Screen Size Too Small...........Tried Everything?

[Guest]

I know that there were several posts similar to this, but here goes. I just
bought a Sony Vaio with XP Media Center Edition. My problem is that
everything is too small. Not only is it the icons and taskbar on Windows,
but when I go online, it's the webpages I visit, e-mail, IM's, buddy list,
etc.

The resolution was and is set on 1280x1024 pixels. I've changed it several
times, including going down to 800x600. When I do this, though, the icons,
webpages, etc., become blurry, stretched, or otherwise distorted. I've also
tried changing the dpi's to the larger size (120, I believe). That helped
as far as Windows was concerned, but when I went online (I use AOL and IE),
it hadn't changed anything at all.

Other than changing the resolution/pixels and DPI, I'm not sure what else to
try. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It's really starting to
become a strain on the eyes.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I know that there were several posts similar to this, but here
goes.
I just bought a Sony Vaio with XP Media Center Edition. My
problem
is that everything is too small. Not only is it the icons and
taskbar on Windows, but when I go online, it's the webpages I
visit,
e-mail, IM's, buddy list, etc.

The resolution was and is set on 1280x1024 pixels. I've
changed it
several times, including going down to 800x600. When I do
this,
though, the icons, webpages, etc., become blurry, stretched, or
otherwise distorted.

Is this a laptop or an LCD screen? If so, it has its native
resolution, and changing it is likely to bring the results you
report.

However there are a couple of things you can do that may help.
Right-click on the desktop and choose Properties. Then go to the
Appearance tab, click on Advanced, and change the size of
individual items to make them bigger.

In Internet Explorer, and in many other applications, you can
change the size of what you're viewing by holding down the cntrl
key and scrolling the mouse wheel. That should let the web pages
you visit look better while staying at 1024x1280.

 

[Guest]

It's a desktop with a 17" LCD monitor. It's native resolution is 1280x1024,
but that is REALLY small. I was hoping there might be an easy fix, but I'm
beginning to think that there's not. I tried the IE ctrl/scroll trick you
recommended, but it didn't seem to do anything.

Thanks for the tip and if you have any other suggestions, they would
definitely be welcome.

 

[t.cruise]

To add to the idea of keeping the same resolution, but making certain components larger:

Right click an empty space on the desktop, then left click Properties on the resulting
context menu. When the Display Properties window opens, click the Appearance tab, opt for
large or extra large fonts. Click the Effects button and opt for large icons. You can
also click the Advanced button on the Appearance tab and opt to change the size of
individual items and fonts for them. If you change the size of the Caption Buttons there
to a higher number, the icons in the Notification Area (formerly System Tray) will
increase in size as well as the Taskbar.
--

T.C.
t__cruise@[NoSpam]hotmail.com
Remove [NoSpam] to reply

 

[Ken Blake]

In

It's a desktop with a 17" LCD monitor. It's native resolution
is
1280x1024,

As I suspected.

but that is REALLY small.

I use 1280x1024 on my 19" CRT, and think it's the ideal
resolution for a monitor that size, if you make some of the size
adjustments I suggested. Your 17' LCD monitor is slightly
smaller, but not much. I'd probably still choose to use
1280x1024, and my eyes are definitely not young.

I was hoping there might be an
easy fix, but I'm beginning to think that there's not.

There isn't.

I tried the
IE ctrl/scroll trick you recommended, but it didn't seem to do
anything.

It's not really a trick, it's a standard Windows feature,
working, as I said, in many applications. In IE, though, I
doesn't work in all web sites (it depends on how they're coded).
Try it with a few others.

 

[PA Bear]

You may find a setting in IE Tools>Internet Options>General>Accessibility
[button at bottom] to suit your needs, Steve. See IE Help>"To specify fonts
and colors to always use for Web pages" and "Customizing Windows for people
with disabilities".

There are some helpful guides here...

Resource Guide for Individuals with Vision Difficulties and Impairments:
Step by Step Tutorials for People with Low-Vision - WinXP
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/guides/vision.aspx#step1

Step by Step Tutorials for Internet Explorer 6:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/training/ie6/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/enabl­e/training/ie6/adjusting.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/enabl­e/training/ie6/formatpage.aspx