Better contrast on GloHD screen compared to Libra H2O?

[wherahiko]

Last week I 'upgraded' my GloHD to a LibraH20. I'm happy with the big screen, buttons, and Overdrive support. However, the contrast on my Libra's screen is not nearly as good as on the GloHD.

On the GloHD, I read most of the time without the frontlight on at all (I find this more comfortable), but on the Libra, I find I have to use the frontlight almost all the time, unless I'm reading outdoors.

Are others experiencing this difference too? I'm guessing this is because of the Libra's capacitive screen compared to the IR on the GloHD. But I just wanted to check that I don't have a defective Libra.

[wherahiko]

Photos attached so you can see the distinction. The difference is starker in real life than in the photos, though.

[NiMa]

Absolutely !!!!!!!
Me too, when I bought a Libra back in August, I was surprised of the darker blacks in the Glo HD... but still, I think that the Libra is a good e-reader nonetheless.

But you're not crazy. The difference is there.

Cheers

[Quoth]

The Original H2O is slightly better than the Libra, which is about the same as the PW3. The PW4 seems slightly poorer.

All with ambient light only. The Original H2O is IR touch, which will have slightly brighter white than capacitive touch.

There is also some variation between panels, but I think the factory calibration uses a value printed on the panel ribbon.

[wherahiko]

Thanks, NiMa and Quoth for your replies and for confirming this is indeed normal. NiMa, I agree that the Libra is a great reader even with this relative lack of ‘contrastiness’. I wonder how the Clara compares?

[Quoth]

The Libra though has a far better screen than the Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Touch (worst for ghosting), Story book Cover (not HD), first Kindle Basic, PW2, Kindle DXG, Sony PRS-T1 and Sony PRS350, and Kindle Keyboard (AKA Kindle Gen 3) and even the Kindle PW4 (is that PW 2018).

The Original H20, while 267 dpi approx rather than 300 dpi, has the brightest in ambient light screen I've seen.

I saw the 1st 6" Sony sold in Ireland and tried it in a shop (Maybe their 2nd model) and would have bought it except I couldn't afford it. Wife also agreed that it was very very grey but also thought the only barrier was cost. This might have been before ANY Kindle or iPhone and when most smart phones were only 240 x 320 1/4 VGA.

We both read lots.

So really the only ones to avoid today are the larger than 8" (too heavy for many hours reading) or the Kindle Basic or the random brand 600 x 800 pixel models often with no touch. All the current 300 dpi screens are pretty good.

The PW4 and the Kobo Libra are I think the best choices for lots of reading with the Libra having the edge if you have an old Kindle registered on Amazon. Doesn't matter if lost or broken as long as still active on your account for Download via PC, not reported or blacklisted. The Serial number of it is in your Amazon Manage My Devices. Alf's Calibre plug-in is legal in many countries providing the ebook files are only for your own use and not distributed.

[isaacbh]

Contrast can change between models, generations and even between units. I still read every day on the original H2O that I bought in 2015, and have no intention of "upgrading" any time soon. Best purchase ever.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

The Libra though has a far better screen than the Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Touch (worst for ghosting), Story book Cover (not HD), first Kindle Basic, PW2, Kindle DXG, Sony PRS-T1 and Sony PRS350, and Kindle Keyboard (AKA Kindle Gen 3) and even the Kindle PW4 (is that PW 2018).

The Original H20, while 267 dpi approx rather than 300 dpi, has the brightest in ambient light screen I've seen.

I saw the 1st 6" Sony sold in Ireland and tried it in a shop (Maybe their 2nd model) and would have bought it except I couldn't afford it. Wife also agreed that it was very very grey but also thought the only barrier was cost. This might have been before ANY Kindle or iPhone and when most smart phones were only 240 x 320 1/4 VGA.

We both read lots.

So really the only ones to avoid today are the larger than 8" (too heavy for many hours reading) or the Kindle Basic or the random brand 600 x 800 pixel models often with no touch. All the current 300 dpi screens are pretty good.

The PW4 and the Kobo Libra are I think the best choices for lots of reading with the Libra having the edge if you have an old Kindle registered on Amazon. Doesn't matter if lost or broken as long as still active on your account for Download via PC, not reported or blacklisted. The Serial number of it is in your Amazon Manage My Devices. Alf's Calibre plug-in is legal in many countries providing the ebook files are only for your own use and not distributed.

I believe that would have been the 3rd Sony Reader. The first was Japan only and the 2nd was USA only.

1st - Sony Librie EBR-1000EP
2nd - Sony Reader PRS-500
3rd - Sony Reader PRS-505

[tourneur]

There is also an optical illusion that makes white bezel screens appear to have less contrast than black bezel screens. If you'd put a white libra next to a black libra you'd see this as well. For a proper side-by-side comparison you'd have to cover up the bezels.