Windows 7 - Zoom setting won't stick in live TV

I use a Hitachi plasma screen with a native resolution of 1024x1024 to watch TV via Media Centre and with the recommended output resolution at 1024x768 via VGA. As would be expected, this results in black bars top and bottom so I have to use Zoom 3 setting which corrects it nicely. The picture quality is excellent. The problem is that when I change channels a few times, it reverts back to the default Zoom 1 so I have to manually change it back again using the info/zoom menu. This applies to HD & SD digital channels.

Is there some way I can get the zoom setting to stick? It's a real nuisance otherwise and ruining the setup.

Hi Jeff,

Sorry don't have a solution for this but have sent an error report to m$. Agree with you it is a pain but as a beta I suppose m$ haven't dome such a bad job.

On my setup the zoom seems to save per channel, once I set it for that channel it seems to remember the setting fairly reliably between channel changes.

there is a new KB fix out which should sort out some of the MCE problems if you are in the UK or New Zealand. Have just installed it and rebooted and already have noticed my TV guide is completing now as opposed to "not available" (which it changed to a couple of days ago, after working). I have created a thread with more details regarding the hotfix.

You can't force 1024x1024 resolution?

The graphics driver which Microsoft installs for the Intel IG35 on board graphics does not allow anything other than VGA standard resolutions so the alternatives are 1024x768 (which it recommends) or 1280x1024. I don't know whether Powerstrip could be used to force the screens native resolution.

I will try the update that Bellerophon suggested and see if that makes a difference.

Hi Jeff just seen your post, the update did not cure the zoom problem for me but it seems to have cured missing tv guide data BUT it also seems to have knocked out my ebay and weather plug ins!!!!

Hi Bellerophon. Thanks for the quick reply. That's a shame!

I may re-install my Radeon HD 4670 card to replace the IG35 onboard graphics as the onboard surprisingly struggles with HD content under Windows 7 with noticeable stuttering. Under Vista it manages OK. With the Radeon card I have the option of component output to the plasma screen rather than VGA which might be a way of solving both problems at once. I see there are now Catalyst beta drivers available for Windows 7.

I shall be posting a thread under the graphics section of the forum to try to find out why the Intel beta driver appears to load the CPU more than the equivalent Vista driver (in Vista 32 bit setup). I can only assume that I am using less graphics hardware in Windows 7.