Lossy compression artifacts on the desktop (Win7)

[fffblackmage]

I did a quick search in the forums and I didn't see anything on this. I also googled it, but couldn't find an actual fix, merely a workaround.

So I have several vectorized wallpapers (PNG format), but I noticed ugly artifacts everywhere when used as the desktop background image.

The workaround involves making the wallpaper the background image on the desktop via right clicking in a web browser. However, that doesn't allow me to "fill" the wallpaper on the desktop and doesn't let me cycle the wallpapers I have.

Anyone else get this problem on Windows 7? Anyone know of a fix?

 

[homercles337]

PNG is not a vector format. Also, what is "ugly artifacts?" Windows GDI has a *horrible* interpolation implementation. That might be what you are seeing Why not take the PNGs into pshop and make them the exact resolution of your monitor and save them as a more "windows friendly" format (eg, BMP)?

 

[MStele]

Are you using Aero? If you are, try shifting to basic. It could be a video card driver issue.

 

[fffblackmage]

I'm having the same exact problem as the OP here

The following pictures will help illustrate what I'm seeing on my desktop.

What is seen on the desktop:

How the wallpaper is supposed to look:

 

[vj8usa]

I'm having the same exact problem as the OP here

The following pictures will help illustrate what I'm seeing on my desktop.

What is seen on the desktop:

How the wallpaper is supposed to look:

Can't you just use that second jpg as your wallpaper instead of making a PNG? I just tried that, and it looks fine.

 

[fffblackmage]

Alright, the example I used were not the images I was using (stole them from the thread I linked). I was just using them to illustrate the issue. The images I was using were saved fro mthe web and already in PNG format.

Anyways, Windows 7 is weird.... if the image is not a jpeg, it transcodes the image to a low quality jpeg and it's saved to C:\Users\"username"\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer or C:\Users\"username"\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes.

Renaming the image to .jpg does not fix anything; Win7 still transcodes the image.

However, if I open the image in a photo editor and save it as a max quality jpeg, Windows 7 does not transcode the image, but still copies the image to one of the aforementioned locations.

Copying the image to a safe location is fine, but transcoding to such a low quality jpeg just doesn't really make much sense to me.