KA1 Natural Light - Rainbow Colors?

[slieveen]

Since the night lighting was the primary reason for me to upgrade, based upon the comments here it looks like I will stick it out with my AuraHD until Kobo starts releasing a product with even lighting. Too bad because I was quite excited about the new model and was heading out the door to pick one up this evening.

[cerem0ny]

Originally Posted by CatherineStewart

So I got my replacement today. A few differences but not overall better or worse. I don't think they have yet perfected the natural lighting for us picky readers. I have a feeling the rainbow colors (at least to some extent) is "normal".

So I'm giving up the dream of a "perfect" screen and have decided to keep the old one and send the replacement back. I feel like my old one is better. Or maybe I'm just used to the placement of the "rainbow" now and seeing a slight change (not necessarily better or worse) on the new one just makes it feel like my old ones seems better. Here are some pics...

Old (original one one the left that I'm keeping). The new replacement one on the right that I'm going to send back. Not sure if this helps anyone but I promised an update so here it is.

Sorry the pics are blurry (smart phone in the dark) but it's not to show clarity anyway, but the shadows and rainbow colours. And for what it's worth, I typically read at night in bed with the natural light -- so this is important to me -- and usually at 1% brightness and 90% natural light as per the last comparison photo posted below). So while others may say the new one (on the right) "looks better", for me I read at the settings as shown in the last photo and I think my original one (one the left) looks slightly better at those settings.

*I tried to put the lighting sliders on each reader at exactly the same spots for comparison. As you can see there is a big difference on the first pic at 100% brightness and Zero Natural light.

Personally I prefer the one on the right! My A1 at 0 red light is far too cold a blue - its like looking at the Windows screen of death. I also have some funny shadows around the side of the device but they dont distract me in the slightest. I will say that I do miss the way the text 'popped' on my Voyage but I dont miss its hideous gradient. Either way, after my godawful experience with my Oasis (which was literally two distince colours, changing from left to right) i'm pretty forgiving. I love my A1! First time, first purchase. Looking forward to when they iron out their many software bugs.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by robko

In my experience you really have to qualify if you're talking a "perfect" screen with natural light setting set to ZERO versus WITH natural light turned up. From what I've seen the lighting is pretty close to perfect IF you leave natural light at zero. Things only get funky if you start turning natural light up. So if you're not buying it strictly for the natural light, you should still have a screen as good as an H2O (in my direct comparison).

And yes I can see the rainbows in most of the complaint pictures posted on MR, so it's not that I don't see them.

Originally Posted by alizarin

with just the white LED light (natural light in "off" setting) there are some peaks and troughs in the color gradient especially along the borders, but that is no worse IMO than other ereaders. It's not *perfect*, but it should be *acceptable* to all but the pickiest consumers.

But when you turn natural light "on", that's when things begin to unravel. There aren't just gradients in the orange level, but also blotches of green and yellow that become super obvious especially when you set overall brightness to low levels. I think a higher percentage ofboth picky consumers as well as the I-can-live-with-this folks will be more likely to be sensitive to changes in both *hue* and *tone* than just tone.

Thank you both for your input. I did try various settings and noticed that with natural light at 0 it did look better. It did not look as good as my H20, however. Maybe the Aura One I was looking at isn't as good as some others. From my experience with e-readers, the same make and model can vary quite a lot.

The font on my H20 was also darker. (I had my H2O with me when I compared them) Not by a huge amount, but it was easily noticeable to my eyes. In general my H2O simply looked better to my eyes, so I couldn't bring myself to get the One despite wanting the larger screen. I am very happy with my H2O so it's not a big deal to me either way, but I do love the larger screen on the One. I guess I'll see what the next model brings, assuming they keep the larger screen in their line.

[bookwurm70]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

Oh yes, I'm sure it's a worthy upgrade for many (maybe even most) people, just not for me. My eyes are hyper sensitive to colors hue issues, I find it very distracting. I feel bad about it because I really wanted that bigger screen, but oh well. I'm glad you're happy with yours, enjoy it.

I think each person has to make a choice on this. I still have my Kobo Aura HD, but I have preferred to read each night on my KA1 with the rainbow colors instead. Even though it is not perfect, I seem to like it better.

Still waiting on my replacement, literally, at home. They came to deliver yesterday and said I *must* be home to sign for it, even though they dropped off my first one with my permission given online. I have a dentist appointment and will be gone for 45 minutes to an hour. Hoping they don't come while I am gone. And that they knock! Left my garage door open so they can see my car is here, just in case.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

I think each person has to make a choice on this. I still have my Kobo Aura HD, but I have preferred to read each night on my KA1 with the rainbow colors instead. Even though it is not perfect, I seem to like it better.

