Why does text look so Horrible on my HD monitor?
I just bought a 1080p 22" Samsung Syncmaster 2333HD (connected via HDMI) and the picture and video quality is great but the text quality is absolutely horrible. This monitor has a built in HD TV tuner.
Even as I type now all the text in this text box as well as in the browser toolbar and start menu, etc looks weird - like it all has a white outline around it that makes it jagged and hard to read. It hurts my eyes just to look at it.
I am running my PC in the suggested native resolution of 1920x1080, so what's the problem?
Is this one of the unavoidable downsides of using a HD monitor? Is there a solution to the problem?
Solution 1:
I'm using Samsung P2370HD on HDMI connection. The text was really bad when I first started using the HDMI connection (R6850HD), Even lowering the sharpness doesn't make it as it should be. After one day of googling, I found the solution is very simple and that is you just need to rename the HDMI connection name to PC from your Monitor Setup. You can do it from your Samsung remote controller as following:
- Press the "Source" button.
- Highlight the HDMI input.
- Press "Tools" -> Edit Name -> And then simply using the scrolling (up & down keys on ur remote), select "PC" or "DVI PC" for your HDMI. And voila you have crystal clear text just as on DVI.
But remember that if you select DVI PC, you will not get sound through HDMI cable. Select "PC" and you will have both sound & video, and clear text.
Solution 2:
Just set up a Samsung B2330HD on a HP DV7 laptop with an HDMI out. Text looked bad until I went in and LOWERED the sharpness from 55 to 10. Text looks much better now.
Solution 3:
Is your PC running Windows XP? If so, do you have ClearType turned on? Does it look fine on a normal monitor?
On Windows XP, ClearType is off by default.
On Windows 7 and Vista, ClearType is turned on by default.
You can also try the Microsoft ClearType Tuner
- ClearType (on Wikipedia)
- HOW TO: Use ClearType to Enhance Screen Fonts in Windows XP
Solution 4:
I also experienced jagged text with a Samsung B2230HD. I was able to get decent video as follows:
- With remote, hit Menu
- Picture > (hit the right arrow)
- Backlight 12
- Brightness 50
- Sharpness 0 (* important)
- Color 50
- Advanced > (a submenu of Picture)
- Black tone off
- Color Space auto
- Edge Ehancement off
- < to Picture menu
- Picture Options > (a submenu of Picture)
- Color tone cool
- Size Screen Fit (* important; fixes loss of pixels on right edge due to overscan)
- < to Picture menu
- return
This is with an HP laptop running ubuntu 11.10, but I expect similar results for other hardware/OSes.
Solution 5:
I have a Samsung SyncMaster B2330 connected via HDMI. The font issue had been driving me nuts. After fiddling with the controls, I achieved the most impact by changing the "PC/AV Mode" from "AV" to "PC".
Menu > Setup & Reset > PC/AV Mode > PC