eInk display Question

coleoptera1 · 06-22-2011, 11:02 AM

Fellow Edgers -
I have a question about how the eInk side should behave. My basic concern is that it doesn't change pages quickly and smoothly. I have done some searches in the forums and haven't found where this has been discussed before.

I had my PE for about 12 hours before I updated to Ermine, so I don't really remember how it worked before; but I'm not really happy with what it is doing now. I'm wondering if this is something unique to my PE, a symptom of Ermine, or maybe just normal. If it's not normal, can it be "fixed"?

When I am reading a book and "turn the page" my screen goes through a series of "flashes" before the new page appears. The page I'm reading first flashes to an invert of itself (black screen with white text), then the new page shows up and flashes a few times, switching between the white screen/black text and black screen/white text, before settling down to the new page.

It's not a major issue, but I thought that eInk readers were much smoother than this, and I don't remember it doing this without ermine, but I didn't do a whole lot of testing of books, so maybe I'm wrong.

I'm used to reading using the Amazon Kindle App on the Android side, and that is very smooth, but I would prefer to read on the eInk side...it's the whole reason I got the PE.

As a follow-on question, several users have mentioned that they would be reading a book on the eInk side, and then when it got too dark they just switched it to the android side. How do you do this without losing your page? I'm using the PE Library to read on the eInk side and the switch to another piece of software to read on the Android side. I'm assuming there is a better way to be doing this?

Thank you!

obsessed2 · 06-22-2011, 11:20 AM

I never seen this problem on my PE. Have you tried viewing another eBook or a long PDF? Try one of the included eBooks: Romeo and Juliet or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Also, try changing the screen orientation of the LCD display by going into Settings, Display, and checking Screen Orientation which will cause the Edge to display the LCD screen on the left hand side (basically this turns the e-ink side upside down). Another suggestion: Using the default browser, try viewing a web page on the E-Reader in both ePub and PDF (image) to see if the problem persists.

Filark · 06-23-2011, 10:30 PM

Yes, that's too much flashing.

Mine flashes to white on black and then quickly becomes the new page. A reboot might help.

As for reading on both sides, I wonder, too, if there's an easy way. You can have the book in an Android app as well as in the library and then just remember what page you're on and turn to it (easier in some apps than others). Another possibility to try is using a flashlight app on the LCD side to light your reading on the e-ink side.

You have to hold the PE folded just enough to keep the light out of your eyes, but it is definitely doable!

yugami · 06-23-2011, 11:01 PM

Mine flashes quite a bit a as well. With my other issue I'm thinking of doing a FDA a factory reset and re upgrade

coleoptera1 · 06-24-2011, 10:16 AM

Thank you for your responses. I have rebooted a few times, and this happens on all items on the eink screen, the pre-loaded Romeo and Juliet, PDF's from work, and it really flashes when I have a load an internet page on it.

Anyone with Dingo, does your eInk page flash at all when you "turn pages"? If so, can you describe?

Thanks again!

obsessed2 · 06-24-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coleoptera1

Thank you for your responses. I have rebooted a few times, and this happens on all items on the eink screen, the pre-loaded Romeo and Juliet, PDF's from work, and it really flashes when I have a load an internet page on it.

Anyone with Dingo, does your eInk page flash at all when you "turn pages"? If so, can you describe?

Thanks again!

There is a momentary flash when changing pages because the Edge has to clear the old image and replace it with a new one. Remember the e-ink displays a page even with the power turned off. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. I guess I just got so used to it that it is second nature now.

yugami · 06-25-2011, 12:18 AM

My edge flashes noticeably more than my wifes nook. I think that the tool bars are the main culprit visually.

Edward_R · 06-26-2011, 01:17 AM

I do a lot of reading on my PE with Ermine and I don't have any problem with flashing, The page turnings are just as crisp as they are on my Kindle.

Filark · 06-26-2011, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward_R

I do a lot of reading on my PE with Ermine and I don't have any problem with flashing, The page turnings are just as crisp as they are on my Kindle.