Still waiting on my replacement, literally, at home. They came to deliver yesterday and said I *must* be home to sign for it, even though they dropped off my first one with my permission given online. I have a dentist appointment and will be gone for 45 minutes to an hour. Hoping they don't come while I am gone. And that they kn ock! Left my garage door open so they can see my car is here, just in case.

Yes, I agree, we will all see this differently and make different choices. I can certainly understand someone preferring the Aura One. Good luck with your replacement, hopefully they don't come when you're gone. You could put a note on the door asking them to knock. If I didn't have an door alert system (3 chihuahuas! haha) that's what I would do.

[bookwurm70]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

Yes, I agree, we will all see this differently and make different choices. I can certainly understand someone preferring the Aura One. Good luck with your replacement, hopefully they don't come when you're gone. You could put a note on the door asking them to knock. If I didn't have an door alert system (3 chihuahuas! haha) that's what I would do.

Sadly my dogs are not a consistent barking warning system (one only barks for food). I did put a note on the door just in case. Still waiting, grr. I need to get a prescription (for a bad tooth) but didn't go right away because I was afraid I'd miss them. That was 3 hours ago.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

Sadly my dogs are not a consistent barking warning system (one only barks for food). I did put a note on the door just in case. Still waiting, grr. I need to get a prescription (for a bad tooth) but didn't go right away because I was afraid I'd miss them. That was 3 hours ago.

My dog alert system only big dog barks at salesmen if the door is closed. Or if he wants back in and we are being too slow to get to the door.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

Sadly my dogs are not a consistent barking warning system (one only barks for food). I did put a note on the door just in case. Still waiting, grr. I need to get a prescription (for a bad tooth) but didn't go right away because I was afraid I'd miss them. That was 3 hours ago.

Argh, that's frustrating. I hope it arrives soon for you. Feel better with your tooth too!

[bookwurm70]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

Argh, that's frustrating. I hope it arrives soon for you. Feel better with your tooth too!

It arrived! And they didn't even need by signature. Total UPS fail, after they told me on the phone that I *must* sign for it.

The screen on the new device does not have the dark shadow I see on the old device in the right corner that spreads out about a 1/3 of the way across the screen. That was my biggest complaint. Nor does it have an intense red spot on the bottom edge.

The screen color on the new device when the "natural light" is turned all the way up is more mustard yellow, instead of the intense red of my first KA1. So weird that the coloring is that different. I am trying to figure out if it has a faulty "natural" light.

I'll try to post pictures tomorrow.

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by NightGoat

It looks a lot "oranger" to me than this though.
Attachment 151966

I wish mine had looked like yours! I might have kept it...

[bookwurm70]

Here is the difference in the two with 100% natural light. The color difference is striking. Which is the way it should be?



eta: I can't figure out how to add a picture and don't have time now.

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

It arrived! And they didn't even need by signature. Total UPS fail, after they told me on the phone that I *must* sign for it.

The screen on the new device does not have the dark shadow I see on the old device in the right corner that spreads out about a 1/3 of the way across the screen. That was my biggest complaint. Nor does it have an intense red spot on the bottom edge.

The screen color on the new device when the "natural light" is turned all the way up is more mustard yellow, instead of the intense red of my first KA1. So weird that the coloring is that different. I am trying to figure out if it has a faulty "natural" light.

I'll try to post pictures tomorrow.

Wonderful! So happy for you that you got a good one, hooray! Enjoy!

[bookwurm70]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

Here is the difference in the two with 100% natural light. The color difference is striking. Which is the way it should be?



eta: I can't figure out how to add a picture and don't have time now.

Here you can see the difference in the "natural light" coloring. Kobo says it is supposed to be like "candle light." So I am guessing my Replacement (on the left) must be how it is supposed to look?

I'd love to see what you all think.


Help! how do I post a picture?

[NightGoat]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

Here you can see the difference in the "natural light" coloring. Kobo says it is supposed to be like "candle light." So I am guessing my Replacement (on the left) must be how it is supposed to look?

I'd love to see what you all think.


Help! how do I post a picture?

I was able to go to the link and see it.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/alb...pictureid=7404

[Willa]

WoW! The one on the right looks like a tomato! The left looks lots better.