MetricsMatch: Dalton Maag Quality, Industry-Standard Metrics
Introduction
When text must lay out exactly as intended – character by character, line by line, page by page – font metrics are key. These invisible measurements determine how a font behaves in layout: how tall lines are, how wide characters are, and how text flows and aligns both on screen and in print.
If a font is transported with its text, preserving layouts is straightforward. However, many technologies depend on the recipient device having an identical or compatible font, as the layout is entirely determined by the font in use.
Get the metrics wrong, and things break – interfaces shift, subtitles overflow, documents reflow. For OEMs – where memory is tight, updates are costly, and standards are strict – exact metrics matching is absolutely essential.
Why Metrics Matter
Font metrics are the spatial data built into a font file that define the size and position of each glyph, set kerning values, establish line height, and much more. In many systems, these values act like a contract: if the metrics match, the layout remains intact, regardless of the underlying font design. Even if the visual appearance of the characters changes, keeping these measurements the same will ensure layout fidelity. That’s the core of metrics compatibility: different fonts, identical layout.
Why MetricsMatch?
MetricsMatch is Dalton Maag’s solution for OEMs who need fonts that can be completely relied upon – in embedded devices, legacy systems, and across broadcast standards.
- Identical Layouts: Fonts engineered to precisely match the metrics of industry-standard reference fonts, ensuring layout stability.
- Standards-Compliant: Supports industry norms such as MPEG, DVB, and ATSC – essential for closed captions and subtitles in regulated environments.
- Legacy-Compatible: Maintains consistent layouts across generations of hardware and software.
- IP Clarity and Competitive Pricing: 100% owned and licensed by Dalton Maag – licensing is clean, simple, and affordable.
- Dalton Maag Quality: Leverages our award-winning, high-quality design expertise, adapted to strict industry-standard requirements.
Whether you’re shipping a television, set-top box, media streamer, printer, or handheld system, MetricsMatch protects your product experience, prevents rendering issues, and ensures compliance without compromise.
MetricsMatch OEM Font Sets
Our MetricsMatch OEM fonts are currently in development. Indicative release dates are:
| Target Environment | Compatibility | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Computing Devices | OS Core Fonts | Now |
| TVs, Set-Top Boxes, and Streaming Devices | DVB | Now |
| MPEG-4 | Now | |
| ATSC | Now | |
| Printers and PDF Imaging | PDF Base 14 | Now |
| PostScript 2 | Late 2025 | |
| PCL 6 | Early 2026 | |
| PostScript 3 | Late 2026 |
MetricsMatch as a Service
In addition to our ready-made, standards-compliant MetricsMatch font sets, we also offer MetricsMatch as a service. We help clients achieve exact metrics compatibility with proprietary, legacy, or third-party fonts.
Whether you need a drop-in replacement for a legacy typeface, compliance with a specific device or document standard, or integration into a constrained embedded environment, we will work closely with you to engineer a custom solution that delivers layout integrity, technical reliability, and full IP clarity.
You can find out more in our Dalton Maag Fonts for OEMs guide, or get in touch to discuss how MetricsMatch can help you.
Adobe and PostScript are registered trademarks of Adobe Inc.
ATSC is a registered trademark of the Advanced Television Systems Committee Inc.
DVB is a registered trademark of the DVB Digital Video Broadcasting Project.
HP and PCL are registered trademarks of HP Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Use of a trademark does not imply endorsement or affiliation.