Clara How to permanently disable the backlight? (alternate firmware? config file? hack?)

[zrn]

Context: I bought an e-reader precisely to not have backlight like with all screens we have at home (TV, computers, smartphones, iPad, etc.). This was a major argument for buying: if it's too dark, then like with a real paper book, you just turn the room's light on and that's it.

I know we can just turn the brightness to 0%, but is there a hack / another firmware that allows to turn it permanently off?

Or another version of Clara HD with no backlight at all?

Reason: I don't want my young children to always turn the backlight on (and they do even if i turn brightness to 0%): I precisely bought this device to avoid them staring at backlighted screens all the day. (If at the end it's the same result as giving them a backlighted iPad, it's useless to use an ereader!)

[zrn]

Solved here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=329768

[Uncle Robin]

I'm pleased you found a solution, but in the interest of accuracy, e-readers like the Clara are frontlit, not backlit.The light comes from in front of the display, not behind it.

[Deskisamess]

Front lighting is not the same as backlighting on a tablet device.

Forcing a reader to use an e-ink device with no front light, especially in dim ambient light, is horrible for the person's eyes.

The front lighting is no different for the eyes than the chair side light of a lamp. You're basing your decision on misunderstood information and confusion of the technology involved.

[zrn]

You're right about backlight / frontlight : I should have used the generic "LED-lighted device" wording.

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Forcing a reader to use an e-ink device with no front light, especially in dim ambient light, is horrible for the person's eyes.

This is why I use a light in the room, or the sun light if possible, like when reading a real (paper) book.

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

The front lighting is no different for the eyes than the chair side light of a lamp. You're basing your decision on misunderstood information and confusion of the technology involved.

Why do you assume that I based my choice on a theoritical analysis of the problem and the fact the lighting comes from back or front?

Back or front doesn't change anything: I bought an e-reader to have non-light-emitting device. And also: a non-LED-light-emitting device.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by zrn

You're right about backlight / frontlight : I should have used the generic "LED-lighted device" wording.



This is why I use a light in the room, or the sun light if possible, like when reading a real (paper) book.




Why do you assume that I based my choice on a theoritical analysis of the problem and the fact the lighting comes from back or front?

Back or front doesn't change anything: I bought an e-reader to have non-light-emitting device. And also: a non-LED-light-emitting device.

You've got your mind made up, but you're missing out on one of the best features of front lit e-ink devices. They can be read in total darkness and bright sunlight, and any light situation inbetween, without needing a separate light. Adjustable front lighting is not bad for the eyes, it doesn't glare, and can be set to a level that works for the person. Front lit e-ink devices are nothing like back lit tablets.

You've consistently misused the correct terminology, which it what leads to other users here "assuming" that you have based your decision on misunderstood technology.

Carry on. The loss is yours, and the kids who are using the device.

[zrn]

@Deskisamess I suggest we avoid making hasty judgments about other people's choices.

You are free to encourage your kids to have this kind of lighting (totally dark room + some light coming from the ereader only):



but please don't make assumption about other people's "loss".

That being said, I really think we should stop debating here

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by zrn

@Deskisamess I suggest we avoid making hasty judgments about other people's choices.

You are free to encourage your kids to have this kind of lighting (totally dark room + some light coming from the ereader only):

<Image>

but please don't make assumption about other people's "loss".

That being said, I really think we should stop debating here

I actively encouraged my kids to use their devices correctly. And to work out what worked best for them. This included adjusting the light levels from their devices to be appropriate for the usage. Or adjusting the environment to the best they can achieve.

Your pictures here and in the other thread are bad examples of this. Both appear to have the light adjusted way above what is needed. Whether that is due to bad adjustment, making it easy to photograph, bad exposure in the photo or because they were just intended as "Hey look, a light in the device" photos, I don't know. I think both of your pictures are examples are the last type as they look like advertising.

In one of your other threads you argue that ereaders didn't have front-lights years so hence they don't need them. But, each of the ereader companies sold add-on lights (Sony had one built into some covers). And the companies simply hadn't worked out how to do the lighting. And it did take them several rounds to get it close to working properly.

