Does anyone else think the LD screen SUCKS?

[Mojo_LA]

I just posted a long thread about why I'm returning the LD, but I wanted to start another to discuss the screen. I did a search and saw there was no thread about this and there should be!

Basically, I am returning the LD because I think the screen is garbage for video and pictures. Here is what I said in my other thread:

Yes, it's bright and has wonderful resolution and graphics look great, but for video playback and pictures, it leaves much to be desired, mainly because of the poor viewing angle.

If you tilt the screen even a little, you begin to get the negative image/solarization that bad LCDs are infamous for. Ironically, the best viewing angle isn't even straight on - at least with my unit, I had to tilt it just a little off-axis to get the best possible image. The viewing angle uniformity is so bad, if you try closing one eye and then switch to the other, you'll see a slightly different picture (mainly in landscape mode, which is what anyone would use to watch a movie).

On the other hand, the screen is very sharp and the color rendition is fairly good, but what use is it if it only looks good at one magic angle?

I wanted to love this device. Depite my other issues, if the screen had been better I'd probably keep it. This is really a shame, since LCD screens have made so much progress over the years, there doesn't seem to be a good reason why the LD doesn't have a better screen. I compared it with a PSP screen today and there is just no comparison - the PSP's screen is king - and Palm should realize that the PSP is more direct competition than they think.

Does anyone else feel the same way? With so many people using the LD to watch movies, I'm really surprised I haven't heard more people complain about how hard it is to find a good angle! And if you wanted to watch with a friend, forget it - one of you would have to watch a terrible picture.

[KenSong]

Yes, this was discussed before and the LD's screen sucks when compared even to the T3's Sony display, Zods and Clies. PalmOne or Palm (by tomorrow) should address this since this is their flagship model and its suppose to be a media device.

[Maticek]

Well my T3's screen sucked even more, if sucking means bad viewing angle.

[KenSong]

That's because T3s came with 2 screen types. The ones that sucks are the Sharp screens which is worst than the LDs while the Sony's screens are great but suffers from digitizer drift...sigh...

[Maticek]

My has a Sharp screen.

[Adrenochrome]

I noticed the viewing angle issue also, but I found it easy to compensate for by upping the brightness a bit and the contrast by a bit less. While I wish the screen were better, I can't say that it's enough for me to give much thought to.

[Robyr]

The veiwing angle does not bother me. Its the ghosting effect the screen gives off. Its a really lame LCD display. The stylus has that little effect that you see when you rub your finger on a laptop display or such. That really irks me that the LCD isnt LCD -> Glass/Digitizer. Also, its actually too bright, you start to see wash out :/

[jomo]

Geez, guys, it's a teenie-tiny PDA screen. What were you expecting? A state-of-the art Home-theater display? Any device that does as much as the LD is a COMPROMISE. I'd rather have an LD than carry a T3, iPod, Media-player, etc. all in my pockets. You can play some movies. You can play some tunes. There was a time when you couldn't do much more than keep track of your calendar--and even that wasn't all that good. I LIKE the LD screen just fine. It's sharp enough for my needs. If I want to watch a picture in full cinematic glory, I can sit down in front of my big-screen TV in my living room and listen to the effects in full 5.1 glory. If I'm wedged into a cramped airliner seat at 40,000 feet ASL, the LD is far better than listening to Beer-Breath sitting next to me regale the world about his adventures in bar-hopping. Is it perfect? No. Is it affordable fun? Yes.

[pgenie]

Right Jomo..But you know, when it comes to Technology, there is no room for excuses nor errors. We want to move with technology and not to go regressive. I wouldnt want to compare but I do acknowldedge that the PSP res is a piece of nice work. Due to my Love and respect for palm, inc. I will always expect them to be the best so we need an improvement on the LD res. Just take a look at the tréo 650 and compare with the tréo 600... How satisfy will you be???:)

[kwajkat]

My screen is fine EXCEPT for viewing outdoors. It is so poor that I can hardly see it. As for videos, I would not consider using the LD because nothng beats the PSP for movies I think.

[Unreg1stered]

Jomo, you do realize that in the tech world, they want tomorrows tech today. Some will say but it is today's tech. Yes, but I also don't want to be paying 600+ for a LD. What they don't understand is engineering of a device and the tradeoffs with marketing/pricing that must take place. PalmOne was dipping its toe in the water with this initial model. Now that they've seen it succeed, future models will have improvements where financially it makes the most sense.

As with most that read this topic, I can say jeez. Its got a great screen for a PDA! You are complaining about tilting it 1 or 2 degrees. Not to flame, but this is the type of complaint that normal people roll their eyes at.

I use mine all the time to play movies and love it. It's not great (acceptable though) for direct sunlight, but I wouldn't expect it to.

[Mojo_LA]

I agree that the LD has a nice, sharp, colorful screen. The resolution is great and, as far as sharpness, equals the PSP.

But viewing angle IS important. It stinks that I have to hold the unit at one very specific angle if I want to be able to see all the detail in the picture. Just try looking at a movie with dark scenes and you'll see what I mean.

