Kobo Touch - Sharpness

stokietom · 06-06-2012, 03:32 PM

Hi guys,

I picked up a Kobo Touch today for some cheap E-Reading times.

I just have a question that may seem very nit-picky but I am curious.

When reading a book and looking very close to the e-ink screen, the text doesn't seem perfectly cripsp. It isn't perfectly clear and is a touch blurry.

However this is NOT really noticeable when reading from the proper distance.

I am just wondering, is it right for the text not to be perfectly clear when looking really close?

Cheers!

PeterT · 06-06-2012, 04:03 PM

One hing you can try doing is adjusting the Screen Refresh setting which is found while reading a book by tapping the bottom of the screen, selecting the "wrench" (right most icon) and then Advanced Settings. Here you will find the Page Refresh setting. I think the default is 6, but you can take it down to 1.

This is used to define how often to do a full page refresh of the eInk screen.

stokietom · 06-06-2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

One hing you can try doing is adjusting the Screen Refresh setting which is found while reading a book by tapping the bottom of the screen, selecting the "wrench" (right most icon) and then Advanced Settings. Here you will find the Page Refresh setting. I think the default is 6, but you can take it down to 1.

This is used to define how often to do a full page refresh of the eInk screen.

Thank you very much however this doesn't quite answer my question. Is it nothing to do with relation of the refresh rate.

Suzanna · 06-06-2012, 04:55 PM

Try changing the refresh rate, as Peter suggested. You can't say for sure that the problem has nothing to do with the refresh rate if you haven't tried it.

If I'm remembering correctly (it's been a long time since I purchased my Touch) the default refresh rate is 6 pages, so 5 out of every 6 page turns there will be some ghosting on the screen, which can make the screen as a whole less than crisp.

stokietom · 06-06-2012, 05:01 PM

It's the actual text that's displayed. All's I was asking is is it normal for it NOT to be perfectly crisp when looking really close.

taming · 06-06-2012, 05:30 PM

Stokietom--it's been 20 years since any text looked nice and crisp to me up close

.

stokietom · 06-06-2012, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

Stokietom--it's been 20 years since any text looked nice and crisp to me up close

.

So you guys notice this to then?

Just want to make sure mine isn't faulty or something

Cheers

PeterT · 06-06-2012, 06:06 PM

What we are trying to say is that refresh set at 6 leaves remnants of characters on the screen.

Subtle but they are there.

So try refresh at 1 and see if the display IS crisper.

nesler · 06-06-2012, 07:04 PM

I understand what he's talking about, and have noticed the same under bright sunlight. E-ink displays under bright sunlight do look pixelated, even after a page refresh. This is related to the pixel density of the display, and this sort of thing is evident on a lot of LCD screens as well.

JD Gumby · 06-06-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stokietom

Hi guys,

I picked up a Kobo Touch today for some cheap E-Reading times.

I just have a question that may seem very nit-picky but I am curious.

When reading a book and looking very close to the e-ink screen, the text doesn't seem perfectly cripsp. It isn't perfectly clear and is a touch blurry.

That's absolutely normal for eInk displays. Probably not deliberate, but it does make it more like a real book...

Changing the refresh rate doesn't do anything for crispness - it just stops ghosting (afterimages of previous pages).

taming · 06-06-2012, 09:06 PM

It is also worth trying various fonts--some are higher contrast than others--which may translate into a crisper look. Also, it seems like some fonts look better/crisper at different sizes. Play around a bit and see what suits you best.

That being said, if the text looks fine to you at normal reading distance, then I would blame it on a relatively poor pixel density, as compared to something like a really good cell phone screen.

filmo · 06-06-2012, 09:55 PM

Goto http://www.eink.com/ and read about the display. When I was reading about it last year they were saying built into the current screen is much higher resolution that was not being used for various reasons. (Maybe processing power and graphic drivers.) Contrast has gotten better from first screens but could be improved. I think it is good enough for reading books. Sure it could and will get better in many ways but what will be great is unbreakable flexible screens being developed making it to real affordable products matching or improving quality of current e-ink displays.

John F · 06-07-2012, 08:21 AM

I would say that the Kobo Touch looks better then my Sony 505. This is going from memory (I haven't looked critically at my 505 in a long time).

stokietom, maybe you want to post a screen capture?

stokietom · 06-07-2012, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

I would say that the Kobo Touch looks better then my Sony 505. This is going from memory (I haven't looked critically at my 505 in a long time).

stokietom, maybe you want to post a screen capture?

