Low resolution using Ubuntu

[passegua]

I see a very good quality screen resolution using windows 7 on my virtualbox hosted by mac,
but when I run Ubuntu the video resolution is quite low.

Why? How could I improve it?
Thanks,
Daniele
Virtualbox ver. 3.2.4
Ubuntu 10.04
Mac Os ver. 10.6.4

[Perryg]

Install the guest additions (in the guest)
This should help Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions + Xorg config

[passegua]

Install the guest additions (in the guest)
This should help Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions + Xorg config

I forgot to add that I already installed Guest Additions.

Thanks anyway.

d.

[Sasquatch]

In that case: Forum Posting Guide and try again.

[passegua]

In that case: Forum Posting Guide and try again.

Not clear at all, Sasquatch.
I've read Forum Posting Guide indeed.
Still trying to improve Low video resolution using Ubuntu on VB iMAC hosted.
Best wishes.

[Zippo]

This should help Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions + Xorg config

I read the above mentioned HowTo but I don't know from where to get the "Guest Additions Iso" image?
Can anybody help me?
Thanks

[passegua]

This should help Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions + Xorg config

I read the above mentioned HowTo but I don't know from where to get the "Guest Additions Iso" image?
Can anybody help me?
Thanks

The G.A. iso comes together with VB, then you mount the image and run it from within Ubuntu.
Best wishes, Daniele

[Sasquatch]

This should help Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions + Xorg config

I read the above mentioned HowTo but I don't know from where to get the "Guest Additions Iso" image?
Can anybody help me?
Thanks

It's in the howto! Click on Devices from the VM GUI, then Install Guest Additions. The iso will then be loaded.

In that case: Forum Posting Guide and try again.

Not clear at all, Sasquatch.
I've read Forum Posting Guide indeed.
Still trying to improve Low video resolution using Ubuntu on VB iMAC hosted.
Best wishes.

If you read the FPG, then you should give more information. There currently is not enough to pinpoint your problem or to even fix it.

[passegua]

In that case: Forum Posting Guide and try again.

Not clear at all, Sasquatch.
I've read Forum Posting Guide indeed.
Still trying to improve Low video resolution using Ubuntu on VB iMAC hosted.
Best wishes.

If you read the FPG, then you should give more information. There currently is not enough to pinpoint your problem or to even fix it.[/quote]

Ok I read this:

At a minimum always provide basic host and guest configuration information, for example: “Host: Ubuntu Hardy Workstation, Vbox 1.6.2 PEUL, Bridged LAN; Guest WinXP SP3 + 1.6.2 PEUL Guest Additions”.

And I already wrote those information:

Virtualbox ver. 3.2.4
Guest Addition ver. 3.2.4_62467
Guest: Ubuntu 10.04
Host: Mac Os ver. 10.6.4

what else should I add?
many thanks.

[Sasquatch]

Well, how you installed the GA (probably followed my howto) and the outcome of the installation. Did you get any error? Does /var/log/xorg.0.log say anything? Do you get any other visual feedback as of why the GA isn't working or that you get a low resolution? Did you try to change the size of the VM window, instead of picking a resolution from the Display settings inside the Guest?

[passegua]

Well, how you installed the GA (probably followed my howto) and the outcome of the installation. Did you get any error? Does /var/log/xorg.0.log say anything? Do you get any other visual feedback as of why the GA isn't working or that you get a low resolution? Did you try to change the size of the VM window, instead of picking a resolution from the Display settings inside the Guest?

I didn't followed your how-to but simply started the autoexec inside the iso GA and all went through smoothly, no errors.
The only problem is the resolution of images or written stuff that has steps in it, I mean the pictures are really grainy low resolution, unlike windows 7 that shows images and fonts really well.
I use the full size of the VM window in iMAC.

I add this in order to better explain the problem.
resolution both in windows 7 and ubuntu 1680x1050
I attach two png images so you may compare them, I captures the images using Firefox 3.6.3 within Ubuntu 10.04 - Lucid Lynx
Thanks.

[Sasquatch]

The attached images are with different resolution and compression, but I guess it's just to show the difference in an extreme way. It sounds like Ubuntu isn't using anti-aliasing for font and image rendering, nor pixel hinting. It can also depend on the browser if you compare one page on two systems (VMs). Difference in version and settings can make a difference, as well as OS capabilities that it uses. FF could for example use X11 rendering on Ubuntu and ClearType on Windows. X11 isn't that pretty.

[passegua]

The attached images are with different resolution and compression, but I guess it's just to show the difference in an extreme way. It sounds like Ubuntu isn't using anti-aliasing for font and image rendering, nor pixel hinting. It can also depend on the browser if you compare one page on two systems (VMs). Difference in version and settings can make a difference, as well as OS capabilities that it uses. FF could for example use X11 rendering on Ubuntu and ClearType on Windows. X11 isn't that pretty.

I hardly understand your analysis since is too technical to me. So in short is there any solution? Or should I change browser or what else?
Thanks.

[Sasquatch]

it would help if you can get an actual shot of both VMs showing the same page (like this forum or something, or the same image) so we can compare the looks. Grab screenshots by releasing the keyboard from the Guest, then press Alt+printscrn and paste it in Paint. Save the file in a format that does not compress the image much, like PNG and attach it here like you did before.

In the mean time, check the appearance settings inside your Linux VM and try different values. Changes should be instant.

[passegua]

it would help if you can get an actual shot of both VMs showing the same page (like this forum or something, or the same image) so we can compare the looks. Grab screenshots by releasing the keyboard from the Guest, then press Alt+printscrn and paste it in Paint. Save the file in a format that does not compress the image much, like PNG and attach it here like you did before.

In the mean time, check the appearance settings inside your Linux VM and try different values. Changes should be instant.

It's exactly what I did. I took a screenshot of the same image using the windows 7 screenshot command (I cannot use Alt+printscrn since I ha an iMAC and its keyboard doesn't have any printscrn key) and then I took the second same image using Ubuntu screenshot command. Indeed both are saved ad png.
Best wishes. d.