OS X displays odd on non-cinema display screen.

[PowerGamerX]

I have a Samsung 204B 4:3 21" screen and a 20" Cinema Display from 2004. I want to use the samsung because I prefer 4:3 ratios, but OS X looks seriously funky on it. I know its something with OS X, because Windows appears nice and crisp. OS X appears flat and fuzzy, no matter what I do to calibrate the screen.

Any tips?

 

[unixperience]

what is the optimal resolution for the monitor? (you can use the menu and buttons on the monitor to find out) don't forget refresh rate!!

Also, this may be a longshot, but I had a program on my computer called shades(it lets you dim the display separately), i found if shades was running when I plugged in the other monitor in. if you have some third party screen/color app. turn it off unplug the monitor and plug it back in (do it while the comp is on) calibrate the display BEFORE your turn your programs back on.

one last thing... is that apple displays have pretty dense pixel counts compared to other monitors(especially one from 2004 Im myself have an 05 lcd display and it is really blurry compared to my mac screen) You might just be used to seeing osx on a high pixelf-per-inch monitor.

My monitor is really blurry so I primarily use it for movie watching(or things that don't require lots of reading) it's a 17" 1280x1024@75Hz so you'd think it would look decent. but next to another apple display theres no contest

 

[PowerGamerX]

what is the optimal resolution for the monitor? (you can use the menu and buttons on the monitor to find out) don't forget refresh rate!!

Also, this may be a longshot, but I had a program on my computer called shades(it lets you dim the display separately), i found if shades was running when I plugged in the other monitor in. if you have some third party screen/color app. turn it off unplug the monitor and plug it back in (do it while the comp is on) calibrate the display BEFORE your turn your programs back on.

one last thing... is that apple displays have pretty dense pixel counts compared to other monitors(especially one from 2004 Im myself have an 05 lcd display and it is really blurry compared to my mac screen) You might just be used to seeing osx on a high pixelf-per-inch monitor.

My monitor is really blurry so I primarily use it for movie watching(or things that don't require lots of reading) it's a 17" 1280x1024@75Hz so you'd think it would look decent. but next to another apple display theres no contest

This samsung monitor has practically the same pixel density (1600x1200 vs the CD's 1680x1050) at 20". It looks way better in Windows than the CD but under OS X its completely the opposite. Its running at 75hz as well. I don't use any 3rd party color tools.

 

[MisterMe]

This samsung monitor has practically the same pixel density (1600x1200 vs the CD's 1680x1050) at 20". It looks way better in Windows than the CD but under OS X its completely the opposite. Its running at 75hz as well. I don't use any 3rd party color tools.

Windows tends to be more tolerant of crappy monitors. That said, you have given no indication what you have done, if anything, to select the proper resolution for your monitor. Neither have you stated how your monitor is connected to your Mac. If you have not done so, then:

1. Launch System Preferences.
2. Select the Displays preferences pane.
3. Scroll down the Resolutions: list to select 1600x1200.

 

[PowerGamerX]

Of course I've done this. Anyway, outputting through HDMI to DVI (and by the way, my monitor is anything but crappy) seems to have fixed the problem. I don't know why it was having a problem with the MDP-DVI but oh well.