As said, the text just doesn't seem to be perfectly crisp and I can't really explain it better than that really.

A screen capture doesn't really show up what I'm trying to explain.

I think I'm just expecting to much from an e-ink display, I doubt it'll ever be perfectly super-crisp.

I have enlarged the text and changed font style though and that's certainly helped, but it is still their a bit.

Just when looking close the text seems ever so slightly blurry.

John F · 06-07-2012, 09:16 AM

Maybe your seeing anti-aliasing?

I suggested the screen dump because you may have a legitimate problem that is hard to communicate. A picture is worth a thousand words.

06-06-2012, 03:32 PM	#1
stokietom Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	Kobo Touch - Sharpness Hi guys, I picked up a Kobo Touch today for some cheap E-Reading times. I just have a question that may seem very nit-picky but I am curious. When reading a book and looking very close to the e-ink screen, the text doesn't seem perfectly cripsp. It isn't perfectly clear and is a touch blurry. However this is NOT really noticeable when reading from the proper distance. I am just wondering, is it right for the text not to be perfectly clear when looking really close? Cheers!

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06-06-2012, 04:03 PM	#2
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,521 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	One hing you can try doing is adjusting the Screen Refresh setting which is found while reading a book by tapping the bottom of the screen, selecting the "wrench" (right most icon) and then Advanced Settings. Here you will find the Page Refresh setting. I think the default is 6, but you can take it down to 1. This is used to define how often to do a full page refresh of the eInk screen.

06-06-2012, 04:55 PM	#4
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	Try changing the refresh rate, as Peter suggested. You can't say for sure that the problem has nothing to do with the refresh rate if you haven't tried it. If I'm remembering correctly (it's been a long time since I purchased my Touch) the default refresh rate is 6 pages, so 5 out of every 6 page turns there will be some ghosting on the screen, which can make the screen as a whole less than crisp.

06-06-2012, 05:01 PM	#5
stokietom Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	It's the actual text that's displayed. All's I was asking is is it normal for it NOT to be perfectly crisp when looking really close.

06-06-2012, 05:30 PM	#6
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Stokietom--it's been 20 years since any text looked nice and crisp to me up close .

06-06-2012, 06:06 PM	#8
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,521 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	What we are trying to say is that refresh set at 6 leaves remnants of characters on the screen. Subtle but they are there. So try refresh at 1 and see if the display IS crisper.

06-06-2012, 07:04 PM	#9
nesler Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 548458 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: California Device: Too many to list	I understand what he's talking about, and have noticed the same under bright sunlight. E-ink displays under bright sunlight do look pixelated, even after a page refresh. This is related to the pixel density of the display, and this sort of thing is evident on a lot of LCD screens as well.

06-06-2012, 09:06 PM	#11
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	It is also worth trying various fonts--some are higher contrast than others--which may translate into a crisper look. Also, it seems like some fonts look better/crisper at different sizes. Play around a bit and see what suits you best. That being said, if the text looks fine to you at normal reading distance, then I would blame it on a relatively poor pixel density, as compared to something like a really good cell phone screen.

06-06-2012, 09:55 PM	#12
filmo Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 1077205 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kobo Touch, Sony T1, Kobo Mini	Goto http://www.eink.com/ and read about the display. When I was reading about it last year they were saying built into the current screen is much higher resolution that was not being used for various reasons. (Maybe processing power and graphic drivers.) Contrast has gotten better from first screens but could be improved. I think it is good enough for reading books. Sure it could and will get better in many ways but what will be great is unbreakable flexible screens being developed making it to real affordable products matching or improving quality of current e-ink displays.

06-07-2012, 08:21 AM	#13
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,942 Karma: 70766125 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	I would say that the Kobo Touch looks better then my Sony 505. This is going from memory (I haven't looked critically at my 505 in a long time). stokietom, maybe you want to post a screen capture?

06-07-2012, 09:16 AM	#15
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,942 Karma: 70766125 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	Maybe your seeing anti-aliasing? I suggested the screen dump because you may have a legitimate problem that is hard to communicate. A picture is worth a thousand words.