Tips for new widescreen

[CJH]

So just bought a nice new 17" laptop that replaced my old desktop. The monitor is in widesreen format, so when viewing webpaqes, the text is small and hard to read with alot of wasted space on the sides. On this site in particular, when I zoom in, the formatting gets all goofy.

Anybody have any tips on how to make it easier to read without screwing up the formatting? As mentioned, I do use the zoom feature, but that only works on some sites. I am currently using Firefox/Windows 7.

New to this type of formatting (on a PC) and Windows 7. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!

CJH

[Jim Almquist]

When you say zoom in are you using Ctrl + to make it bigger ?

With my 22" monitor I am running at 1680 X 1050 and it looks fine without zooming in but your screen is smaller.

[DTro]

Yes, change the resolution setting.

Right click anywhere on your desktop---->properties----->settings

Find one you like

[CJH]

Yes that's correct. CTRl +, sometimes I have to hit it a few times! Not sure if its a settings thing or that the webpages that are formatted for the old common screen dimensions just don't play nice with the new widescreen dimensions.

EDIT - Just checked the resolution setting and its 1920 x 1200 (which is max)

[Nick Kuhn]

1920x1200 is a very high pixel density on a 17" monitor (that resolution produces "normal" sized text on a 24" monitor). There's a few things you can do: Change the resolution (keep it a 16x10 ratio), increase the font size in windows AND go into your web browser settings and increase the minimum and default font sizes.

[Ralph Wiggum]

We recently bought a 17" widescreen laptop, as well. Running Windows 7 and Firefox, and I haven't noticed any problems like you're describing. I'll have to see what my resolution is set at when I get home.

[CJH]

Swithched to the largest Windows setting (150%) and that seemed to help some. Some of the other sites I go to fill up the screen better, but this one is readable now at least!

Thanks for the tips guys!

CH

[Shack]

Quote:

I am currently using Firefox/Windows 7.

I believe you have to add a customizing styles plug in to Firefox and I believe Chrome also. I run a Toshiba laptop with a 18.92786" (pretty much 19") and since the last update here, HSO shrank, but yet Google and other sites stayed the same. If Dbl or Limit look in, they might remember what the name of the plug in is and how to do it. When I get home tonight I will look'er up and we will see if that is the cause. I am sure it is.

[Dbl]

Stylish is the name of the plugin for Firefox. I use it exclusively for this site because I didn't care for the changes made. I have a 26" widescreen monitor and it was a necessity to get the page to stretch to fill the monitor. I also changed the background color so that photos displayed nicer. If you download the plugin and want info on what changes I made just let me know and I can post the code.

[Whoaru99]

Dunno if it works on a laptop, but if I hold down the Control key and roll my mouse button, the scale/size of the web pages change (running XP Home SP3 w/IE8).

The problem with changing the screen resolution on LCDs is that often the text doesn't look very good unless you're using the native resolution of the display.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I run a Lenovo laptop, Windows 7 and the cntl + the far right side of the touch pad will allow the screen to zoom in and out.