Best device with my eye problems

[Techno]

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.

[Barbara1955]

Do you have problems reading on your Tablet?

[Techno]

I'm also wondering if my koreader/KSM installation isn't right. I followed all the instructions carefully and used the newest versions.

I have an epub loaded and when I press the power button (for sleep), it flashes so much. And usually doesn't go to sleep. It starts trying to display an image. I think if I could play it in slow motion it would be... blank the screen, display black screen, blank, display cover image, blank, black, blank, and back exactly where I was. That is a lot of flashing in a second.

Also I'm currently not able to open a book in Nickel anymore. It bounces me to the KSM. I wanted to try a kepub in Nickel. I had only tried epubs before.

Originally Posted by Katie1

Do you have problems reading on your Tablet?

Yeah, I prefer reading on the computer to the tablet, but they're about the same. For the tablet, it's especially bad if I'm trying to read with low light.

[Cinisajoy]

Could you use a small lamp beside you while reading in bed with your tablet?
Or alternatively, could you string some older style small Christmas lights across your ceiling at the head of your bed and put them on a dimmer switch? With some dimmers, the led ones won't work. The lights still have a small glow after being turned off.

[darryl]

You are using ksm and koreader. Do you have the same problem if reading with the Kobo provided software? In both the epub renderer and the kepub renderer?

[Techno]

Originally Posted by darryl

You are using ksm and koreader. Do you have the same problem if reading with the Kobo provided software? In both the epub renderer and the kepub renderer?

I have opened epubs and kepubs in the regular Kobo interface. I have the same refresh-flashing problem. I saw other threads about this, but I know most people don't mind it. I think it's my eye sensitivity.

It seems to me that Kindles will refresh the entire page at the same time, but Kobos seem to refresh the images separately, and slightly delayed. I don't mind the single flash as much. I also noticed that the Kobo flashes the image box when leaving a page. So even when it's going to show me the next page, that contains no image, the image box is flashing a lot. It seems like it's 4-6 times very quickly.

[Techno]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Could you use a small lamp beside you while reading in bed with your tablet?
Or alternatively, could you string some older style small Christmas lights across your ceiling at the head of your bed and put them on a dimmer switch? With some dimmers, the led ones won't work. The lights still have a small glow after being turned off.

I'm thinking I'll have to. I guess the best I can do is avoid reading in low light, and get an ereader that works for me otherwise.

I want to use a Kobo for many reasons (instead of Kindle), but I'm thinking the worse screen refresh is enough to outweigh all the positives for me. (Again, even though I have it not doing a full refresh for 90-99 pages.)

I just remembered that a local store probably has a display Voyage and PW3. That could help me decide.

I'm needing to read a long book for school ASAP, and may need to read it on the PC.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Techno

I'm thinking I'll have to. I guess the best I can do is avoid reading in low light, and get an ereader that works for me otherwise.

I want to use a Kobo for many reasons (instead of Kindle), but I'm thinking the worse screen refresh is enough to outweigh all the positives for me. (Again, even though I have it not doing a full refresh for 90-99 pages.)

I just remembered that a local store probably has a display Voyage and PW3. That could help me decide.

I'm needing to read a long book for school ASAP, and may need to read it on the PC.

I only thought of that because I have to have a small light source or even turning the light all the way down on my tablet is way bright.
Can I guess you are also nearsighted?
My far sighted husband can't use my tablet without adjusting the light, turning it up. Same token, his almost blinds me.

[Techno]

I can already tell from the review videos that the Voyage has too much flashing for me, at least when I'm more sensitive (- sensitivity varies). I am definitely going to get a TFT ereader even though I don't think I can use it all the time. They are cheap.

I think I would still like to own an e-ink device, but I don't think I can use the backlight except at very low levels, because it makes the flashing bother me even more. (The Oasis looked a little better on flashing, but I didn't look as carefully and it may be bad too. It's also out of my price range anyway.)

Edit: I guess that I prefer reading on a tablet/PC to eink in many cases.

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I only thought of that because I have to have a small light source or even turning the light all the way down on my tablet is way bright.

That happens to me too. I use an app (f.lux) to make it go dimmer. You might try that.

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Can I guess you are also nearsighted?
My far sighted husband can't use my tablet without adjusting the light, turning it up. Same token, his almost blinds me.

Yes. Interesting!

[Cinisajoy]

Another thought,
Have you thought about an unlit basic ereader? You would have to have a light source but I find they are easy to read on.
Also can I ask what long book? That is just a curiosity.

[Techno]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Another thought,
Have you thought about an unlit basic ereader? You would have to have a light source but I find they are easy to read on.
Also can I ask what long book? That is just a curiosity.

My main problem is the e-ink refreshing, so it happens even on the basic readers But I'm going to get a TFT reader. I think that will not be comfortable for too long per day. I think the multi-solution approach is the only one.

Oh, it's just a textbook, and more after that one. The volume of text has me motivated to find a good ereader!

[Cinisajoy]

It sounds like it.

[Lemurion]

You might want to try an AMOLED tablet from Samsung, each pixel is individually lit so the blacks stay black and you should have better control at low light levels.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

You might want to try an AMOLED tablet from Samsung, each pixel is individually lit so the blacks stay black and you should have better control at low light levels.

and Samsung tablets have a reading mode - you choose which apps use it, It slows screen refresh, adds a customisable blue light filter, does some other stuff to improve battery life...

[Techno]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

You might want to try an AMOLED tablet from Samsung, each pixel is individually lit so the blacks stay black and you should have better control at low light levels.

Originally Posted by stumped

and Samsung tablets have a reading mode - you choose which apps use it, It slows screen refresh, adds a customisable blue light filter, does some other stuff to improve battery life...

Thank you both I will look it up.