Glo Stripes only in the sun

Ripplinger · 06-15-2013, 08:18 AM

You'll have to see my image to know what I mean. But when I'm reading in direct sun, stripes will start to form from the bottom of the screen going up. They can run about 3/4 of the way up the screen, but they are lighter the higher up they go. It can be 1 to 4 stripes in the same locations. They start to form after a few page turns, very light at first and then getting darker and darker.

Refreshing the screen by bringing up the menu gets rid of the stripes, so obviously I could set my refresh more often to avoid it. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the reader, obviously they don't want you to set refresh up to 100 pages since their menu selection only goes up to 6.

But I'm just curious if anyone else has seen these stripes and why they form in the same locations and mostly why are they only visible when reading in direct sunlight? Those stripes are never visible when reading indoors no matter how I try to see them or how seldom I refresh the page and always happen when reading outdoors.

Just mostly a curiosity thing at this point.

Edit: Actually, I wonder if it's caused by the device being hotter when outdoors? Even the bezel gets quite warm to the touch when reading outdoors.

treadlightly · 06-15-2013, 08:41 AM

Yes, I've seen that. Also, the page turns sort of fade out then fade in and therefore become slower. All this happens only in very direct sunlight outdoors, not through a window.

robko · 06-15-2013, 08:49 AM

I've seen different versions of this reading in direct sun with older versions of Kobo devices (haven't seen it on newer ones primarily because I haven't read in the sun with them). Seems to be due to the screen heating up and almost giving more contrast. OTOH I do read with refresh every page, so I'd be less likely to see it anyway.

DNSB · 06-15-2013, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

But I'm just curious if anyone else has seen these stripes and why they form in the same locations and mostly why are they only visible when reading in direct sunlight? Those stripes are never visible when reading indoors no matter how I try to see them or how seldom I refresh the page and always happen when reading outdoors.

Just mostly a curiosity thing at this point.

Edit: Actually, I wonder if it's caused by the device being hotter when outdoors? Even the bezel gets quite warm to the touch when reading outdoors.

When my wife was reading on the patio and put her Glo in it's cover on the table for about 30 minutes or so while chatting with a neighbour, she found the screen looked blotchy when she picked it up again. Odd white dots within the black areas. If she refreshed the screen a couple of times, the text looked okay until the next page. After it cooled off, the display went back to normal. From what she said, the cover was hot enough to be uncomfortable to hold when she first picked it up.

Regards,
David

Skydog · 06-15-2013, 12:38 PM

First-release third generation Kindles, introducing the Pearl screen, had a similar problem with displays in the sunlight. After the display was exposed to direct sunlight/heat for a period of time, the text would begin to fade unevenly. Page refreshes would clear it but Amazon solved the problem quickly with a firmware update.

taming · 06-15-2013, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

First-release third generation Kindles, introducing the Pearl screen, had a similar problem with displays in the sunlight. After the display was exposed to direct sunlight/heat for a period of time, the text would begin to fade unevenly. Page refreshes would clear it but Amazon solved the problem quickly with a firmware update.

Does the Amazon 4th generation device have any problems when it heats up? Kobos left in the sun have to cool down before they can be used, it seems. My DH left his out when we went to the store and thought it was borked when he returned.

DNSB · 06-15-2013, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

Does the Amazon 4th generation device have any problems when it heats up? Kobos left in the sun have to cool down before they can be used, it seems. My DH left his out when we went to the store and thought it was borked when he returned.

From what I've read, eInk states 0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F) as the operating temperature for their displays. With my wife's Glo, given my wife's comment that the cover was uncomfortable to hold, I suspect in the bright sun and with a dark case, the maximum temperature had been reached.

Regards,
David

taming · 06-15-2013, 01:26 PM

Yes, that was what I figured as well, David. I do not leave my Kobo in a hot parked car either.

Ripplinger · 06-15-2013, 01:47 PM

I've read all summer outdoors with my Sony PRS-350s, and they do get too hot for me to touch the metal so that I put skins on them. It's still hot, but not too hot for me to touch. I imagine because the Sonys refresh every page is why that problem never happened. But the screen never starts to do the fading in and out on page turns as treadlightly mentioned also that happens on the Kobo when hot.

I can't remember if PRS+ has a setting to do less frequent page refreshes to test it further. But I thought all e-ink screens were made by the same company, it seems odd there would be differences between devices then.

I've never left my readers in a hot car, they go with me when I leave if I have the reader with me.

Skydog · 06-15-2013, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

Does the Amazon 4th generation device have any problems when it heats up? Kobos left in the sun have to cool down before they can be used, it seems. My DH left his out when we went to the store and thought it was borked when he returned.