But the BIG issue with viewing angle is being able to share your screen with someone else. I definitely want to be able to watch videos WITH someone, be it on a plane trip or just at work. The LD's viewing angle literally makes it impossible for 2 people to see a decent picture at the same time.

And the daylight thing is a good point, too. I was outside and the screen was almost impossible to see!! That's ridiculous, a handheld you can't use in sunlight? Look at the screen on the Blackberry, it's amazing. Super clear in bright light and with a backlight when you need it.

And saying I can't expect perfection from a "do everything" PDA is bull. There are a lot of competing devices out there (PSP, Archos, Ipaq, etc) that have better screens. If Palm wants to compete, they need to try harder to give people fewer reasons to return their Palms. On a device like this, the screen is the most important thing.

Can you imagine someone saying, "Hey, the PSP has a ton of computing power, lots of RAM, a disc drive, stereo sound, plays great games and only costs $200! Do you expect a perfect screen too???"

Yes, I do. And Sony KNOWS that is the most important part of the PSP so they got it right.

And the LD costs more than double!

If Palm fixes this on LD2, I'll buy it and keep it.

[vansouza]

I quite like the screen, very happy with my LD.

[jomo]

Point 1:
I agree that the LD has a nice, sharp, colorful screen. The resolution is great and, as far as sharpness, equals the PSP.

But viewing angle IS important. It stinks that I have to hold the unit at one very specific angle if I want to be able to see all the detail in the picture. Just try looking at a movie with dark scenes and you'll see what I mean.

Point 2:
But the BIG issue with viewing angle is being able to share your screen with someone else. I definitely want to be able to watch videos WITH someone, be it on a plane trip or just at work. The LD's viewing angle literally makes it impossible for 2 people to see a decent picture at the same time.

And the daylight thing is a good point, too. I was outside and the screen was almost impossible to see!! That's ridiculous, a handheld you can't use in sunlight? Look at the screen on the Blackberry, it's amazing. Super clear in bright light and with a backlight when you need it.

Point 3:
And saying I can't expect perfection from a "do everything" PDA is bull. There are a lot of competing devices out there (PSP, Archos, Ipaq, etc) that have better screens. If Palm wants to compete, they need to try harder to give people fewer reasons to return their Palms. On a device like this, the screen is the most important thing.

Point 4:
Can you imagine someone saying, "Hey, the PSP has a ton of computing power, lots of RAM, a disc drive, stereo sound, plays great games and only costs $200! Do you expect a perfect screen too???"

Point 5:
Yes, I do. And Sony KNOWS that is the most important part of the PSP so they got it right.

Point 6:
And the LD costs more than double!

Point 7:
If Palm fixes this on LD2, I'll buy it and keep it.
[QUOTE=Mojo_LA]

Point 1:
To YOU it stinks. That doesn't mean the LD's screen "sucks". It just means that it doesn't meet your needs. That's Ok. You took yours back. I'm cool with that. Don't post such a vitriolic topic over a personal preference.

Point 2:
Again. To you this is a big deal. Myself, when I travel, I'm usually alone or on a business trip with a bunch of guys who ALL have laptops and other devices to occupy them.

Point 3:
Nope. It's a perfectly legitimate argument. The Archos and PSP are dedicated entertainment devices. A good screen is a must-have for them. A PDA is not a dedicated entertainment device. It should be noted that you can't use a PSP as a PDA and, while the latest Archos DOES include a crippled version of Qtopia, I wouldn't try using that as a PDA either. Whether we like it or not, every device ever built by man is a compromise. If they weren't, only rich guys could afford them. I'm happy with my $499 Life-Drive instead of a $1000 plus gadget with a great screen.

Point 4:
But the PSP is MEANT to play movies and video games. The LD is meant as a tool for business that can keep you entertained during that hideous wait at the airport for your flight.

Point 5:
So playing videos was more important to you. That's fine. We're all cool with that. As they say in the car business, our mileage varies quite a bit. The rest of us saw no need for a "the Life Drive's screen sucks BHMC" thread.

Point 6:
And the LD functions as a Laptop Replacement, a GPS navigator, a Voice/Memo Recorder, a Photo-Wallet, etc. etc. etc... Sounds to me like the guy with the "limited" device is you. As I've said before, "different strokes for different folks". You don't like the LD. We're "down" with that. You have a choice as to where you could spend your money. Just leave the rest of us alone while we contentedly enjoy where we spent ours. That's not a flame, by the way. It's just a suggestion.

Point 7:
There's nothing really to "fix" per se. For what the LD was intended for, the screen is fine. Will Palm 'upgrade' the screen? Depends on the cost trade. For the 1% of guys like you who are really "hard-over" on the viewing angle issue, it may not be worth it. If there's a technology that Palm can insert cheaply enough to maintain or even reduce the cost that will bring in you 1% guys, you bet they will include it.

