LCD and your eyes

[DiapDealer]

Most reading apps on tablets have gesture-enabled brightness controls. At the very least, they have a brightness setting that can be set independently of the system brightness. So there's no need to have to settle for a one-brightness-for-everything compromise on tablets.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Most reading apps on tablets have gesture-enabled brightness controls. At the very least, they have a brightness setting that can be set independently of the system brightness. So there's no need to have to settle for a one-brightness-for-everything compromise on tablets.

I adjust the lights depending on what I am doing. I don't have a one setting fits all.

[DiapDealer]

My system has one (adaptive) setting, and my reading app has another (a constant one). So I rarely have to make any manual, on the fly, brightness adjustments of any kind on my tablet (the exceptions being reading in extremely dark or extremely bright environments--something I rarely do).

[Pajamaman]

I've tried reading books on LCD in all light settings. They all hurt my eyes. I can watch TV and use a computer for extended periods. I suspect there is some difference in the act of reading a book.

[Katsunami]

It could very well be the fact that you're keeping a tablet much closer to your eyes compared to the position of a computer monitor or a TV.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

It could very well be the fact that you're keeping a tablet much closer to your eyes compared to the position of a computer monitor or a TV.

Hmm...for me, at least, that's not actually true. My monitor is about the same distance away as my reader. When I'm reading, I hold my reader about an arms length away from me, so about 20 inches or so. I just measured the distance from my face to my monitor, and it's about the same. Of course, my television is much further away.

Shari

[Pajamaman]

Looking at LCD has a lot in common with looking at a light-bulb. I wouldn't read on a light bulb. E-ink is passive. It's much closer to reading paper.

[MartyTX]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

... I know if where I am is very dark, even very low lights mess with my eyes. Not just on tablets but dash lights, the radio lights in the truck.

I bought a Subaru Forester that has red dash lights and gauges. Really didn't like it at first.

Found out that Subie borrowed the idea from airplane cockpit and submarine lighting. It's easier for your eyes to adjust from red light to dark than from white light to dark. You can stare at red gauges without causing the pupils to contract, so your eyes can more quickly adjust to seeing in the dark.

Are eyes are tricky things!

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by MartyTX

I bought a Subaru Forester that has red dash lights and gauges. Really didn't like it at first.

Found out that Subie borrowed the idea from airplane cockpit and submarine lighting. It's easier for your eyes to adjust from red light to dark than from white light to dark. You can stare at red gauges without causing the pupils to contract, so your eyes can more quickly adjust to seeing in the dark.

Are eyes are tricky things!

I'm old enough to remember the cars of the 1950s (barely, considering i'm really only 22 ) But I recall that the dials and gages in the cars of that era had a lot more red in them. I didn't know why, but when the red started to disappear, I found the dials and idiot lights awkward and distracting. Now I know why!

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by MartyTX

I bought a Subaru Forester that has red dash lights and gauges. Really didn't like it at first.

Found out that Subie borrowed the idea from airplane cockpit and submarine lighting. It's easier for your eyes to adjust from red light to dark than from white light to dark. You can stare at red gauges without causing the pupils to contract, so your eyes can more quickly adjust to seeing in the dark.

Are eyes are tricky things!

Things in the world have moved far on from "the red light at night" days and red light is in most situations regarded as inferior. It is generally now recognized ( in my own experience for at least 20 years) that low level white or, in some cases blue/green/yellow, is the best compromise between being able to see (e.g. read) things properly and maintaining night vision. One interesting simple article as to why this is so is at http://www.astromax.org/activities/members/kniffen.htm.

My experience is, in the main, in marine, although I have had some exposure to large commercial aircraft. Red lighting is basically a non event, aircraft have glass cockpits with color displays and on ship bridges ECDIS (electronic charts), radar, AIS, etc. are all large color displays and small instruments are LCD. I can't recall when red lit instruments started disappearing from marine but I do remember that 2 fast ferries I managed the design and build of around 12-15 years ago were specified with red lit engine instruments but ended up with LCD displays; there was also no red bridge lighting on those.

Ship bridges are normally run dark, as are commercial aircraft cockpits except they may be (and I am told they mostly are) "white" lit while en-route (such aircraft are separated by air navigation services so don't need to see out en-route, whereas ships are not separated by external services and so reliant on both visual and electronically assisted e.g. radar and AIS, watch keeping). Red light, if used, was a problem back when paper nautical charts used to be used (and sometime still are) as, for example, some features on them are red or magenta (e.g. submarine cables), both of which lose contrast when lit with red light and so not seen easily.

On my own boat the engine instruments are red lit and analogue as that was all that the engine manufacturer supplied when the boat was built for me. Charts are electronic on flat LCD computer screens and all the sailing and navigation instruments are passive LCD (relies on reflected light from the environment) with selectable internal low level warm yellow lighting for when there is insufficient ambient light - they are far superior to the engine instruments for readability and maintaining night vision. There is no red cabin lighting at all and unlit instruments e.g. on the electrical panel, rely on that cabin lighting.

Current Subarus in my country have edge white lit instrument displays (not red) except for the navigation/media/etc. display which is, of course color. This is similar to every modern car I am familiar with, but there may be exceptions (I think I recall bluish ones somewhere?), where the graduations and essential labels are all that appear lit and so there is not enough light to effect night vision at all (besides one usually has headlights on, from which the reflected light does impair night vision).

[MartyTX]

Another Cat,
Thanks for the interesting info.
My Forester is a 2015 purchased in the U.S. Possibly the red lighting is simply a Subaru fashion statement ... form, not function.

[4691mls]

My 10-year-old car has old-fashioned dials with needles that move, and stereo and climate controls operated by knobs and buttons. The light for the instrument panel has a dimmer so I can adjust it to a comfortable level. I don't look forward to the day when I have to get a new car with all those electronic readouts, whatever color they are.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

My 10-year-old car has old-fashioned dials with needles that move, and stereo and climate controls operated by knobs and buttons. The light for the instrument panel has a dimmer so I can adjust it to a comfortable level. I don't look forward to the day when I have to get a new car with all those electronic readouts, whatever color they are.

You can dim the dash lights in our truck.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by MartyTX

Another Cat,
Thanks for the interesting info.
My Forester is a 2015 purchased in the U.S. Possibly the red lighting is simply a Subaru fashion statement ... form, not function.

That piqued my interest so I went for a hunt on the internet and found http://www.cars101.com/subaru/forest...15photos2.html.

It would seem that the instrument lighting on, at least, the 2015 models depends on the specific model; scrolling down a little two models are shown, one white (headlights are on so I assume the panel is night lit) and the "Premium" version red. I would suspect it is a model differentiating cosmetic thing, but nothing wrong with that if so.

Those are left hand drive models, we are right hand drive so that may precipitate different choices as may different country models. I don't know if red is used in the same way here though differentiating model versions.

Thanks for the feedback.

[JSWolf]

Can we please stop talking about cars and get back on topic?