Screen getting duller

Mohit25 · 11-12-2006, 12:44 AM

I bought my reader over a month ago (2nd Oct) and have been using it every day - my friend got her reader today and as I saw her screen, it looked a lot brighter. I put both the readers side by side and my reader screen has become considerably duller just in the past one month.

This can't be good - anyone else face a similar issue !!!

diabloNL · 11-12-2006, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mohit25

I bought my reader over a month ago (2nd Oct) and have been using it every day - my friend got her reader today and as I saw her screen, it looked a lot brighter. I put both the readers side by side and my reader screen has become considerably duller just in the past one month.

This can't be good - anyone else face a similar issue !!!

Is the battery almost finished? I noticed that when the battery gets low the screen gets duller. After I charged it it was much better.

stxopher · 11-12-2006, 08:51 AM

I've only had mine for a few days but had noticed the ink was less "contrasting" than it had been but chalked it up to eyestrain due to massive reading and playing around.

Then it decided to restart in the middle of a document (well, it is a Sony product after all). After a couple minutes so it could reindex (about 1500 items in it---lotsa maps and manga) it came back and was clearly brighter than it had been before. Clear enough that a friend saw it a few minutes later and asked me how many of "these things" I was going to get.

Perhaps every now and then it just has to clear out its head. Hope that's all that is wrong with yours.

yvanleterrible · 11-12-2006, 01:31 PM

Just a question like that.

Eink is composed of tiny particles floating in a liquid. Is it possible that this liquid can leak or that it could slowly permeate through the retaining membrane? If so, logically the missing fluid would create a resistance for the grids that would prevent the particles from turning completely vertical ie. giving a grey tone instead of black.

An other idea is that the capacitor or whatever component giving the charge to the grids, is deteriorating and preventing a proper discharge.

Note that I have only basic knowledge of electronics. Is there someone here that could explain the working properties of eink displays? Also I would like to know how greytones are achieved .

diabloNL · 11-12-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Just a question like that.

Eink is composed of tiny particles floating in a liquid. Is it possible that this liquid can leak or that it could slowly permeate through the retaining membrane? If so, logically the missing fluid would create a resistance for the grids that would prevent the particles from turning completely vertical ie. giving a grey tone instead of black.

An other idea is that the capacitor or whatever component giving the charge to the grids, is deteriorating and preventing a proper discharge.

Note that I have only basic knowledge of electronics. Is there someone here that could explain the working properties of eink displays? Also I would like to know how greytones are achieved .

Greytones? Maybe when the particles are on their side? So the're black and white and dus creating a grey illusion.

Like I said before, when my battery was low the screen started to be dull. The black status bar was showing grey spots. As soon as I attached it to the AC it started slowly getting better until all was fine.

Bob Russell · 11-12-2006, 03:09 PM

This may be a silly question, but I notice huge difference in contrast and color of the background based on what kind of light I use. Not the brightness, necessarily, but the kind of light. For example, my nightstand halogen seems to make everything look crisper.

Is it possible that people noticing a duller screen are looking at it in a different light source?

Laurens · 11-12-2006, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

This may be a silly question, but I notice huge difference in contrast and color of the background based on what kind of light I use. Not the brightness, necessarily, but the kind of light. For example, my nightstand halogen seems to make everything look crisper.

Is it possible that people noticing a duller screen are looking at it in a different light source?

That might be it. In broad daylight the display looks as brilliant as ever. Maybe it's because the days are getting darker and shorter?

diabloNL · 11-12-2006, 03:56 PM

Nope, with me has nothing to do with the used light. The screen with me gets duller when the battery gets low. The statusbar is full with grey/white shadows. After recharge there gone.

Bob Russell · 11-12-2006, 09:44 PM

Is it possible to tell if the duller look is because ghosting is worse?

geekraver · 11-13-2006, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloNL

Nope, with me has nothing to do with the used light. The screen with me gets duller when the battery gets low. The statusbar is full with grey/white shadows. After recharge there gone.

I'm no expert, but conceivably this makes sense - perhaps the voltage level affects the contrast, and that drops as the battery gets low.

Bob Russell · 11-13-2006, 03:06 AM

I'm also just guessing without basis, but since the display keeps it's image without power due to the little balls being rotated in the proper direction, I'm thinking that the contrast wouldn't be affected directly by the voltage levels. Maybe indirectly by ghosting or by incomplete rotation of the little colored spheres due to not enough power.

