Widescreen LCD, ClearType and XF86Config (SCEPTRE X7TV WXGA)

CoolAJ86 · 10-01-2004, 06:47 PM

I know there'll be a few people dying for this:

/etc/X11/XF86Config

Code:

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier "SCEPTRE X7TV"
    HorizSync	25-60
    VertRefresh 56-75
    Modeline "1280x768@60" 79.50 1280 1312 1608 1640 768 783 791 807

EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen 1"
    Device      "GeForce4 MX-440 AGP8X"
    Monitor     "SCEPTRE X7TV"
    DefaultDepth 16

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
	Modes	    "1280x768"
        ViewPort    0 0
#        Virtual     1600 1280
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
	Modes	    "1280x768"
        ViewPort    0 0
#        Virtual     1600 1280
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
	Modes	    "1280x768"
        ViewPort    0 0
#        Virtual     1600 1280
    EndSubsection
EndSection

That took me a while to figure out, but it works well.

Check out this online modline generator... has a few quirks in the javascript... but it's good
(you'll have to delete the refresh rate it fills in automatically and maybe a few other things)
http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl

I haven't figured out how to make the fonts not so terribly ugly. I tried using the subpixeling idea, but it didn't seem to make any difference, which leads me to believe that my syntax is incorrect. Any ideas?

/etc/X11/XftConfig

Code:

match edit antialias=true;
match edit rgba=rgb;

hw-tph · 10-02-2004, 11:01 AM

Quote:

I haven't figured out how to make the fonts not so terribly ugly. I tried using the subpixeling idea, but it didn't seem to make any difference, which leads me to believe that my syntax is incorrect. Any ideas?

Cleartype is a Microsoft trademark and it's what we've been doing for years in Linux - it's known as anti-aliasing to everyone outside Redmond, WA.

You can either change these settings on a per-user basis with the configuration file ~/.fonts.conf or for everyone on the host using /etc/fonts/local.conf. I suggest using ~/.fonts.conf until you have gotten it right.

First you need to add the top directory of where your Truetype fonts live. Non-Truetype fonts (pcf console fonts for example, and the same goes for Postscript fonts if I remember correctly) will not have anti-aliasing, so if you're not using truetype fonts that's why the fonts look jagged and ugly.

Here is an example XFT configuration file, be it /etc/fonts/local.conf or ~/.fonts.conf (they are basically the same):

Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
<dir>/usr/share/fonts</dir>
<dir>/usr/local/share/fonts</dir>
  Enable sub-pixel rendering
	<match target="font">
		<edit name="rgba" mode="assign"><const>rgb</const></edit>
	</match>
</fontconfig>

I have all my truetype fonts in the directory trees /usr/share/fonts (fonts provided by the distribution) and /usr/local/share/fonts (downloaded fonts). XFT will scan the subdirectories as well so you can build a structured hierarchy if you wish (I think you should if you have lots of fonts). The directory ~/.fonts will be searched by default as well, so if you don't have it you should create it. You can simply copy truetype fonts (from a Windows installation or downloaded) to these directories and run fc-cache -v .The -v provides more output and helps debugging if changes doesn't seem to take effect.

You will also need the environment variable $GDK_USE_XFT set to "1" (enabled) to make sure GTK2/XFT applications use XFT to display fonts.

Håkan

the neator · 05-06-2006, 04:53 PM

Cleartype is a Microsoft technology so I'm sure it will be called something different in Linux. All the same it is NOT THE SAME THING as antialiasing, sir. It uses the sub-pixels on your LCD screen to render fonts smoother turning on and off the red green and blue hues individually around fonts, rendering them really smoothly. Effectively tripling your fonts resolution and making them look great.

I just started using this in Windows and I am dieing to use it in Linux, someone please follow this up.