Can LCDs be made easier to read from?

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

For text, the widely neglected best solution--known since the 8-bit computer days--is to change the text and background colors to shades of the same color. Just changing the bright-background white default to a light gray makes a bigger difference than dropping the backlight.
Try different color shades and combination: some popular combinations are amber on black, pale baby blue on medium blue, black on gray, or white on black (or gray).
Easy to try, no added cost.

So every time I want to read a book on my monitor, I have to change the settings for it and sit staring at a vertical plane... WHY? I've got an eReader which doesn't need messing with for comfortable reading, it's designed for it using eInk and being an eReader...

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by elcreative

So every time I want to read a book on my monitor, I have to change the settings for it and sit staring at a vertical plane... WHY? I've got an eReader which doesn't need messing with for comfortable reading, it's designed for it using eInk and being an eReader...

You have an eink reader and you use it.
Good for you.
The OP asked how to make LCDs easier on the eyes, presumably to use their *available* LCD instead of going out and buying and eink device.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

You have an eink reader and you use it.
Good for you.
The OP asked how to make LCDs easier on the eyes, presumably to use their *available* LCD instead of going out and buying and eink device.

Actually the OP HAS an eInk reader and was asking if it was possible (or going to be possible) to make LCD output the same as eInk... I read the start a long time ago...

[Silhalnor]

Yeah, I was just about to try returning this to the main topic.
The reason I want to use LCDs is because I do a lot more than read. In fact, aside from class books, I haven't read a regular book for long durations for maybe a year. Now, this isn't because I don't want to, I simply don't have the time. I am on my laptop a great deal and the work I do involves a lot of typing, something my Kindle DX isn't especially good for (which is why I suggested some kind of eInk typewriter as a solution to my issue in my first or second post).

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by Silhalnor

Fluribus, I cannot make my screen very dim either but I should be able to hack it by connecting a variable resistor to the backlight. Is that really the issue though? That article I linked to gives a few other possibilities and I don't want to void my warranty for something that wont have any positive impact.

I have had sensitivity problems with my eyes since childhood. If you do not notice problems, then you probably don't need to worry about it. I don't think that LCD back-lights cause eye damage. If it didn't cause me pain, I would be happy to read on an LCD screen.

[Silhalnor]

http://www.wisegeek.com/do-computer-...r-eyesight.htm
http://www.pasadenaeye.com/faq/faq08/faq08_text.html
http://janliker-lmt.wrytestuff.com/swa253646.htm
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-20021227-82.html

According to these sources it seems that you may be right, Fluribus. I guess I assumed that if LCDs cause some people strain and headaches then it must have been imperceptably causing damage during the years leading up to the problems and, thus, I will eventually have these same issues unless I take preventative measures. Now that I am researching that assumption it seems that I was wrong and do not need to worry about it. The article I posted in my original post initially seemed to support this belief but now I see that the author's worsened eyesight could simply have been a result of age and did not necessarily imply a correlation between vision and LCDs. Does this mean my Kindle's only benefits to me are readability in bright sunlight and incredibly long battery life? Hmn.

Thank you all for discussing this and helping me to resolve this (non?) issue and concern. If anyone has any evidence that counters Fluribus and my sources above then please post them. (The third source does mention that one study found a correlation between computer usage and near-sightedness but I am unsure if that single study provides enough weight to counter the rest of this data.)

Edit:
Based on this topic these three qualities determine the usability of LCDs for reading. I do not know if those qualities are only important to those with sensitive eyes or if they also matter to others. Except for brightness since I know it bothers me to use a bright screen in a dark room.

PPI (pixels per inch)
Contrast & brightness
Flicker (either in the backlight or frames per second)