Computer Monitors for Photosensitive Readers?

[MarjaE]

There's an older discussion here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=330999

I'm struggling with frequent migraines.

I have always had trouble with flashing lights and animation, but it got a lot worse several years ago. That may be post-concussion syndrome, I've been beaten up a lot and hit by cars a couple times. I also have trouble with small print, due to myopia and astigmatism, and my glasses never quite compensate. Magnifying lenses and zooming accessibility options can help wit small print, but they will set off my migraines, so...

I have a much easier time with e-ink displays, such as my Kindle, than with any of the glowing displays I've tried.

Other people report e-ink monitors such as the Dasung Paperlike helping with similar symptoms, and I'd like to see what my options are.

1. Dasung Paperlike 25.3 inch. If and when it's available, it'd probably be a good full-sized monitor. Price is likely to be extreme, lifespan uncertain, and switching out when I need color is an issue.

2. Dasung Paperlike 13.3 inch. Looks like a good auxiliary monitor. Not sure how practical using 2 monitors is. About $1,000 depending on the version, lifespan uncertain, and ergonomics unclear.

3. Onyx Boox Max Lumi 13.3 inch. Looks like a good auxiliary monitor and Android tablet. Could use what I've learned from the Boyue Likebook Mars, use as pdf reader, etc. About $900, lifespan uncertain, and ergonomics unclear.

4. Waveshare 10.3 inch. Slower-refresh auxiliary monitor. About $600 depending on the source.

5. Hisense Q5 10.5 inch. RLCD auxiliary monitor and Android tablet. Not sure whether RLCD will work for me. About $400.

6. Kindle Dx 9.7 inch using screen sharing. Handy e-ink e-reader, if I could get screen sharing to work I'd at least get a handle of how practical an auxiliary monitor would be.

Any other possibilities? Has anyone found e-ink or rlcd monitors helpful?

I don't have a camera or I'd include a pic of my current setup for reference. I use a Benq GW 2280 flicker-free monitor, on risers, on a small table hich I've lowered. I use a mini keyboard, propped up on the left side to reduce strain on my right wrist.

I imagine using an auxiliary monitor to read articles without pre-processing and transfer, and to search them, bookmark them, etc.

[MarjaE]

P.S. I'm seeing some reports of reflection glare from the Q5.

[Quoth]

The DX is an older poorer screen than the DXG. It's too slow and too low a resolution for 9.7"

Very carefully controlled screen lighting and room lighting. I've had success reducing reflected glare on LCD screens rubbing toothpaste for ages. Not gel or very aggressive kinds like "Pearl Drops".

I find the DXG ghastly for PDFs compared to either the 10" Lenovo LCD or the 7.8" Likebook Mars.
The DX is simply a greyer screen, the previous generation eInk. Both are practically identical otherwise.

[MarjaE]

I've very rarely had trouble with the Dx screen.

A lot of headaches converting pdfs for it, searching pdfs on it, etc., and reading badly-created pdfs. Just not trouble with the screen.

My current Benq GW2280 monitor lighting is 0% brightness, 20% red, 30% green, 20% blue. It's too bright for comfort, and too dim to deal with glare. I have blackout curtains, but prefer not to use them in the day, and can't do much more about sunlight, flashes outside, etc.

[salamanderjuice]

Reflective LCD is basically an LCD screen with no backlight but with a layer to reflect external light. This is also called a transflective LCD. If you have ever used an old Game Boy/Game Boy Color or the original Game Boy Advance it's that kind of screen. You need a very bright light source for it to be visible and if glare is a problem it won't work well for you as you typically need a bright light shining directly on it to see anything. Color also gets kinda washed out.

[MarjaE]

Thank you, I don't think I can do that.

A quick side-by-side comparison shows that the Kindle is a lot more readable at the same distance and font or image size as my current glowing monitor, and comparable at 1/4 the image size. P.S. or 1/2 each image dimension. So a 10.3" screen would show slightly less than 22" and 13.3" would show slightly more.

[MarjaE]

Also there's the inkplate 6 and 10, which seem to convert Kindle screens to displays:

https://www.crowdsupply.com/e-radionica/inkplate-10

Dunno if they would work as monitors though.

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

Also there's the inkplate 6 and 10, which seem to convert Kindle screens to displays:

https://www.crowdsupply.com/e-radionica/inkplate-10

Dunno if they would work as monitors though.

Not without a lot of work. There are a number of eInk displays with GPIO headers for use with something like a Raspberry Pi. Waveshare sells a number of them in different sizes for not too much depending on size. There is some guides on the net for using them with a Raspberry Pi or Arduino for things like a clock that displays the weather or stock quotes but PCs would be harder as they don't have GPIO pins. You'd also have to be somewhat comfortable with electronics and programming.

For example there is this Paper TTY project for using an eInk display on a RPi as a text terminal or VNC screen share but you can see from the video on the page it's not exactly snappy.

[mike_bike_kite]

Have you thought about buying a laptop with an eink display? I believe the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i has both an lcd display and eink. If you used a bluetooth keyboard then that might work for you. In the meantime it may be worth switching off blue light if your on Windows 10. I'd also talk to someone to come up with some strategies to avoid getting hurt in the first place.

[Pajamaman]

What do you want to do with it? I mean by that, are you editing text, reading articles, programming?

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

Computer Monitors for Photosensitive Readers?

I use Boox Note Air in landscape mode with Bluetooth keyboard, original pen and Boox Remoter as glare-free computer for garden/sun workplace.

[MarjaE]

I use this computer for writing, email, web browsing, web-based research, handling my ebook libraries, searching them, pdf processing and ocr, and computer games. Yes my visual issues rule out most computer games.

I figure an external e-ink screen would definitely help me read articles without pre-processing and export. Which is useful if I'm just quickly checking something, if I'm not sure whether it's worth the trouble of pre-processing and import into Calibre, or if searching through them.

I hope it would also help with web browsing, but I'm not sure. I know Firefox for Android tends to strobe on e-ink screens and I'm not sure if Firefox desktop will avoid that.

I think it should help with writing, but again not sure.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

I use this computer for writing, email, web browsing, web-based research, handling my ebook libraries, searching them, pdf processing and ocr, and computer games. Yes my visual issues rule out most computer games.

I figure an external e-ink screen would definitely help me read articles without pre-processing and export. Which is useful if I'm just quickly checking something, if I'm not sure whether it's worth the trouble of pre-processing and import into Calibre, or if searching through them.

I hope it would also help with web browsing, but I'm not sure. I know Firefox for Android tends to strobe on e-ink screens and I'm not sure if Firefox desktop will avoid that.

I think it should help with writing, but again not sure.

With the appropriate screen setting, nothing "flashes" at all.
And Boox has its own browser, which is exactly adapted to the device.
But Calibre does not run on Android.

[MarjaE]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

With the appropriate screen setting, nothing "flashes" at all.
And Boox has its own browser, which is exactly adapted to the device.
But Calibre does not run on Android.

Boox Max Lumi can work as an auxiliary monitor. But I'm mostly considering the cheaper Waveshare model.

Some people with post-concussion syndrome say that e-ink monitors, especially the expensive Dasung model, helped relieve their symptoms. I don't know for sure but I know e-ink screens are a hell of a lot easier for me to see and read than conventional screens.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by MarjaE

But I'm mostly considering the cheaper Waveshare model.

It is without light.
Look here!