How much text can we cram onto the screen of an e-reader?

pavelh · 06-13-2010, 04:59 PM

Hi and thanks for reading my post,
I am in the process of getting ready for my first e-reader and this (see Title) is an issue I find quite important yet very difficult to actually figure out. It appears to me that e-readers usually display text in quite big letters and therefore only very little text is actually displayed. I compared some on-line photos with pages of a regular books and the book page would always contain much, much more text. Especially with smaller devices like 5" or 6" ones. I find it strange because even at the lowest resolution (I think) available - 800x600 pixels one can display a lot of text on the Windows screen (w/o antialiasing or so called ClearType that is). Is my suspicion correct, pls? Is there something on-line that I could check perhaps?

Thanks in advance for any kind help!

Best regards,

PH

Zetmolm · 06-13-2010, 05:19 PM

Well, one advance of an e-reader over a paper book is that you can increase or decrease font size. If I select the smallest font size on my 6" reader, there is much more text on one screen than on the page of an average paper book. But I cannot imagine anyone would find this comfortable to read...

crc · 06-13-2010, 06:26 PM

At present I have an average of 60 chars per line, and 31 lines per page. So about 1,860 chars per page, which I think is acceptable. This is slightly greater than the only printed book I have handy, which has 58 chars per line and 28 lines of text per page (1,596 chars).

Mickey330 · 06-13-2010, 09:42 PM

Just for the heck of it, I reduced my font on my 5" screen to the smallest it would go. Other than the fact that I can't read it without having my nose pressed on the screen, I get 54 lines. But, it IS readable. Maybe if I had a microscope I'd keep it there ...

When I put it back to where I like the font size, I have 18 lines on the screen. Just means I have to turn more pages.

I agree with Zetmolm, in that probably the reason you don't hear about how many lines you can get on a device is that it is purely arbitrary. I have terrible eyesight (and also have to wear bifocals). So, I make my font bigger. Someone else may have great eyesight and can make their font smaller (and so it'd be more like a paper book ... or smaller).

The best part of any ereader is the ability to make the fonts so it's more comfortable for the reader. Again, IMHO, that's why you don't hear about how many lines a particular reader can/will display.

Hope that helps.

Marilyn

Sweetpea · 06-14-2010, 02:04 AM

On my 5", I have 24 lines, and between 50 and 60 letters in a line, on the screen in a font-size I find comfortable. This is for a custom made PDF file, which also has a header and a footer.

pavelh · 06-14-2010, 02:45 PM

I would like to thank everyone very much for replying

This was something really confusing for me and quite troublesome too and you all made it much more clear to me

Best regards

PH

06-13-2010, 04:59 PM	#1
pavelh Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 565178 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD	How much text can we cram onto the screen of an e-reader? Hi and thanks for reading my post, I am in the process of getting ready for my first e-reader and this (see Title) is an issue I find quite important yet very difficult to actually figure out. It appears to me that e-readers usually display text in quite big letters and therefore only very little text is actually displayed. I compared some on-line photos with pages of a regular books and the book page would always contain much, much more text. Especially with smaller devices like 5" or 6" ones. I find it strange because even at the lowest resolution (I think) available - 800x600 pixels one can display a lot of text on the Windows screen (w/o antialiasing or so called ClearType that is). Is my suspicion correct, pls? Is there something on-line that I could check perhaps? Thanks in advance for any kind help! Best regards, PH

06-14-2010, 02:04 AM	#5
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	On my 5", I have 24 lines, and between 50 and 60 letters in a line, on the screen in a font-size I find comfortable. This is for a custom made PDF file, which also has a header and a footer. Attached Thumbnails

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06-13-2010, 05:19 PM	#2
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 2362786 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Verse Pro Colour	Well, one advance of an e-reader over a paper book is that you can increase or decrease font size. If I select the smallest font size on my 6" reader, there is much more text on one screen than on the page of an average paper book. But I cannot imagine anyone would find this comfortable to read...

06-13-2010, 06:26 PM	#3
crc unknown Posts: 57 Karma: 38 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oakford, PA, USA Device: Kindle Voyage	At present I have an average of 60 chars per line, and 31 lines per page. So about 1,860 chars per page, which I think is acceptable. This is slightly greater than the only printed book I have handy, which has 58 chars per line and 28 lines of text per page (1,596 chars).

06-13-2010, 09:42 PM	#4
Mickey330 Addict Posts: 378 Karma: 1107420 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Western New York state (USA) Device: Kindle Oasis & the Kindle app on iDevices	Just for the heck of it, I reduced my font on my 5" screen to the smallest it would go. Other than the fact that I can't read it without having my nose pressed on the screen, I get 54 lines. But, it IS readable. Maybe if I had a microscope I'd keep it there ... When I put it back to where I like the font size, I have 18 lines on the screen. Just means I have to turn more pages. I agree with Zetmolm, in that probably the reason you don't hear about how many lines you can get on a device is that it is purely arbitrary. I have terrible eyesight (and also have to wear bifocals). So, I make my font bigger. Someone else may have great eyesight and can make their font smaller (and so it'd be more like a paper book ... or smaller). The best part of any ereader is the ability to make the fonts so it's more comfortable for the reader. Again, IMHO, that's why you don't hear about how many lines a particular reader can/will display. Hope that helps. Marilyn

06-14-2010, 02:45 PM	#6
pavelh Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 565178 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD	I would like to thank everyone very much for replying This was something really confusing for me and quite troublesome too and you all made it much more clear to me Best regards PH

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