The greyness of E-ink?

Happymonster · 01-10-2010, 05:24 PM

Just a quick question.. The articles I have read have explained about how E-ink works with the microballs of black and white particles, so that the display can show black, white or greyscale (via a lesser charge).

However the white in all readers seems a lightish grey to me, rather than approaching the white of paper. Is there a technical issue why the particles can't be a brighter white? I haven't seen this discussed or mentioned in anything I have read so far about E-ink?

quillaja · 01-10-2010, 07:59 PM

yea, the "white" screen is a bit silvery or gray. it's no big deal. any paperback you can buy doesn't use actual white paper either.

Purge · 01-11-2010, 12:26 AM

On my PRS300 I'd say it looks like there's a slightly waxy coating over the page.

Perfectly readable though.

Solitaire1 · 01-11-2010, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happymonster

Just a quick question.. The articles I have read have explained about how E-ink works with the microballs of black and white particles, so that the display can show black, white or greyscale (via a lesser charge).

However the white in all readers seems a lightish grey to me, rather than approaching the white of paper. Is there a technical issue why the particles can't be a brighter white? I haven't seen this discussed or mentioned in anything I have read so far about E-ink?

A light grey screen hasn't been an issue for me. I actually prefer it over a pure white screen because it is much less glaring to my eyes. I will second a previous poster's comments about paperback book pages not being white either, rather they tend to be slightly brown which is easier for me to read for the same reason.

Happymonster · 01-11-2010, 02:27 AM

I would prefer a whiter page, which is why I was wondering if anyone knew the technical reasons why the 'white' was actually the light grey?

spideog · 01-11-2010, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happymonster

I would prefer a whiter page, which is why I was wondering if anyone knew the technical reasons why the 'white' was actually the light grey?

The colour of the light that you are reading under will have a huge effect on the apparent colour of the page and text on the screen. Under regular room lighting my PRS300 does look pretty grey on grey, once I switch on the white LED light in the Sony cover the page becomes white and the text if a much darker grey.

Bremen Cole · 01-11-2010, 07:10 AM

+1 to the light having a lot to do with background..... Most home lights (incandescent or fluorescent) have a yellow cast to them. For reading I try to use a fluorescent "day light" bulb. To me it looks better and brighter..... If you get a day light bulb and compare it side by side to the normal light bulb, you can really see how they put a yellow cast over everything.

01-10-2010, 05:24 PM	#1
Happymonster Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 30 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PRS-300	The greyness of E-ink? Just a quick question.. The articles I have read have explained about how E-ink works with the microballs of black and white particles, so that the display can show black, white or greyscale (via a lesser charge). However the white in all readers seems a lightish grey to me, rather than approaching the white of paper. Is there a technical issue why the particles can't be a brighter white? I haven't seen this discussed or mentioned in anything I have read so far about E-ink?

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01-10-2010, 07:59 PM	#2
quillaja Connoisseur Posts: 79 Karma: 42 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: sony reader touch (prs-600)	yea, the "white" screen is a bit silvery or gray. it's no big deal. any paperback you can buy doesn't use actual white paper either.

01-11-2010, 12:26 AM	#3
Purge Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: None	On my PRS300 I'd say it looks like there's a slightly waxy coating over the page. Perfectly readable though.

01-11-2010, 02:27 AM	#5
Happymonster Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 30 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PRS-300	I would prefer a whiter page, which is why I was wondering if anyone knew the technical reasons why the 'white' was actually the light grey?

01-11-2010, 07:10 AM	#7
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	+1 to the light having a lot to do with background..... Most home lights (incandescent or fluorescent) have a yellow cast to them. For reading I try to use a fluorescent "day light" bulb. To me it looks better and brighter..... If you get a day light bulb and compare it side by side to the normal light bulb, you can really see how they put a yellow cast over everything.

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