Screen renders differently in direct sunlight vs. normal light?

majaka · 09-06-2008, 07:16 AM

Hey guys,

I was sitting at the bus-stop reading on the iLiad when I noticed that the words I was reading were kind of fuzzy and jagged. I thought "hmmrh, that's weird", and turned the next page. At that point it disappeared back to its normal crispness. (This is a feedbooks book). I kinda figured it might just be some weird thing, until I noticed it happened again!!

There I was sitting at the bus stop, people next to me looking at me like "what on earth is that guy doing with that awesome piece of technology, he just keeps flipping the pages back and forth rubbing his non-paper-ness in our faces!".

Right as they were on verge of launching a violent coup against me, I discovered that if the iLiad is in direct sunlight when I turn the page, it renders it all fuzzy and blurry. If, however, I bring it into the shade and turn the page, apart from getting funny white dots in my eyeballs, the page renders normally.

I'd post a pic right now, but I'm in Melbourne, Australia and weather here is pretty unpredictable.

As a chemistry student, I thought it might have to do with the reaction that causes the ink to switch "on or off" that is drawing some sort of energy from the sun (endothermic reaction). But that's just a wild guess since I know nothing about how it actually operates.

Has anyone else noticed this?

To make it even more of a mystery, I just got my iLiad returned from repairs for a slight screen defect. I can't ever remember that happening before. It's not that big of a deal, but it's certainly a pain since I don't wear my glasses when I'm out and about and it's already difficult enough to read without my text deciding to go all funny!!

JSWolf · 09-06-2008, 07:54 AM

What you are seeing is an artifact of the pre-Vizplex screen used in the iLiad.

majaka · 09-06-2008, 08:03 AM

So what happened with my last screen? Did they replace it with a lower-end version?

JSWolf · 09-06-2008, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majaka

So what happened with my last screen? Did they replace it with a lower-end version?

Nope. The screens used on the iLiad are not Vizplex. Same sort of thing happened woth my Sony Reader PRS-500 which did not have a Vizplex screen either.

majaka · 09-06-2008, 08:11 AM

Ohhh,

Thanks for that, I thought I was going nuts.

I honestly don't remember there ever being that problem with my iLiad before I sent it in for repairs though.. but then again, there wasn't much sun from February (when I bought it) until now =D

wallcraft · 09-06-2008, 09:17 AM

See Problems in direct sunlight for a longer discussion. This would be one way to confirm that the very newest iLiads are using Vizplex, see iLiad vs. PRS-505 - Vizplex or not?.

majaka · 09-07-2008, 05:43 AM

The thing that miffs me is, when I purchased my iLiad in February, there were no problems at all with sunlight. (Meaning Vizplex?)

When I got it sent in for repairs, I now notice this problem cropping up, which is going to become more annoying as summer approaches (Meaning non-Vizplex?)

So does that mean that they're replacing "new" screens with "old" ones?

Shaggy · 09-08-2008, 10:55 AM

I don't think it really has anything to do with whether you have a Vizplex screen or not.

Shaggy · 09-08-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The screens used on the iLiad are not Vizplex.

Actually, they are. iRex started using Vizplex screens on all iLiads sometime in May. There's very little improvement over the previous screen though, so they didn't make a big announcement about it.

JSWolf · 09-18-2008, 10:04 AM

The obvious improvement would be reading in direct sunlight as Vizplex doesn't have the problem that the previous screen has.

JSWolf · 09-18-2008, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majaka

The thing that miffs me is, when I purchased my iLiad in February, there were no problems at all with sunlight. (Meaning Vizplex?)

When I got it sent in for repairs, I now notice this problem cropping up, which is going to become more annoying as summer approaches (Meaning non-Vizplex?)

So does that mean that they're replacing "new" screens with "old" ones?

If that is the case, contact iRex and tell them of this and get them to sort it out.

Shaggy · 09-18-2008, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The obvious improvement would be reading in direct sunlight as Vizplex doesn't have the problem that the previous screen has.

Do you have a source for that information?

majaka · 03-02-2009, 05:54 PM

Well, I basically got "ignored" by iRex until my warranty ran out. They went "on holiday" during christmas and promised to get back to me when they get back (Jan 5th) I sent an e-mail and updated the ticket and they haven't replied since. My warranty ran out in February.

Also, apparently the ghosting (and it was quite extreme; I'll post a pic when I get home) is "still" (according to my response from the ticket) part of the hardware despite it being vizplex (tested on both a new book edition AND my 2nd edition). Perhaps it's not as "bad" as the old ones, but it's still a pain in the behind.

