do various baffling stupid things like moving my desktop onto it. Covering this pin put an end to that nonsense, and Windows now thinks the TV is connected all the time, like it does when connecting directly to the TV when using dual monitors or connecting to the AVR with just the TV. Now I can turn the monitor (connected with DisplayPort), TV, and AVR on and off, and my display configuration remains stable.

I never had problems with a single monitor configuration, even going through the AVR, and I guess you're talking about using a single display. I may not have observed the exact same problem you described, but the cause may be the same, and perhaps the workaround as well.

[tzr916]

...It is switching to Windowed mode where I can see the desktop. I tested XBMC and it does in fact stay in full screen. The smaller size screen is toward the bottom left. Ctrl alt del is standard reaction. Standard WMC controls work in small screen...

I don't understand. If it is changing to windowed mode (desktop fills the entire Tv screen while WMC is in a window), then why are you reacting with CTRL+ALT+DEL? If you press ALT+ENTER, does WMC go back to full screen? Have you tried re-running WMC "Configure your Tv or Monitor" (in full screen)?

[Chuggy]

I only reported back Ctrl alt del because another post asked me a question. I have re-run setup several times and it doesn't seem to help. I think my on board graphics driver is to blame.

[Chuggy]

So I figured out the issue and fixed it, but I still have no idea what caused it. Basically I logged into my computer with team viewer on another computer so I could see what was happening when I turned the tv off. What I found was that my computer was changing the resolution from 1920 x 1080 to 768 x 1024 which was a portrait mode resolution. While logged in I changed the resolution back to 1920 x 1080 and it seems to be sticking upon turning the tv off.

Again, no idea why it started, but the good news is it's fixed for now.

[ewtaylo]

Chuggy-

That is the behavior I described in my post above. Windows has multiple EDID entries in the registry. by logging in with teamviewer you were able to adjust the EDID for the "no display" entry.

Just for other who my stumble upon this, the pin 19 trick would have worked, and of course the A/B HDMI switch trick would have worked too.

question: With your use of HD 4600 graphics (same as me) have you seen any "low memory" dialogs on your display when you power it back on? There is a known issue in 8.1 with the intel graphics driver and I was wondering if you are seeing it.

[Chuggy]

You were spot on with the resolution I'm guessing it was that nudge that got me where I needed to be. Regarding the memory leak I definitely had the problem when I left my computer running. I've since set up a task to restart the computer every morning at 5:00 am and the problem seems to have gone away.

[ewtaylo]

So the pin 19 fix and the HDMI A/B switch fix that were mentioned in here would fix both the resolution change issue along with the low memory issue seen on the intel HD graphics driver.

Just in case you see any of these issues again you will have some alternatives to pursue.