RealVGA: Do You Use It? Want To?

There is a good bit of discussion going on over in the forums about RealVGA and I decided to peak behind the curtain to see what all the discussion is about.

Tobias, over at XDA Developershas come up with a means to reduce the screen’s dpi resolution from 128dpi to 96dpi on any Windows Mobile 6 device. You also have the ability to change the screen language with this application.

Why is this useful? The image above is a good hint, but read on for quite a bit more about RealVGA!

Here’s where you can find the RealVGA download that is on the XDA Developer site. The current version is 1.1 and in downloading the RealVGA cabinet file your only resolution setting and language is 128dpi and English. To add the 96dpi setting and additional languages, you simply install the other .CAB files that are listed below the main application. Once you transfer the .CAB files to your Windows Mobile Device, it’s simply an issue of clicking/tapping and installing.

There is an alternative version of RealVGA floating around that is being discussed over here that was originally written for the Treo 800W but is being reported to be compatible with the Treo Pro.

I’m testing RealVGA out on a Treo Pro and once installed, you go to Programs to find the “RealVGA” icon, tap it and you are presented with a three option menu screen. Pull down menus are there for the dpi and language. You also have a check box for “disable phone skin” which, as I understand it, keeps your phone dialer from looking strange.

Based on the conversations on the various forums concerning RealVGA, it is supposed to improve screen quality by manipulating the dpi settings. I’m not going to pretend that I know a lot about what’s under the hood but in testing RealVGA, I see being very similar to changing the resolution on your computer monitor from, say, 1280x1024 to 1024x768. In going from the 128dpi to the 96dpi setting, your icons, symbols and fonts become smaller and in essence, giving you more real estate on the screen. If you are interest in a more technical explanation ease on over to the forum discussion and you'll learn more about RealVGA than you ever imagined.

Here's the 128dpi screen shot of the Programs screen:

And now the same screen but at 96dpi:

So what does this mean to the average Joe that does good to remember the html code for hyperlinking text but is a devoted Windows Mobile user? Well, I tried RealVGA and to be honest I couldn’t see a bit of difference between the native and RealVGA 128dpi screen and shouldn’t see a difference. It is my understanding at the 128dpi setting, RealVGA doesn’t do a thing other than let the native settings take hold. However for devices where the native setting is larger than 128dpi it will make a difference in how things are displayed.

Where the difference becomes noticeable and the attraction of RealVGA comes into play is with the 96dpi setting. The 96dpi setting reduces the size of the menu bars, icons, and other graphics allowing for more “real estate” on the 320x320 screen. You get more icons, text, menu items, etc. on a screen at a time eliminating the need to scroll around for useful information. The trade off is that text, icons, and symbols are at little more difficult to read. Text was readable but took more concentration. I couldn’t see reading something at a glance with the 96dpi screen but it seems that those who like the 96dpi setting do because they can see more at a glance. You can increase the size of the text in the 96dpi and I have to admit it helps, but I felt more comfortable with 128dpi.

One annoying little aspect of RealVGA is that when you adjust the settings, a soft reset is required to have the settings take affect because you are changing the registry. It reminded me of the old days with computer monitors requiring a system re-boot before a change in settings would take affect. If you want to compare 96dpi and 128dpi settings with RealVGA, be patient.

RealVGA isn’t without quirks and compatibility issues. For those using the current version of SPB Mobile Shell (version 2.0.2), SPB does not support RealVGA. In using the 96dpi setting I was frustrated that the “Start” button was disabled and wouldn’t take me to the Mobile Shell. With SPB not supporting RealVGA, there was nothing for the “Start” button to send me to (thanks Ovan for the explanation).

One aspect of the 96dpi setting that took some time to get used to is that with the smaller text you create smaller targets for the touch screen. At first I thought the touch screen lost sensitivity with the 96dpi setting but the more I used it, I think the issue is not with sensitivity but simply smaller targets on the screen to tap. It’s nothing you won’t get used to but initially it feels odd.

Overall Impression

After discussing RealVGA over in the forums, I came to understand why someone would see this as an attractive application for a Windows Mobile device. You do get more on the screen with the 96dpi setting. Personally, I didn’t care for the smaller banners, icons, and menus. While you can increase the text, it still had an odd feel to it. The good thing about RealVGA is that it’s free. If you don’t like it, removing it is as easy as removing any other application from your device.

One word of caution though on removing RealVGA; be sure you have the screen set to 128dpi before you remove the applications. I had my screen set to 96dpi and when I removed the applications (the RealVGA and 96dpi CAB) the screen remained at 96dpi. Once I re-installed everything, changed the dpi back to 128, and re-removed the applications everything was back to normal.

What are your thoughts on RealVGA? What benefits have you discovered with the 96dpi “enlarged” screen? Have you discovered any problems with compatibility? You are welcome share your experiences with RealVGA in the comments section or join in over on the forum discussion. The more I discuss this with those who have tried RealVGA, it appears this is more an issue of personal preference than one of performance. If you don’t like the cramped feel of the 320x320 screen at 128dpi, it might be worth giving RealVGA and the 96dpi setting a try.

Thanks to ebag333 for help and input for this article!