No hi-res greyscale LCDs?

radius · 01-23-2008, 12:42 PM

Hi all,

With all the recent interest in e-ink devices, I was wondering if there were any devices in the market that still used high contrast, high resolution LCDs?

I understand that it wouldn't be quite as high resolution as the new e-ink readers, but I think anything over about 100dpi is "good enough" for me.

The level of contrast I'm talking about would be similar to say, a Psion Revo or HP 48 calculator, which judging from the pictures [edit: of e-ink reader screens] I've seen seems to be better than first generation e-ink screens and possibly better than current ones as well.

[edit: Now that I think of it, the screen on my old Palm V was pretty good too. But it was not high resolution and also suffered a bit from the shadowing problem (which wasn't bad when the pixels were that large)]

wallcraft · 01-23-2008, 01:11 PM

The OLPC XO-1 laptop is grayscale (900x1200) without a backlight and lower resolution color with the backlight on. There is a good chance that similar screens will become available on other devices.

NatCh · 01-23-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radius

The level of contrast I'm talking about would be similar to say, a Psion Revo or HP 48 calculator, which judging from the pictures [edit: of e-ink reader screens] I've seen seems to be better than first generation e-ink screens and possibly better than current ones as well.

Have you considered the e-bookwise device? They seem to be very much appreciated by many folks, I'd've probably bought one myself, except I knew that the e-ink devices were coming out by the time I learned of the e-bookwise.

One thing to remember, however, about e-ink is that it doesn't photograph all that well. I'd suggest that you try to see one of the displays in person so that you can really see how it compares to LCD's. The pictures are a bit too deceptive to really go by, I'm afraid.

radius · 01-23-2008, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Have you considered the e-bookwise device?

Well, I worked for Gemstar for a while and I found that at the time the resolution wasn't great, the contrast was low and the fonts weren't attractive to me, but maybe they've changed since then. The LCD they used was nowhere near as good as the Revo.

Quote:

I'd suggest that you try to see one of the displays in person so that you can really see how it compares to LCD's. The pictures are a bit too deceptive to really go by, I'm afraid.

I would like to but the Sony Store near where I live doesn't seem to put any on display...

radius · 01-23-2008, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The OLPC XO-1 laptop is grayscale (900x1200) without a backlight and lower resolution color with the backlight on. There is a good chance that similar screens will become available on other devices.

I sure hope that a high-res display is made popular (read cheap). I used to have a Sony Clie (N620?) with a side-lit transflective display and I'd love to see something like that if the contrast could be made good enough.

Unfortunately, for many displays, the crystal layer is high enough above the reflective layer that you can see a shadow of it, and I think this is because they need the space for backlighting. I'd give up the light in trade for contrast...

NatCh · 01-23-2008, 10:41 PM

That's very interesting that the SonyStyle store doesn't seem to stock them.

Do you have a Borders near you? They're supposed to have them in all stores these days ....

HarryT · 01-24-2008, 07:06 AM

Hi Res grey-scale displays are available - they are widely used for medical imaging - but they are extremely expensive; many thousands of $/£.

radius · 01-24-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

That's very interesting that the SonyStyle store doesn't seem to stock them.

I should mention that I am not in the US. I spend most of my time in Canada and Hong Kong.

NatCh · 01-24-2008, 11:19 AM

Ah, yes, that does clear things up a bit.

You may be able to find someone near you who has one of the other e-ink devices. Even if it's not the newest gen of e-ink, it'd give you a good idea of what you're dealing with -- the new one is a lot like the old one, except brighter and more contrasty.

That's how I got my first look at e-ink: contacted someone near me who had one and asked if I could buy him and his iLiad coffee.

mocelet · 01-25-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radius

I sure hope that a high-res display is made popular (read cheap). I used to have a Sony Clie (N620?) with a side-lit transflective display and I'd love to see something like that if the contrast could be made good enough.

I was listening to Digital Planet from the BBC recently, and they had an interview with the woman (whose name escapes me) who did the hardware for the XO. She said that she is now starting up a new company to make the hardware and technologies available to other manufacturers, screen included.

So, watch a space - there could be new e-book readers coming out with the same screen technology - switchable colour/monochrome and low power - sounds good to me.

wallcraft · 01-25-2008, 02:44 PM

Mary Lou Jepsen left OLPC at the end of 2007 to start a for-profit company, Pixel Qi.

01-23-2008, 12:42 PM	#1
radius Lector minore Posts: 660 Karma: 1738720 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Aura One, Paperwhite Signature	No hi-res greyscale LCDs? Hi all, With all the recent interest in e-ink devices, I was wondering if there were any devices in the market that still used high contrast, high resolution LCDs? I understand that it wouldn't be quite as high resolution as the new e-ink readers, but I think anything over about 100dpi is "good enough" for me. The level of contrast I'm talking about would be similar to say, a Psion Revo or HP 48 calculator, which judging from the pictures [edit: of e-ink reader screens] I've seen seems to be better than first generation e-ink screens and possibly better than current ones as well. [edit: Now that I think of it, the screen on my old Palm V was pretty good too. But it was not high resolution and also suffered a bit from the shadowing problem (which wasn't bad when the pixels were that large)] Last edited by radius; 01-24-2008 at 11:06 AM.

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01-23-2008, 01:11 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	The OLPC XO-1 laptop is grayscale (900x1200) without a backlight and lower resolution color with the backlight on. There is a good chance that similar screens will become available on other devices.

01-23-2008, 10:41 PM	#6
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	That's very interesting that the SonyStyle store doesn't seem to stock them. Do you have a Borders near you? They're supposed to have them in all stores these days ....

01-24-2008, 07:06 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Hi Res grey-scale displays are available - they are widely used for medical imaging - but they are extremely expensive; many thousands of $/£.

01-24-2008, 11:19 AM	#9
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Ah, yes, that does clear things up a bit. You may be able to find someone near you who has one of the other e-ink devices. Even if it's not the newest gen of e-ink, it'd give you a good idea of what you're dealing with -- the new one is a lot like the old one, except brighter and more contrasty. That's how I got my first look at e-ink: contacted someone near me who had one and asked if I could buy him and his iLiad coffee.

01-25-2008, 02:44 PM	#11
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Mary Lou Jepsen left OLPC at the end of 2007 to start a for-profit company, Pixel Qi.

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