Blurry Text

I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be blurred. I
have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card is a 512 MB, 128
bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card). Reading news on the
Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up dialogs are difficult because
the letters (text) are not sharp. My monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.

I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my monitor
and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks

If you have an LCD monitor you can improve the appearance of text by
using ClearType. If you do not have an LCD monitor text will appear
better without ClearType.

An LCD monitor is designed to be used at its native resolution. The
image will look fuzzy at other resolutions. If you do not have an LCD
monitor you are free to use whatever resolution is supported by your
monitor and video card.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

JCO wrote:
> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be
> blurred. I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card is
> a 512 MB, 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card).
> Reading news on the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up
> dialogs are difficult because the letters (text) are not sharp. My
> monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.
>
> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my
> monitor and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
>
>

Leonard Grey <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in
news:O8lwFp1vIHA.3484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

>> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be
>> blurred. I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card
>> is a 512 MB, 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card).
>> Reading news on the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up
>> dialogs are difficult because the letters (text) are not sharp. My
>> monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.
>>
>> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my
>> monitor and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
>>
>

If it is the 2053BW, you should be running at the resolution 1680x1050
Any other resolution will make text look bad.
Always run an LCD monitor at its native resolution. Getting "close" will
actually often be worse than something further away.

1680X1050 works great. I don't understand why, nor do I understand what
"ClearType" (Leonard Grey's reply) means but it is working great now.

"blank" <null@null.null> wrote in message
news:Xns9AAA8208368491h6y23@207.46.248.16...
> Leonard Grey <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in
> news:O8lwFp1vIHA.3484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:
>
>>> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be
>>> blurred. I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card
>>> is a 512 MB, 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card).
>>> Reading news on the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up
>>> dialogs are difficult because the letters (text) are not sharp. My
>>> monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.
>>>
>>> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my
>>> monitor and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
>>>
>>
>
> If it is the 2053BW, you should be running at the resolution 1680x1050
> Any other resolution will make text look bad.
> Always run an LCD monitor at its native resolution. Getting "close" will
> actually often be worse than something further away.

Of historical note on Tue, 27 May 2008 00:15:50 GMT
" JCO" <J.Oliviero@verizon.net> scribed:

|1680X1050 works great. I don't understand why, nor do I understand what
|"ClearType" (Leonard Grey's reply) means but it is working great now.
|
|"blank" <null@null.null> wrote in message
|news:Xns9AAA8208368491h6y23@207.46.248.16...
|> Leonard Grey <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in
|> news:O8lwFp1vIHA.3484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:
|>
|>>> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be
|>>> blurred. I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card
|>>> is a 512 MB, 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card).
|>>> Reading news on the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up
|>>> dialogs are difficult because the letters (text) are not sharp. My
|>>> monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.
|>>>
|>>> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my
|>>> monitor and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
|>>>
|>>
|>
|> If it is the 2053BW, you should be running at the resolution 1680x1050
|> Any other resolution will make text look bad.
|> Always run an LCD monitor at its native resolution. Getting "close" will
|> actually often be worse than something further away.
|

You may be interested in reading more about the Clear Type Tuner here:

ClearType Tuner
<http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearType/tuner/tune.aspx>

PowerToys for Windows XP
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx>

hth
--
cf <cfnews@NOmchsiSPAM.com>
I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid.
Terry Bradshaw

> You may be interested in reading more about the Clear Type Tuner here:
>
> ClearType Tuner
> <http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearType/tuner/tune.aspx>
>
> PowerToys for Windows XP
> <http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx>

I heartily second this suggestion. Cleartype isn't for everyone (I would
willingly sacrifice it for an LCD with triple the dots-per-inch) but
until that day, it's usually a worthwhile test.

Windows boots with cleartype off (there may be a way to fix this) then
turns cleartype on just after you enter your userid/password (if your
userid has selected it). It's wonderful to see how the display jumps
into focus when that happens.

--
Steve Swift
http://www.swiftys.org.uk/swifty.html
http://www.ringers.org.uk

Another question:
Does each different size (or type) of LCD have its own native resolution?
Reason is this. My other computer that shares the same monitor (key board &
mouse) has a different Graphics card and at the highest resolution, can only
get to 1600X1024. I can't get 1600x1050. What are my options then.

Maybe that is what the powertoy, below, is for. I will check that out too.

