Some LCD panels can display more than one resolution—my HP laptop (which now
runs Linux) I have set to 1600 x 900 instead of its native 1920 x 1080 and it's
much easier than at its native resolution. The ARMbook can't be set
successfully to other resolutions in RISC OS—I wonder this can be done in Linux
(I only run mine in RO). This would tell whether the limitation is in the
hardware or in the RO drivers.
If the hardware only supports native resolution then the OS would need to do
scaling. This is effectively what "Big Mode" does—everything is doubled in
size. Apple do the same, by making the resolution of the screen twice what it
would have been; on the current MacBook Air, the resolution is 2560 x 2600.
If you need/want fractional scaling, things get trickier. With control of the
hardware, Apple don't (need to) do this. Windows 10 does attempt this; it has
improved over time but is still not perfect on some apps—including Ovation Pro.
The GNOME desktop in Linux now supports it, but it has to be turned on
specially—this suggests it might not work too well.
I think 1920 x 1080 really isn't a suitable resolution for most laptops—too
small to be seen easily, and not high enough a resolution for doubling up to
work well. At least the ARMbook lets you change the resolution quickly—even if
not everything doubled in size in Big Mode (for example, bitmapped fonts in
editors—but the text in StrongEd's "list of found" does double in size…)
David Gee
Gateshead
On 12 Sep 2020, at 09:05, Norman Lawrence <norman.cathy.lawrence@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
I am happy with my Armbook, it is very portable and all my RISC OS software is
available on the go without the memory restrictions of Virtual Acorn I am not
a big fan of touchpads, so I always use a wireless mouse on all my laptops.
Like Chris, I am looking forward to when the HDMI output works so that I can
connect to my desktop monitor. An extra bonus would be to change monitor
settings eg 800 by 600 for AMCOG games and perhaps 1360 by 768.
Norman
On Fri, 11 Sep 2020 at 20:38, charles
<charles@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:charles@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
On 11 Sep, Chris Johns <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
wrote:
It would be nice if the HDMI output could be made to work as then you
could plug a monitor and proper keyboard / mouse into it to use it on the
desk, or disconnect them to use it on the go.