Pixel Qi netbook display replacement kit on sale

[Lbooker]

I think that picture is quite old.
If their technology has improved, I hope it is now as good as e-ink Pearl.

[olis]

Originally Posted by Lbooker

I think that picture is quite old.
If their technology has improved, I hope it is now as good as e-ink Pearl.

No, that picture is recent. It comes from here:
http://blog.fsck.com/2010/07/pixel-qi.html

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

I've never seen a Pixel Qi in person. However, I have seen lots of eInk, and I've never seen one with as poor of a contrast as the Kindle in that photo.

That's why it's hard to really tell anything from just pictures.

I have no idea what the contrast levels really are, but I do know that Pixel Qi have said themselves that it's lower than eInk. Not sure why they would say that if it weren't true. I would assume they know more about their own screen than I do.

I don't recall them saying that. I recall them saying their white point is not as high as that on E-Ink.

As far as the low contrast...all current-gen EPDs are like that in those lighting conditions.

[Lbooker]

Originally Posted by olis

No, that picture is recent. It comes from here:
http://blog.fsck.com/2010/07/pixel-qi.html

Too bad! I will buy one as soon as it is as contrasty as the latest e-ink technology.

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Lbooker

Too bad! I will buy one as soon as it is as contrasty as the latest e-ink technology.

It might already be. I'm not certain. The way the two different screens display text is vastly different, and not really an apples to apples comparison.

With E-Ink, you're dealing with a roughly 150-200ppi pixel grid, and within each pixel is a clumpy mess of microcapsules that aren't always very consistent.

With Pixel Qi, you can tweak text rendering to take advantage of subpixels, giving you an effective 350ppi horizontal resolution. The vertical resolution does not change though, and is a good bit below E-Ink's (around 120ppi if I recall). The pixels and subpixels will look noticeably different, and I'd hazard a guess that they're much more consistent.

EPD (E-Ink) will give you a wider viewing angle and a brighter gray, but it's very possible that Pixel Qi can display better, more readable overall text. However, that subpixel rendering may require some tweaking for optimal viewing.

Also, if you want it to be brighter in lower light you could...turn on the backlight. It doesn't hurt your eyes, unless you are seriously mismatching ambient light and backlight.

[Hellmark]

I have an S10, and am excited about this, but the price tag is the only hold up for me now. Hopefully they'll come down in price.

[MikeFromHC]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Actually, nobody has ever used the Pixel Qi and reported back here. My take is that it is a compromise solution that offers a so-so B&W reading screen and a rather poor color screen. I would be happy if someone can tell me otherwise. Still, an interesting idea.

There are a large number of videos on the web showing direct comparisons between the Qi and both other color LCD screens as well as between many e readers and the Qi. Google Pixel Qi and Jepson to see and hear some good comparisons as well as an explanation of what she did.

"In that mode, it really is just as crisp as the Kindle for reading text." Gizmodo

[Marseille]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Do you mean that literally? That there is not one thing that you ever pay retail price for? Not petrol, or electricity, or food? Or was there a bit of hyperbole in that statement?

Literally. I steal my petrol, electricity and food like any good bargain hunter

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by MikeFromHC

There are a large number of videos on the web showing direct comparisons between the Qi and both other color LCD screens as well as between many e readers and the Qi. Google Pixel Qi and Jepson to see and hear some good comparisons as well as an explanation of what she did.

"In that mode, it really is just as crisp as the Kindle for reading text." Gizmodo

Yes, but those photos and video usually tell us more about the (mostly lack of) skill of the person taking them then about the actual difference.

I do read Gizmodo and Engadget etc., but I always take their reviews with a grain of salt. Too often I suspect they are getting paid for positive reviews. And besides, they have only reviewed preproduction units, and more from the point of marveling at the novelty rather than really testing it for reading, etc.

