Kindle Voyage - First Impressions

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But the main complaint about the KV's screen is a colour gradient across the screen. I honestly can't see how a coating could have that result.

I had in mind making characters fuzzy, and my first reaction is to completely agree that it is very unlikely that a coating could cause a color gradient. But on reflection, it could be that it interacts with the light guide to preferentially let blue escape. I also just realized that there may be more than refractive index involved. A conductive layer would certainly alter the boundary conditions compared to an insulating layer. (Although it may be an insulator at optical frequencies.)

[dordale]

Originally Posted by shalym

I wonder if it's because of the capacitive screen vs infrared screen? From what I've heard, the 6" Aura (which has a capacitive screen) has a lot of issues with how the screen looks compared to the HD and the H2O. For me, I love the way the screen looks on my Aura HD, but the inconsistency of the infrared touch screen makes me want to throw it through the wall. When I'm immersed in a book and have to try 2 or 3 times to turn the page it just ruins the reading experience.

Shari

I have an Aura HD and recently noticed the touchscreen was becoming a little unresponsive. It would sometimes take a couple of times to turn the page and it seemed slower than when I first got it. I did a basic reset:

http://www.kobo.com/help/en-US/artic...hd-or-kobo-glo

And my reader is now much more responsive--Since I did the basic reset a few days ago, my Aura HD responds quickly on the first touch to turn a page.

Also, I've had other infrared readers in the past (Sony 350/650) and haven't had any problems with the responsiveness, so I don't think the unresponsiveness on the Kobo was necessarily related to infrared touchscreen. I'm just happy that a reset fixed my Aura as it's by far my favorite reader. Hope this helps you too!

[Katsunami]

I've just downloaded the full pictures posted above and experimented a little. This is the result:

- When looking at each Kindle separately, it looks fine.
- When eyedropping the top, the resulting RGB values are approximately 160, 160, 150
- When eyedropping the bottom, the resulting RGB values are approximately 160, 180, 180.

This means that the top will be darker than the bottom (the values are lower), which seems quite logical, as the lights are on the bottom. Also, on the top, Red and Green are higher than Blue, which means the top will have a brown-yellow cast. On the bottom, Red is less than Green and Blue, which will cause a slight cyan cast.

If you can see a color cast and/or gradient without a direct comparison to a pure neutral subject such as a white page, your color perception is quite accurate.

[Rizla]

Does the color gradient change on the same Voyage under varying conditions? If so, under what conditions? I'm thinking maybe temperature or humidity.

Also, it seems the gradient increases / decreases in relation to the level of the light setting. I recall on the PW1 gradient and blotching became more evident at a higher lighting level. Is this the case on the Voyage?

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Does the color gradient change on the same Voyage under varying conditions? If so, under what conditions? I'm thinking maybe temperature or humidity.

Also, it seems the gradient increases / decreases in relation to the level of the light setting. I recall on the PW1 gradient and blotching became more evident at a higher lighting level. Is this the case on the Voyage?

Not with mine. The gradient was consistent no matter the lighting, room, or position. I can't speak to weather or temp. I didn't take it outside and my home is consistent except when I'm asleep.

If I turned mine down to a level of lighting where I couldn't read, which I never did, then I suppose it might go away - no lighting. I bought mine for the lighting.

[HarryT]

... and I don't visually see the gradient under any conditions. I know it's there - I can measure it in photographs - but it's not visually apparent to me, and hence is of no practical importance.

[judith009]

If someone orders a Paperwhite V2 now, is it pretty much guaranteed that they'll get a device with good, even lighting?

How about if someone orders a refurbished PW V2? I think they're on sale today in the US for $80.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by judith009

I also didn't notice the gradients at first when I got mine. But I did notice that it was bothering my eyes when I was reading at night. I just couldn't figure out why. I actually have a post earlier in this thread asking if anyone else has experience with the KV bothering their eyes at night.

After a while I realized it was bothering my eyes because of the lighting gradients.

I recall your post. I was experiencing the same, and wanted to call it eye strain. Didn't seem plausible that it could be eye strain, so I labeled it fatigue.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

Not with mine. The gradient was consistent no matter the lighting, room, or position. I can't speak to weather or temp. I didn't take it outside and my home is consistent except when I'm asleep.

If I turned mine down to a level of lighting where I couldn't read, which I never did, then I suppose it might go away - no lighting. I bought mine for the lighting.

Stick it in the fridge for 60 seconds and see what happens to the light. I doubt it will hurt it. All that might happen is the screen might slow down and you'll need to reboot it. I used to take my e-reader out in the cold frequently and it did no permanent damage.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

... and I don't visually see the gradient under any conditions. I know it's there - I can measure it in photographs - but it's not visually apparent to me, and hence is of no practical importance.

I've seen a photo of yours and I saw no gradient. I've seen pictures of others where the gradient was extreme.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I've seen a photo of yours and I saw no gradient. I've seen pictures of others where the gradient was extreme.

But if you copy a section of the top of the screen in my photograph, and paste it at the bottom of the screen, you'll clearly see that the top of the screen is somewhat darker than the bottom - as you'd expect it to be, of course, because the bottom is where the lighting is. It's just a question of how much of a gradient is perceptible to the user, and that's something that varies from person to person. And of course people differ about whether they consider such a gradient to be a fault at all; I'd personally regard it as an inevitable consequence of the lighting method.

The Kobo H2O, which many people regard as having more consistent lighting than the Voyage, has exactly the same lighting gradient, BTW.

[DSpider]

Originally Posted by HarryT

... and I don't visually see the gradient under any conditions. I know it's there - I can measure it in photographs - but it's not visually apparent to me, and hence is of no practical importance.

I see it. This is your Voyage, right? The top half is darker than the bottom half. It's there. For $200 it better damn well be even, because for that kind of money... that's tablet territory. It doesn't add up when from the same company a more expensive product is inferior to a cheaper one. They've pretty much sorted this out with the PW2 2014.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But if you copy a section of the top of the screen in my photograph, and paste it at the bottom of the screen, you'll clearly see that the top of the screen is somewhat darker than the bottom - as you'd expect it to be, of course, because the bottom is where the lighting is. It's just a question of how much of a gradient is perceptible to the user, and that's something that varies from person to person. And of course people differ about whether they consider such a gradient to be a fault at all; I'd personally regard it as an inevitable consequence of the lighting method.

The Kobo H2O, which many people regard as having more consistent lighting than the Voyage, has exactly the same lighting gradient, BTW.

The image of your screen appears to show less of a gradient then images I have seen of other owner's screens. You seem unable to grasp that.

[judith009]

I've used my KV out in the cold at 40 degrees F, and when I brought it back in the lighting gradient was the same.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Rizla

The image of your screen appears to show less of a gradient then images I have seen of other owner's screens. You seem unable to grasp that.

No, I "grasp" it just fine. There has always been wide variation in individual eInk screens.