The most comfortable reading setup I've ever had cost me nothing extra — it was alrea

LordOfCrypt · 05-27-2026, 06:10 AM

The most comfortable reading setup I've ever had cost me nothing extra — it was already in my bedroom. It's the TV. I know.
I still read on my phone on the commute, and a tablet is fine on the couch. But late at night, horizontal, lights off — nothing I've tried comes close to a big screen across the room and a remote control that fits under the blanket.
No device to hold up. No bright panel six inches from your face. Font size that doesn't feel like cheating. You just... read.
The real problem — at least in my experience — isn't the idea, it's the software. Reading apps on Android TV are a mess. They install, they technically work, but you can tell immediately that nobody thought about D-pad navigation when they built them. It's all touchscreen logic wearing a TV costume.
I've been patching things together for about a year. Maybe I've been looking in the wrong places — curious whether anyone here has gone down the same road, found something that actually works, or has strong opinions about why this is a terrible idea.

Sirtel · 05-27-2026, 07:05 AM

It's certainly not a terrible idea, but it's not something I'd use myself. There are three major reasons - first, I prefer reading books on eink (phone and computer are fine for web articles, but not for long-form reading, to me), second, I'm extremely nearsighted - which means that I'd have to wear glasses in bed, as without glasses I can only see what's a few inches from my nose - and third, I never read while lying down. The only thing I do lying down is sleep. I also never read or use a screen in a completely dark room, that would kill my eyes.

YMMV, of course.

Deskisamess · 05-27-2026, 11:07 AM

The distance to the tv and the width of the columns would cause major eye muscle strain. Tracking across such a wide line would be very fatiguing.

LordOfCrypt · 05-29-2026, 04:01 AM

Fair points all around — especially the glasses in bed part, that would kill it immediately. E-ink for long sessions makes complete sense, I'm not trying to convert anyone. Just surprised how well it works for my specific setup and habits.

LordOfCrypt · 05-29-2026, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

The distance to the tv and the width of the columns would cause major eye muscle strain. Tracking across such a wide line would be very fatiguing.

Genuine question — is that from personal experience, or more of an expectation? I ask because I was bracing for exactly that and it never materialized for me.
Thinking about it after, a TV at the other end of the room isn't actually that wide in practice — probably less so than a paperback held at arm's length. Not sure why I assumed it would be a problem.
The bright screen concern is real though. That one I did have to address — most reading apps let you switch color schemes and pull the brightness down. With a warm background at low brightness it stops feeling like a screen pretty quickly.

Sirtel · 05-29-2026, 04:27 AM

Dunno. I've tried reading on my Android phone occasionally, with a warm background and low brightness. It still feels like a screen in a way my eink devices don't. But maybe I'm just too used to my own specific setup; after all, lots of people happily read books on their phones.

I think it's great that you found a way to read that suits you perfectly. That's all that matters. But yeah, using an Android app on a non-touchscreen device is probably quite difficult.

LordOfCrypt · 05-29-2026, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Dunno. I've tried reading on my Android phone occasionally, with a warm background and low brightness. It still feels like a screen in a way my eink devices don't. But maybe I'm just too used to my own specific setup; after all, lots of people happily read books on their phones.

I think it's great that you found a way to read that suits you perfectly. That's all that matters. But yeah, using an Android app on a non-touchscreen device is probably quite difficult.

The e-ink thing is real — I get it, and I'm not sure I'd argue with it for daytime reading. Different tools for different contexts.
The D-pad part though — that's actually where it gets interesting. Most apps are a mess on TV precisely because they assume touch. But I've been using one that was built specifically for D-pad navigation, and it changes the whole experience. It's not a workaround, it just works.

Sirtel · 05-29-2026, 09:48 AM

What app is that?

Gormagon · Yesterday, 06:39 PM

I don't have a TV so that's no option for me. Besides I really can't imagine reading a longer text on a screen that's usually rather far away. I guess it would be too exhausting for me. I also don't like reading long texts on my computer screen, although I do read a lot on the web on that screen, just no complete books.
I really rather use a tablet (for PDF and CBZ/CBR files) or more recently a small device with a 4.7" screen for reading epub files.

05-27-2026, 06:10 AM	#1
LordOfCrypt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2026 Device: Android TV	The most comfortable reading setup I've ever had cost me nothing extra — it was alrea The most comfortable reading setup I've ever had cost me nothing extra — it was already in my bedroom. It's the TV. I know. I still read on my phone on the commute, and a tablet is fine on the couch. But late at night, horizontal, lights off — nothing I've tried comes close to a big screen across the room and a remote control that fits under the blanket. No device to hold up. No bright panel six inches from your face. Font size that doesn't feel like cheating. You just... read. The real problem — at least in my experience — isn't the idea, it's the software. Reading apps on Android TV are a mess. They install, they technically work, but you can tell immediately that nobody thought about D-pad navigation when they built them. It's all touchscreen logic wearing a TV costume. I've been patching things together for about a year. Maybe I've been looking in the wrong places — curious whether anyone here has gone down the same road, found something that actually works, or has strong opinions about why this is a terrible idea.

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05-27-2026, 07:05 AM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 15,193 Karma: 247594217 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	It's certainly not a terrible idea, but it's not something I'd use myself. There are three major reasons - first, I prefer reading books on eink (phone and computer are fine for web articles, but not for long-form reading, to me), second, I'm extremely nearsighted - which means that I'd have to wear glasses in bed, as without glasses I can only see what's a few inches from my nose - and third, I never read while lying down. The only thing I do lying down is sleep. I also never read or use a screen in a completely dark room, that would kill my eyes. YMMV, of course.

05-27-2026, 11:07 AM	#3
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,814 Karma: 46117477 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	The distance to the tv and the width of the columns would cause major eye muscle strain. Tracking across such a wide line would be very fatiguing.

05-29-2026, 04:01 AM	#4
LordOfCrypt Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2026 Device: Android TV	Fair points all around — especially the glasses in bed part, that would kill it immediately. E-ink for long sessions makes complete sense, I'm not trying to convert anyone. Just surprised how well it works for my specific setup and habits.

05-29-2026, 04:27 AM	#6
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 15,193 Karma: 247594217 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Dunno. I've tried reading on my Android phone occasionally, with a warm background and low brightness. It still feels like a screen in a way my eink devices don't. But maybe I'm just too used to my own specific setup; after all, lots of people happily read books on their phones. I think it's great that you found a way to read that suits you perfectly. That's all that matters. But yeah, using an Android app on a non-touchscreen device is probably quite difficult.

05-29-2026, 09:48 AM	#8
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 15,193 Karma: 247594217 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	What app is that?

Yesterday, 06:39 PM	#9
Gormagon monstrous mythical beast Posts: 128 Karma: 4504294 Join Date: May 2023 Location: Klopstokia Device: Tab Ultra C, Meebook P78 Pro, Viwoods AIPaper Reader, various NXTPAPER	I don't have a TV so that's no option for me. Besides I really can't imagine reading a longer text on a screen that's usually rather far away. I guess it would be too exhausting for me. I also don't like reading long texts on my computer screen, although I do read a lot on the web on that screen, just no complete books. I really rather use a tablet (for PDF and CBZ/CBR files) or more recently a small device with a 4.7" screen for reading epub files.