PRS-600 If you live someplace sunnier than Minnesota

ziegl027 · 04-01-2010, 02:05 PM

...could you run a test for me? Take your reader outside in the sun and bring up a picture. When I've been testing the stock "baby" pic seems to work best because it's not very "busy", but I also just made a quick black rectangle with Paint and saved it as a jpg. Cover half the screen and flip back and forth between the test image and whatever other images you may have. Do that a few times, then uncover the screen and look at the test image. Do you see a line?? If you do the test with text, is the clarity of the text rendering on the unshaded side acceptable to you?

The reason I ask is that my first reader faded unacceptably in sunlight, to the point where it is hard to read. I got an "advanced replacement" refurb unit. Here in Minnesota's weak Spring sunshine, the text seems to remain OK, but if I put it through the above test, it still fades detectably. Sony is now trying to tell me that this is "normal, the screen does it to protect itself", and that I should "find a tree or other source of shade". I'm worried that come Summer, when our sun is stronger, the new unit will also fade unacceptably.

It wouldn't bug me so much (it's fine if you shade it during page turns) if I hadn't been majorly jerked around by their customer support, and if reading clarity "outside in the sunshine" wasn't specifically and repeatedly promised in their marketing materials.

jduvall · 04-02-2010, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziegl027

...could you run a test for me? Take your reader outside in the sun and bring up a picture. When I've been testing the stock "baby" pic seems to work best because it's not very "busy", but I also just made a quick black rectangle with Paint and saved it as a jpg. Cover half the screen and flip back and forth between the test image and whatever other images you may have. Do that a few times, then uncover the screen and look at the test image. Do you see a line?? If you do the test with text, is the clarity of the text rendering on the unshaded side acceptable to you?

The reason I ask is that my first reader faded unacceptably in sunlight, to the point where it is hard to read. I got an "advanced replacement" refurb unit. Here in Minnesota's weak Spring sunshine, the text seems to remain OK, but if I put it through the above test, it still fades detectably. Sony is now trying to tell me that this is "normal, the screen does it to protect itself", and that I should "find a tree or other source of shade". I'm worried that come Summer, when our sun is stronger, the new unit will also fade unacceptably.

It wouldn't bug me so much (it's fine if you shade it during page turns) if I hadn't been majorly jerked around by their customer support, and if reading clarity "outside in the sunshine" wasn't specifically and repeatedly promised in their marketing materials.

PRS-600 Screen Washed Out

Seems like its a some what known issue you can maybe exchange if it bugs you enough as it seems some people have

ziegl027 · 04-02-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jduvall

PRS-600 Screen Washed Out

Seems like its a some what known issue you can maybe exchange if it bugs you enough as it seems some people have

Thanks, I have several posts on that thread. What I'm *trying* to determine is whether there exist units that fail my image test (show a line), but have OK text somewhere with bright sunshine. My replacement unit shows a line, but so far the text looks OK. But I'm not sure if it will STILL be OK in the sunshine come August.

When I told Sony the replacement unit had a detectable fade, they told me it was normal and offered to give me my money back (if I paid shipping to return the product). If I find that there are people with units who pass the image test in bright sunshine, I'll try pressing them again. If there are units who pass the image test, but the text is still OK, I'll ship my original unit back and be more or less content with the replacement unit.

mbelec · 04-03-2010, 02:54 PM

Hi - Bright, clear sunny (75!!) day in Maine today. I put the baby out on the deck in the sunlight for a 1/2 hour and the baby looks as good after that time as it did inside. So, I'd say it's your reader. I have a PRS 600.

ziegl027 · 04-03-2010, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbelec

Hi - Bright, clear sunny (75!!) day in Maine today. I put the baby out on the deck in the sunlight for a 1/2 hour and the baby looks as good after that time as it did inside. .

Thanks! Did you turn the page, though? It's the page-refresh in sunlight that kills it, not just sitting out in the sun.

mbelec · 04-04-2010, 09:43 AM

I actually sat with it in direct sunlight, read for about 20 minutes (with it propped so it was directly in the sun), then left it out on the table for awhile, took my daughter to work, etc., then came back and flipped through the 3 stock pictures. They all looked the same as when I first went into the sunlight. Hope this helps.

mbern1008 · 04-05-2010, 12:27 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4kp121lh7Q Check out the video as an example of the problem. After two exchanges I know have one that is working acceptably.

mbelec · 04-05-2010, 07:35 AM

Mine doesn't do that at all. No fading in direct sunlight.

DoctorOhh · 04-05-2010, 07:42 AM

Mine is a 505 but I have no fading at all.

04-01-2010, 02:05 PM	#1
ziegl027 Addict Posts: 264 Karma: 764 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Minnesota Device: Sony Touch, Kindle DXG	If you live someplace sunnier than Minnesota ...could you run a test for me? Take your reader outside in the sun and bring up a picture. When I've been testing the stock "baby" pic seems to work best because it's not very "busy", but I also just made a quick black rectangle with Paint and saved it as a jpg. Cover half the screen and flip back and forth between the test image and whatever other images you may have. Do that a few times, then uncover the screen and look at the test image. Do you see a line?? If you do the test with text, is the clarity of the text rendering on the unshaded side acceptable to you? The reason I ask is that my first reader faded unacceptably in sunlight, to the point where it is hard to read. I got an "advanced replacement" refurb unit. Here in Minnesota's weak Spring sunshine, the text seems to remain OK, but if I put it through the above test, it still fades detectably. Sony is now trying to tell me that this is "normal, the screen does it to protect itself", and that I should "find a tree or other source of shade". I'm worried that come Summer, when our sun is stronger, the new unit will also fade unacceptably. It wouldn't bug me so much (it's fine if you shade it during page turns) if I hadn't been majorly jerked around by their customer support, and if reading clarity "outside in the sunshine" wasn't specifically and repeatedly promised in their marketing materials.

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04-03-2010, 02:54 PM	#4
mbelec Addict Posts: 209 Karma: 1165996 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Maine Device: sony prs-350, Ipad 3	Hi - Bright, clear sunny (75!!) day in Maine today. I put the baby out on the deck in the sunlight for a 1/2 hour and the baby looks as good after that time as it did inside. So, I'd say it's your reader. I have a PRS 600.

04-04-2010, 09:43 AM	#6
mbelec Addict Posts: 209 Karma: 1165996 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Maine Device: sony prs-350, Ipad 3	I actually sat with it in direct sunlight, read for about 20 minutes (with it propped so it was directly in the sun), then left it out on the table for awhile, took my daughter to work, etc., then came back and flipped through the 3 stock pictures. They all looked the same as when I first went into the sunlight. Hope this helps.

04-05-2010, 12:27 AM	#7
mbern1008 Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: sony prs-600 Red	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4kp121lh7Q Check out the video as an example of the problem. After two exchanges I know have one that is working acceptably.

04-05-2010, 07:35 AM	#8
mbelec Addict Posts: 209 Karma: 1165996 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Maine Device: sony prs-350, Ipad 3	Mine doesn't do that at all. No fading in direct sunlight.

04-05-2010, 07:42 AM	#9
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,864 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Nexus 7	Mine is a 505 but I have no fading at all.

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