Thanks

"Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message
news:O8lwFp1vIHA.3484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> If you have an LCD monitor you can improve the appearance of text by using
> ClearType. If you do not have an LCD monitor text will appear better
> without ClearType.
>
> An LCD monitor is designed to be used at its native resolution. The image
> will look fuzzy at other resolutions. If you do not have an LCD monitor
> you are free to use whatever resolution is supported by your monitor and
> video card.
>
> ---
> Leonard Grey
> Errare humanum est
>
> JCO wrote:
>> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be blurred.
>> I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card is a 512 MB,
>> 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card). Reading news on
>> the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up dialogs are difficult
>> because the letters (text) are not sharp. My monitor is a Samsung
>> SyncMaster 2053.
>>
>> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my monitor
>> and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
>>
>>

Generally, LCD monitors of the same size and aspect ratio have the same
native resolution, but there's no need to guess since the native
resolution will be shown in the monitor's user guide and on the
manufacturer's web site.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

JCO wrote:
> Another question:
> Does each different size (or type) of LCD have its own native
> resolution? Reason is this. My other computer that shares the same
> monitor (key board & mouse) has a different Graphics card and at the
> highest resolution, can only get to 1600X1024. I can't get 1600x1050.
> What are my options then.
>
> Maybe that is what the powertoy, below, is for. I will check that out too.
>
> Thanks
>
> "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message
> news:O8lwFp1vIHA.3484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> If you have an LCD monitor you can improve the appearance of text by
>> using ClearType. If you do not have an LCD monitor text will appear
>> better without ClearType.
>>
>> An LCD monitor is designed to be used at its native resolution. The
>> image will look fuzzy at other resolutions. If you do not have an LCD
>> monitor you are free to use whatever resolution is supported by your
>> monitor and video card.
>>
>> ---
>> Leonard Grey
>> Errare humanum est
>>
>> JCO wrote:
>>> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be
>>> blurred. I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card
>>> is a 512 MB, 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card).
>>> Reading news on the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up
>>> dialogs are difficult because the letters (text) are not sharp. My
>>> monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.
>>>
>>> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my
>>> monitor and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
>>>
>>>

What about my second question ... that my other computer will not reach that
resolution?
Thanks again for all your help

"Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message
news:#n3IP$EwIHA.5584@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Generally, LCD monitors of the same size and aspect ratio have the same
> native resolution, but there's no need to guess since the native
> resolution will be shown in the monitor's user guide and on the
> manufacturer's web site.
>
> ---
> Leonard Grey
> Errare humanum est
>
> JCO wrote:
>> Another question:
>> Does each different size (or type) of LCD have its own native resolution?
>> Reason is this. My other computer that shares the same monitor (key
>> board & mouse) has a different Graphics card and at the highest
>> resolution, can only get to 1600X1024. I can't get 1600x1050. What are
>> my options then.
>>
>> Maybe that is what the powertoy, below, is for. I will check that out
>> too.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:O8lwFp1vIHA.3484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> If you have an LCD monitor you can improve the appearance of text by
>>> using ClearType. If you do not have an LCD monitor text will appear
>>> better without ClearType.
>>>
>>> An LCD monitor is designed to be used at its native resolution. The
>>> image will look fuzzy at other resolutions. If you do not have an LCD
>>> monitor you are free to use whatever resolution is supported by your
>>> monitor and video card.
>>>
>>> ---
>>> Leonard Grey
>>> Errare humanum est
>>>
>>> JCO wrote:
>>>> I'm having issues with my computer. The text always seems to be
>>>> blurred. I have a high resolution setting, 1600X1024. My video card is
>>>> a 512 MB, 128 bits, GeForce 8600GTS (which is a very good card).
>>>> Reading news on the Internet, emails using outlook and even pop up
>>>> dialogs are difficult because the letters (text) are not sharp. My
>>>> monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 2053.
>>>>
>>>> I've already made sure that I'm running the proper drivers for my
>>>> monitor and the video card. What else can I do? Thanks
>>>>
>>>>

JCO wrote:
> What about my second question ... that my other computer will not reach
> that resolution?

Sometimes you can persuade a graphics card to run at a resolution that
it doesn't offer but it's been years since I did this so I'll keep quiet
unless I spread confusion.

If not then you might need a different graphics card. If the "other
computer" is a laptop then this might be a challenge.

--
Steve Swift
http://www.swiftys.org.uk/swifty.html
http://www.ringers.org.uk