New Lacie Monitor - Resolution?

After lurking on this forum, this very helpful thread inparticularly, https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=537386 I purchased a 20" Lacie 320. It has an A-TW-IPS panel (true white) and 12 bits. Sure looks good so far and I'm very happy with the 20" size.

The panel's optimal resolution is stated as 1600 x 1200. However, at that resolution I'm finding the text, thumbnails of my applications too small - I didn't expect that! (Lightroom especially)

Resolution is about size I understand... but is it not also about the detail and sharpness I will see on the screen? So if I lower the resolution to 1360 x 1024 am I also lowering the quality of the view of my photos?

Seems to defeat the purpose of a good monitor - can you help me with this.

Is there a way to adjust your applications so that they display a little larger and still maintain the highest resolution available?

Thanks / Pat

I have the same monitor and the same complaint. You can change the text size on the View menu in IE7, and the thumbnail sizes in Photoshop. However, the text size adjustment doesn't work for all sites, such as this one. In fact, I've noticed it works for very few. I'll be monitoring this thread for ideas too.

You may decrease the quality because it will still be displaying 1600x1200 because that's how many pixels it has. By running at 1360 x 1024 it's actually using about 1.2 actual pixels to display 1 pixel of your 1360 x 1024 resolution which can cause the image to appear blurred.

I don't want to sound horrible but have you had your eyes checked recently? I run a pair of 22" monitors at 1680x 1080 each and can see perfectly well and I have horrible eyesight and wear glasses.

HankScorpio wrote in post #6410193
I don't want to sound horrible but have you had your eyes checked recently? I run a pair of 22" monitors at 1680x 1080 each and can see perfectly well and I have horrible eyesight and wear glasses.

i'd have to 2nd that.. i have dual display runnng 1600x1200 each, one on a 20.1" TFT the other on a 19" CRT.. and can read both fine (at arms reach away (34") and i have smaller than average txt running as well (7pt Verdana for menus etc)

Thanks for the pixel explanation Hank, now I understand that part of it and do need to stay at the highest resolution for editing photos.

Well now, lots of surprises with this monitor - eyesight! It just so happens I have an appt for that next week so will look into that. Maybe a change in Rx will help these older eyes... thanks! I can see everything but it's just not comfortable.

Another thought is that I can change to the larger resolution when I'm editing in the meantime.

Thanks for your suggstions too Billy, I'll look at what can be changed in LR. How's your eyesight...

Thanks again / Pat

You can also try and use Large Fonts in Windows. That should increase the font size for program menus etc.... I am also running a 20" monitor at 1600 x 1200 and HATE tiny print. Other than a few websites with tiny print (Dpreview)...I have no problems with any programs.

Have a look at Jeffrey’s Lightroom Configuration Manager.
You can change a lot, including text size.

Bobster wrote in post #6410237
i'd have to 2nd that.. i have dual display runnng 1600x1200 each, one on a 20.1" TFT the other on a 19" CRT.. and can read both fine (at arms reach away (34") and i have smaller than average txt running as well (7pt Verdana for menus etc)

+1, from someone who has a 15.4" notebook at 1920x1200 (a resolution typically reserved for 24" or larger monitors and high-def TVs).

HankScorpio wrote in post #6410193
...... have you had your eyes checked recently? I run a pair of 22" monitors at 1680x 1080 each and can see perfectly well and I have horrible eyesight and wear glasses.

Bobster wrote in post #6410237
i'd have to 2nd that.. i have dual display runnng 1600x1200 each, one on a 20.1" TFT the other on a 19" CRT.. and can read both fine (at arms reach away (34") and i have smaller than average txt running as well (7pt Verdana for menus etc)

litkaj wrote in post #6416156
+1, from someone who has a 15.4" notebook at 1920x1200 (a resolution typically reserved for 24" or larger monitors and high-def TVs).

But ... do any of you have 62 year old eyes? When I was young, my eyesight was sharp enough to see the proverbial gnat on a buffalo nickel (if you don't know what I am referring to, then I know that you are young and have youthful eyesight).

bill boehme wrote in post #6416237
But ... do any of you have 62 year old eyes?

I'll see your 62 and raise you 12! Ah, for the good old days, when I had 20/20 uncorrected, which was a requirement for my job.

Actually, the small text on my LaCie 320 isn't a big problem, just a minor annoyance, but it would be nice to be able to increase the size of it on some sites a little bit. As I stated earlier, the View menu in IE 7 allows you to increase it, but it doesn't work on some sites, such as this one.

BillyR wrote in post #6416402
the View menu in IE 7 allows you to increase it, but it doesn't work on some sites, such as this one.

Firefox 3 does enlarge text on POTN
And it's a nicer browser anyway IMO ...

René Damkot wrote in post #6421969
Firefox 3 does enlarge text on POTN
And it's a nicer browser anyway IMO ...

Thanks for the tip, René. I previously had Firefox, but had not bothered to install it on my Vista computer that I got about 6 months ago. I've done so now, and sure enough you're right. My... er... somewhat mature eyes thank you, too!

I can now join you in recommending Firefox for those of us whose eyes could use a little help, as well as probably lots of other advantages.

Try this, I believe it applies to all applications.

XP:
Right click on desktop
Settings Tab
Advanced button
On the General Tab - Change your DPI to 120 DPI instead of the default 96 dpi.

Vista:
Right click on desktop and Personalize
On the left hand side of the window it says "Adjust Font Size (DPI)". Click it.
Change it to the Larger Scale (120 DPI).

See if that helps any. In theory, it should enlarge the text for you, but keep most of the rest of things the same. I don't know exactly what will happen for each application.. depends on the people that wrote it. Hopefully it will be better for you.. it should for windows at least.

Oh Symby - that solved it!

Thank you so much, everything looks so much more normal now. In fact I may have to cut it back a bit, you are able to customize the DPI setting as well. Even this site is more easily readable.

I was on the computer most of yesterday and last night; between the larger pictures to get used to and the smaller text, my eyes are killing me today. What a relief! Now I can go back to enjoying this new monitor.

And thank you to everyone who contributed, all the suggestions will help to fine-tune things to our individual "older" eyes.

Happy I could help.