Ever since an update took place in early january my background has been poor quality.

EDIT: Dont use these links, go down to the box.net ones.

My video settings: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/810/dump0016.png/

2 /dumps i took before the update(note the trident docked with the hac): http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/dump0013.png/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/dump0012l.png/

and what it looks like now: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/dump0015.png/

Graphic settings are all on highest except for full scene glow effect which is off.

There are two graphics dialogs - one named "video" and one named "graphics". The graphics one is the one where you can set the background detail, and the one you didn't include a screenshot of.

You say that it is on "highest", but that's a little ambiguous, because for some reason the devs decided to add a level that is higher than the option labled "highest": "super high". So it isn't clear if you mean you are using the setting labled "highest", or if you are on the highest setting, which is "super high".

I can't see a difference in quality between those screenshots, but that might be a result of them being resized.

I have felt like the background is slightly lower quality than it used to be, but I've been assuming it was just my imagination. Probably is just the novelty from the updated textures wearing off.

Yeah, sorry everything is on Super High, let's just say, the best possible graphics settings across the board, i put the Video screenshot in because theres lots of things i dont understand in there.

There is definitely a difference, let me see if i can find a better image hosting site..

ok, using box.net you can zoom in and easily tell the difference between the good quality ones with the capships and the poor quality ones.

In the same order as OP:

http://www.box.com/s/sfu6ts67av0on0z07j3a
http://www.box.com/s/x2s5frvbdj7qezxld97q
http://www.box.com/s/x2s5frvbdj7qezxld97q
http://www.box.com/s/otd8qt111dbgps5vuiz5

Huh. If you look at the actual stars, those are nice and clear. The edges of the nebulae also seem to be high-res. It's the gradients that are wonky. Almost looks like you're in a low-color mode. Maybe check your OS, make sure you're on the highest color setting.

Not sure how to do that on win7, but in the vendetta properties there is an option to run it in 256 colours, but that is not selected. Neither is anything else, except to run it in administrator.

added this /dump cause it shows my graphic settings, the poor quality sun and the high quality planet.

http://www.box.com/s/z24ul0lore8e1t9o7xuc

try turning on glow effects, I see your pictures shows that glow effects is turned off ?
Do you remember if it has always been turned off prior to these updates as well ?

If was always turned off then disregard my suggestion.

Well, I suppose that's worth a try, but I don't see how glow would affect that. Goofy things happen sometimes though.

My guess would be Windows or the video driver have somehow switched into 16 bit or 256 color mode.

Did you change your resolution? Sometimes the color depth is automatically reduced to support higher resolutions.

Edit: This should help with checking Windows' color settings:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/258-color-bit-depth-display-settings.html

Can you take another screenshot of Deneb E-15 specifically (preferably looking in the same direction), since that seems to be what we're comparing against? Each nebulae is composited a little differently, I'd just as soon make comparisons of the same one.

It does appear that your color is truncated, either to a 16bit video mode, or for some other reason.

When you select the video resolution area in "Video" (1680x1050), are you using a 16bit or 32bit video mode? Both are available by default. This is entirely separate from the texture bit-depth, which is the only setting shown on your screenshot.

Thanks inc, problem solved, i was on the 16bit video mode.