I wonder if there was some secret dubious plan to run me around in circles until my warranty runs out then say "oops, $500 thanks"?

Once again iRex, you're not gaining yourselves points in the PR department.

Shaggy · 03-03-2009, 11:44 AM

Both the sunlight issue and "ghosting" are normal parts of eInk. It's just the state of the technology at this time. If the ghosting is bad enough, iRex will sometimes replace the screen, but the amount of ghosting will never be zero.

09-06-2008, 07:16 AM	#1
majaka Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: PRS-500	Screen renders differently in direct sunlight vs. normal light? Hey guys, I was sitting at the bus-stop reading on the iLiad when I noticed that the words I was reading were kind of fuzzy and jagged. I thought "hmmrh, that's weird", and turned the next page. At that point it disappeared back to its normal crispness. (This is a feedbooks book). I kinda figured it might just be some weird thing, until I noticed it happened again!! There I was sitting at the bus stop, people next to me looking at me like "what on earth is that guy doing with that awesome piece of technology, he just keeps flipping the pages back and forth rubbing his non-paper-ness in our faces!". Right as they were on verge of launching a violent coup against me, I discovered that if the iLiad is in direct sunlight when I turn the page, it renders it all fuzzy and blurry. If, however, I bring it into the shade and turn the page, apart from getting funny white dots in my eyeballs, the page renders normally. I'd post a pic right now, but I'm in Melbourne, Australia and weather here is pretty unpredictable. As a chemistry student, I thought it might have to do with the reaction that causes the ink to switch "on or off" that is drawing some sort of energy from the sun (endothermic reaction). But that's just a wild guess since I know nothing about how it actually operates. Has anyone else noticed this? To make it even more of a mystery, I just got my iLiad returned from repairs for a slight screen defect. I can't ever remember that happening before. It's not that big of a deal, but it's certainly a pain since I don't wear my glasses when I'm out and about and it's already difficult enough to read without my text deciding to go all funny!!

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09-06-2008, 07:54 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,974 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What you are seeing is an artifact of the pre-Vizplex screen used in the iLiad.

09-06-2008, 08:03 AM	#3
majaka Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: PRS-500	So what happened with my last screen? Did they replace it with a lower-end version?

09-06-2008, 08:11 AM	#5
majaka Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: PRS-500	Ohhh, Thanks for that, I thought I was going nuts. I honestly don't remember there ever being that problem with my iLiad before I sent it in for repairs though.. but then again, there wasn't much sun from February (when I bought it) until now =D

09-06-2008, 09:17 AM	#6
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	See Problems in direct sunlight for a longer discussion. This would be one way to confirm that the very newest iLiads are using Vizplex, see iLiad vs. PRS-505 - Vizplex or not?.

09-07-2008, 05:43 AM	#7
majaka Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: PRS-500	The thing that miffs me is, when I purchased my iLiad in February, there were no problems at all with sunlight. (Meaning Vizplex?) When I got it sent in for repairs, I now notice this problem cropping up, which is going to become more annoying as summer approaches (Meaning non-Vizplex?) So does that mean that they're replacing "new" screens with "old" ones?

09-08-2008, 10:55 AM	#8
Shaggy Wizard Posts: 4,293 Karma: 529619 Join Date: May 2007 Device: iRex iLiad, DR800SG	I don't think it really has anything to do with whether you have a Vizplex screen or not.

09-18-2008, 10:04 AM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,974 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The obvious improvement would be reading in direct sunlight as Vizplex doesn't have the problem that the previous screen has.

03-02-2009, 05:54 PM	#13
majaka Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: PRS-500	Well, I basically got "ignored" by iRex until my warranty ran out. They went "on holiday" during christmas and promised to get back to me when they get back (Jan 5th) I sent an e-mail and updated the ticket and they haven't replied since. My warranty ran out in February. Also, apparently the ghosting (and it was quite extreme; I'll post a pic when I get home) is "still" (according to my response from the ticket) part of the hardware despite it being vizplex (tested on both a new book edition AND my 2nd edition). Perhaps it's not as "bad" as the old ones, but it's still a pain in the behind. I wonder if there was some secret dubious plan to run me around in circles until my warranty runs out then say "oops, $500 thanks"? Once again iRex, you're not gaining yourselves points in the PR department.

03-03-2009, 11:44 AM	#14
Shaggy Wizard Posts: 4,293 Karma: 529619 Join Date: May 2007 Device: iRex iLiad, DR800SG	Both the sunlight issue and "ghosting" are normal parts of eInk. It's just the state of the technology at this time. If the ghosting is bad enough, iRex will sometimes replace the screen, but the amount of ghosting will never be zero.