Very poor vision level, which reader?

Mr.Magoo · 02-16-2009, 07:03 AM

I have serious problems to read paper books.
I can read them, but holding them very near my eyes, and resulting the reading more an effort than a pleasure.

So, I need big font sizes and a good contrast ratio to be able to read in a more comfortable way.

I'd like to read more classic literature than recent best sellers (although some of these ones from time to time, too). I don't know if this question makes a difference about ebook formats (I'm completely newbie about ebooks).

Besides, my wife is studying for competitive examinations, and prepares her lessons with Microsoft Word (Office XP version), so it would be nice she could convert her lessons and study them on the reader. But this is a secondary matter.

Which reader do you recommend ?
Must I wait for new, more advanced models ?

Thank you very much in advance.

HarryT · 02-16-2009, 08:23 AM

The CyBook Gen3 has the most flexible font options of any current reader, allowing you to load any font you wish onto the machine, and view it at any of 12 different sizes. It also allows you to make all the text "bold", which can help to improve the contrast.

You will find thousands of the "classics" available for download free from this site in MobiPocket format (which the CyBook uses), all "hand-formatted" to take full benefit of eBook readers.

iterati · 02-16-2009, 09:01 AM

I’d suggest trying an e-ink device first because reading experience is very similar to paper, although there is option to change the font size, of course. Perhaps a device with backlight is easier to your eyes, in such case there is the ebookwise and older reb1100, 1150 devices. I don’t think there is a global solution that fits all eye problems. For instance, I have keratoconus (eyesight at 15-20% without my contacts) but I can very well read paper (I think, it’s been years), e-ink or TFT (NOTE: with contacts my eyesight is near perfect 90%+ but I mean with naked eye).

As for the 12 different sizes, that isn’t the most flexible out there. Hanlin with Coolreader (and FBReader) supports total freedom, you specify font family/sizes for the different tags (<p>, <title>, <strong>, <emphasis> and so on), line height, text indent, margins, align etc; just like a web page.

pthwaite · 02-16-2009, 09:20 AM

The Cybook is very good with fonts and sizes.
I have no issues with the contrast but it is not a black on white. It would be more like a calculator dispaly in contrast terms.
Most of the ereaders out their use similar technology (e-ink) and will generally look very smiliar. It would pay you to see if you can find one, eg a sony, kindle, cybook etc to look at, as only you can really say if the contrast is good enough.

DDHarriman · 02-16-2009, 04:42 PM

And in the top of it, the Cybook is the unique who lets one turn all the text to bold and thus make it even more readable!

Patricia · 02-16-2009, 05:45 PM

I would definitely try to test a device. We do have some members in Spain (and Portugal).
Which part of Spain are you in, Mr Magoo?

DixieGal · 02-16-2009, 06:01 PM

Hi There! I have very poor vision also, so I can sympathize with you.

Do you work outside the home or travel a lot? If not, then honestly, reading on my laptop PC is the best for me. But it is not very "mobile" because of low batteries, cords, etc. At home, however, it is my preferred reading device because I can zoom the page really really big. Also, I use inverted color themes to read, because the black screen and white letters seem to be the most comfortable and clear to me.

For my Sony PRS-505, I can read everything if I use the largest font and turn the device "landscape." I struggle to read when the device is in "portrait" mode. The wider screen in landscape mode brings that largest font just a little bit bigger. At that level, I estimate the letters to range from about 18 to 24 pts, but it varies from book to book.

Is this device available in Spain?

wallcraft · 02-16-2009, 07:59 PM

If you can afford it, the iRex iliad Book Edition has a larger screen that the other EInk devices mentioned here. The larger screen allows a larger font. For screenshots, see Things you can do with your iLiad. For actual size iLiad screenshots (bitmaps of the screen) print them on paper at 4.7" by 6.2". Note that the size of text in menus may also be an issue. The screenshots include one for the "content lister" (library) on the iLiad. I have not used a Cybook, but is has a 5 per page library view that looks pretty good, see the last photo in I promised some pictures....

Over · 02-16-2009, 08:09 PM

The Cybook looks to be the best choice. Sure, the contrast is more similar to a newspaper (where the paper has some grey-ish tone), but it's still better than reading in a backlit scren or ain a monitor (the radiation and/or light places higher strain in your eyes' muscles).

You can get one from the apoloxxi.com store (spanish).

PhishStyx · 02-16-2009, 08:32 PM

I have a Kindle and an iRex DR (both are e-ink devices), and on both, I've found that I can read smaller type for longer periods than I can on regular paper. My eyes are very near-sighted (about 20/120 as I recall) with heavy astigmatism, so for example without my glasses, I have difficulty reading a large wall clock from several feet away.

acprinter · 02-16-2009, 09:16 PM

My Sony 505 has given me back the pleasure of reading everyday. The contrast of the sony 505 is so much better than my older sony 500 that I now can read for an hour our more without straining my eyes and getting headaches.

slayda · 02-16-2009, 09:26 PM

I would also recommend the Cybook if you want to stick with the original firmware but the Hanlin V3 family (includes EZ Reader and BeBook) with the OpenInkPot firmware gives even more font size capability. OpenInkPot is an open source firmware that works well with the Hanlin V3. They are also working on a version for Sony & Cybook but are not there yet. You can get more info by Googling "OpenInkPot".

elena · 02-18-2009, 06:28 AM

The cybook is really good with fonts but note that you can't use it in landscape mode with mobipocket (it's main format) books. Besides if you want it to be used by your wife too, for her studies, you may also consider a reader with a bigger screen, like an irex.

