More control over standard font smoothing?

[Guest David Given]

Does anyone know if there's any way of getting more control over the way

TrueType fonts are rendered using the standard (non-ClearType) font

smoother?

 

The issue is this: I use several operating systems. I use a bunch of

fonts that are designed for unhinted systems like Linux and OSX. My

system is dual-headed, with different monitor orientations, so I can't

use ClearType (besides, one monitor is a CRT). Unfortunately, with

ClearType turned off, the fonts get drawn so badly that they make my

eyes hurt.

 

Here's what it looks like on XP:

 

http://www.cowlark.com/~dg/screenshot.png

 

Here's what it's supposed to look like (taken on Linux):

 

http://www.cowlark.com/~dg/screenshot-unhinted.png

 

I'm pretty sure what the problem is, which is that the standard Windows

font smoother puts way too much emphasis on the hinting, to such an

extent that it distorts the shapes of the letters --- the problem isn't

unique to my fonts; even the standard Microsoft fonts appear to get

drawn badly (with jaggies) when using the standard font smoother. Is

there any way to turn hinting off completely? Or to change the level of

antialiasing? Can I replace the font renderer completely with a

different one?

 

Please help --- I'm getting very tired of rainbow fringes...

 

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[Guest Alec S.]

Re: More control over standard font smoothing?

 

"David Given" <dg@cowlark.com> wrote in message

news:48c06c35$0$518$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...

> Does anyone know if there's any way of getting more control over the way

> TrueType fonts are rendered using the standard (non-ClearType) font

> smoother?

 

 

ClearType Tuner.

 

Online version:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/step1.aspx

 

Downloadable PowerToy:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypePowertoy.mspx

 

 

--

Alec S.

news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

[Guest David Given]

Re: More control over standard font smoothing?

 

Alec S. wrote:

> "David Given" <dg@cowlark.com> wrote in message

> news:48c06c35$0$518$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...

>> Does anyone know if there's any way of getting more control over the way

>> TrueType fonts are rendered using the standard (non-ClearType) font

>> smoother?

>

> ClearType Tuner.

 

As I said, I can't use ClearType. I use two different monitors with

different orientations.

 

Does anyone know how to get more control over the *standard* font renderer?

 

(Alternatively, disabling subpixel antialiasing on ClearType might do

the trick as well.)

 

--

David Given

dg@cowlark.com

[Guest Alec S.]

Re: More control over standard font smoothing?

 

"David Given" <dg@cowlark.com> wrote in message

news:48c14725$0$523$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...

> As I said, I can't use ClearType. I use two different monitors with

> different orientations.

 

Ah, didn’t see that paragraph.

 

I hadn’t heard that ClearType can’t be used with different orientations. Is it

bad on both?

 

 

What about your video card driver? Does it have any functions that can help? On

my system, I can prevent text from giving me a headache simply by turning the

contrast down a bit (on the monitor, although turning it down at the video card

can work too).

 

--

Alec S.

news/alec->synetech/cjb/net

[Guest David Given]

Re: More control over standard font smoothing?

 

Alec S. wrote:

[...]

> I hadn�t heard that ClearType can�t be used with different orientations. Is it

> bad on both?

 

ClearType appears to have only two configuration options that I've been

able to find --- orientation (RGB or BGR) and contrast. You can't set

this on a per-monitor basis, and either way it doesn't support the

vertical orientation on the CRT.

 

Currently I have it configured for the LCD screen; the CRT's natural

fuzziness hides the colour banding to a certain extent. But even when

configured correctly, I deeply dislike ClearType --- the coloured edges

are still clearly visible. I'd much rather have traditional grey-scale

antialiasing.

> What about your video card driver? Does it have any functions that can help? On

> my system, I can prevent text from giving me a headache simply by turning the

> contrast down a bit (on the monitor, although turning it down at the video card

> can work too).

 

The LCD is a laptop screen and doesn't really have such options.

 

--

┌─── ｄｇ＠ｃｏｗｌａｒｋ．ｃｏｍ ───── http://www.cowlark.com ─────

│

│ "All power corrupts, but we need electricity." --- Diana Wynne Jones,

│ _Archer's Goon_