I second that, but for me the comparison is with a Sony PRS-900 and I think the eDGe turns pages faster than the Sony.

That doesn't help much, I know, since I have no solutions to offer.

ManikMom · 07-07-2011, 04:43 PM

I just got my Edge and noticed the same problem with flashing. When I turn the page, I get a reverse image (white on black) of the new page and then it changes to black on white. This is my first e-ink reader so I didn't know if that was normal, but it appears that it isn't. This is bothersome enough to make me not want to read books on that side. It does it with both the User Guide and Romeo & Juliet. Seems not to be a problem for some people, so I wonder what's going on.

emusan · 07-07-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManikMom

I just got my Edge and noticed the same problem with flashing. When I turn the page, I get a reverse image (white on black) of the new page and then it changes to black on white. This is my first e-ink reader so I didn't know if that was normal, but it appears that it isn't. This is bothersome enough to make me not want to read books on that side. It does it with both the User Guide and Romeo & Juliet. Seems not to be a problem for some people, so I wonder what's going on.

That is normal for e-ink's, because of the way they work they need to refresh themselves at times(otherwise you will see ghosting and artifacts pop up). Most people aren't bothered by it, but I do know a few people that don't like it.

Gunnerp245 · 07-08-2011, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManikMom

...This is bothersome enough to make me not want to read books on that side...

Distracting at first, however, for me, after a very short while I now no longer notice it. YMMV.

ManikMom · 07-25-2011, 02:17 PM

Thanks, Gunner & Emusan. I checked out some youtube videos of the Kindle and saw that it does the same thing - I am just glad to know it is typical for e-ink and that I don't have a defective reader.

MasterTec · 07-25-2011, 05:28 PM

Think of e-ink as like an etch-a-sketch.

First it has to draw the image. Then it has to turn itself upside down and shake itself like crazy to clear the image. Then it has to draw the new image.

It goes like this:

-All white
-Draw the page
<wait until it's time to go to the next page>
-Invert image
-All black
-All white
-Draw the page

This makes it look like it's flashing. I suppose that if any errors are encountered in the process then it redraws the same page a second time to make sure. I can see how this could be considered abnormal or unusual but really it's normal.

06-22-2011, 11:02 AM	#1
coleoptera1 Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Geneseo, IL Device: PE (ermine)	eInk display Question Fellow Edgers - I have a question about how the eInk side should behave. My basic concern is that it doesn't change pages quickly and smoothly. I have done some searches in the forums and haven't found where this has been discussed before. I had my PE for about 12 hours before I updated to Ermine, so I don't really remember how it worked before; but I'm not really happy with what it is doing now. I'm wondering if this is something unique to my PE, a symptom of Ermine, or maybe just normal. If it's not normal, can it be "fixed"? When I am reading a book and "turn the page" my screen goes through a series of "flashes" before the new page appears. The page I'm reading first flashes to an invert of itself (black screen with white text), then the new page shows up and flashes a few times, switching between the white screen/black text and black screen/white text, before settling down to the new page. It's not a major issue, but I thought that eInk readers were much smoother than this, and I don't remember it doing this without ermine, but I didn't do a whole lot of testing of books, so maybe I'm wrong. I'm used to reading using the Amazon Kindle App on the Android side, and that is very smooth, but I would prefer to read on the eInk side...it's the whole reason I got the PE. As a follow-on question, several users have mentioned that they would be reading a book on the eInk side, and then when it got too dark they just switched it to the android side. How do you do this without losing your page? I'm using the PE Library to read on the eInk side and the switch to another piece of software to read on the Android side. I'm assuming there is a better way to be doing this? Thank you!

06-22-2011, 11:20 AM	#2
obsessed2 Wizard Posts: 1,041 Karma: 4694121 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Pocket Edge X 2 , Edge, gTab, Kindle Fire, Nextbook 7S	I never seen this problem on my PE. Have you tried viewing another eBook or a long PDF? Try one of the included eBooks: Romeo and Juliet or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Also, try changing the screen orientation of the LCD display by going into Settings, Display, and checking Screen Orientation which will cause the Edge to display the LCD screen on the left hand side (basically this turns the e-ink side upside down). Another suggestion: Using the default browser, try viewing a web page on the E-Reader in both ePub and PDF (image) to see if the problem persists. Last edited by obsessed2; 06-22-2011 at 11:51 AM.