Anyway, Readers are pretty expensive, so I think you should really see it live first, given your problem.

Mr.Magoo · 02-18-2009, 08:10 AM

Thank you all for your advices.

From your answers I understand that, right out the box, the Cybook seems to be the more adequate, but others like the Hanlin, with improved software/firmware may be as good or even better. Am I correct?

The iliad is far too expensive for me, so, it's out of question.

To iterati and DixieGal that also have vision problems, I suffer from retinal degeneration and cataract. I'm able to read very small text (i.e. this forum on an ipod touch), but very near my eyes and during short time. Besides, backlighted screens like TFTs or the ipod one turn my eyes very tired after a while. I also use "reversed colors", white text on dark gray background, as the white or brilliant backgrounds make my vision blurred, but it's not comfortable for me to read a whole book on the computer.

Anyway, I'm strongly dependent on light conditions. Direct shinning sun can be as bad as dim light.

I live in Zaragoza (Saragossa).
Yesterday, I had a Cybook on my hands. The light wasn't very good but I think I could read well on it. I also see a Papyre (spanish rebranding of the Hanlin) in another shop, but it had no charge, so I couldn't test it. I'll go back this shop in a few days.

Unfortunately, there is no shop here to see both models hand by hand to compare them. The Sony is not available either (I mean in my city, in other places in Spain it is).

And that's all by the moment.
Sorry for my English but hope it's understandable.

Thank you very much again.

AuPhinger · 02-18-2009, 09:53 AM

Mr. Magoo,

As opposed to all the good advice given above, I am simply wish to say ¡Bienvenido al foro!. Your English is GREAT; do not worry about it!

The best of luck in easing your difficulty reading. I have a number of vision problems as well, although I think I am better off than you. I too am searching for less tiring methods of reading.

Best of luck,

Gene, "Magoo"

02-16-2009, 07:03 AM	#1
Mr.Magoo Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Spain Device: none	Very poor vision level, which reader? I have serious problems to read paper books. I can read them, but holding them very near my eyes, and resulting the reading more an effort than a pleasure. So, I need big font sizes and a good contrast ratio to be able to read in a more comfortable way. I'd like to read more classic literature than recent best sellers (although some of these ones from time to time, too). I don't know if this question makes a difference about ebook formats (I'm completely newbie about ebooks). Besides, my wife is studying for competitive examinations, and prepares her lessons with Microsoft Word (Office XP version), so it would be nice she could convert her lessons and study them on the reader. But this is a secondary matter. Which reader do you recommend ? Must I wait for new, more advanced models ? Thank you very much in advance.

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02-16-2009, 08:23 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The CyBook Gen3 has the most flexible font options of any current reader, allowing you to load any font you wish onto the machine, and view it at any of 12 different sizes. It also allows you to make all the text "bold", which can help to improve the contrast. You will find thousands of the "classics" available for download free from this site in MobiPocket format (which the CyBook uses), all "hand-formatted" to take full benefit of eBook readers.

02-16-2009, 09:01 AM	#3
iterati Zealot Posts: 100 Karma: 170 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Greece Device: Hanlin V3, RCA REB1100, iPaq 214	I’d suggest trying an e-ink device first because reading experience is very similar to paper, although there is option to change the font size, of course. Perhaps a device with backlight is easier to your eyes, in such case there is the ebookwise and older reb1100, 1150 devices. I don’t think there is a global solution that fits all eye problems. For instance, I have keratoconus (eyesight at 15-20% without my contacts) but I can very well read paper (I think, it’s been years), e-ink or TFT (NOTE: with contacts my eyesight is near perfect 90%+ but I mean with naked eye). As for the 12 different sizes, that isn’t the most flexible out there. Hanlin with Coolreader (and FBReader) supports total freedom, you specify font family/sizes for the different tags (<p>, <title>, <strong>, <emphasis> and so on), line height, text indent, margins, align etc; just like a web page.

02-16-2009, 09:20 AM	#4
pthwaite Fanatic Posts: 597 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ellesmere Port, UK Device: DR1000S Sony PRS505 iPad iPhone	The Cybook is very good with fonts and sizes. I have no issues with the contrast but it is not a black on white. It would be more like a calculator dispaly in contrast terms. Most of the ereaders out their use similar technology (e-ink) and will generally look very smiliar. It would pay you to see if you can find one, eg a sony, kindle, cybook etc to look at, as only you can really say if the contrast is good enough.

02-16-2009, 04:42 PM	#5
DDHarriman Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4380 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note	And in the top of it, the Cybook is the unique who lets one turn all the text to bold and thus make it even more readable!

02-16-2009, 05:45 PM	#6
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	I would definitely try to test a device. We do have some members in Spain (and Portugal). Which part of Spain are you in, Mr Magoo?

