Can my widescreen monitor display 4x3?

[Sky115]

Hello,

I am trying to figure out a way to switch the display of my wide screen monitor to 4x3, so that the image would be centered with black borders on the side. I'd like to be able to run 4x3 resolutions full screen without being stretched horizontally.

The monitor is a Dell 2208WFP.

Ideally I'd like to be able to set something so that it switches to the 4x3 display automatically when I start specific applications, but being able to manually switch it before I start the applications would be fine as well.

Thanks a lot if you can help me out

[Calum]

What graphics card do you have?

[Sky115]

It is an Nvidia GeForce 7800

[Calum]

What applications are you using that need this 4:3 aspect ratio?

[Sky115]

I'd like to be able to run some old games that cannot be adjusted to wide screen monitors, specifically Diablo 2 and Tropico.

It's possible to play them in a window, but in both games I find myself clicking off the edge of the window, which minimizes it and is frustrating.

[Sky115]

Sorry for the double post but I figured out my problem and thought I'd post the solution for anyone else who might want it.

With an Nvidia card you can right click on the desktop to access the Nvidia control panel. On the left of this window will be an option called "change flat panel scaling" and from there you can select the option to "use nvidia scaling with fixed aspect ratio". This will cause any aspect ratio to not be fit to your screen, instead the image will be centered with black lines down the sides in the empty space.

Thanks for your quick replies though Calum, I appreciate your willingness to help. 

[Calum]

You're welcome and I'm glad you got it sorted.
I was going to suggest you try that (no, really) but had to log off suddenly.
I do have an Nvidia card you see and was looking for that option, when I found it I had to go (power had to go off because we were installing a new shower).