Discussions with Amazon CS about PW Defects - Page 42

Rizla · 03-01-2013, 11:55 AM

As it stands, and based on what I've read, I'd be pretty wary of buying a PW without first turning it on and testing it. And then what if the quality of the lighting changes after a few days? I've read that can happen. I want a front-lit e-reader, but the tech seems to be immature atm. I'm happy to wait a bit.

BeccaPrice · 03-01-2013, 01:08 PM

The color fringing on my PW seems to come and go. At its worst, there's a quarter-sized pink blush - very faint - in the lower right corner. Most of the time, either it isn't there or I've gotten so used to it that I just don't see it. On the other hand, I have my light at about 17, and leave it there no matter what reading circumstances I'm in.

btw, I just saw another PW at a SF convention I was at last weekend, and it looked perfect to me. I didn't see any color fringing or hot spots, but it was just a casual look.

Katsunami · 03-01-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

btw, I just saw another PW at a SF convention I was at last weekend, and it looked perfect to me. I didn't see any color fringing or hot spots, but it was just a casual look.

That is something that's normal with things you look at or even stare at for a long time. If you look casually at an image, such as this spiral, you won't see anything strange. If you stare at it for 20 minutes, the entire room will probably start spinning.

I wouldn't be surprised if all Paperwhites have those color fringes, but that they just stand out much more in some environments than others, and that it also depends on the eyes of the people looking at the device.

Skydog · 03-01-2013, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I wouldn't be surprised if all Paperwhites have those color fringes, but that they just stand out much more in some environments than others, and that it also depends on the eyes of the people looking at the device.

Bingo!

Blossom · 03-01-2013, 04:11 PM

I'm one of the lucky ones I have no color fringing on my PW. I own since Jan 2nd. I do have a pin hole that glows green though but it's so tiny that you only see it if you are looking for it. I may have a second one but I only seen that one twice. I agree with the perfect PW isn't out there.

drewh · 03-01-2013, 10:35 PM

I can confirm that all don't have the color fringing. I can look at the grey line one and this replacement (that has green colour fringing), have them right next to each other and one has it the other does not at all. Same with my other original paperwhite I'm keeping, no color fringing no matter how long I look at it but right next to it, this other has them.

randomzombie · 03-03-2013, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's unreasonable to expect Amazon to supply them with limitless devices until they finally receive one which satisfies their personal whim about what's a good screen (IMHO).

A personal whim or merely the device as it was named and advertised?

Of course the old adage states that there is no truth in advertising. But Amazon has established itself as a more reputable and trustworthy business than most.

Regardless as to anyone's whims or whatever, I do not doubt that Amazon internally views this inconsistency as a mistake to the extent that you can bet (or I will, anyway) that it'll not happen again in the design and construction of future models.

Rizla · 03-03-2013, 06:00 AM

Here's an impartial and professional review with a lot of comments:

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20.../#.UTMY_qO5yp0

One of the problems with the PW was that the pre-release shots were so misleading.

HarryT · 03-03-2013, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizla

Here's an impartial and professional review with a lot of comments:

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20.../#.UTMY_qO5yp0

"Impartial and professional"? Sounds more like an ill-informed rant to me. Anyone who knows anything about this lighting technology is going to realise that you're not going to get perfectly even lighting from it.

drewh · 03-03-2013, 06:33 AM

Harry, the topic of the diffusion grating structure has been done to death, but I'm curious to hear your&others thoughts. I've had two Kindle Paperwhites (batch 603 and 604), one of which I'm keeping, and two replacements for the not good misaligned screen/line gap 604 one. One only of the three had color hues, the other three had absolutely none regardless of ambient lighting conditions or screen brightness - I thoroughly tested all. Both replacements were batch 502 and 503, and the colour temperature of the LEDs was noticeably warmer - not the crisp white of the batch 600s.

How can three devices of my four sample have zero color hues and one have them if the design makes them almost inherent? Also, how (or WHY) is there suddenly massive variation in screen LED color? It all screams of appalling quality control, and not something befitting a company like Amazon.

HarryT · 03-03-2013, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drewh

How can three devices of my four sample have zero color hues and one have them if the design makes them almost inherent?

I would imagine that what you see as "zero colour hues", some people would see as unacceptable amounts of colour. Take a look at some of the photos posted in this thread - many of them are comments about coloured screens that look fine to me. See what you think. Different people perceive colour differently (that's not a criticism of anyone, simply a fact).

Quote:

Also, how (or WHY) is there suddenly massive variation in screen LED color?

That's a puzzler - they are all white LEDs, to the best of my knowledge. Are you sure that you weren't simply viewing them in different lighting conditions?

drewh · 03-03-2013, 07:41 AM

Yes you're right Harry re different eyes being sensitive (mine seem less so) but I'm meaning just direct comparison, i.e. right next to one another, three don't have colour hues and one does. Maybe the others are just outside the tolerance of what my eye will see, who knows.

Re LEDs, no this is directly comparing them right next to each other - the different is really noticeable. Think a warm white light (on the 500s) vs cool white (on 600s).

I guess no one will know unless they're at the Foxconn factories watching them being made (and even then might not know). I do think the QC is way down on this though, for whatever reason.

