Grainy Fonts on a large ereader

Pajamaman · 09-17-2025, 10:28 AM

I'm using an Onyx Note 5, which is 10.3". It is 1872 x 1404 pixels and a density of 227 ppi. As such, fonts are rather grainy on it.

Compare this to the first generation Nova, which is also 1872x1404 pixels but has a density of 300 pixels per inch.

Is there anyway to reduce this graininess? I guess not, but maybe there is a better font or app to reduce it. I am using Caecilia with Alreader Pro X (a version specifically designed for e-ink).

Quoth · 09-17-2025, 11:45 AM

Font designed for older lower resolution displays will look better. However I didn't notice any grainy effect on my reMarkable or Elipsa; I think both have the same eink panel as that Note 5.

Maybe some other setting is a problem. What does Georgia, Ariel, Verdana and New Times Roman look like?

Is it only when using Alreader Pro X? Have you tried KOReader and other regular Android ereader apps?

What is the system GUI looking like?

Pajamaman · 09-17-2025, 11:52 AM

Good points, Thanks. I'll try some other fonts and apps.

Renate · 09-18-2025, 12:37 AM

I think that there might be a problem with Android "helpfully" resizing the output after it's been composited to the frame buffer.
Or maybe I'm conflating that with Windows that does that?
If you're using an older Windows application on a large screen display it does that.
If you think that you need new glasses that could be it.

Check in the "Eink Center" whether the DPI match what it should be.

My Go6 had 350 DPI as the default using a 300 DPI screen.
It shouldn't fudge like that.

Aleron Ives · 09-18-2025, 12:58 AM

You might also want to check the refresh mode. Faster modes can degrade the PQ quite a bit.

JSWolf · 09-18-2025, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

I'm using an Onyx Note 5, which is 10.3". It is 1872 x 1404 pixels and a density of 227 ppi. As such, fonts are rather grainy on it.

Compare this to the first generation Nova, which is also 1872x1404 pixels but has a density of 300 pixels per inch.

Is there anyway to reduce this graininess? I guess not, but maybe there is a better font or app to reduce it. I am using Caecilia with Alreader Pro X (a version specifically designed for e-ink).

My Kobo Aura H2O is a 6.8" screen with 227 ppi. I did not find the fonts used to be grainy at all. In fact, the difference between 227 and 300 was not all that noticeable

Maybe it's the fonts you are using. Try ChareInk7SP. I know that's a good looking font on eInk. Here's where you can get ChareInk7SP. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=184056

Pajamaman · 10-02-2025, 11:42 PM

The graininess was caused by Alreader. The text graininess is gone with koreader and moonreader. Thx for suggestions.

It is also grainy in neoreader. Not surprising as neoreader using the alreader code base. But its crap on a big screen.

09-17-2025, 10:28 AM	#1
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,885 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	Grainy Fonts on a large ereader I'm using an Onyx Note 5, which is 10.3". It is 1872 x 1404 pixels and a density of 227 ppi. As such, fonts are rather grainy on it. Compare this to the first generation Nova, which is also 1872x1404 pixels but has a density of 300 pixels per inch. Is there anyway to reduce this graininess? I guess not, but maybe there is a better font or app to reduce it. I am using Caecilia with Alreader Pro X (a version specifically designed for e-ink).

10-02-2025, 11:42 PM	#7
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,885 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	The graininess was caused by Alreader. The text graininess is gone with koreader and moonreader. Thx for suggestions. It is also grainy in neoreader. Not surprising as neoreader using the alreader code base. But its crap on a big screen. Last edited by Pajamaman; 10-06-2025 at 09:17 PM.

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09-17-2025, 11:45 AM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 15,225 Karma: 111120239 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Font designed for older lower resolution displays will look better. However I didn't notice any grainy effect on my reMarkable or Elipsa; I think both have the same eink panel as that Note 5. Maybe some other setting is a problem. What does Georgia, Ariel, Verdana and New Times Roman look like? Is it only when using Alreader Pro X? Have you tried KOReader and other regular Android ereader apps? What is the system GUI looking like?

09-17-2025, 11:52 AM	#3
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,885 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	Good points, Thanks. I'll try some other fonts and apps.

09-18-2025, 12:37 AM	#4
Renate Onyx-maniac Posts: 4,170 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Nook NST, Glow2, 3, 4, '21, Kobo Aura2, Poke3, Poke5, Go6	I think that there might be a problem with Android "helpfully" resizing the output after it's been composited to the frame buffer. Or maybe I'm conflating that with Windows that does that? If you're using an older Windows application on a large screen display it does that. If you think that you need new glasses that could be it. Check in the "Eink Center" whether the DPI match what it should be. My Go6 had 350 DPI as the default using a 300 DPI screen. It shouldn't fudge like that.

09-18-2025, 12:58 AM	#5
Aleron Ives Wizard Posts: 1,794 Karma: 16583650 Join Date: Sep 2022 Device: Kobo Libra 2	You might also want to check the refresh mode. Faster modes can degrade the PQ quite a bit.

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