Troubleshooting Paperwhite screen solution...

detayls · 11-20-2012, 01:09 PM

I've had my Paperwhite since they were first shipped. It has never had a "bad" screen.

Recently it started to show some small signs of color. It has always shown the little cones of light from the LED bulbs but this was new.

I dug out my eyeglass cloth and cleaner, shut off the PW and carefully wiped the screen with the cloth after spraying some cleaner on the cloth, not the screen.

Voila! My PW is back to essentially perfect. Others should try this and report. I have a funny feeling that this is the answer.

JSWolf · 11-20-2012, 01:37 PM

So are you thinking the fingerprints are causing the color hues?

Skydog · 11-20-2012, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by detayls

I've had my Paperwhite since they were first shipped. It has never had a "bad" screen.

Recently it started to show some small signs of color. It has always shown the little cones of light from the LED bulbs but this was new.

I dug out my eyeglass cloth and cleaner, shut off the PW and carefully wiped the screen with the cloth after spraying some cleaner on the cloth, not the screen.

Voila! My PW is back to essentially perfect. Others should try this and report. I have a funny feeling that this is the answer.

Sorry, but that is nothing more than wishful thinking. There are far too many reports and, I daresay, many keep their screens immaculate, as I do. The hues remain.

detayls · 11-20-2012, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

Sorry, but that is nothing more than wishful thinking. There are far too many reports and, I daresay, many keep their screens immaculate, as I do. The hues remain.

Maybe your fingers are more oily than average.

"The Dude Abides!"

HarryT · 11-20-2012, 01:55 PM

The light diffuser is basically a diffraction grating. Colour fringing is inherent in the design.

Skydog · 11-20-2012, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by detayls

Maybe your fingers are more oily than average.

"The Dude Abides!"

You've got it backwards -- less oily. Still, irrelevant since I keep the screen clean.

Skydog · 11-20-2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The light diffuser is basically a diffraction grating. Colour fringing is inherent in the design.

Precisely.

mobilewilier · 11-21-2012, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

Precisely.

Agree 100%. Diffraction defect.

l_macd · 11-21-2012, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The light diffuser is basically a diffraction grating. Colour fringing is inherent in the design.

If it's to do with the light, why is there not a similar problem with Kobo Glo's, don't they use the same kind of tech for the light guide? And why is it more apparent in some Kindle's and not others?

HarryT · 11-21-2012, 06:30 AM

Differences in colour fringing represent tiny, tiny changes in things like the parallelism of the two faces of the diffusion layer. They're simply minute variations within the tolerances of the manufacturing process.

l_macd · 11-21-2012, 12:02 PM

Ok that can explain why there is some variation (but I'd still argue that there is something going wrong in the worst cases, which are patently not just down to user perception). But do they not use the same tech in the Kobo Glo as they do the Paperwhite for the light guide, or do we not actually know that?

Clearly there is some difference with the Glo, as it simply doesn't appear to suffer from this issue at all?

HarryT · 11-21-2012, 12:09 PM

There's all sorts of different methods that can be use to diffuse light. Perhaps Kobo are using a different method. I honestly don't know.

I entirely agree with you that some PW screens will exhibit more colour fringing than others, but I do think it's basically a question of how sensitive or otherwise the user is to the effect. I think my PW is great, but I don't know whether I have a "good" one, or if the colour fringes simply don't bother me. I have seen a couple of others owned by people I work with, and they seemed just the same as mine to my eyes.

VaultBoy · 11-21-2012, 02:54 PM

I have seen some that others claim to be horrible, but I didn't think they were that bad. Certainly worth replacing...

Mine is fine, though.

JSWolf · 11-21-2012, 03:01 PM

One thing that might be contributing is the capacitive touch layer. Maybe part of the problem is the light reflecting from the touch layer. The Kobo is still using IR touch so there is no layer between the light and the screen.

JSWolf · 11-21-2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaultBoy

I have seen some that others claim to be horrible, but I didn't think they were that bad. Certainly worth replacing...

Mine is fine, though.

Pictures or it didn't happen.

11-20-2012, 01:09 PM	#1
detayls Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 1016610 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: iPad, iPhone, Kindle	Paperwhite screen solution... I've had my Paperwhite since they were first shipped. It has never had a "bad" screen. Recently it started to show some small signs of color. It has always shown the little cones of light from the LED bulbs but this was new. I dug out my eyeglass cloth and cleaner, shut off the PW and carefully wiped the screen with the cloth after spraying some cleaner on the cloth, not the screen. Voila! My PW is back to essentially perfect. Others should try this and report. I have a funny feeling that this is the answer.

11-20-2012, 01:37 PM	#2
JSWolf Mobile Reader Geek Posts: 34,210 Karma: 13801264 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Sony Reader PRS-650, iPad	So are you thinking the fingerprints are causing the color hues? __________________ Jon 2013 Reading List

11-20-2012, 01:55 PM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,661 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	The light diffuser is basically a diffraction grating. Colour fringing is inherent in the design. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

11-21-2012, 06:30 AM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,661 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	Differences in colour fringing represent tiny, tiny changes in things like the parallelism of the two faces of the diffusion layer. They're simply minute variations within the tolerances of the manufacturing process. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

11-21-2012, 12:02 PM	#11
l_macd I ♥ Calibre Posts: 856 Karma: 1625823 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-350	Ok that can explain why there is some variation (but I'd still argue that there is something going wrong in the worst cases, which are patently not just down to user perception). But do they not use the same tech in the Kobo Glo as they do the Paperwhite for the light guide, or do we not actually know that? Clearly there is some difference with the Glo, as it simply doesn't appear to suffer from this issue at all? __________________ ~ Keep your ebooks safe, manage them in Calibre & back them up at Dropbox ~ (sign up via my referral link and get an extra 500mb space free - http://db.tt/pGa15vyI)

11-21-2012, 12:09 PM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,661 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	There's all sorts of different methods that can be use to diffuse light. Perhaps Kobo are using a different method. I honestly don't know. I entirely agree with you that some PW screens will exhibit more colour fringing than others, but I do think it's basically a question of how sensitive or otherwise the user is to the effect. I think my PW is great, but I don't know whether I have a "good" one, or if the colour fringes simply don't bother me. I have seen a couple of others owned by people I work with, and they seemed just the same as mine to my eyes. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

11-21-2012, 02:54 PM	#13
VaultBoy Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 1683142 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle of many shapes, PIPBoy 3000	I have seen some that others claim to be horrible, but I didn't think they were that bad. Certainly worth replacing... Mine is fine, though.

11-21-2012, 03:01 PM	#14
JSWolf Mobile Reader Geek Posts: 34,210 Karma: 13801264 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Sony Reader PRS-650, iPad	One thing that might be contributing is the capacitive touch layer. Maybe part of the problem is the light reflecting from the touch layer. The Kobo is still using IR touch so there is no layer between the light and the screen. __________________ Jon 2013 Reading List

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