True Color Test

Test of Display capabilities

The image below is a 24-bit true color image. On PCs with displays running in true-color there will be no visible banding as you move from left to right across the image. If you have no banding then your display is optimal and you should close this page.

The above image was converted to a 16-bit 65,000 color image. If you can see the same banding in both the image above and the image below then your display is not optimal and is not running in true-color. It may be possible to change your PC settings to run in true-color if you want to see if you can click here.

Changing a PCs Display Setup

To access the display setup dialogue box, minimize all applications and right mouse click on the Windows Desktop then select Properties from the popup menu. A dialogue box will open from which you select the Settings tab. You will find the current color setting towards the left hand bottom.

The available graphics modes are dependent on the amount of graphics memory the PC is fitted with. Increasing resolution requires more graphics memory just as increasing the number of colors does. In fact it is the product of resolution and colors that determines the total amount of graphics memory used. On systems with inadequate graphics memory you will find that increasing colors requires windows to decrease the resolution.

To see if you can increase the number of colors:

• Take note of the current resolution
• Use the dropdown box to select a greater number of colors (24-bit true color if possible)
• Did the resolution change? If not go to step 4. If the resolution changed then you should use the resolution slider to reset the original resolution and then Cancel the dialog box. Your options are:
  • live with it
  • upgrade your graphics card (probably easier and cheaper than trying to upgrade your graphics memory)
  • use software that can automatically switch between true-color and another mode for slide shows
• You can now Apply the change or say OK to set the new mode. Depending on your system, windows may test the change or require a reboot.