02-16-2009, 06:01 PM	#7
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Hi There! I have very poor vision also, so I can sympathize with you. Do you work outside the home or travel a lot? If not, then honestly, reading on my laptop PC is the best for me. But it is not very "mobile" because of low batteries, cords, etc. At home, however, it is my preferred reading device because I can zoom the page really really big. Also, I use inverted color themes to read, because the black screen and white letters seem to be the most comfortable and clear to me. For my Sony PRS-505, I can read everything if I use the largest font and turn the device "landscape." I struggle to read when the device is in "portrait" mode. The wider screen in landscape mode brings that largest font just a little bit bigger. At that level, I estimate the letters to range from about 18 to 24 pts, but it varies from book to book. Is this device available in Spain?

02-16-2009, 07:59 PM	#8
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	If you can afford it, the iRex iliad Book Edition has a larger screen that the other EInk devices mentioned here. The larger screen allows a larger font. For screenshots, see Things you can do with your iLiad. For actual size iLiad screenshots (bitmaps of the screen) print them on paper at 4.7" by 6.2". Note that the size of text in menus may also be an issue. The screenshots include one for the "content lister" (library) on the iLiad. I have not used a Cybook, but is has a 5 per page library view that looks pretty good, see the last photo in I promised some pictures....

02-16-2009, 08:09 PM	#9
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	The Cybook looks to be the best choice. Sure, the contrast is more similar to a newspaper (where the paper has some grey-ish tone), but it's still better than reading in a backlit scren or ain a monitor (the radiation and/or light places higher strain in your eyes' muscles). You can get one from the apoloxxi.com store (spanish).

02-16-2009, 08:32 PM	#10
PhishStyx The me that I am Posts: 413 Karma: 1078 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: In my house! Duh! Device: Kindle 1 & DR 1000s	I have a Kindle and an iRex DR (both are e-ink devices), and on both, I've found that I can read smaller type for longer periods than I can on regular paper. My eyes are very near-sighted (about 20/120 as I recall) with heavy astigmatism, so for example without my glasses, I have difficulty reading a large wall clock from several feet away.

02-16-2009, 09:16 PM	#11
acprinter Groupie Posts: 163 Karma: 3141364 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: California Gold Country Device: Paperwhite 11th generation	My Sony 505 has given me back the pleasure of reading everyday. The contrast of the sony 505 is so much better than my older sony 500 that I now can read for an hour our more without straining my eyes and getting headaches.

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02-16-2009, 09:26 PM	#12
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	I would also recommend the Cybook if you want to stick with the original firmware but the Hanlin V3 family (includes EZ Reader and BeBook) with the OpenInkPot firmware gives even more font size capability. OpenInkPot is an open source firmware that works well with the Hanlin V3. They are also working on a version for Sony & Cybook but are not there yet. You can get more info by Googling "OpenInkPot".

02-18-2009, 06:28 AM	#13
elena Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 50001 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Italy Device: CyBook Gen3	The cybook is really good with fonts but note that you can't use it in landscape mode with mobipocket (it's main format) books. Besides if you want it to be used by your wife too, for her studies, you may also consider a reader with a bigger screen, like an irex. Anyway, Readers are pretty expensive, so I think you should really see it live first, given your problem.

02-18-2009, 08:10 AM	#14
Mr.Magoo Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Spain Device: none	Thank you all for your advices. From your answers I understand that, right out the box, the Cybook seems to be the more adequate, but others like the Hanlin, with improved software/firmware may be as good or even better. Am I correct? The iliad is far too expensive for me, so, it's out of question. To iterati and DixieGal that also have vision problems, I suffer from retinal degeneration and cataract. I'm able to read very small text (i.e. this forum on an ipod touch), but very near my eyes and during short time. Besides, backlighted screens like TFTs or the ipod one turn my eyes very tired after a while. I also use "reversed colors", white text on dark gray background, as the white or brilliant backgrounds make my vision blurred, but it's not comfortable for me to read a whole book on the computer. Anyway, I'm strongly dependent on light conditions. Direct shinning sun can be as bad as dim light. I live in Zaragoza (Saragossa). Yesterday, I had a Cybook on my hands. The light wasn't very good but I think I could read well on it. I also see a Papyre (spanish rebranding of the Hanlin) in another shop, but it had no charge, so I couldn't test it. I'll go back this shop in a few days. Unfortunately, there is no shop here to see both models hand by hand to compare them. The Sony is not available either (I mean in my city, in other places in Spain it is). And that's all by the moment. Sorry for my English but hope it's understandable. Thank you very much again.

02-18-2009, 09:53 AM	#15
AuPhinger Aficionado Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Elgin, Illinois; just west of Chicago Device: Rags to Riches - K1, K2, 500	Mr. Magoo, As opposed to all the good advice given above, I am simply wish to say ¡Bienvenido al foro!. Your English is GREAT; do not worry about it! The best of luck in easing your difficulty reading. I have a number of vision problems as well, although I think I am better off than you. I too am searching for less tiring methods of reading. Best of luck, Gene, "Magoo"