nic@hpcehfe.HP.COM (Nic Lyons) (02/26/88)
The display really cannot be ignored when using anti-aliasing techniques, which require you to accurately position pixels (of the display's resolution) at the correct luminosity. Most people assume a display is a "linear system", but this is not the case. At the very minimum you need to gamma correct the monitor, but should also be concerned with the display's 2-D spatial luminosity response, the point spread function (or "dot smear"). It is well know that when you turn on two neighboring pixels individually, measure their luminosity responses and compare the sum of their responses to the luminosity response of two adjacent pixels turned on at the same time, the response differs. The luminosity response of different areas of a single display tube can vary 10 - 20% over its surface and day to day. Time and money spent filtering an image (in hardware or software) won't produce absolutely accurate results unless some attempt is made to correct for the monitor's deffiencies. Exactly how much an effect this is in a particular display system depends on a number of factors. I applaud any efforts to incorporate anti-aliasing techniques in display hardware, but realize it is no panacea. The display transformation still needs to be taken into consideration. Nic "measured a few monitors in my day" Lyons Hewlett-Packard Human Factors Engineering Disclaimer: This is not HP's opinion, etc. etc. ... It's the truth!