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Blurry screen fonts



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 17th 11, 03:11 AM posted to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia
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Default Blurry screen fonts

Over the weekend I switched from an older Optiplex G150 running Win2k
with a low-profile nVidia Riva graphics card, to a NEW Optiplex XE
running Win7 Pro and integrated Intel video chipset. The fonts are
awfully blurry both in ClearType mode and with it disabled. The
fixed-pitch characters aren't too bad but the TTFonts (variable-pitch)
are crap.

What's causing this? and what can be done remedy? The SyncMaster
931BF running at 1280x1024 has looked superb for years, and now it's
really fatiguing.


-Ed


  #2  
Old May 17th 11, 04:50 AM posted to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia
Paul
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Posts: 13,364
Default Blurry screen fonts

wrote:
Over the weekend I switched from an older Optiplex G150 running Win2k
with a low-profile nVidia Riva graphics card, to a NEW Optiplex XE
running Win7 Pro and integrated Intel video chipset. The fonts are
awfully blurry both in ClearType mode and with it disabled. The
fixed-pitch characters aren't too bad but the TTFonts (variable-pitch)
are crap.

What's causing this? and what can be done remedy? The SyncMaster
931BF running at 1280x1024 has looked superb for years, and now it's
really fatiguing.


-Ed


http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=333998

"Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows

Uncheck Smooth edges of screen fonts"

For contrast, to determine whether this is hardware related
in some way, you can also boot a Linux LiveCD and see whether
text is sharp there or not. If the text happens to be sharper,
then it's a software issue of some sort. If both OSes are
blurry, try a video card.

There is mention here, of an available HD 4550. Depending
on how the machine was configured, it may have more than one
video output. You might be able to test and compare VGA and
DVI-D on the monitor.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/optiplex-xe/pd

Just a guess,
Paul
  #3  
Old May 17th 11, 02:11 PM posted to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia
[email protected]
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Posts: 13
Default Blurry screen fonts

On Mon, 16 May 2011 23:50:27 -0400, Paul wrote:

wrote:
Over the weekend I switched from an older Optiplex G150 running Win2k
with a low-profile nVidia Riva graphics card, to a NEW Optiplex XE
running Win7 Pro and integrated Intel video chipset. The fonts are
awfully blurry both in ClearType mode and with it disabled. The
fixed-pitch characters aren't too bad but the TTFonts (variable-pitch)
are crap.

What's causing this? and what can be done remedy? The SyncMaster
931BF running at 1280x1024 has looked superb for years, and now it's
really fatiguing.


http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=333998

"Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows

Uncheck Smooth edges of screen fonts"

For contrast, to determine whether this is hardware related
in some way, you can also boot a Linux LiveCD and see whether
text is sharp there or not. If the text happens to be sharper,
then it's a software issue of some sort. If both OSes are
blurry, try a video card.

There is mention here, of an available HD 4550. Depending
on how the machine was configured, it may have more than one
video output. You might be able to test and compare VGA and
DVI-D on the monitor.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/optiplex-xe/pd

Just a guess,
Paul


Thanks.. that was the answer. I see the HD4550 option. Any low-profile
Nvidia cards for this PC? The system only has: 280W 88% Efficient
Power Supply; Energy Star 5.0 compliant, Active PFC.

This is a nice PC for use when contracting (on the road and
temporarily in offices/hotels) and it can be zipped in a padded
carrying case for transit.

-Ed



  #4  
Old May 17th 11, 03:35 PM posted to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia
Paul
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 13,364
Default Blurry screen fonts

wrote:
On Mon, 16 May 2011 23:50:27 -0400, Paul wrote:

wrote:
Over the weekend I switched from an older Optiplex G150 running Win2k
with a low-profile nVidia Riva graphics card, to a NEW Optiplex XE
running Win7 Pro and integrated Intel video chipset. The fonts are
awfully blurry both in ClearType mode and with it disabled. The
fixed-pitch characters aren't too bad but the TTFonts (variable-pitch)
are crap.

What's causing this? and what can be done remedy? The SyncMaster
931BF running at 1280x1024 has looked superb for years, and now it's
really fatiguing.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=333998

"Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows

Uncheck Smooth edges of screen fonts"

For contrast, to determine whether this is hardware related
in some way, you can also boot a Linux LiveCD and see whether
text is sharp there or not. If the text happens to be sharper,
then it's a software issue of some sort. If both OSes are
blurry, try a video card.

There is mention here, of an available HD 4550. Depending
on how the machine was configured, it may have more than one
video output. You might be able to test and compare VGA and
DVI-D on the monitor.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/optiplex-xe/pd

Just a guess,
Paul


Thanks.. that was the answer. I see the HD4550 option. Any low-profile
Nvidia cards for this PC? The system only has: 280W 88% Efficient
Power Supply; Energy Star 5.0 compliant, Active PFC.

This is a nice PC for use when contracting (on the road and
temporarily in offices/hotels) and it can be zipped in a padded
carrying case for transit.

-Ed


The 4550 uses up to 18W (when playing 3D games). Since the HD 4550 was
a build option for the computer, that means an 18W video card was OK.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video...4550_power.png

If you use this page, and then scroll down

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/gra...0_3.html#sect0

there is a chart of 3D power measurements for last year's cards.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video...ysis_power.png

A Geforce GT 220 looks to be in the approximate power range, at 21.9 W.

There is another chart here.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/gra...0_4.html#sect0

The GT 430 is 23.1 watts.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video...b430_power.png

The example here is $65 (less if you believe the rebate will come through).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814134121

That one comes with two low profile plates. The regular profile plate
with the three connector holes comes off. The VGA connector at the top is
on the end of a ribbon cable. You bolt the two hole low profile plate
to the video card. The VGA connector on the end of the ribbon cable, fits
within the second low profile plate. The second low profile plate then
occupies the slot next to the video card. That allows three video connector
choices, occupying two slots.

http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/14-134-121-Z05?$S640W$

Two reviewers mention the fan is loud, and one noted that the fan speed
control is non-linear, and stacked up near the noisy end.

This Sparkle branded card (GT 430) is similar. One reviewer says it is
"quiet" but without details as to under what conditions.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-132-_-Product

This Gigabyte one has a nice looking cooler, but one "slimline" computer
owner notes it is too tall for his low profile slot. It looks like it is
low profile, but perhaps it is a hair too tall. I think the package includes
only one, two hole, low profile plate, which means when the card is
"converted" to low profile, there is no place to put the VGA connector.
It can be left dangling out of the computer case, or can be unplugged
from the video card. The ribbon cable should unplug from the header on
the video card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-346-_-Product

So those are some examples. The 23.1W loading should be OK. It's only
a little bit over the 18W, and the 23.1W is while gaming. If all you
do is view movies, email, web browse, it'll likely draw less
power than that.

Paul
 




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