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Techno · 04-24-2017, 04:20 AM

I have medical problems causing various visual problems. I know I sound picky below. I'm just trying to find one e-reader that works best for me.

I got an Aura H2O after years of wanting one. Unfortunately it has some behavior that's bothering me, so I wonder about getting another. However, I feel that other e-readers would also bother my eyes.

I want to write out some of the issues (and some positive factors) here.

I have already installed KSM and koreader, and changed it to only refresh the full page every 99 pages. I already installed my own font, so I am happy with all the font aspects of the H2O.

My budget is about $150 which is limiting. I think I need to adapt to either this H2O, or get a PW3 or Voyage and get used to it. I had a PW1 a while back and it didn't seem to bother me as much as this does, but I'm thinking it's not an even comparision. I think my visual issues were not as bad then, and the PW1 bothered me in a different way.

My main problem is the refreshing it does. I've done some searching and a lot of users were surprised that it would bother someone so much, but it does. It seems like it doesn't just blink to black and then continue. It seems like it's 2-3 blinks in a row, at least sometimes. It also seems to blink every time there's an image on a page. And with menus it seems to blink too often. It's the slower speed of the blink that's also a problem and the amount of contrast of the blink. The PW1 was not nearly as bad as this, from what I remember.

A secondary problem is the type of lighting. The yellowish tint bothers me more than a blueish tint would. I think the Kindles would beat the H2O in terms of light coloration and blinking.

There's one more thing though, it seemed like PW1 I had could not be lit on "low". It seemed like if I put it on 18%, there was basically no light, and then suddenly somewhere around 22%, it would be very bright (to me). No fine-tuning is what I mean, in the low ranges. That was one reason I wanted the H2O. It's not bad in the low light ranges.

I am considering trying a TFT e-reader. I haven't looked into them much. I assumed that the screens would be kind of small, that the contrast would be kind of low, and that I would have other problems (font, font size, or other). I greatly prefer to read with a sans-serif font, although some of the modern serif fonts are OK. None of the TFT reader have a built-in light, right? Or if they do, it's back light like a tablet? I had an old Kindle without a light, and trying to use a clip-on book light or clip-on lamp was a real pain due to screen glare and other factors.

Reading on a tablet is something I've done numerous times. I will continue to do that, but I want an ereader too. The backlight of a tablet bothers me a bit, especially if I'm reading in bed with little/no light.

I'm not that picky about interface and features. Because the light/blinking is such a big deal to me, I can't care about much else. All I need is one where I can read

(I do like a screen over 6" if possible, because I like the text kind of large, and I'd have to page turn so often when the screen is smaller. And I mentioned the sans-serif really helping my eyes.)

I may get a PW3 or Voyage and try it for a few days. But from the test videos of the PW3, I don't see myself comfortably reading in the dark (or very low light).

If money were no object, I guess I'd have 2 or 3 e-readers. Maybe I can still split my budget and have two of these now and a third later: Glo HD + a TFT reader + PW3?

Thanks for any input.

04-24-2017, 04:20 AM	#1
Techno Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 2072588 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Aura H2O, PC/Tablet	Best device with my eye problems I have medical problems causing various visual problems. I know I sound picky below. I'm just trying to find one e-reader that works best for me. I got an Aura H2O after years of wanting one. Unfortunately it has some behavior that's bothering me, so I wonder about getting another. However, I feel that other e-readers would also bother my eyes. I want to write out some of the issues (and some positive factors) here. I have already installed KSM and koreader, and changed it to only refresh the full page every 99 pages. I already installed my own font, so I am happy with all the font aspects of the H2O. My budget is about $150 which is limiting. I think I need to adapt to either this H2O, or get a PW3 or Voyage and get used to it. I had a PW1 a while back and it didn't seem to bother me as much as this does, but I'm thinking it's not an even comparision. I think my visual issues were not as bad then, and the PW1 bothered me in a different way. My main problem is the refreshing it does. I've done some searching and a lot of users were surprised that it would bother someone so much, but it does. It seems like it doesn't just blink to black and then continue. It seems like it's 2-3 blinks in a row, at least sometimes. It also seems to blink every time there's an image on a page. And with menus it seems to blink too often. It's the slower speed of the blink that's also a problem and the amount of contrast of the blink. The PW1 was not nearly as bad as this, from what I remember. A secondary problem is the type of lighting. The yellowish tint bothers me more than a blueish tint would. I think the Kindles would beat the H2O in terms of light coloration and blinking. There's one more thing though, it seemed like PW1 I had could not be lit on "low". It seemed like if I put it on 18%, there was basically no light, and then suddenly somewhere around 22%, it would be very bright (to me). No fine-tuning is what I mean, in the low ranges. That was one reason I wanted the H2O. It's not bad in the low light ranges. I am considering trying a TFT e-reader. I haven't looked into them much. I assumed that the screens would be kind of small, that the contrast would be kind of low, and that I would have other problems (font, font size, or other). I greatly prefer to read with a sans-serif font, although some of the modern serif fonts are OK. None of the TFT reader have a built-in light, right? Or if they do, it's back light like a tablet? I had an old Kindle without a light, and trying to use a clip-on book light or clip-on lamp was a real pain due to screen glare and other factors. Reading on a tablet is something I've done numerous times. I will continue to do that, but I want an ereader too. The backlight of a tablet bothers me a bit, especially if I'm reading in bed with little/no light. I'm not that picky about interface and features. Because the light/blinking is such a big deal to me, I can't care about much else. All I need is one where I can read (I do like a screen over 6" if possible, because I like the text kind of large, and I'd have to page turn so often when the screen is smaller. And I mentioned the sans-serif really helping my eyes.) I may get a PW3 or Voyage and try it for a few days. But from the test videos of the PW3, I don't see myself comfortably reading in the dark (or very low light). If money were no object, I guess I'd have 2 or 3 e-readers. Maybe I can still split my budget and have two of these now and a third later: Glo HD + a TFT reader + PW3? Thanks for any input. Last edited by Techno; 04-24-2017 at 04:39 AM.