Pictures, fonts, graphics, movies look crummy

[markcohen]

Last week, I bought a new computer--a COMPAQ f756nr notebook PC--and Vista
was pre-installed. I connect to the internet via wireless modem and use cable
internet connection. Everything looks terrible to me versus my old laptop
computer--a Toshiba--and my old system, XP. I brought my computer back to
Best Buy and the Geek Squad reps there looked at the computer and told me it
was fine, just the way Vista looks on a computer and I should get used to it.
Since I got this computer last week, I'm absolutely miserable and don't know
what to do. I used to watch tv shows on my computer and email pictures but
everything looks so bad.

If anybody has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Best,
Mark

 

[Charlie42]

Last week, I bought a new computer--a COMPAQ f756nr notebook PC--and Vista
was pre-installed. I connect to the internet via wireless modem and use
cable
internet connection. Everything looks terrible to me versus my old laptop
computer--a Toshiba--and my old system, XP. I brought my computer back to
Best Buy and the Geek Squad reps there looked at the computer and told me
it
was fine, just the way Vista looks on a computer and I should get used to
it.
Since I got this computer last week, I'm absolutely miserable and don't
know
what to do. I used to watch tv shows on my computer and email pictures but
everything looks so bad.

If anybody has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

How to throw Vista's improved looks and feel overboard:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/13d46a66-24a5-47d0-be06-47649ccfa85b1033.mspx

Charlie42

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Last week, I bought a new computer--a COMPAQ f756nr notebook PC--and Vista
was pre-installed. I connect to the internet via wireless modem and use cable
internet connection. Everything looks terrible to me versus my old laptop
computer--a Toshiba--and my old system, XP. I brought my computer back to
Best Buy and the Geek Squad reps there looked at the computer and told me it
was fine, just the way Vista looks on a computer and I should get used to it.
Since I got this computer last week, I'm absolutely miserable and don't know
what to do. I used to watch tv shows on my computer and email pictures but
everything looks so bad.

If anybody has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Please be more specific as to what you mean when you say "everything
looks terrible."

 

[markcohen]

Pictures in internet explorer and firefox look fuzzy/grainy. So is video from
YouTube and television networks. Fonts look jagged and washed out in Explorer
and in Word. The smaller fonts are blurry. Radical difference from my 5 year
old Toshiba to this Compaq. At Best Buy service techs said it was a Vista
problem and I couldn't do anything about it. I want to pull my hair out.

I tried the classic view change, but that didn't make any difference.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Pictures in internet explorer and firefox look fuzzy/grainy. So is video from
YouTube and television networks. Fonts look jagged and washed out in Explorer
and in Word. The smaller fonts are blurry. Radical difference from my 5 year
old Toshiba to this Compaq.

I tried the classic view change, but that didn't make any difference.

No, it has nothing to do with classic view.

Right-click on the desktop and choose "Personalize." Click "Display
Settings" and adjust the "Resolution" and "Color" settings there.
Check your manual; you should set these to what the manufacturer
recommends for your screen.

At Best Buy service techs said it was a Vista
problem and I couldn't do anything about it. I want to pull my hair out.

Best Buy's so-called "techs" are, with very rare exceptions, worse
than useless.