HarryT · 03-03-2013, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drewh

Re LEDs, no this is directly comparing them right next to each other - the different is really noticeable. Think a warm white light (on the 500s) vs cool white (on 600s).

The only thing that occurs to me is that perhaps they use different LEDs in different batches? I agree entirely that there seems to be greater variation than one would normally expect from Amazon products, although all the PWs that I've seen personally (probably a dozen in total) have looked just fine to my eyes.

drewh · 03-03-2013, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The only thing that occurs to me is that perhaps they use different LEDs in different batches? I agree entirely that there seems to be greater variation than one would normally expect from Amazon products, although all the PWs that I've seen personally (probably a dozen in total) have looked just fine to my eyes.

Yes it seems that must be the case Harry - wonder why though. I'd love to know if they actively keep changing parts after production starts, i.e. might have decided the screen needed to be 'whiter' so slightly altered the LEDs. You'd think that would work out way more expensive though.

Maybe because of all the extra components in the PW display, they make even less money on the devices and so the QC has dropped as well. I know Amazon say they make next to nothing on the devices.

Katsunami · 03-03-2013, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

"Impartial and professional"? Sounds more like an ill-informed rant to me. Anyone who knows anything about this lighting technology is going to realise that you're not going to get perfectly even lighting from it.

With regard to the evenness... why do people want or expect an LCD-like representation? I don't understand. It's a front-light after all. I'm amazed that Amazon got it as even as it is, and even while it's not perfect (some shadows and brighter spots along the edges, mostly the bottom), it beats out a clip on light or the Kindle Touch Lighted Cover bij a margin of a few hundred percent, IMHO.

If you've got a huge amount of color blotches and/or sensitive about this, then it can be irritating, and I think a swap or two is warranted. If you expect LCD-light evenness with zero shadows and perfect whiteness, then I think you should just get a Fire or a Nexus 7. IMHO, again.

I just (still) cannot believe there are hundreds and thousands of Kindles out there that are so bad. Maybe people are just expecting too much (maybe because of the perfectly white and even press pictures? Meh. I don't expect anything else than a perfectly white page being photoshopped into such a picture.... it's an advertisment after all.)

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03-01-2013, 11:55 AM	#616
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	As it stands, and based on what I've read, I'd be pretty wary of buying a PW without first turning it on and testing it. And then what if the quality of the lighting changes after a few days? I've read that can happen. I want a front-lit e-reader, but the tech seems to be immature atm. I'm happy to wait a bit.

03-01-2013, 01:08 PM	#617
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	The color fringing on my PW seems to come and go. At its worst, there's a quarter-sized pink blush - very faint - in the lower right corner. Most of the time, either it isn't there or I've gotten so used to it that I just don't see it. On the other hand, I have my light at about 17, and leave it there no matter what reading circumstances I'm in. btw, I just saw another PW at a SF convention I was at last weekend, and it looked perfect to me. I didn't see any color fringing or hot spots, but it was just a casual look.

03-01-2013, 04:11 PM	#620
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I'm one of the lucky ones I have no color fringing on my PW. I own since Jan 2nd. I do have a pin hole that glows green though but it's so tiny that you only see it if you are looking for it. I may have a second one but I only seen that one twice. I agree with the perfect PW isn't out there.

03-01-2013, 10:35 PM	#621
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I can confirm that all don't have the color fringing. I can look at the grey line one and this replacement (that has green colour fringing), have them right next to each other and one has it the other does not at all. Same with my other original paperwhite I'm keeping, no color fringing no matter how long I look at it but right next to it, this other has them.

03-03-2013, 06:00 AM	#623
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	Here's an impartial and professional review with a lot of comments: http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20.../#.UTMY_qO5yp0 One of the problems with the PW was that the pre-release shots were so misleading.

03-03-2013, 06:33 AM	#625
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Harry, the topic of the diffusion grating structure has been done to death, but I'm curious to hear your&others thoughts. I've had two Kindle Paperwhites (batch 603 and 604), one of which I'm keeping, and two replacements for the not good misaligned screen/line gap 604 one. One only of the three had color hues, the other three had absolutely none regardless of ambient lighting conditions or screen brightness - I thoroughly tested all. Both replacements were batch 502 and 503, and the colour temperature of the LEDs was noticeably warmer - not the crisp white of the batch 600s. How can three devices of my four sample have zero color hues and one have them if the design makes them almost inherent? Also, how (or WHY) is there suddenly massive variation in screen LED color? It all screams of appalling quality control, and not something befitting a company like Amazon.

03-03-2013, 07:41 AM	#627
drewh Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 576022 Join Date: Feb 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Yes you're right Harry re different eyes being sensitive (mine seem less so) but I'm meaning just direct comparison, i.e. right next to one another, three don't have colour hues and one does. Maybe the others are just outside the tolerance of what my eye will see, who knows. Re LEDs, no this is directly comparing them right next to each other - the different is really noticeable. Think a warm white light (on the 500s) vs cool white (on 600s). I guess no one will know unless they're at the Foxconn factories watching them being made (and even then might not know). I do think the QC is way down on this though, for whatever reason.