I've figured out that I need to change the windows compatibility options on the bitwig shortcut to allow 'Scaling Performed by Application' and then everything works as I'd expect (running Win11 with 200% scaling) - If I don't make this change, some plugins (arturia especially) are either pixellated or just overscaled and unusable.
However, every plugin starts as having 'Stretch Plug-in Window to Match DPI' selected by default, and this gives a resized plugin, even for those that don't need it, so I end up with most scalable plugins having to deselect that options (only once, but it's annoying to go through them).
Is it possible to automate this in any way, or have it as an optional default in the future ?
It's great to see that finally most DAWs are handling HiDPI in a usable way now, with just a few quirks left.
Question regarding HiDPI and default plugin scaling on Windows
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- KVRist
- 188 posts since 28 Nov, 2009
Yeah it's unfortunate that the global 'plug-in interface scaling' checkbox in Settings removes the individual plug-in scaling option in the right-click menu if you uncheck it. If you are in the position you have more plugins you want it disabled, you're out of luck, although generally I find it's just one or two rogue plugins that don't scale, so do actually want scaling enabled for everything.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2673 posts since 18 Mar, 2006 from The Void
I've found that many of the well-maintained plugins (u-he, arturia, etc.), especially VST3, all scale on their own just fine. Unfortunately, having scaling enabled for everthing then means that they are pixellated as they are given the wrong DPI and artificially scaled, so for a 'crisp and native' look, that checkbox has to be deselected.
I'm guessing most people just don't run 4K screens at 200% scale (which I invariably always do - 32" 4K screens, for ease of reading but still nice crisp detail).
I'm guessing most people just don't run 4K screens at 200% scale (which I invariably always do - 32" 4K screens, for ease of reading but still nice crisp detail).
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- KVRist
- 188 posts since 28 Nov, 2009
Ahh ok, yeah scaling 4K down to essentially 2K is sometimes asking for trouble generally with VST, but Bitwig handles it great itself. I just use two Dell P2418HT touchscreens which are 1080 and at 100% so I only experience scaling issues when using the nearly 4K Surface Book instead of the desktop.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2673 posts since 18 Mar, 2006 from The Void
Ironically, most DAWs (I haven't tried Cubase 12, but 10 wasn't great) handle 2x scaling just fine with a tiny tweak, and Studio One is almost perfect. All the problems I have now are tiny (pun intended) compared to those a year or two back, and I'm really happy they are much better.
Of course, if more plugin devs would move to vector-based UIs and allow resizing/scaling, it would be even better !
Of course, if more plugin devs would move to vector-based UIs and allow resizing/scaling, it would be even better !
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- KVRist
- 188 posts since 28 Nov, 2009
I haven't done a huge amount at 4K Bitwig to be honest. I do use DaVinci Resolve & Bitwig on the Surface Book which is at 150% scaling and nearly 4K natively, but DaVinci is a complete car crash of a GUI it's even worse than ProTools and that's the worst for High DPI I've ever seen to that point haha!