# Make your fonts crisp and clear in xp



## rhorne4 (Sep 12, 2004)

ClearType 


If you have ever noticed how crisp text appears on certain systems as compared to your own and wished that you could have that same sharpness and clarity, you should turn on ClearType. ClearType is a feature built into Windows XP that allows you to further smooth screen fonts. To turn it on, go to Start -> Control Panel -> Display -> Appearance -> Effects, and check "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts." Choose "ClearType" (as opposed to "Standard") and press OK. You should immediately notice a subtle difference!


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Cleartype sometimes has the opposite effect.  Although it's touted for use with LCD monitors, I find the clarity of text is better using the standard smoothing process, and I use LCD monitors.


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## jkskinsfan (Nov 11, 2004)

I have a CRT Monitor, and using "Standard" works best for me.


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

There is a small portion of LCD monitors that are constructed in a reversed color scheme that the simple turning on of the WinXP PC's ClearType function, will cause more blurriness. Along with that single major difference in monitor construction, there are other slight pixel constructions that may also need to be adjusted for.

Neither of those conditions can be adjusted for by the simple enabling of the 'use the ClearType method to smooth font edges' that the control in the default WinXP control panel applet provides (which is lso available by right-clicking a clear area of your WinXP desktop, selecting Properties, select the Appearance tab, then click the [Effects] button.)

By going to Microsoft's website:
http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/Step1.aspx
you will be stepped through that test, and then be walked through the refining of the ClearType setting to really make your monitor sharper yet.

ALSO, there is now a free Powertoy, from Microsoft, at:
http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypePowerToy.mspx
which provides all those same ClearType tweaks via your Control panel.

One last point, while the initial intent of the ClearType was to font smooth on fixed pixel pattern LCD monitors, there is some font display improvement that can be experienced even when using CRT monitors. It really all depends upon what screen resolution you are using and if is it close to the top resolution of your monitor.

In closing, it doesn't hurt to use the ClearType tweaker (on the web or with the Powertoy) to see if you get an improvement.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Thanks, I'll give the PowerToy a try.


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## cliffo90 (Nov 26, 2004)

hmm i dont kno what my moniter type is but its HUGE, huge as in really heavy, i have the cleartype thing on now and it looks much better. but i think its a little blurry, ill have to get another opinion


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

Cliff, an LCD monitor is a flat panel, usually about an inch thick, or less. In all expectations it is never really heavy. Huge is usually associated with tube-type monitors, also called a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). CRTs are quite often as thick as they are wide, or thereabouts.

I know that both definitions, heavy - huge, are somewhat relative:
Heavy to me might be someone else's idea of not too heavy.
Huge to me might be my wife's idea of tiny. 

Anyway, you can try the ClearType function with any type of monitor. If it helps great, if it doesn't - well, at least you tried. (ClearType is currently only available for WinXP.)

I especially recommend that you get to the MS website to tweak it a bit more. The tweaking is nothing harder than looking at some sample frames and you click on the one that looks best. It only takes a few seconds.


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## KeithKman (Dec 29, 2002)

I have a Samsung SyncMaster 997DF monitor (19inch crt) and with clear type on, the letters become a little bit bigger and blurry.


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## Space Cowboy (Apr 19, 2005)

ChuckE said:


> I especially recommend that you get to the MS website to tweak it a bit more. The tweaking is nothing harder than looking at some sample frames and you click on the one that looks best. It only takes a few seconds.


I agree .. the powertoy seems like to much for what you can do with just the website. You have to install a active x thingy but at least the invasion is minimal.


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

KeithKman said:


> I have a Samsung SyncMaster 997DF monitor (19inch crt) and with clear type on, the letters become a little bit bigger and blurry.


The function of ClearType is to actually blur the sharp "stair-stepping" seen in the curves of font characters. It does that by sub-pixelating (is that a word?) the transitions in those fill-in pixels.

You can read more about how it works at the MS website, http://www.microsoft.com/typography/WhatIsClearType.mspx

If you are using large resolutions you will see those "blurs" in the character renderings. A CRT doesn't really have a sharply defined pixel, like an LCD does. So depending upon your CRT setup (set screen resolution, fineness of your CRT's shadow-mask) the ClearType may, or may not, be useful.


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## iaavagent (Jan 11, 2004)

Doing all this {above},are you using up more resources or? ? Minimal, little or lots? 
Maybe ChuckE should ask his wife and then we'd really know!


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

It has got to be very minimal resources being used, I turned my ClearType off, then on, then off, then on again, and I did not notice any difference in my memory resources being used, other than a couple K here or there. Nothing I could actually attribute to the ClearType. I never saw any additional processes running.

I believe ClearType is a virtual driver that may not show up as a running process.

Why don't you just try it and tell us if you can detect any difference. I have never worried about that, myself.


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## Alan18 (Feb 9, 2005)

Gave me a bit of a headache...


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## stantley (May 22, 2005)

I have a CRT monitor and ClearType made a big improvement in the display. So I guess just try it to see if it works.


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## SIR****TMG (Aug 12, 2003)

Hay i like this......really is great looking...thank you.............


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