Why I want a big screen ereader

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Really ?
I'm reading PDFs on my 6" PRS-650 with no problem although i'm happy when getting the PocketBook 903.

wellll, ar'nth you justhh spethial...your needs are fully met then, screw anyone else.

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by Sonist

I am really surprised nobody has brought out a larger screen device. 9.7" is really too small for magazines and PDfs.

The companies that make the readers generally don't manufacture the displays; they can only use what the display manufacturers offer. Check out http://www.e-ink.com/products/matrix/imaging_film.html. 9.7" is currently the largest display E-Ink Corp. sells. I suspect that E-Ink is selling their current sizes as quickly as they can make them, and tooling new production lines for a niche market isn't worth their effort. Maybe when the market for smaller readers saturates, we'll see them explore other niches.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Really ?
I'm reading PDFs on my 6" PRS-650 with no problem although i'm happy when getting the PocketBook 903.

Huh? You have no problem reading 8.5x11" or 9x12" pages on a 6" screen?!

Really?

Originally Posted by rkomar

The companies that make the readers generally don't manufacture the displays; they can only use what the display manufacturers offer. Check out http://www.e-ink.com/products/matrix/imaging_film.html. 9.7" is currently the largest display E-Ink Corp. sells. I suspect that E-Ink is selling their current sizes as quickly as they can make them, and tooling new production lines for a niche market isn't worth their effort. Maybe when the market for smaller readers saturates, we'll see them explore other niches.

You are right, but at the same time, large customers such as Amazon or Sony can certainly procure larger sizes, if they wanted to.

Also, competing technologies like Mirasol can differentiate themselves by providing larger screen flagship alternatives, rather than fighting it out on the same 6", 7" or 9.7" turf where eInk already has large presence, and where contrast comparisons would be unfavorable to the newcomers.

[snipenekkid]

if we subtract the normal 1" margins for simplicity sake that means an 11"-12" reader is a replacement for an 8.5"x11" page, so while a 14" reader would be ideal, it's a start...

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by Sonist

You are right, but at the same time, large customers such as Amazon or Sony can certainly procure larger sizes, if they wanted to.

correct. they will cut it to what ever size the customer asks for- look at the Sony daily edition 7" display for one instance. They have also begun marketing the Triton color epaper in sizes "up to 12""

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

correct. they will cut it to what ever size the customer asks for- look at the Sony daily edition 7" display for one instance. They have also begun marketing the Triton color epaper in sizes "up to 12""

Well, I'm sure the magic plastic film can be cut to any size, but they still need the electronic gizmo underneath it that sets the pixels, probably in some standardish pixel dimensions that the display controller chips can handle. If the latter are off-the-shelf hardware, then they may be the real limit on what sizes are offered.

[Dulin's Books]

the limitation has been in the display controller , mostly

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

the limitation has been in the display controller , mostly

What about dropping the dot pitch to make a larger display with the same pixel resolution? I guess at some point it starts to look pixelated. Do E-Ink manufacture the electronic pixel-setting gizmo underneath the film themselves?

[Dulin's Books]

well Eink (who makes the film) has merged with PrimeView International (who makes the display modules) so Yes one single company, called Eink Holdings, now makes the film, backplane and complete display but they continue as two separate operations.

The film is made in Cambridge Mass along with most of the development for higher res/newer displays/ new controllers etc

The manufacturing of the displays is done in China where they marry the Eink film to ActiveMatrix TFT backplanes

The controllers themselves are co-developed with Epson and others.

OF course LG can manufacture displays as well. They use EInk film from Cambridge and their own backplanes

[rkomar]

Thanks, Mr. Dulin. Very informative.