Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Forum font too small on full-HD displays (Read 10668 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #25 –
Quote from: bennetng on
I've seen many people using 17" 1280*1024 (5:4) LCDs happily with Windows font size set to 100%, but it was unacceptable for me and I bought a 19" 1280*1024 in 2005 or so.
I'm still using 17" 1280x1024, and it's always seemed like the best compromise between clarity and size to me. I've tried using a 17" 1920x1080 display, and everything is way too small to be comfortable, so I have to set the font size to 120% in the OS.

If my calculations are correct, I'd need a 23" 1080p monitor to make text appear the same size as on my 17" SXGA monitor. I tried a 20" 2048x1536 (QXGA) monitor once, and that was way too large. I've also tried 1366x768, and the resolution is way too low. Some website menus don't even fit on the screen, because they assume you have more vertical resolution than that.

I'm hoping 3:2 monitors catch on, as 16:9 is a pretty awful aspect ratio for productivity purposes, and 4:3 and 5:4 are probably never coming back. I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to replace my stalwart SXGA workhorse.

tl;dr

Font sizes are a mess now that so many monitor resolutions exist. Use your browser's per-site zoom option, because you'll never find one size and resolution that works for every purpose.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #26 –
I don't even know how someone is supposed to find a full HD display at 17" outside of a laptop screen.  The smallest I could find for desktop monitors were around 22-24" that's just in late 2015, early 2016 when I got my current monitor.  With 1440p and 4K screens being more mainstream displays in 2022 that someone might purchase, I can't imagine anyone bothering with anything less than 1080p if they knew what they were doing for a monitor purchase.  And many cheap laptops which still make up large chunks of the market place still use resolutions around 1366 x 768.  On my 1920 x 1080 22" monitor the font appears readable and looks fine to me.

For resolutions of around 720p or less I use whatever the monitor had on the back that works.
For a full HD display I use either HDMI, display port, or DVI and not bother with VGA at all.
For anything higher I use HDMI or display port.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #27 –
Yes, both the 1080p and 768p displays were on laptops. I don't know how people can stand using UHD displays unless they only use modern software that supports high DPI. If you're trying to use older software, everything will be microscopic at such a high resolution.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #28 –
Quote from: Aleron Ives on
Yes, both the 1080p and 768p displays were on laptops. I don't know how people can stand using UHD displays unless they only use modern software that supports high DPI. If you're trying to use older software, everything will be microscopic at such a high resolution.

I think the world is slowing moving towards software that supports high DPI, on the mobile phone and tablet side it's already full DPI support.  I think older legacy software will be scaled or special industrial displays will be made specifically for them as what already happens with industrial computers being made to work with older equipment.  Most that have 4K display monitors usually have screen sizes of 28-32" or bigger.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #29 –
I didn't notice before.  The bigger
problem is the quoted font.  The main font is borderline
but quoted needed 20% and then main font becomes too big relatively .

https://imgur.com/a/ppTNepx

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #30 –
I just tested it on a 1366x768  15.6 " screen - default scaling, MS Edge.
I think this setup is very common.
Results are similar to my 20.5" pc+ Firefox.  Quoted text is small on non-high DPI screen.

Basicaly, It may work on a 1024x768 15" or 27" in full-HD. Something around 80PPI or less.
Unless its some CSS bug.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #31 –
Quote from: Aleron Ives on
I'm still using 17" 1280x1024, and it's always seemed like the best compromise between clarity and size to me. I've tried using a 17" 1920x1080 display, and everything is way too small to be comfortable, so I have to set the font size to 120% in the OS.