06-26-2011, 01:17 AM	#8
Edward_R Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 516224 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Pacific Northwest (about 35 miles northeast of Seattle) Device: K3 / HP 10" Tablet (FBreader Installed)	I do a lot of reading on my PE with Ermine and I don't have any problem with flashing, The page turnings are just as crisp as they are on my Kindle. Last edited by Edward_R; 06-26-2011 at 01:17 AM. Reason: typo

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
'Retina' (300dpi) eInk Display under development	pdurrant	News	13	07-12-2011 01:06 PM
iPod Comparison of retina display to Pearl eInk	jswinden	Apple Devices	13	06-07-2011 11:41 PM
Eink to offer color display	kindlekitten	News	2	11-11-2010 10:38 AM
Android Read Eink display in the dark	euser1	enTourage Archive	1	05-02-2010 11:55 AM
Request EInk display mode	euser1	enTourage Archive	1	04-12-2010 06:52 PM

06-23-2011, 10:30 PM	#3
Filark Armed with a smile :) Posts: 1,421 Karma: 2463560 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California, USA Device: enTourage eDGe & Pocket eDGe, Samsung Galaxy Note II	Yes, that's too much flashing. Mine flashes to white on black and then quickly becomes the new page. A reboot might help. As for reading on both sides, I wonder, too, if there's an easy way. You can have the book in an Android app as well as in the library and then just remember what page you're on and turn to it (easier in some apps than others). Another possibility to try is using a flashlight app on the LCD side to light your reading on the e-ink side. You have to hold the PE folded just enough to keep the light out of your eyes, but it is definitely doable!

06-23-2011, 11:01 PM	#4
yugami Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 18 Join Date: May 2011 Device: PRS+950	Mine flashes quite a bit a as well. With my other issue I'm thinking of doing a FDA a factory reset and re upgrade

06-24-2011, 10:16 AM	#5
coleoptera1 Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Geneseo, IL Device: PE (ermine)	Thank you for your responses. I have rebooted a few times, and this happens on all items on the eink screen, the pre-loaded Romeo and Juliet, PDF's from work, and it really flashes when I have a load an internet page on it. Anyone with Dingo, does your eInk page flash at all when you "turn pages"? If so, can you describe? Thanks again!

06-25-2011, 12:18 AM	#7
yugami Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 18 Join Date: May 2011 Device: PRS+950	My edge flashes noticeably more than my wifes nook. I think that the tool bars are the main culprit visually.

07-07-2011, 04:43 PM	#10
ManikMom Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Entourage Pocket Edge	I just got my Edge and noticed the same problem with flashing. When I turn the page, I get a reverse image (white on black) of the new page and then it changes to black on white. This is my first e-ink reader so I didn't know if that was normal, but it appears that it isn't. This is bothersome enough to make me not want to read books on that side. It does it with both the User Guide and Romeo & Juliet. Seems not to be a problem for some people, so I wonder what's going on.

07-25-2011, 02:17 PM	#13
ManikMom Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Entourage Pocket Edge	Thanks, Gunner & Emusan. I checked out some youtube videos of the Kindle and saw that it does the same thing - I am just glad to know it is typical for e-ink and that I don't have a defective reader.

07-25-2011, 05:28 PM	#14
MasterTec Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 14416 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: enTourage eDGe Pocket	Think of e-ink as like an etch-a-sketch. First it has to draw the image. Then it has to turn itself upside down and shake itself like crazy to clear the image. Then it has to draw the new image. It goes like this: -All white -Draw the page <wait until it's time to go to the next page> -Invert image -All black -All white -Draw the page This makes it look like it's flashing. I suppose that if any errors are encountered in the process then it redraws the same page a second time to make sure. I can see how this could be considered abnormal or unusual but really it's normal.

Advert

Advert