I have not experienced any problems using Kindles in direct sunlight since that time. Of course, I don't leave devices out in the hot sun for any length of time. :-) E-ink devices seem to be vulnerable to heat.

aceflor · 06-15-2013, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taming

Does the Amazon 4th generation device have any problems when it heats up? Kobos left in the sun have to cool down before they can be used, it seems. My DH left his out when we went to the store and thought it was borked when he returned.

I live in Southern Spain, and read a lot ouside. I've never had that problem with my K4NT, nor with my Paperwhite, but it did happen with my pb360.

Ripplinger · 06-15-2013, 03:14 PM

If your reader refreshes the page with every page turn, it's highly unlikely your reader will ever display the problem. I'd be curious to know if any ereader has shown the problem with a refresh every page though.

Skydog · 06-15-2013, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aceflor

I live in Southern Spain, and read a lot ouside. I've never had that problem with my K4NT, nor with my Paperwhite, but it did happen with my pb360.

It was a known problem for the 3rd generation Kindle (the one prior to the Touch) when it was first released. When standing outside, in sunlight, the fading would occur within a matter of minutes even if the actual air temperature was not particularly high. In that case, the sunlight was the issue. As I mentioned, it was remedied with a firmware update so I would not expect to see it again with any Kindle.

Skydog · 06-15-2013, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

If your reader refreshes the page with every page turn, it's highly unlikely your reader will ever display the problem. I'd be curious to know if any ereader has shown the problem with a refresh every page though.

I'm curious to know too. This is quite different than the fading text problems of ereaders in the past.

jdtanner · 06-18-2013, 05:39 PM

Same problem here

As you can see from the attached image, the black line runs the full length of the screen.

06-15-2013, 08:18 AM	#1
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	Stripes only in the sun You'll have to see my image to know what I mean. But when I'm reading in direct sun, stripes will start to form from the bottom of the screen going up. They can run about 3/4 of the way up the screen, but they are lighter the higher up they go. It can be 1 to 4 stripes in the same locations. They start to form after a few page turns, very light at first and then getting darker and darker. Refreshing the screen by bringing up the menu gets rid of the stripes, so obviously I could set my refresh more often to avoid it. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the reader, obviously they don't want you to set refresh up to 100 pages since their menu selection only goes up to 6. But I'm just curious if anyone else has seen these stripes and why they form in the same locations and mostly why are they only visible when reading in direct sunlight? Those stripes are never visible when reading indoors no matter how I try to see them or how seldom I refresh the page and always happen when reading outdoors. Just mostly a curiosity thing at this point. Edit: Actually, I wonder if it's caused by the device being hotter when outdoors? Even the bezel gets quite warm to the touch when reading outdoors. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Ripplinger; 06-15-2013 at 08:25 AM.

06-18-2013, 05:39 PM	#15
jdtanner Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kobo Glo	Same problem here As you can see from the attached image, the black line runs the full length of the screen. Attached Thumbnails

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06-15-2013, 08:41 AM	#2
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	Yes, I've seen that. Also, the page turns sort of fade out then fade in and therefore become slower. All this happens only in very direct sunlight outdoors, not through a window.

06-15-2013, 08:49 AM	#3
robko Wizard Posts: 2,454 Karma: 5469320 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo	I've seen different versions of this reading in direct sun with older versions of Kobo devices (haven't seen it on newer ones primarily because I haven't read in the sun with them). Seems to be due to the screen heating up and almost giving more contrast. OTOH I do read with refresh every page, so I'd be less likely to see it anyway.

06-15-2013, 12:38 PM	#5
Skydog Wizard Posts: 2,243 Karma: 7400001 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83 Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Forma, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Kindle Oasis3, Voyage	First-release third generation Kindles, introducing the Pearl screen, had a similar problem with displays in the sunlight. After the display was exposed to direct sunlight/heat for a period of time, the text would begin to fade unevenly. Page refreshes would clear it but Amazon solved the problem quickly with a firmware update.

06-15-2013, 01:26 PM	#8
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Yes, that was what I figured as well, David. I do not leave my Kobo in a hot parked car either.

06-15-2013, 01:47 PM	#9
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	I've read all summer outdoors with my Sony PRS-350s, and they do get too hot for me to touch the metal so that I put skins on them. It's still hot, but not too hot for me to touch. I imagine because the Sonys refresh every page is why that problem never happened. But the screen never starts to do the fading in and out on page turns as treadlightly mentioned also that happens on the Kobo when hot. I can't remember if PRS+ has a setting to do less frequent page refreshes to test it further. But I thought all e-ink screens were made by the same company, it seems odd there would be differences between devices then. I've never left my readers in a hot car, they go with me when I leave if I have the reader with me.

06-15-2013, 03:14 PM	#12
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	If your reader refreshes the page with every page turn, it's highly unlikely your reader will ever display the problem. I'd be curious to know if any ereader has shown the problem with a refresh every page though.