Simviation Forums

Hey,

Just wondering, and sorry if this is a DUH kinda question/answer, but I have noticed lately in the screenshot forums that many users have extremely clear ad crisp screen shots and I was wondering if this had to do with users possibly using LCD displays?

I have a flat screen monitor, but it is not a LCD flatpanel display and sometimes I feel my screen shots are slightly blurry.  They just arent as crisp and colorful as I have seen, yet I'm using a top notch video card.

Perhaps the resolution could be the issue right?  My monitor only supports up to 1280X1024 resolution at a refreshrate of 75 hertz....or at least thats all that shows up on my monitor options.  Is there a way to force a higher refresh and resolution?  I heard in FS that by editing the FS9.cfg, you could add a line that will put the option for 1600xwhatever resolution.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

Screenshots are taken from the graphics card not the monitor.  So if you disconnected your monitor and pressed "print screen" you would still have a screen shot after reconnecting it and pasting the image to view it.

I have a reasonable quality 17" CRT, it does not produces the absolute best IQ but it is ok.  
This is my current background, and typically what FS9 looks for me.  


I think it is more down to the IQ of the GFX card in use, and the paint package used to make the screenshots.  I use PSP trial version, i roll the system clock back when i need to use it, because the trial runs out eventually.

I use 1024x768 with 85hz.  I do 4x AA and 16x AF aswell.

Correct me if I'm wrong but, doesn't the screen resolution correspond with the size of the screen shot?

The 9800 should not be a problem with IQ.  Update your drivers for that if you have not already done so.

Higher resolutions do give larger pictures.  When you resize them to 800x600 (for this forum) you have the same picture just shrunk.  

Which package do you use to resize the pictures?  Also do you have an option to set the compression of the *.jpg when you save?

Also go to your ATi control panel and make sure gamma is set to 1.8 whilst in Full Screen 3D.  Tweak the other two settings if you think they may help, but gamma does affect the appearance of the image.

I would think for the forum, taking pictures in a native 800x600 resolution would make higher quality screenshots then taking them at 1280x1024 and resizing. The paint program then has to choose 830720 pixels to lose.

I use Multigrab saving at 90% jpg quality, then use irfanview to resize to 800x600 and save at 70%. Nice low file size, nice low quality! Not too bad but there is  definately room for improvement!

Hi-D, Which water textures are you using there? Never ventured away from the default myself About time I did

I had the brainwave idea of uninstalling ATi control panel, now I can't change or view any of my settings I quite like not having it as it saves me a lot of bother

I use Golden Eagles Squadron water textures.  These are for DX9 cards, which you have.

I like being able to set GFX settings in the control panel, it allows me to use AA and AF at settings i prefer and let the drivers run it and not the program itself.  I find the colour tab is also a useful tool.  I found from upping my gamme from 1.1 to 1.8 it improved the IQ.

I would think for the forum, taking pictures in a native 800x600 resolution would make higher quality screenshots then taking them at 1280x1024 and resizing. The paint program then has to choose 830720 pixels to lose.

If you reduce an image from 1280x1024 to 800x600, you'll get much more detaill, NOT the reverse!  ;)

The clarity has more to do with your graphics settings, I max out my settings when I shoot a screenshot, I even go up 1 resolution from my normal flying.

It's a pain, but the piccy's come out pretty!  ;)

Well, yeah...but my graphics settings are maxed at all times, and I have the game set on the highest resolution.

When your flying do your graphics look clear and crisp?

I know when I take screen shots they look just like it did while flying but after resizing some look blury or distorted.
Could just be the program your using to take the shots and resizeing them.
I have tried many different programs and now find Ifranview to be the best as far a quality of resized shots, I also use PSP8 and there is a differance in quaility and file size when resizing the exact same screenshot to the exact same size using different programs.
Just something to consider, and maybe not even related to your problem

I just spotted this. My system is not the best & not suitable for taking high quality shots which is one reason I rarely post any.

Just to make a few things clear. The monitor has nothing to do with the image quality of a screenshot. This is affected by the video card & display options in the sim. Forgive me if I'm wrong Scania but I seem to remember that when Ramsa was around he said that he used MultiGrab for all his shots. This was the best quality screengrab utility he could find at the time. He reduced the display resolution in the sim to 800 x 600 x 32 when taking shots to avoid losing image quality by resizing the images. (Ramsa was the screenshot guru on this forum at one time & everyone was amazed at the quality of his shots.)

This will obviously depend on your system, video card & the display mode you use. Everyone's system is different in some way. I notice that many people seem to run their sims in Windows mode & often wonder why. The display quality in all the M$ sims was always far better in Full Screen mode on my system.

Already using MultiGrab and Irfanview...

I also tried setting the sim to 800x600 and, well, they don't look as good as my usual 1280x1024 setting resized.