If my calculations are correct, I'd need a 23" 1080p monitor to make text appear the same size as on my 17" SXGA monitor. I tried a 20" 2048x1536 (QXGA) monitor once, and that was way too large. I've also tried 1366x768, and the resolution is way too low. Some website menus don't even fit on the screen, because they assume you have more vertical resolution than that.
Even when I was using that 19" 1280*1024 monitor I had to use 122% OS scaling for some desktop software I use, and 130% now on a Dell U2417H. The 19" died on 2017, so 12 years of life, a CCFL TN screen with OK horizontal but pathetic vertical viewing angle. Being a picky cheapskate I need wide viewing angles in both portrait and landscape mode and a rotation base, and a flicker-free panel with at least average backlight leakage, and a thin bezel. Things like wide gamut, HDR, very high refresh rate and very low response time are of low priority for me and those products are usually quite expensive anyway.

When I was using a ViewSonic 15" CRT (14" viewable) in mid-late 90s, 100% OS scaling at 800*600 was fine even though the monitor was capable of 1280*1024 max. With 1024*768 I had to use more than 100% scaling.

Quote
Font sizes are a mess now that so many monitor resolutions exist. Use your browser's per-site zoom option, because you'll never find one size and resolution that works for every purpose.
Web browsers are one of the earliest software types I have used to support arbitrary scaling without reboot/logout/re-open anything, the easiest thing to deal with. Also, with OS scaling, browser fonts also get enlarged proportionally anyway.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #33 –
The only thing to sort it is the minimum font setting .  Its not a scaling issue
or zoom at all.  All posts here are wrong or miss the point.  The issue there's too much
discrepancy between two font sizes.  To me the quoted font should use another way to
distiguish itself if at all.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #34 –
I just tested my samsung TV 46"  1920x1080 , scaling 150 %, Firefox, HA site. Sitting 6 feet away.
Same problem. Quoted text is too small, while the main text is OK.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #35 –
Don't know about others but here is my screenshot. BTW, Dell U2417H's actual size is 23.8".
X

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #36 –
The screenshots add a blurring / thickening artifact (after uploading) ,thus making everything look 'better' .
The PNG on my computer is ruined each time it goes through any image host.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #37 –
Quote from: shadowking on
The screenshots add a blurring / thickening artifact thus making everything look 'better' .
The screenshot is supposed to be downloaded and viewed on a software that doesn't use any scaling, rather than on the browser directly. Also, I use ClearType. While the chance could be small, the subpixel allocation could be different on different displays.

[edit] Right-click and save my screenshot on Reply #35 and send to VirusTotal, if the file links to this entry then the screenshot is unmodified.
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/da62970f341f334023a9cbcb29418eba76b696426235b8eaf0ebe05f775f3055

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #38 –
I typically view this forum on an off brand 22" Full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS monitor with viewing angles that are quite good.  Usually I'm 2-3 feet away from the screen.  I use HDMI, too.  Everything is readable at 100% for me.  I sometimes use the monitor with an ASTC converter box (many newer ones have HDMI output) with an antenna as a makeshift TV.  Monitor had a cost of less than $200.

For my phone (when I want to read the forum out and about) just holding it horizontal in desktop mode causes everything to be readable.  Holding it vertical causes everything to become microscopic and unreadable.  Usually I hold that about 4-6 inches away.

For LCDs I avoid anything with bad viewing angles as that can strain the eyes.

The best advice is use zoom settings if something is too small.  It's how I always dealt with PDFs, even if they were still readable.

In the early 2000's to the earlier 2010's I was using a 15" CRT with a resolution of 1024 x 768.  I had two different ones but both were under the HP brand.  Those are now dead and gone.  One developed burn in where the image was (a darkened area where the computer image was always displayed) and I got a different one that developed issues with the screen changing it's width and you could whacked the side of the it to restore the full width (it was dying for sure).

From 2011 to late 2015 I used an 18" 1366 x 768 off brand LCD screen that had white LED backlight, viewing angles were okay.  I still have this monitor in the closet.  It just has VGA on the back of it.  Developed problems with flicker when cold that last a few minutes before going away.  Had a cost of about $100.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #39 –
Quote from: shadowking on
All posts here are wrong or miss the point.  The issue there's too much discrepancy between two font sizes.
No, you're just moving the goalposts. Your original post said the font was too small. Now you're saying quoted text is too small compared to regular text. That's a different complaint. Either way, the solutions are the same: enlarge the page, buy a bigger monitor, or get glasses.
 

