Text Display

Xowi · Jan 29, 2013, 09:24 AM

I've read a few complaint posts about how poorly text is displaying, is this a common issue or only when used with a HDTV?

paulrbeers · Jan 29, 2013, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xowi

I've read a few complaint posts about how poorly text is displaying, is this a common issue or only when used with a HDTV?

It's hit or miss when using the HDMI port. Using a minidisplayport to HDMI adapter does not appear to have this issue. With that said I don't have this issue on my hdmi port on my 2012 mini.

Luis2004 · Jan 29, 2013, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulrbeers

It's hit or miss when using the HDMI port. Using a minidisplayport to HDMI adapter does not appear to have this issue. With that said I don't have this issue on my hdmi port on my 2012 mini.

Agreed. I haven't tried the minidisplayport to HDMI adapter, but straight HDMI to HDMI port is garbage. I'm using the DVI port on my HP 2311xi and it looks great. Text is very crisp.

Sean869 · Jan 29, 2013, 11:48 AM

I have used a straight HDMI cable and a MDP to HDMI cable. Both give a rubbish picture.

Im using an AOC i2353 23" IPS monitor

jacky28c · Jan 29, 2013, 01:10 PM

I used a 3-in-1 adapter from monoprice which takes MDP and output to either DP, HDMI, or DVI.

HDMI <-> HDMI (bad color)
MDP (HDMI) <-> HDMI (bad color)
MDP (DVI) <-> HDMI (good)

I have a Samsung bx2450.

Xowi · Jan 30, 2013, 12:26 AM

Appreciate the replies

blueroom · Jan 30, 2013, 12:28 AM

HDTVs generally make for awful computer monitors. They're optimized for motion.

Woyzeck · Jan 30, 2013, 05:54 AM

Text display on Macs generally is awful for anyone coming over from Windows. That's caused by the different way that Windows and OSX render fonts.

Windows is focused on good readability, so it nails the font to the pixel boundaries.
OSX focuses on preserving the font's overall looks and doesn't care about pixels. The result is blurry and pixelated rendering, especially of smaller font sizes.

Additionally there's the washed out colors of the Mini. Overall it's a disaster for any Windows user.

iPeed · Feb 14, 2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woyzeck

Text display on Macs generally is awful for anyone coming over from Windows. That's caused by the different way that Windows and OSX render fonts.

Windows is focused on good readability, so it nails the font to the pixel boundaries.
OSX focuses on preserving the font's overall looks and doesn't care about pixels. The result is blurry and pixelated rendering, especially of smaller font sizes.

Additionally there's the washed out colors of the Mini. Overall it's a disaster for any Windows user.

True!

Installed Windows 7 (bootcamp) which appears crystal clear because OSX looks terrible.

benwiggy · Feb 14, 2013, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woyzeck

Windows is focused on good readability, so it nails the font to the pixel boundaries.
OSX focuses on preserving the font's overall looks and doesn't care about pixels. The result is blurry and pixelated rendering, especially of smaller font sizes.

Windows alters the size of the text to fit pixels. OS X displays text at the correct size, regardless of pixels. That's one of the reasons that OS X does well in the graphic design industry.

Text may display poorly on HDMI, but that's probably because it's a TV. I've never had any problem reading text on a good monitor on OS X.

dmooreco · Feb 14, 2013, 04:19 PM

HDMI Port ---> HDMI Input on Samsung 24" Monitor = Terrible Font Display

HDMI Port --->DVI Converter (included with mini)---->Samsung Monitor = 1000x better.

fricotin · 06:33 PM

It looks really bad on my VGA connected monitor, it's like night and day when I switch to Windows 7 with Parallels.

jtara · Feb 14, 2013, 06:34 PM

If you're doing software devlelopment, or other work where you will use a fixed-width font highly recommend installing the Inconsolata font and using it in your text editors, console, etc. Looks great on my Mini on my 10+ year old Samsung IPS monitors.

Inconsolata is weird on sizing so you have to bump it up a couple of notches. I'm using 14-point.

(I think the CFLs are close to their last legs, though, so have to start thinking about new monitors. They're cranked-up to 10 at this point...)

Woyzeck · Feb 15, 2013, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benwiggy

Windows alters the size of the text to fit pixels. OS X displays text at the correct size, regardless of pixels. That's one of the reasons that OS X does well in the graphic design industry.

That's just not true. Many graphical artists work on PCs because if they work with fonts these render as precise on their PC as on their Mac when using graphics tools.
The difference between Mac and PC is that OSX renders *all* fonts this way, even those where readability would be more important than font looks (i.e. on the desktop). I can't see any advantage on this. It just looks awful and is definitely less readable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by benwiggy

Text may display poorly on HDMI, but that's probably because it's a TV. I've never had any problem reading text on a good monitor on OS X.

Mini's HDMI output is broken. That's not a monitor problem.

Jan 29, 2013, 09:24 AM	#1
Xowi macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2012	Text Display I've read a few complaint posts about how poorly text is displaying, is this a common issue or only when used with a HDTV?
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Jan 30, 2013, 12:28 AM	#7
blueroom macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada	HDTVs generally make for awful computer monitors. They're optimized for motion. __________________ My iOS devices are not jailbroken. Bill My Blog
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Feb 14, 2013, 06:28 PM	#12
fricotin macrumors member Join Date: Sep 2011	It looks really bad on my VGA connected monitor, it's like night and day when I switch to Windows 7 with Parallels. Last edited by fricotin; Feb 14, 2013 at 06:33 PM.
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Jan 29, 2013, 11:48 AM	#4
Sean869 macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Dorset, United Kingdom	I have used a straight HDMI cable and a MDP to HDMI cable. Both give a rubbish picture. Im using an AOC i2353 23" IPS monitor
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Jan 29, 2013, 01:10 PM	#5
jacky28c macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2012	I used a 3-in-1 adapter from monoprice which takes MDP and output to either DP, HDMI, or DVI. HDMI <-> HDMI (bad color) MDP (HDMI) <-> HDMI (bad color) MDP (DVI) <-> HDMI (good) I have a Samsung bx2450.
	0

Jan 30, 2013, 12:26 AM	#6
Xowi Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2012	Appreciate the replies
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Jan 30, 2013, 05:54 AM	#8
Woyzeck macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2012	Text display on Macs generally is awful for anyone coming over from Windows. That's caused by the different way that Windows and OSX render fonts. Windows is focused on good readability, so it nails the font to the pixel boundaries. OSX focuses on preserving the font's overall looks and doesn't care about pixels. The result is blurry and pixelated rendering, especially of smaller font sizes. Additionally there's the washed out colors of the Mini. Overall it's a disaster for any Windows user.
	0

Feb 14, 2013, 04:19 PM	#11
dmooreco macrumors newbie Join Date: Apr 2010	HDMI Port ---> HDMI Input on Samsung 24" Monitor = Terrible Font Display HDMI Port --->DVI Converter (included with mini)---->Samsung Monitor = 1000x better.
	0

Feb 14, 2013, 06:34 PM	#13
jtara macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2009	If you're doing software devlelopment, or other work where you will use a fixed-width font highly recommend installing the Inconsolata font and using it in your text editors, console, etc. Looks great on my Mini on my 10+ year old Samsung IPS monitors. Inconsolata is weird on sizing so you have to bump it up a couple of notches. I'm using 14-point. (I think the CFLs are close to their last legs, though, so have to start thinking about new monitors. They're cranked-up to 10 at this point...)
	0