A page background color for less eyestrain?

[racsw]

I know this is a minor thing, but I can read a book endlessly for hours, because the paper page has a "soft" background which doesn't tire my eyes.

When I use Calibre on my netbook to read, however, it's a harsh white background, and I get a headache after about 1-1/2 hours, but at the least I notice my eyes tiring shortly after a couple of hours.

The backlit screen is what the problem is no doubt, but there must be a solution to promote "easy reading" with less eyestrain using a carefully matched color combination of background and text. My standard Nook is also very easy ready reading, I know it's because it has that soft Adobe "Ereader" background.

The Adobe Digital Editions uses a soft white background. It almost looks like paper.

I can't be the only one who has this issue, but i was wondering if there was a solution?

Thanks,
Robert

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by racsw

When I use Calibre on my netbook to read, however, it's a harsh white background, and I get a headache after about 1-1/2 hours, but at the least I notice my eyes tiring shortly after a couple of hours.

In the viewer Preferences go to the user style sheet and try this.

body {background:#FFFEEE;color:#000000;}

This adjusts the background and font colors.

Adjust the colors to suite your reading comfort.

[cybmole]

if anyone knows the colour codes for reproducing the Kindle 4pc sepia page effect, that would be helpful

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by cybmole

if anyone knows the colour codes for reproducing the Kindle 4pc sepia page effect, that would be helpful

What sepia effect are you referring to? I did a screen capture of Kindle for PC on my machine and to my surprise the background was pure white (FFFFFF).

[cybmole]

white is default - go view - color mode - choose white, sepia or black.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by cybmole

white is default - go view - color mode - choose white, sepia or black.

I had a old version I just upgraded.

Kindle for PC Sepia view mode:

body {background:#FBF0D9;color:#5F4B32;}

[Manichean]

Just do the same: Grab a screenshot, open up your favourite image manipulation program, and use the colour picker tool to get the colour. You should then be able to get the RGB values.

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by cybmole

if anyone knows the colour codes for reproducing the Kindle 4pc sepia page effect, that would be helpful

It uses #f1e7d0 under the text, and 5f5f54 in the margins/background.

In my calibre's css, I use a shade darker - EBDDB - and just brown for text.

It's fun playing with the CSS to get that K4PC sepia look, but it's still not the same, without those margins.

I've been wanting to put together an image background and using that and other css to get the whole sepia look... Shouldn't be hard... I'll play with it some tomorrow and attach the background image and css if it looks right.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Piper_

It uses #f1e7d0 under the text, and 5f5f54 in the margins/background.

I already gave an exact match (for Sepia with the brightness all the way up as seen on my machine) in post 6 above. Your numbers were close but You have the background and text reversed.

Update: I didn't realize there was a brightness control. We may all have different variants of Sepia that we are looking at.

The only way for cybmole to get an exact match of what he is seeing is to do as Manichean said in post 7.

[Piper_]

Yeah, I started posting before you two answered. The #s I gave aren't backward, but I noticed that I had the lightness down a notch after I saw yours. I didn't bother to edit - just figured he could try both of them and use what he wanted. They're so close.

Here's a quick strip on full brightness that should work for a background image, if anyone wants to use it... 1440 res, and a bit wider center than i usually use. I like narrow columns.

But for a quick start, I'll come back with the css to use with that in a few... assuming i can stay awake. It's 3:30am here.

[Piper_]

OK, at a maximum view width of 1440 px (select that under the 1st tab of viewer options) this css works with the attached image to give a K4PC Sepia look:

body {
color:#000000;
background-color: #f1e7d0;
background-image:url("file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Calibre2/resources/images/k4pc_bgd2.jpg");
margin-right:250px;
margin-left:275px;
}

The directory you choose is up to you...

And you can play with the margins to get them however you want...


...argh... only on .mobi files. epub ignores the margins. I know I've read about this, but I'm too brain-dead to remember why. Maybe tomorrow.

ETA: checked a few more books - these all work fine in epubs that don't have margins set in the book's source.

edit - changed css margins and attaching a better background image to use. First one didn't account for left toolbar, so it doesn't center... this is at least close... still off, seeing screenshot - doesn't seem so off when in the ap...

[Piper_]

Here's the background image and css for a narrower center column, ad screenshot of how it appears at 1440 res full screen:

body {
color:#000000;
background-color: #f1e7d0;
background-image:url("file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Calibre2/resources/images/k4pc_bgd4.png");
margin-right:330px;
margin-left:350px;
}

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I already gave an exact match (for Sepia with the brightness all the way up as seen on my machine) in post 6 above. Your numbers were close but You have the background and text reversed.

Update: I didn't realize there was a brightness control. We may all have different variants of Sepia that we are looking at.

The only way for cybmole to get an exact match of what he is seeing is to do as Manichean said in post 7.

I just added what he said to user styles - looks good to me with both epub & mobi.

side by side - calibre viewer & K 4 PC, the latter is a tad darker / more brown, but I am not fussed. cailibre viewer is much better than the default white. Shame the TOC panel stays white though

[Archon]

See this page here:
http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_colornames.asp

for html color names and hex values.

Find the one that best matches the Sepia color you are looking for.

Maybe you would like Cornsilk #FFF8DC or AliceBlue #F0F8FF.

Happy Tuesday