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #40 –
Quote from: Aleron Ives on
Quote from: shadowking on
All posts here are wrong or miss the point.  The issue there's too much discrepancy between two font sizes.
No, you're just moving the goalposts. Your original post said the font was too small. Now you're saying quoted text is too small compared to regular text. That's a different complaint. Either way, the solutions are the same: enlarge the page, buy a bigger monitor, or get glasses.

The main font is still small except on my samsung TV.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #41 –
It looks like a matter of preference.

I prefer (slightly?) smaller fonts than most, you prefer larger - apparently significantly so.

Solution1: You adapt and I adapt, rather than forcing everyone else to.
Solution2: On a general note, you reconsider the notion that the world revolves around you. If you didn't catch the mere concept, then think once again: the world does not revolve around your preferences in particular. Rinse and repeat -hhx6 times or until you have learned that people with different preferences than you aren't necessarily "dishonest".

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #42 –
I've no problem reading anything on this forum on a 15" 1920x1080 laptop display. In fact, the terminal I do most of my coding work on has an even smaller font size, and I've never even considered changing this.

So I agree with @Porcus: this is a matter of preference.
Music: sounds arranged such that they construct feelings.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #43 –
Quote from: ktf on
I've no problem reading anything on this forum on a 15" 1920x1080 laptop display. In fact, the terminal I do most of my coding work on has an even smaller font size, and I've never even considered changing this.

So I agree with @Porcus: this is a matter of preference.

The resolution and screen size without taking into account scaling means little.

In current windows OS such a setup will use 125 to 150 % scaling by default.
So its really like using 19 to 23 inch screens with 1920x1080.  In MacOS I think its similar.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #44 –
Quote from: shadowking on
Quote from: ktf on
I've no problem reading anything on this forum on a 15" 1920x1080 laptop display. In fact, the terminal I do most of my coding work on has an even smaller font size, and I've never even considered changing this.

So I agree with @Porcus: this is a matter of preference.

The resolution and screen size without taking into account scaling means little.
You are right. I have scaling at 100%, which AFAIK means no scaling. For reference: line-height of the HydrogenAud.io (the number of pixels from the bottom of one line of text to the bottom of the next line of text) is 21 pixels here. I'm not entirely sure how to measure font-height, so I measured from the topmost pixel of capital letters to the bottommost pixel of a letter such as p q y or g. Then I get 12 pixels for quoted text and 13 pixels for normal text.
Music: sounds arranged such that they construct feelings.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #45 –
Quote from: ktf on
Quote from: shadowking on
Quote from: ktf on
I've no problem reading anything on this forum on a 15" 1920x1080 laptop display. In fact, the terminal I do most of my coding work on has an even smaller font size, and I've never even considered changing this.

So I agree with @Porcus: this is a matter of preference.

The resolution and screen size without taking into account scaling means little.
You are right. I have scaling at 100%, which AFAIK means no scaling. For reference: line-height of the HydrogenAud.io (the number of pixels from the bottom of one line of text to the bottom of the next line of text) is 21 pixels here. I'm not entirely sure how to measure font-height, so I measured from the topmost pixel of capital letters to the bottommost pixel of a letter such as p q y or g. Then I get 12 pixels for quoted text and 13 pixels for normal text.

Personally, I find it hard believe that you really use no scaling @ 150ppi . Unless your a teenager or had
the Elon Musk implant.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #46 –
Its also possible that some people have actually picked up a habit - a
bad one that one reads using far less than optimal size.

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #48 –
Here is one of the legacy software I still use, Paint Shop Pro 5 released in 1998, configured to not scale any opened images. I can read the RGB values on right hand side, no way I can't see the forum text clearly.
X

Re: Forum font too small on full-HD displays

Reply #49 –
That screenshot looks good. except rgb section. I can read 253 but its narrow and a bit ugly.