Can you read complete books on an LCD screens?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Sigh.
Some sort of light is required.
Any external head torch or similar (which I have used in the past) would be less efficient that a back/front light. it would cast more light, in a less well directed way.
None of this quibbling changes the reality that when in darkness, reading on my phone is much more pleasant than reading on my eInk reader (or reading a paper book), as the lighting level is lower, and the contrast is higher.

Don't act obtuse and restate the obvious, and then sigh at me when I call you on it.

Comfort and preference are subjective. I'm not arguing that with you.

I'm just sick of the people who think their own subjective perception has lead them to some fundamental truth about the quantum nature of light that must conclusively invalidate any other perception. Light hitting the eye in different ways is perceived differently. That's pretty much a tautology. Arguing it's not so is frustratingly stupid. Arguing about whether those differences make a difference for the comfort and preference of another person is almost as bad.

Arguing about what changes may impact that comfort and preference...well, that's the bread and butter of these threads, I guess.

ApK

[ApK]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Looking at a backlit LCD is not the same as looking at a bright light bulb.

Oh, good, you acknowledge differences exist.
Now get that looking at a front lit white screen is not the same at looking at a backlit LCD, and we can move on.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Looking at a backlit LCD is not the same as looking at a bright light bulb.

The difference is that there are no color filters in front of a normal light source - but that's all.
The remaining light shines directly into the eyes.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ApK

Oh, good, you acknowledge differences exist.
Now get that looking at a front lit white screen is not the same at looking at a backlit LCD, and we can move on.

But I truly don't notice a difference between looking at a properly (properly for myself) adjusted backlit LCD and a properly (again...) front lit eink screen. Both of the screens "go away" and only the words remain. So I can't move on. I acknowledge that others have different experiences, but I'm not sure moving on is the best approach. Shouldn't we instead try to discover why some people don't see a difference while others do?

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Shouldn't we instead try to discover why some people don't see a difference while others do?

It's because they don't know how to adjust the brightness

[DiapDealer]

There's those true colors. Welcome to the party, pal.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

But I truly don't notice a difference between looking at a properly (properly for myself) adjusted backlit LCD and a properly (again...) front lit eink screen. Both of the screens "go away" and only the words remain. So I can't move on. I acknowledge that others have different experiences, but I'm not sure moving on is the best approach. Shouldn't we instead try to discover why some people don't see a difference while others do?

That's part of the bread and butter I mentioned. I think it'll be in terms of suggesting and observing how changes (different readers, different ambient light, different brightness and color setting, etc.) affect things. Unless there is a community here of neuroscientists, physicists and ophthalmologists I was not aware of, I doubt we'll reach any conclusions on a true "why."
I meant move on from the likes of "you can't possibly perceive a difference because photons are photons" on the one side and "adjusting brightness can't possibly help anyone because I've tried it" on the other, and other arrogant, misguided absolutist nonsense.

ApK

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ApK

I meant move on from the likes of "you can't possibly perceive a difference because photons are photons" on the one side and "adjusting brightness can't possibly help anyone because I've tried it" on the other, and other arrogant, misguided absolutist nonsense.

Gotcha. That's fair.

[ApK]

Now, on to the bread and butter, hopefully....

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

But I truly don't notice a difference between looking at a properly (properly for myself) adjusted backlit LCD and a properly (again...) front lit eink screen. Both of the screens "go away" and only the words remain. So I can't move on. I acknowledge that others have different experiences, but I'm not sure moving on is the best approach. Shouldn't we instead try to discover why some people don't see a difference while others do?

To my eyes, an LCD screen doesn't appear solid. The text does but the white background doesn't. It's hard to describe. It's sort of like the text is floating in front of a light. E-ink does appear solid as long as there is some ambient light. The only time e-ink doesn't appear solid to me is if I use it in a dark room with the ereader's light on.

I tried showing this to a family member who happily reads on LCD - I held my e-ink device next to her tablet but she didn't see a difference.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

To my eyes, an LCD screen doesn't appear solid. The text does but the white background doesn't. It's hard to describe. It's sort of like the text is floating in front of a light. E-ink does appear solid as long as there is some ambient light. The only time e-ink doesn't appear solid to me is if I use it in a dark room with the ereader's light on.

I tried showing this to a family member who happily reads on LCD - I held my e-ink device next to her tablet but she didn't see a difference.

Have you tried adjusting the colors/color temperature of the background and text? Certain color combinations are used for intentional 3D effect, so I can imagine that more subtle color differences could have a subtle effect.

ApK

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by ApK

I'm just sick of the people who think their own subjective perception has lead them to some fundamental truth about the quantum nature of light that must conclusively invalidate any other perception. Light hitting the eye in different ways is perceived differently. That's pretty much a tautology. Arguing it's not so is frustratingly stupid. Arguing about whether those differences make a difference for the comfort and preference of another person is almost as bad.

What does any of that have to do with what I said?
I said I would prefer my eInk reading outside in daylight, and my phone in the dark.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

The difference is that there are no color filters in front of a normal light source - but that's all.
The remaining light shines directly into the eyes.

Reflected light is shining directly into your eyes.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

What does any of that have to do with what I said?
I said I would prefer my eInk reading outside in daylight, and my phone in the dark.

And as I said, I'm not arguing with you about that.

Unless you genuinely misread my earlier post and genuinely think I was saying you should be able to read in pitch blackness with no light, I can't understand why you quoted and replied to my post at all. The rest was not specifically about you.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by ApK

Oh, good, you acknowledge differences exist.
Now get that looking at a front lit white screen is not the same at looking at a backlit LCD, and we can move on.

I have never seen a shred of evidence that the differences experienced has anything whatsoever to do with frontlit versus backlit.

As a contrary example, trying to read on a mirasol device was a significantly worse experience for me than reading on an LCD device and mirasol is not backlit.