But, it really comes down to why you don't want the kids to turn the light on. From my experience, and the experience of many people in this this forum, using the front-light in ereaders improves the contrast of the text. And that makes it easier to read. About the only lighting conditions that I find it doesn't help is in full sunlight. Or a room so brightly lit I would consider putting sunglasses on. And as I don't read in either circumstance, and would recommend to others not to, the light is useful.

What is the real issue? Have you evidence that the front-light on these devices damage your eyes? Or is it simply you don't want your kids to read when you turn the lights off at night?

[imno007]

https://www.thebestofhealth.co.uk/he...your-eyesight/

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by imno007

https://www.thebestofhealth.co.uk/he...your-eyesight/

Unfortunately, the article starts off by lumping tablets, smart phones, and e-ink devices, all together. Which only confuses the issue for many people who don't already understand the differences.

It does offer this bit though:

"E-ink displays are referred to as “reflective displays”. In E-ink displays, no backlight is used. The LEDs (light emitting diodes) diffuse the light evenly across the front of the screen. The built in LED lights shine evenly onto the page rather than into your eyes as most smartphones and tablet screens do.

The E-ink display closely mimics the appearance of ink on printed paper and studies have shown that it can reduce the problem of eye strain."

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by imno007

https://www.thebestofhealth.co.uk/he...your-eyesight/

That article is rubbish. It leaves out a lot of useful information and gives obsolete information

Don't turn up the light to be too bright. If the normal LED's are found to be a bother, get a Reader that uses a different color LED to change the color so it's not a bother.

When I use the light on my H2O, I keep it low and it doesn't hurt my eyes.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by imno007

https://www.thebestofhealth.co.uk/he...your-eyesight/

Where you intending that as a for or against? It did seem to LCD screens were bad, but, nothing really about e-ink. It did refer to a study that stated:

The absence of differences between E-ink and paper suggests that, concerning visual fatigue, the E-ink is indeed very similar to the paper.

The study does say they adjusted the light levels for comfort. And interestingly:

We then measured the total amount of light (emitted plus reflected) by each device with a digital luminance meter (Konica Minolta LS-110; Tokyo, Japan) placed at 60 cm from the reading device at the exact lighting settings and eye level used during data acquisition. The Michelson ratios were as follows: Kindle Fire HD (LCD): 0,96 (Lmax: 27,77 cd/m2; Lmin: 0,58 cd/m2); Kindle Paperwhite (E-ink): 0,77 (Lmax: 11,27 cd/m2; Lmin: 1,44 cd/m2); Paper book: 0,90 (Lmax: 16,42 cd/m2; Lmin: 0,86 cd/m2).

Apparently paper books are brighter than a Paperwhite.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Front lighting is not the same as backlighting on a tablet device.

Forcing a reader to use an e-ink device with no front light, especially in dim ambient light, is horrible for the person's eyes.

The front lighting is no different for the eyes than the chair side light of a lamp. You're basing your decision on misunderstood information and confusion of the technology involved.

I find that even in a relatively brightly lit room, using the light on my Aura has its advantages such as improving contrast and keeping the screen evenly illuminated regardless of how I position it. I can also confirm that I have spent many a night reading in a darkened room without the eye fatigue one experiences with a backlit device like a cell phone or tablet.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

I find that even in a relatively brightly lit room, using the light on my Aura has its advantages such as improving contrast and keeping the screen evenly illuminated regardless of how I position it. I can also confirm that I have spent many a night reading in a darkened room without the eye fatigue one experiences with a backlit device like a cell phone or tablet.

My experience is the same. A wider line spacing is also helpful for me, sometimes more helpful than enlarging the font size.

I can read perhaps 10 minutes in a dark room on my iPhone, even with the backlight very dim. White text, dark background, night mode, nothing makes that comfortable for me. Actually, white text on a dark background is terrible for me, like little shards of bright light.

I can read comfortably for an hour or two on my front lit Kindles in a totally dark room. The longer I read, the more dim I can set the lighting.

[4691mls]

Maybe the OP is afraid that if his/her kids have access to the light they will set it way too bright? Like, turn it all the way up in a situation where that would be total overkill? I could imagine that might not be good for the eyes.