Pixels vs DPI

  • Thread starter Thread starter Philip K.
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Philip K.

Hi Everybody,
I open "Display Properties -- Settings". On this dialog I can set the "Screen Resolution". I use 1024 x 768 "pixels". For a particular monitor size, that is easily converted to pixels per inch. Then I click on the "Advanced Tab". On this dialog, I can set the "DPI Setting" to something other than the pixels setting. I have this set to 106 DPI. I can also set the font size in another dialog.

QUESTIONS:
1. What is the difference between pixels per inch and dots per inch?
2. How do either relate to the dot pitch -- the distance between dots of the same color? (Just to confuse the issue, dot pitch is given in millimeters rather than inches. However, I can handle that.)

Thanks for any help.
Confused
Phil
 
Google is your friend:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pixels+dpi

Hi Everybody,
I open "Display Properties -- Settings". On this dialog I can set the
"Screen Resolution". I use 1024 x 768 "pixels". For a particular monitor
size, that is easily converted to pixels per inch. Then I click on the
"Advanced Tab". On this dialog, I can set the "DPI Setting" to something
other than the pixels setting. I have this set to 106 DPI. I can also set
the font size in another dialog.

QUESTIONS:
1. What is the difference between pixels per inch and dots per inch?
2. How do either relate to the dot pitch -- the distance between dots of
the same color? (Just to confuse the issue, dot pitch is given in
millimeters rather than inches. However, I can handle that.)

Thanks for any help.
Confused
Phil
 
Philip said:
Hi Everybody,
I open "Display Properties -- Settings". On this dialog I can set
the "Screen Resolution". I use 1024 x 768 "*_pixels_*". For a
particular monitor size, that is easily converted to pixels per inch.
Then I click on the "Advanced Tab". On this dialog, I can set the
"*_DPI Setting_*" to something other than the pixels setting. I have
this set to 106 DPI. I can also set the font size in another dialog.

*_QUESTIONS_*:
1. What is the difference between pixels per inch and dots per inch?
2. How do either relate to the dot pitch -- the distance between dots
of the same color? (Just to confuse the issue, dot pitch is given in
millimeters rather than inches. However, I can handle that.)

Thanks for any help.
Confused
Phil
Click to expand...

Are you sure those are the questions you want answered, or do you really
want to know what is the purpose of the DPI setting?
 
Hi Robert Gault,
OK. I will answer your question before you answer mine.
1. I would like to know what Microsoft means by pixels and dots.
2. I would like to know what Microsoft does to the monitor when I change
pixels and dot settings.
The answers so far have been trying to be helpful. I have read them
and take them in their context. However, dots and pixels have become
meaningless in Windows.
Sometime dots is used to mean pixels. (See Corel's PhotoPaint); other
times it is used as the basic distance between the same colors on the
monitor (as in dot pitch); ink jet printers use it to mean a super tiny dot
which is a subdivision of their their "spot", Offset press people mean it
to be the variable size dot in their line screens, graphics people use it to
mean a blemish which must be removed, etc,etc, etc,
Pixel is almost as bad. In a graphics file it is clearly defined. For
the RGB color mode it is the three numbers which define the smallest element
in an image. It is clearly defined for a digital camera. For a monitor,
the manufacturer calls it the smallest triad of red, green, blue from which
dot pitch is defined.
However, Windows allows you to have settings for pixels and dots on a
monitor which Microsoft does not define.
Now it is your turn. Can you answer (1) and (2).
Phil
 
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