Widescreen Gaming Forum

This is the first ultra wide monitor I own. It is replacing my veteran 29" Hannspree that died after nearly a decade of flawless service. (Viking funeral was given).

I receive my new 34 inch LG 34UM65 , plug it in via HDMI, install the drivers for the monitor...

... and the grief began.

Problems I'm having:

1- If I run it in any resolution other than the native max of 2560x1080 60hz the image will either be stretched or shrunk in such a way that is it worse than using a 24 inch regular monitor. Sadly, this 34 inch has the vertical view area of a 24 so any setting other than widescreen = fail. Sadly related is that the max resolution also shrinks text on the screen so much it is very difficult to see. Windows and browser settings dont seem to return them to comfortable levels without causing a whole slew of other issues (menu labels too big, text too big or too small, etc,etc).

2- Youtube and other video players will seem to skip frames unless played in fullscreen. Its not a skip or tearing or desync audio/vid but it is noticeable difference.

3- Colors are a pain in the neck. For some reason my catalyst control system keeps switching the setting to partial RGB and will not keep full RGB setting.

4- Not sure if related to #3 but it seems that I have to choose between having the black/dark colors be VERY dark to the point of any dark background becoming just ink black... or having the white colors be so intense they burn your retinas off. There is no in between no matter how much I change windows or catalyst or monitor color/brightness/contrast settings.

I'm at my wits end. I like the bigger, wider screen size but its not worth all this hassle. I'm considering returning this for a regular 29" and be done with this.

I know its probably some setting my ignorant self is not setting right... but sadly I know little of monitor/vid card settings and LG tech support seems to be based out of moronistan and they keep putting me on hold until the phone hangs up.

Any ideas? Its a lovely monitor but .. UGH ><

Radeon 7870 2gb
LG 34UM65
Phenom II x4 955 BE 3.4ghz
32gb RAM
Win 8.1 64bit
using HDMI 1.4 cable (was thinking of ordering a displayport cable but... dont think this is a cable problem).

Disregard. No help here or from LG and no internet articles or search results for this issue.

Monitor returned. Not bothering with wide screens anymore.