[RoboRay]

I've been reading on the original Pixel Qi screen for a year or so (on the OLPC) and can confirm that the contrast is not quite as good as my wife's Kindle 1. The screen (with the backlight off) is a matte gray rather than white, which is going to hurt contrast. However, it's still very comfortable to read in moderate or bright light (under a lamp or outdoors). In dim light, you'll want to use a reading light or turn on the device's backlight.

There are no reflection problems at all with the older Pixel Qi screens and I can't imagine that they'd be stupid enough to put a glossy, reflective finish on a screen intended to be viewed with reflected light.

[Papi]

Originally Posted by RoboRay

I've been reading on the original Pixel Qi screen for a year or so (on the OLPC) and can confirm that the contrast is not quite as good as my wife's Kindle 1. The screen (with the backlight off) is a matte gray rather than white, which is going to hurt contrast. However, it's still very comfortable to read in moderate or bright light (under a lamp or outdoors). In dim light, you'll want to use a reading light or turn on the device's backlight.

There are no reflection problems at all with the older Pixel Qi screens and I can't imagine that they'd be stupid enough to put a glossy, reflective finish on a screen intended to be viewed with reflected light.

Interresting...I don't know if the "new" PixelQi is very different from the one you have, but the one thing that struck me when I saw the pic posted by olis is that the E-Ink screen looks way more white, the PixelQI being kind of green~gray, which you confirmed. That's a noticeable drawback to me, Pixel QI can make black as dark they want and have the highest contrast technically, I prefer white as background color. I wonder if the could make a "whiter" LCD screen, but I'm affraid it's inherent to the technoloy (sorry for the bad english).

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Papi

Interresting...I don't know if the "new" PixelQi is very different from the one you have, but the one thing that struck me when I saw the pic posted by olis is that the E-Ink screen looks way more white, the PixelQI being kind of green~gray, which you confirmed. That's a noticeable drawback to me, Pixel QI can make black as dark they want and have the highest contrast technically, I prefer white as background color. I wonder if the could make a "whiter" LCD screen, but I'm affraid it's inherent to the technoloy (sorry for the bad english).

At the moment it's hard to make a reflective LCD with a whitish background. Eventually, they expect to bring the white reflectance up, but for now, EPDs will have a leg up on the whiteness, though they're not great at that either, and their black point appears to be quite inferior.

Pixel Qi is not an EPD replacement for thin/light low-power applications like the current popular type of ebook reader anyway. An EPD would make a horrific computer screen, and Pixel Qi would make a substandard low-power dedicated ebook tablet, for the time being. They are not direct competitors.

Though they're not really playing the same game, I could see some (myself included) ditching EPD-based devices entirely for Pixel Qi, due to its greater functionality and flexibility. The trade-offs will be mostly in form factor and battery life. Some people will be willing to make that trade, and others will not.

It's not a question of which is better "for books" or "for reading". If you want the advantages of an EPD device, get an EPD device. If you want the advantages of a Pixel Qi device, get one of those (when they're available). Neither will make you a better or more dedicated reader.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Pixel Qi is not an EPD replacement for thin/light low-power applications like the current popular type of ebook reader anyway. An EPD would make a horrific computer screen, and Pixel Qi would make a substandard low-power dedicated ebook tablet, for the time being. They are not direct competitors.

Exactly. The Pixel Qi technology is a replacement for notebook/laptop screens, not eBook readers.

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Exactly. The Pixel Qi technology is a replacement for notebook/laptop screens, not eBook readers.

Doesn't sound like a very GOOD replacement for the time being. Sure the power consumption is reduced, but it's no fun looking at a screen with greenish-gray for white. I think I'll hold off until they improve the tech to the point where we can get a "pearl"-like white.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by BenLee

Doesn't sound like a very GOOD replacement for the time being. Sure the power consumption is reduced, but it's no fun looking at a screen with greenish-gray for white. I think I'll hold off until they improve the tech to the point where we can get a "pearl"-like white.

That's only with the backlight turned off though, which current LCD screens can't do. With the backlight on it's a full color display like current LCD.