Get A Higher Than Maximum Screen Resolution In Ubuntu Linux With Newrez

Linux scripts are always a handy way of making tasks easier for the end user, by performing a number of functions via the right-click menu. I have previously covered a number of scripts, including the Shred File Script and Nautilus Actions Extra, which provides a complete range of nautilus scripts. Recently, I came across a fine script by the name of Newrez. This Nautilus script has been developed for netbook users with low resolutions. It makes it easy to change the screen resolution to specify a higher screen resolution for your laptop, than your display’s physical dimensions. For example, if your laptop’s screen resolution is “1024×600”, then you can change the display to a scaled resolution of “1280×800” or even higher than that. This can be quite helpful for users with eye sight problems, as they can keep a higher resolution than the default one for their netbooks, and benefit from a better view for their screen (in Ubuntu and other Linux operating systems). Newrez is not meant to over-drive the actual hardware, instead, it quite simply builds a higher-resolution image with in a buffer, which is scaled to adjust to your physical screen.

To use this handy script, all you have to do is to download and extract the script files (Newrez and Newrez-v) to ~/.Gnome2 –> Nautilus-Scripts.

Note: You will require hitting Ctrl+H in the Home folder to show the hidden directory of Gnome 2.

Scripts

Once the two script files of Newrez and Newrez-v have been added to the Nautilus Scripts folders, you will be able to change your screen resolution, (to make it higher than the maximum resolution of your computer), via right-click menu. When you select the newrez option from right-click menu, it will open a new dialog box, where you will be able to specify a new resolution that suits you. If you are wondering about the difference of the Newrez and Newrez-v scripts, the second script, (Newrez-v), is for those users who cannot run the newrez script, (perhaps due to driver problems).

New Rez

It must be noted that you are not limited by the standard resolutions, if 1280 seems too small. In such a case, you will have to try something else such as e.g., “1111”, which will cause the Newrez script to set the resolution to 1105×648. Currently, this script does not work with vendor-supplied Nvidia drivers. However it has been tested (by the developer), to work with the Nouveau driver. Furthermore, the script needs “xrandr –scale” option for creating a framebuffer, at a chosen resolution and scale it to fit your screen resolution. This will require xrandr version 1.3, as well as a video driver which supports it. In case it does not work, then try “xrandr -v”. It must be noted that the current “non-free” Nvidia and ATI drivers don’t “currently” support xrandr 1.3. For any queries and more updates regarding the supported video cards of this script, see the download link given below.

Download Newrez [Script]