Table of Contents
Start of Chapter : Optimize your Alphabetics
Previous: Choose between LCD and CRT monitors
Use your monitor correctly
Regardless of which monitor type you choose, there are some general guidelines you should follow.
Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm's length away and tilted slightly upward towards you. Position the top of the screen at eye level or slightly higher. If you have a large monitor, sit further back. Place it higher so your eyes are about 2-3 inches below the top of the viewing area. If you have bifocals, you might want to place the monitor lower so you can see through the bottom part of your glasses without straining.
Be careful with glare and brightness. Windows and lights are the most common source. To check, turn your monitor off and look for any reflections. Adjust your monitor brightness so it is about equal in brightness to the area behind it (assuming your workplace has enough light). If your workplace has natural lighting, you may need to adjust the brightness throughout the day.
Adjust your monitor settings for the best view
Learn how to adjust the settings on your monitor. Modern displays have digital controls to help you adjust brightness, contrast, screen size and other settings. It's usually better to have higher contrast and lower brightness, however this will depend on your workplace.
A common problem with people who've bought large CRT monitors is that they don't know how to size the screen image. The result is unused screen space around the display image, wasting perhaps half to one inch of monitor size! See your monitor manual, or ask someone to help, if you're not sure.
Increase screen resolution, refresh rate and DPI settings
Firstly, let's understand what screen resolution, refresh rate and DPI mean. The image on your computer screen is comprised of thousands of tiny pixels. The resolution refers to how many pixels make up your viewing area. A resolution of 1024 x 768 means there are 1,024 pixels across your monitor, and 768 pixels down. The refresh rate refers to how many times the image on the screen refreshes. Numbers from 50-120 hertz are common here. Lastly, the DPI setting refers to "Dots Per Inch." Some operating systems allow you to set higher DPI settings when you have higher resolutions. This increases the size of screen elements so they are easier to see.
The settings and display quality your overall machine supports depends on the features of your computer and your monitor. You may need to work with someone knowledgeable to follow these instructions.
Note: These instructions are specific to Windows XP. Windows 2000 and 95 have similar settings but may differ. Again, consult your documentation or ask someone knowledgeable if you have problems.
Next: Check your drivers
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