Concerning Kindle PaperWhite's Text Quality - Page 2

baggyrinkle · 10-10-2013, 09:02 AM

After hearing all about the page refresh thing, I took a closer look at my PW2 to see if I could see the text degrade. Honestly, even with a magnifying glass I could only detect a slight degrading of text sharpness before a full refresh, which seems to occur every 14 pages or so. However, I did note a very faint shadow of the previous page lines after a few page turns. This is not objectionable to me. I doubt that you could accurately show this in a photo posted here. Also, my Kindle NT is not a problem either. I would ask if your PW has the other screen problems reported here also?

I would also suggest that if you consider the text quality to be poor, you may have a defective unit, and page refreshing would be more of an issue perhaps. I also doubt that they will be able to improve eInk screens much more beyond the current generation. Quality control is their main problem IMO.

fearindex · 10-10-2013, 09:07 AM

Thank you for the photos and comments. I don't see any issues with the photos posted, although JPG compression in the close-up seems to add some noise that makes it a bit hard to discern for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by baggyrinkle

After hearing all about the page refresh thing, I took a closer look at my PW2 to see if I could see the text degrade. Honestly, even with a magnifying glass I could only detect a slight degrading of text sharpness before a full refresh, which seems to occur every 14 pages or so. However, I did note a very faint shadow of the previous page lines after a few page turns. This is not objectionable to me. I doubt that you could accurately show this in a photo posted here. Also, my Kindle NT is not a problem either. I would ask if your PW has the other screen problems reported here also?

By the way, do you get "font bolding" when opening a pop-up pane/window (such as light control or word lookup or the like) in the area where the pane opened and then closed. There has been a report of this on PW2 and it was quite common on PW1, it may be just a software bug related to the partial screen refresh.

elemenoP · 10-10-2013, 09:16 AM

When I first got my PW1 I was bothered by the degradation of text after a few (non-refresh) page turns. So I turned on "refresh every page" but it was weird. It seemed to me that the page refresh itself took longer than the full page refresh (the 1 every 6 pages one) when I did not have "refresh every page" turned on. It was bothersome to me so I switched it back. Now I am used to the degraded text look. In fact I don't really notice it until AFTER a full page refresh, when I think "wow, the text is so clear!"

HarryT · 10-10-2013, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearindex

Thank you for the photos and comments. I don't see any issues with the photos posted, although JPG compression in the close-up seems to add some noise that makes it a bit hard to discern for sure.

I've replaced the photos I originally uploaded with better ones. They give a better impression of what the screen actually looks like.

sparklemotion · 10-10-2013, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steinhoff

Well, you need a pair of glasses mate. Cause I am sure mine isn't just an isolated incident. '

It's not. The PW2's I had also had fuzzy text.

haydnfan · 10-10-2013, 10:31 AM

No fuzzy text on my PW2 but close to the full refresh the screen will look dirty.

I still prefer to do full refresh on each screen turn. It's so fast I can hardly see the flash.

HarryT · 10-10-2013, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

It's not. The PW2's I had also had fuzzy text.

Does mine look fuzzy to you in the pictures at the bottom of the previous page? I'm curious to know whether my PW2 is genuinely different to yours, or whether it's merely my perception of what's "fuzzy" differs from yours.

jswinden · 10-10-2013, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Does mine look fuzzy to you in the pictures at the bottom of the previous page? I'm curious to know whether my PW2 is genuinely different to yours, or whether it's merely my perception of what's "fuzzy" differs from yours.

I think it depends on the screen, light level, and contrast level. Your PW2 text is not "fuzzy" when examined closely, and neither is the text on my PW2. However, when I set my light level at the highest I can stand and still not get eyestrain, the screen background still looks a bit dark and dingy. The dingy screen means there is less contrast between screen and text and thus causes the text to appear less dark (lighter). The result is that my text looks thin, light, and washed out. In this situation the text might appear to be fuzzy to some from a distance, it certainly does to me. But it is our eyes and brain making an incorrect interpretation of what we see. I found that making the text bold helps significantly.

HarryT · 10-10-2013, 11:11 AM

Those pictures were taken indoors, in daylight, with the light set on level 12, if that's of any interest.

sparklemotion · 10-10-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Does mine look fuzzy to you in the pictures at the bottom of the previous page? I'm curious to know whether my PW2 is genuinely different to yours, or whether it's merely my perception of what's "fuzzy" differs from yours.