I wonder if anyone has read the tech info on e-ink enough to know what's going on...

diabloNL · 11-13-2006, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

I'm also just guessing without basis, but since the display keeps it's image without power due to the little balls being rotated in the proper direction, I'm thinking that the contrast wouldn't be affected directly by the voltage levels. Maybe indirectly by ghosting or by incomplete rotation of the little colored spheres due to not enough power.

I wonder if anyone has read the tech info on e-ink enough to know what's going on...

I think that is the problem. The charge needed to switch pages is not enough. Resulting in grey and white areas. Maybe someone with a almost depleted battery can check it also?

I'm an electronic engineer so I think it is time for me to read some datasheets on the e-ink technology. :P

Laurens · 11-13-2006, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloNL

I think that is the problem. The charge needed to switch pages is not enough. Resulting in grey and white areas. Maybe someone with a almost depleted battery can check it also?

I'm an electronic engineer so I think it is time for me to read some datasheets on the e-ink technology. :P

Seems like you really love your Reader. I've never been able to run the battery down below 3 blocks. I do keep it charged via USB almost constantly, though.

diabloNL · 11-13-2006, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurens

Seems like you really love your Reader. I've never been able to run the battery down below 3 blocks. I do keep it charged via USB almost constantly, though.

I forced the battery to drain with playing Mp3's. Just to get at least one cycle before hooking it up to the USB all the time. It's better for the battery to do at least on full cycle before recharching at will.

yvanleterrible · 11-13-2006, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloNL

I think that is the problem. The charge needed to switch pages is not enough. Resulting in grey and white areas. Maybe someone with a almost depleted battery can check it also?

I'm an electronic engineer so I think it is time for me to read some datasheets on the e-ink technology. :P

This is why I was suggesting capaciting errors and liquid drain. We could add to that liquid density.

Does any one know someone at Eink that could write a paper for us?

11-12-2006, 12:44 AM	#1
Mohit25 Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony Reader	Screen getting duller I bought my reader over a month ago (2nd Oct) and have been using it every day - my friend got her reader today and as I saw her screen, it looked a lot brighter. I put both the readers side by side and my reader screen has become considerably duller just in the past one month. This can't be good - anyone else face a similar issue !!!

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11-12-2006, 08:51 AM	#3
stxopher Nameless Being	I've only had mine for a few days but had noticed the ink was less "contrasting" than it had been but chalked it up to eyestrain due to massive reading and playing around. Then it decided to restart in the middle of a document (well, it is a Sony product after all). After a couple minutes so it could reindex (about 1500 items in it---lotsa maps and manga) it came back and was clearly brighter than it had been before. Clear enough that a friend saw it a few minutes later and asked me how many of "these things" I was going to get. Perhaps every now and then it just has to clear out its head. Hope that's all that is wrong with yours.

11-12-2006, 01:31 PM	#4
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Just a question like that. Eink is composed of tiny particles floating in a liquid. Is it possible that this liquid can leak or that it could slowly permeate through the retaining membrane? If so, logically the missing fluid would create a resistance for the grids that would prevent the particles from turning completely vertical ie. giving a grey tone instead of black. An other idea is that the capacitor or whatever component giving the charge to the grids, is deteriorating and preventing a proper discharge. Note that I have only basic knowledge of electronics. Is there someone here that could explain the working properties of eink displays? Also I would like to know how greytones are achieved .

11-12-2006, 03:09 PM	#6
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	This may be a silly question, but I notice huge difference in contrast and color of the background based on what kind of light I use. Not the brightness, necessarily, but the kind of light. For example, my nightstand halogen seems to make everything look crisper. Is it possible that people noticing a duller screen are looking at it in a different light source?

11-12-2006, 03:56 PM	#8
diabloNL Gadget Force® Posts: 705 Karma: 2733 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Netherlands Device: Sony PRS-300 + Cybook with funny screen :P	Nope, with me has nothing to do with the used light. The screen with me gets duller when the battery gets low. The statusbar is full with grey/white shadows. After recharge there gone.

11-12-2006, 09:44 PM	#9
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Is it possible to tell if the duller look is because ghosting is worse?

11-13-2006, 03:06 AM	#11
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I'm also just guessing without basis, but since the display keeps it's image without power due to the little balls being rotated in the proper direction, I'm thinking that the contrast wouldn't be affected directly by the voltage levels. Maybe indirectly by ghosting or by incomplete rotation of the little colored spheres due to not enough power. I wonder if anyone has read the tech info on e-ink enough to know what's going on...

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