Monitor Contrast

[Joy]

I just bought a new monitor (17"; I had a 15" - hard on the eyes!). Short
of trying to use the monitor adjustments (which are NOT easy to use and I'm
trying to contact the company once the holiday is over) is there any other
way to give more contrast? I'm typing a lot of names and addresses onto
white background, and I really need the names to be darker.

 

[S.Sengupta]

There should be an ideal combination between brightness and contrast.Try
to adjust both so that you will get a better effect.
'Contrast' property varies in different monitor or brands.Some are
high-contrast monitors,some are less.

I shall suggest you to use monitor Gamma Control Panel for adjustment.

http://www.jasc.com/support/kb/articles/monitor.asp
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=12
http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/321608.html
http://trikuare.cx/art/tut/gamma/

regards,
ssg MS-MVP

 

[Joy]

Does one need Adobe Photoshop in order to have these Gamma controls in the
computer? Re: adjusting the controls that came on this new monitor, that is
part (all?) of the problem; trying to access them and make them adjust. The
buttons are not very easy to understand.

 

[S.Sengupta]

I do agree.
'is there any other way to give more contrast?'
I thought he might try that (gamma) way,if he has that.

regards,
ssg MS-MVP

 

[Robert Gething]

I just bought a new monitor (17"; I had a 15" - hard on the eyes!).
Short of trying to use the monitor adjustments (which are NOT easy to
use and I'm trying to contact the company once the holiday is over) is
there any other way to give more contrast? I'm typing a lot of names
and addresses onto white background, and I really need the names to be
darker.

right click on your desktop, properties, settings, adjust screen
resolution to 1024x1280. That should work.

 

[Joy]

I can try that, but I thought the resolution changed the size of icons,
etc., not the contrast.

 

[Malke]

I can try that, but I thought the resolution changed the size of
icons, etc., not the contrast.

No, Mr. Gething is incorrect and you are right, Joy. Changing the
resolution will not change the contrast. As you were told in previous
posts, either change the monitor settings from the monitor itself or
look and see if your graphics card provides gamma adjustment.

Malke

 

[Joy]

So other than possibly buying Adobe PhotoShop is there any other way to
get/find this gamma adjustment? I have an older Corel Photo Paint 8 - would
that help?

 

[NoStop]

From his spyware and virus infected Windoze box, Joy had this to say:

So other than possibly buying Adobe PhotoShop is there any other way to
get/find this gamma adjustment? I have an older Corel Photo Paint 8 -
would that help?

Maybe this freeware utility will work for you?

http://www.majorgeeks.com/DarkAdapted_d2763.html

I've never used it, so can't vouch for its effectiveness. But it might be
worth trying in your case. Sure cheaper than buying PhotoShop.

 

[NoStop]

From his spyware and virus infected Windoze box, Joy had this to say:

So other than possibly buying Adobe PhotoShop is there any other way to
get/find this gamma adjustment? I have an older Corel Photo Paint 8 -
would that help?

Joy,

Here's another one ... shareware this time, that will allow for gamma
settings for a wide range of video cards:

http://zdnet.com.com/3000-2094-10025384.html

Again, I have no personal experience with it. But it does come as a 30 day
trial.

 

[Malke]

From his spyware and virus infected Windoze box, Joy had this to say:

Maybe this freeware utility will work for you?

http://www.majorgeeks.com/DarkAdapted_d2763.html

I've never used it, so can't vouch for its effectiveness. But it might
be worth trying in your case. Sure cheaper than buying PhotoShop.

A lot of graphics cards have gamma adjustment settings. The Nvidia cards
have had this for years. Check in the Display applet under Settings and
from there under your Adapter. Nvidia cards can have an additional
Control Panel applet for more settings, too.

Malke

 

[NoStop]

From his spyware and virus infected Windoze box, Malke had this to say:

A lot of graphics cards have gamma adjustment settings. The Nvidia cards
have had this for years. Check in the Display applet under Settings and
from there under your Adapter. Nvidia cards can have an additional
Control Panel applet for more settings, too.

Malke

As do ATI cards too Malke. Of course that's the first place the OP should
check and I guess I assumed that wasn't an option since this thread has
been going on for a while.

 

[Don]

Have you tried Cleartype? It's Microsoft but worked for me.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306527&sd=tech

 

[R. McCarty]

One thing I use is to change the default Window color. Being
older and having a table full of glasses, I use the "Light" gray
shade. Especially for mail and Explorer the gray background
is easier on my eyes than working with the normal white. You
can try it by opening Display Properties, Appearance (Tab),
Advanced, Click on the Box that has "Window Text" and
toggle the Color1 to the first Light shade of gray, then Apply
.....

 

[Malke]

From his spyware and virus infected Windoze box, Joy had this to say:


Joy,

Here's another one ... shareware this time, that will allow for gamma
settings for a wide range of video cards:

http://zdnet.com.com/3000-2094-10025384.html

Again, I have no personal experience with it. But it does come as a 30
day trial.

That's a good link and good info about ATI cards, NoStop. But I don't
think that Joy has checked her video card. In her very first post she
said she hadn't tried to change the contrast by using the monitor's
buttons because they were too difficult and she was going to contact
the monitor mftr. Of course, the very first thing she should have done
(change contrast on the monitor itself) is the very thing she refused
to do.

So now she has lots of information and can act accordingly.

Malke

 

[Joy]

I appreciate all the input, thanks to all of you. At this point I am
seriously thinking about returning this monitor and shopping for a different
brand. This one is a KDS, bought at Walmart. I'll be in a larger city in a
few days where there are more stores that carry computers, so I'll have more
choices. Do any of you think this would be a good idea? Any advice
(keeping the price reasonable) as to brand(s) that would do a better job on
contrast and brightness?