In the pic your text looks good to me, not fuzzy. That said, if I kept the light low on mine the font looked better, but if I used the light, the text was lighter and more fuzzy and it strained my eyes and gave me a headache.

Mine had a very yellow screen and maybe that was part of the problem, I'm not sure.

sparklemotion · 10-10-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

I think it depends on the screen, light level, and contrast level. Your PW2 text is not "fuzzy" when examined closely, and neither is the text on my PW2. However, when I set my light level at the highest I can stand and still not get eyestrain, the screen background still looks a bit dark and dingy. The dingy screen means there is less contrast between screen and text and thus causes the text to appear less dark (lighter). The result is that my text looks thin, light, and washed out. In this situation the text might appear to be fuzzy to some from a distance, it certainly does to me. But it is our eyes and brain making an incorrect interpretation of what we see. I found that making the text bold helps significantly.

Yes, I think that is it exactly. This was my experience too. I hadn't thought to use an embedded font as you mentioned on another thread, I am sure that would have helped. I really wish we could use our own fonts on the PW2.

sirmaru · 10-10-2013, 11:42 AM

I leave Page Refresh Off on both my PW 2012 and PW 2013 and the text appears perfect to me. I use on both the Helvitica Font size 6 of 8. The PW 2013 has an appearance of darker and crisper text.

Steinhoff · 10-11-2013, 08:02 AM

My My, the PW2 reviews are all over the place, from mere "hype" to "mind-blowing" (Sigh) Screw THIS AMAZON

I am going Kobo.

ixtab · 10-11-2013, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steinhoff

My My, the PW2 reviews are all over the place, from mere "hype" to "mind-blowing" (Sigh) Screw THIS AMAZON

I am going Kobo.

Bye bye and good luck. I doubt that many people will miss you here.

Steinhoff · 10-11-2013, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixtab

Bye bye and good luck. I doubt that many people will miss you here.

Well whoop-dee-doo fanboy, that's just like your opinion man.

10-10-2013, 09:02 AM	#16
baggyrinkle Early Adoptor Posts: 38 Karma: 16942 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Device: Kindle3 Kindle4 Kindle Fire Kindle PW2	After hearing all about the page refresh thing, I took a closer look at my PW2 to see if I could see the text degrade. Honestly, even with a magnifying glass I could only detect a slight degrading of text sharpness before a full refresh, which seems to occur every 14 pages or so. However, I did note a very faint shadow of the previous page lines after a few page turns. This is not objectionable to me. I doubt that you could accurately show this in a photo posted here. Also, my Kindle NT is not a problem either. I would ask if your PW has the other screen problems reported here also? I would also suggest that if you consider the text quality to be poor, you may have a defective unit, and page refreshing would be more of an issue perhaps. I also doubt that they will be able to improve eInk screens much more beyond the current generation. Quality control is their main problem IMO. Last edited by baggyrinkle; 10-10-2013 at 09:11 AM. Reason: additional comments

10-11-2013, 08:02 AM	#28
Steinhoff Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle PaperWhite 1&2, Kobo Glo, Aura HD, Nook Glowlight	My My, the PW2 reviews are all over the place, from mere "hype" to "mind-blowing" (Sigh) Screw THIS AMAZON I am going Kobo. Last edited by Steinhoff; 10-11-2013 at 08:05 AM.

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10-10-2013, 09:16 AM	#18
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	When I first got my PW1 I was bothered by the degradation of text after a few (non-refresh) page turns. So I turned on "refresh every page" but it was weird. It seemed to me that the page refresh itself took longer than the full page refresh (the 1 every 6 pages one) when I did not have "refresh every page" turned on. It was bothersome to me so I switched it back. Now I am used to the degraded text look. In fact I don't really notice it until AFTER a full page refresh, when I think "wow, the text is so clear!"

10-10-2013, 10:31 AM	#21
haydnfan Guru Posts: 650 Karma: 5632364 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle PW 4, Oasis 2	No fuzzy text on my PW2 but close to the full refresh the screen will look dirty. I still prefer to do full refresh on each screen turn. It's so fast I can hardly see the flash.

10-10-2013, 11:11 AM	#24
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Those pictures were taken indoors, in daylight, with the light set on level 12, if that's of any interest.

10-10-2013, 11:42 AM	#27
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	I leave Page Refresh Off on both my PW 2012 and PW 2013 and the text appears perfect to me. I use on both the Helvitica Font size 6 of 8. The PW 2013 has an appearance of darker and crisper text.