Poll for those who can't read for extended periods on LCD - Page 2

4691mls · 05-12-2021, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I think the poll indicates that for whatever reason people can’t/won’t read for protracted periods on LCD, it’s not because they don’t adjust the lighting. So given that, I can’t imagine that they don’t adjust the background colors while they’re at it.

Perhaps it would have been interesting to have an option for, “I can’t get the light down low enough on my LCD device.” That can be an issue for me with phones and I remember having to use a Screen Dim app on the first Fire Tablet to make it comfortable to use.

My phone can be adjusted too dim to see, so that's not my issue.
It's worse at the higher end, isn't always bright enough if I'm in a car or near a window.

JSWolf · 05-12-2021, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4691mls

None of the apps I've tried for reading library books (my primary reading material) have very good color and font weight options. Sepia is barely tinted. Text is either regular or extra bold, nothing in between.

However, I also end up with eyestrain if I use my phone too long for other things such as online shopping, where text size and colors are varied, in my case at least the problem seems to be with the device.

When I'm using my phone on my couch at home I have to adjust the brightness manually. The auto adjust on my current phone works ok in some conditions but it seems to be confused by the lighting in my living room and will randomly adjust itself too bright or too dim.

That is an excellent point on the font weight. I find that having too light a font can make it not all tat comfortable to read.

Deskisamess · 05-12-2021, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4691mls

None of the apps I've tried for reading library books (my primary reading material) have very good color and font weight options. Sepia is barely tinted. Text is either regular or extra bold, nothing in between.

The Kindle app on iDevices did add a green background, but it's much too saturated with color, with no way to adjust it except for the brightness, which doesn't really help.

4691mls · 05-12-2021, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

The Kindle app on iDevices did add a green background, but it's much too saturated with color, with no way to adjust it except for the brightness, which doesn't really help.

Yeah, if you can't adjust the contrast or font weight that would be useless.

Apps I've used for library books:
Overdrive
Libby
Kobo

All of these have either black on white, white on black, or black on sepia. Sepia is barely tinted.
White on black doesn't work for me.

Sirtel · 05-12-2021, 11:20 AM

My new Dell laptop has the "lowest is too bright" issue and I installed a dimmer app (Iris). It's an expensive device, so I was very surprised at this. None of my other/earlier laptops and tablets (Lenovo and Microsoft Surface mostly) has or has had this problem, not even the very cheap ones. Still, the Iris app is very good, so I'm satisfied.

My phone generally doesn't have the too bright issue either, except for in total darkness (where I seldom use it).

But I still cannot read a novel on LCD. And the colors don't matter. I've tried any old combination.

rcentros · 05-12-2021, 03:28 PM

If I turn the brightness down enough on LCD screens to be comfortable, the font contrast is too poor. I've tried several different color combinations, none have helped for long-term reading. (I do read a few chapters every now and then on my Blackberry Q10.)

JSWolf · 05-12-2021, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

If I turn the brightness down enough on LCD screens to be comfortable, the font contrast is too poor. I've tried several different color combinations, none have helped for long-term reading. (I do read a few chapters every now and then on my Blackberry Q10.)

Some programs allow you to use a font of your choice. You can use a program such as Fontforge to add weight to a font.

rcentros · 05-12-2021, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Some programs allow you to use a font of your choice. You can use a program such as Fontforge to add weight to a font.

Too much work to read on a platform that's not comfortable for my eyes anyhow. And no guarantee it would work. My simpler solution is to use eInk eReaders (and even there I use bolder fonts). Unlike some here, I do a lot of reading in the dark and an eInk reader with "warm" light seems to be the ideal device.

MarjaE · 05-13-2021, 03:45 PM

Depending on the screen, I've encountered:

* Doesn't go down far enough. Although screen dimmers and/or special color settings can help.

* Not enough contrast when it does go down far enough.

* Too much glare/reflection when it does go down far enough.

JSWolf · 05-13-2021, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

Too much work to read on a platform that's not comfortable for my eyes anyhow. And no guarantee it would work. My simpler solution is to use eInk eReaders (and even there I use bolder fonts). Unlike some here, I do a lot of reading in the dark and an eInk reader with "warm" light seems to be the ideal device.

I've never read on an eInk device with a warm light. I've always read on my H2O at a light level of 4/100. The H2O can go very bright at 100.

View Poll Results: If you can't read for extended periods on LCD, have you adjusted the brightness?
No, I have have never tried adjusting the brightness on my LCD device(s)	2	6.45%
Yes, I have adjusted the brightness on my LCD device(s)	29	93.55%
Voters: 31. You may not vote on this poll

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05-12-2021, 11:20 AM	#20
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,420 Karma: 225537496 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	My new Dell laptop has the "lowest is too bright" issue and I installed a dimmer app (Iris). It's an expensive device, so I was very surprised at this. None of my other/earlier laptops and tablets (Lenovo and Microsoft Surface mostly) has or has had this problem, not even the very cheap ones. Still, the Iris app is very good, so I'm satisfied. My phone generally doesn't have the too bright issue either, except for in total darkness (where I seldom use it). But I still cannot read a novel on LCD. And the colors don't matter. I've tried any old combination.

05-12-2021, 03:28 PM	#21
rcentros eReader Wrangler Posts: 7,543 Karma: 48453105 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Boise, ID Device: PB HD3, GL3, Tolino Vision 4, Voyage, Clara HD	If I turn the brightness down enough on LCD screens to be comfortable, the font contrast is too poor. I've tried several different color combinations, none have helped for long-term reading. (I do read a few chapters every now and then on my Blackberry Q10.)

05-13-2021, 03:45 PM	#24
MarjaE Guru Posts: 924 Karma: 53902736 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: multiple	Depending on the screen, I've encountered: * Doesn't go down far enough. Although screen dimmers and/or special color settings can help. * Not enough contrast when it does go down far enough. * Too much glare/reflection when it does go down far enough.