PRS-600 Screen Washed Out

hondo · 12-26-2009, 12:29 PM

I received a Sony PRS-600 as a gift. So far, I am happy with one exception. I have noticed that, when I sit in the sunlight to read, the screen begins to wash out. By this, I mean the black letters start to fade. It doesn't do this over the whole screen at once but begins in the upper right corner and gets worse over a few minutes. The page will remain this way even if I move to reading by a lamp. It takes several minutes and page turns for the display to return. Can anyone here advise if this is normal for e-ink? I would think it would work best in sunlight.

Thank you in advance for any insight.
hondo

grooks · 12-26-2009, 12:52 PM

It is not normal for E-ink but there have been a few people have mentioned this same problem in direct sunlight.

I was in Cancun last week and used my 600 while sitting on the beach. The text did get a little dimmer but not to the point where it was unreadable (for my eyes).

hondo · 12-26-2009, 05:29 PM

Thanks for the response. I called the Sony Style store and I think I'll just go and exchange it. I hate to make the drive but, if the next one isn't any better, I'll return it and get my money back. I really hope it works out as I like the the reader overall.

hondo

lachbus · 01-26-2010, 01:16 PM

I have a similar problem on my PRS-300. In bright sunlight, the display can become terrible, as I discovered on vacation. I was a little disappointed in the contrast before but wasn't sure if I had simply too high expectations. Now I start to think that maybe the thing is not working right...
Just spoke to Sony Support who claim that they've never heard of it. But I've attached a picture for you guys to see it.
Will keep you posted.

HarryT · 01-26-2010, 01:17 PM

Certainly looks to be a problem there!

Levelpart · 01-26-2010, 01:49 PM

The text fading effect under intense sunlight is due to the nature of e-ink so there's nothing you have to worry about.

HarryT · 01-26-2010, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Levelpart

The text fading effect under intense sunlight is due to the nature of e-ink so there's nothing you have to worry about.

Some people, though, have found that their screen fades to illegibility under any form of direct sunlight, while others seem to be unaffected even by strong light. There does seem to be a real issue here, which only appears to affect a small number of screens. It's not specific to the Sony; the same has been reported by owners of other devices, too.

lachbus · 01-26-2010, 02:30 PM

Nothing to worry about?

Maybe not 'worried' exactly, but not being able to use the Reader in intense sunlight would be a big disappointment. I mean, the use in natural light is one of their main claimed benefits!
To clarify - the letters are not fading with time, they are looking like this right after the page turn.
Someone explained that the effect is supposedly happening at the time of the page turn, not during the static display, and suggested keeping the reader shaded during the page turn. If that was true it's still disappointing, because I don't really want to have to move the Reader into the shade each time I flip the page!
I hope that mine is just one of the 'bad apples' and it can either be adjusted, or exchanged for a better specimen.

lilac_jive · 01-26-2010, 02:35 PM

My 505 does this, but it's not too bad and doesn't bother me. My mom's 505 and my sisters 300 do not. It's just certain ones, and how bad it is varies. If it bothers you, exchange it. It wasn't worth the hassle for me.

Schwabinger · 01-26-2010, 03:44 PM

My 505 does it as well ...

lachbus · 01-26-2010, 04:09 PM

Well, when you guys say 'my 505 does it as well', do you mean it's really bad? I seem to read that it's noticable, but not really bothering anybody much. Mine is so bad, as you can see in my picture, that you can barely read it.

JSWolf · 01-26-2010, 04:10 PM

My 505 does not fade in sunlight.

lilac_jive · 01-26-2010, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lachbus

Well, when you guys say 'my 505 does it as well', do you mean it's really bad? I seem to read that it's noticable, but not really bothering anybody much. Mine is so bad, as you can see in my picture, that you can barely read it.

Mine isn't too bad, although once I see it fading I cover it up with my shadow. It seems that there are different levels - one user in particular had it really bad where it faded even when it was cloudy. If it's that bad, I would recommend exchanging it. Just remember this isn't a Sony issue, but an e-ink problem, and it's been reported on lots of different readers.

lachbus · 01-26-2010, 04:48 PM

Sure, I understand. I found it somewhat annoying that the Sony Support person claimed that this is news, but that's the fault of whoever doesn't enter this into their database of known issues.

emonti8384 · 02-20-2010, 10:12 PM

I had this problem today, I was outside reading my black 600 and my screen was okay for the page I was reading and the next. By the 3rd page the text was looking a really faint. I moved the reader into my shadow and it got better. My 505 doesn't do that and I haven't read my silver 600 outside yet so I'm not sure if there's somrthing I can do to fix it or whatever.

