Dell widescreen laptop - 'jagged' graphics problem ?

[driver8]

Can anyone help with my display problem pls ?

I've a Dell 15.4" 'widescreen' 8600 laptop, new from the Outlet, which is perfect in every way except for an annoying problem displaying certain web graphics. The best example is the Google homepage - the GOOGLE logo is slightly jagged in appearance. All the text is perfect, on this page and all webpages, so it's not a font setting, and all desktop graphics & fonts/icons are fine. Even here on the forums, the PROFILE/PM icons and even the smilies are 'jaggedy' and 'course', and not in a crisp-TFT way but in a too-low-res way.

I've updated machine BIOS & graphics BIOS & drivers (it's NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5650) from Dell website, but this has not helped. I've got the machine set at its 'recommended' res of 1680x1050, and I've tried other res's too, but the problem persists.

Anyone seen this before ? :confused:

[midlothian2000]

Have the same problem with my new 8600 (wuxga 1920x1200), never had the problem with my old 8600 (wxga 1280x800).

I have just learnt to live with it, but would be interested in any answer!

[Madm@tt]

Change the font size to "Normal size" (rather than "Large size").

Problem solved!

:thumbs:

To change font size, first right click on the desktop and click on "Properties"; go to the "Display Properties" tab and click on "Advanced" then on the "General" tab change "Font Size" to "Normal size" (100 dpi or thereabouts).

Hope that helps. :)

FYI - I have a Dell Inspiron 5150 (from the outlet) and this was one of the only problems I found with it, but it was soon sorted.

[CarlP]

Could be your fonts, but is just as likely to be your DPI settings.

Right Click Desktop -> Properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> General -> DPI Setting -> Custom... -> Make sure your DPI whatsit is set to 100% scaling (should be 96dpi for 1024x768).

[Roy Munson]

There is a registry fix. Its to do with the way IE handles graphics when it detects the large system font size...I'll see if I can dig out the fix. The 1680x1050 screen needs large system fonts unless you have a pair of binoculars.

[Roy Munson]

Found it...Run 'regedit' and locate this key...

HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN\USEHR

Set USEHR to 0 and youre all fixed up :thumbs:


Disclaimer: Using regedit if you dont know what you are doing, can rape your operating system. Use with caution ;)


MORE INFORMATION HERE (http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_video&message.id=79881) (ignore the first post, it's wrong)

Changing this setting in IE 6 did not work for me but as suggested by forum user Clarifix in software forum - I changed registry setting

HKEY_CURRENT_ USER\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN\USEHR

The setting for this key is (Hex) 1.

After changing this setting to 0 and using DPI = 120 the problem of viewing distorted images in Internet Explorer is gone.

My 8500 now is fabulous. I can make ICONS and fonts any size, as big as I want. My taskbars are great. All my Macromedia design programs look better than before.

This is just fantastic!


SAFE METHOD if you dont wanna play in the registry...

Copy the Text Below into Notepad. Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main] "UseHR"=dword:00000000 Call it antifuzzy.REG Save it. Then Double Click it to Import into the Registry.

[midlothian2000]

Originally posted by CarlP
Could be your fonts, but is just as likely to be your DPI settings.

Right Click Desktop -> Properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> General -> DPI Setting -> Custom... -> Make sure your DPI whatsit is set to 100% scaling (should be 96dpi for 1024x768).

Thanks Madm@tt & CarlP

mine now looks great :thumbs:

[Roy Munson]

Originally posted by midlothian2000
Thanks Madm@tt & CarlP

mine now looks great :thumbs:

Surely with microscopic system fonts though?

[midlothian2000]

True

I'll see how I go, just need to cut out the porn so my eyesight doesn't get any worse :D

[driver8]

Wow ! Thanks for all the replies & tips ! I'd checked out the DellUK site & forum for help, and googled too, both to no avail - didn't think about checking the US forums !

At work at the mo; will be trying these tomorrow.

[Roy Munson]

Originally posted by midlothian2000
True

I'll see how I go, just need to cut out the porn so my eyesight doesn't get any worse :D

Or...

Copy the Text Below into Notepad.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main] "UseHR"=dword:00000000

Call it antifuzzy.REG Save it.

Then Double Click it to Import into the Registry, then you can have large system fonts without IE messing up the images. I know it works because I did it to my Dell Inspiron 8500 and that 'only' has the 1680x1050 screen :thumbs:

[Madm@tt]

Originally posted by Roy Munson
Or...

Copy the Text Below into Notepad.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main] "UseHR"=dword:00000000

Call it antifuzzy.REG Save it.

Then Double Click it to Import into the Registry, then you can have large system fonts without IE messing up the images. I know it works because I did it to my Dell Inspiron 8500 and that 'only' has the 1680x1050 screen :thumbs:

:notworthy

Thanks Roy, I just assumed that you had to have tiny fonts if you wanted decent images. I'll try that fix out now and tell you how it goes.

EDIT - I'm sorry to report it didn't work for me. :(

Back to tiny fonts. :dork:

[Roy Munson]

It just didnt work, or it failed to update the registry? Where there any errors reported?

[driver8]

Hi Roy - thanks for your advice, but it's only half-worked for me too.

Changing from default 120dpi --> 96dpi and rebooting did fix the 'jagged' graphics ! Hurrah !

But as described, my system fonts are now tiny (although still legible thanks to the great tft !) So I ran the registry fix - copied the 3 lines you've posted in red to notepad and saved as a .reg. The info seemed to import into the registry OK (no error msgs), rebooted, but now I can have either tiny system fonts & smooth web graphics (@ 96dpi) or the larger fonts with the 'jagged' appearance (@120 dpi). So the reg fix didn't appear to change anything at all.

Wonder why it's not working ?

[Roy Munson]

Nah mate! Sorry I didnt explain clearly.

The reg fix will only work when large fonts ARE enabled. They need to be on 120dpi when you execute the reg fix. I think....give it a try. USEHR is only active WHEN IE detects large font AFAIK.

Setup 120dpi fonts and reboot, then run the reg fix, and you should be sorted. The way you did it, you are fixing the registry, but IE is changing it back again when you apply large fonts I think...

:thumbs:

[driver8]

Hi Roy - thanks for you help.

Nope, tried this again as suggested - 120/reboot/fix - but it didn't work (again, no error msgs, so I can have small system fonts or 'jagged' IE graphics).

Madm@tt - what symptom did you get ? the same ?

[Roy Munson]

Identical yeah. Fixed the problem on 2 separate 8500s though - with manual reg editing mind you...

[Roy Munson]

Driver, the other solution, if this fails, is to use a browser like Opera, which IMHO is far better anyway and wont rape your images. Try downloading it and get a feel for it for a few days (pick a skin to make it look cool), and the odds are you'll hardly ever use IE again anyway.

[driver8]

Hi Roy - thanks for the tip - yeah, I use Opera @ work - v7.50 is nnnniiice ! (and IE is tied-down so much here by the admins !).

Thought it a good time to download Firefox @ home, ditch IE for good, and build up a nice clean set of bookmarks !