12-26-2009, 12:29 PM	#1
hondo Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: SW Ohio Device: none	PRS-600 Screen Washed Out I received a Sony PRS-600 as a gift. So far, I am happy with one exception. I have noticed that, when I sit in the sunlight to read, the screen begins to wash out. By this, I mean the black letters start to fade. It doesn't do this over the whole screen at once but begins in the upper right corner and gets worse over a few minutes. The page will remain this way even if I move to reading by a lamp. It takes several minutes and page turns for the display to return. Can anyone here advise if this is normal for e-ink? I would think it would work best in sunlight. Thank you in advance for any insight. hondo

01-26-2010, 01:16 PM	#4
lachbus Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PRS-300	PRS-300 washed out letters I have a similar problem on my PRS-300. In bright sunlight, the display can become terrible, as I discovered on vacation. I was a little disappointed in the contrast before but wasn't sure if I had simply too high expectations. Now I start to think that maybe the thing is not working right... Just spoke to Sony Support who claim that they've never heard of it. But I've attached a picture for you guys to see it. Will keep you posted. Attached Thumbnails

01-26-2010, 02:30 PM	#8
lachbus Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PRS-300	Nothing to worry about? Maybe not 'worried' exactly, but not being able to use the Reader in intense sunlight would be a big disappointment. I mean, the use in natural light is one of their main claimed benefits! To clarify - the letters are not fading with time, they are looking like this right after the page turn. Someone explained that the effect is supposedly happening at the time of the page turn, not during the static display, and suggested keeping the reader shaded during the page turn. If that was true it's still disappointing, because I don't really want to have to move the Reader into the shade each time I flip the page! I hope that mine is just one of the 'bad apples' and it can either be adjusted, or exchanged for a better specimen. Last edited by lachbus; 01-26-2010 at 02:35 PM.

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12-26-2009, 12:52 PM	#2
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	It is not normal for E-ink but there have been a few people have mentioned this same problem in direct sunlight. I was in Cancun last week and used my 600 while sitting on the beach. The text did get a little dimmer but not to the point where it was unreadable (for my eyes).

12-26-2009, 05:29 PM	#3
hondo Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: SW Ohio Device: none	Thanks for the response. I called the Sony Style store and I think I'll just go and exchange it. I hate to make the drive but, if the next one isn't any better, I'll return it and get my money back. I really hope it works out as I like the the reader overall. hondo

01-26-2010, 01:17 PM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Certainly looks to be a problem there!

01-26-2010, 01:49 PM	#6
Levelpart Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Sony PRS 600	The text fading effect under intense sunlight is due to the nature of e-ink so there's nothing you have to worry about.

01-26-2010, 02:35 PM	#9
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	My 505 does this, but it's not too bad and doesn't bother me. My mom's 505 and my sisters 300 do not. It's just certain ones, and how bad it is varies. If it bothers you, exchange it. It wasn't worth the hassle for me.

01-26-2010, 03:44 PM	#10
Schwabinger Member Posts: 11 Karma: 11516 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony 505, Kobo mini	My 505 does it as well ...

01-26-2010, 04:09 PM	#11
lachbus Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PRS-300	Well, when you guys say 'my 505 does it as well', do you mean it's really bad? I seem to read that it's noticable, but not really bothering anybody much. Mine is so bad, as you can see in my picture, that you can barely read it.

01-26-2010, 04:10 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	My 505 does not fade in sunlight.

01-26-2010, 04:48 PM	#14
lachbus Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PRS-300	Sure, I understand. I found it somewhat annoying that the Sony Support person claimed that this is news, but that's the fault of whoever doesn't enter this into their database of known issues.

02-20-2010, 10:12 PM	#15
emonti8384 browneyedgurl Posts: 523 Karma: 356470 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Warren, OH Device: PRS-505/950x2, PRS-600 silver, Galaxy III purple, T2 black	I had this problem today, I was outside reading my black 600 and my screen was okay for the page I was reading and the next. By the 3rd page the text was looking a really faint. I moved the reader into my shadow and it got better. My 505 doesn't do that and I haven't read my silver 600 outside yet so I'm not sure if there's somrthing I can do to fix it or whatever.