Regards...
Jomo

[jomo]

Right Jomo..But you know, when it comes to Technology, there is no room for excuses nor errors. We want to move with technology and not to go regressive. I wouldnt want to compare but I do acknowldedge that the PSP res is a piece of nice work. Due to my Love and respect for palm, inc. I will always expect them to be the best so we need an improvement on the LD res. Just take a look at the tréo 650 and compare with the tréo 600... How satisfy will you be???:)

Who's making excuses? There's nothing "wrong" with the LD screen. I can read the print on it just fine, which is more than I ever could say for my Zaurus. Even the originator of this thread has admitted that the real issue for him is the viewing angle. How many people huddle over a tiny 3+ inch screen with one or more other people trying to watch a video? It's really a question of his own preferences. He's entitled to them. It IS his money, after all, but I don't think it was cool of him to write multiple "I hated the Life Drive" rants in this forum.

[Mojo_LA]

First of all, the poor viewing angle is not 'my opinion,' it's a simple fact. I am fully aware that it may not be important to everyone.

And I did not say I "hate the LD" or just start a thread to bash it. I have said many times that I WANTED to love the LD, and I pointed out the many things I liked about it. I think it's clear that I feel like this device is ALMOST good enough.

But the fact remains, to me, it does many things ok but very little great.

And i disagree that multimedia playback is unimportant to people who buy the LD. What ELSE are you going to fill a 4 gig drive with?? MP3s and videos. Palm is clearly aiming at that market, yet the multimedia capabilities of the LD are mediocre at best.

And if multimedia playback isn't 'that important' to LD customers, why don't they buy another device that is hundreds of dollars cheaper?

These features ARE important. My whole point is that it would not have taken very much (i.e. a better screen and 16 megs of RAM) to make the LD far better.

I want people to understand why I started these 2 threads - I absolutely LOVE the LD idea - the device ALMOST is perfect - I am just sadly disappointed at a few very obvious blunders that have hurt it to the point of me wanting to return it.

I'm sad, I'm disappointed and I really hope Palm listens to the users and brings us back into the fold with an improved LD2.

[tk_421]

The LD is intended as a multimedia device to carry photos and stuff like that. I have a buiseness related to the visual arts, and the main reason why I won't buy the LD after the bugs will have been fixed is the VERY poor quality of the screen. PalmOne is just trying to cutcorners here and there by including a very poor screen on their high end device. Hey! I have a beautiful screen on my Zire 71, and I just can't bear the terrible LD screen.


I don't care much for viewing angle, and HVGA is perfect for a screen of that size. But the colors on the LD are utter crap. There is basically no green on that device. Also, there are awful shadow zones at the bottom of the screen, and the contsat levels are hideous. This is NOT a screen for videophiles, to say the least. I jus cannot enjoy viewing pictures on the LD, as I was spoiled with the beautiful screen of the Zire 71. That screen has perfect color rendition!


I must admit that I have seen one LD which had a slightly better screen. But it was still way off. For a multimdia centric device, this is just unacceptable. Again, this goes to show that PalmOne is marketing their products at people who are not very tech savvy. They are soon becomming a mom and pop handheld company. AT LEAST get a damn Sony LCD on the Top end device, for crying out loud!


The Zire 72 has nice colors. The Tungsten E2's screen is oversaturated (mosltyl with yellows), but at least they are watchable. For anyone with a minimum knowledge in video technology, the LD's screen just does not cut it.


Of course, you can always batch process pictures that you put on the LD to add green. I tried it, and estimated that if you add about 45% green and 10% brightness, the picture becomes very nice. So I would basically have to batch process all the pictures that I put on the LD so that I can actually enjoy the pictures I put on it. It's doable, but t sucks nonetheless. Right now this is the only thing that may make me go out and get an Ipaq hx4700. But WM is such a terrible on the go OS, it just makes me cringe.


If PalmOne can release just ONE 480x320 PDA with a Sony screen, I will be one happy camper, and will definitely stick to Palm. Now it's either get an Ipaq (PERFECT colors!), or batch processing. It's annoying, I must say, but there is no perfect solution I guess.


The LD is such a poor product, it's unbelievable! Soft reset loops, horrible screen, music playing that jumps all the time, hissing sound, poor screen lighting. PalmOne may be profitable, but they are so on the back of customers. It's sad, but with products like those, tech savvy people will have no choice but to go get PPCs, nomatter how HIDEOUS their OS can be. (That is an understatement. WM is utter mobile hell, nomatter how much you customize it.) I don't care for VGA, but there IS such a thing as a good HVGA screen.


Does anybody know how to put a Sony T3 screen on a LD? Now THAT would make me a happy camper! But I guess Sony no longer wants to make screens for Palm I guess. They are helping out HP now.


My only hope concering Palm now is a Zire 73 with Wi-fi and a 480x320 Sony screen. What? I am dreaming? Okay, hopefully we'll get that in 3-4 years.


I guess I am too tech savvy for PalmOne. Fine for Clies, but too demanding for Palm. having to jump ship to PPC for the screen issue is so sad, really. (Did I mention I hate WM? )


Here's crossing my fingers for the Zire 73.

[Mojo_LA]

If only we could find a way to stick that 4 gig drive into a PSP, we'd be set!

Or, if we could get the PSP screen into the LD, THAT would be the dream...

[tk_421]

Have you ever considered a hx4700? The screen has a higher resolution than the PSP, although it ha les color depth, and the contrasts are too high. You can add a 4GB microdrive for 200$.


I have made my decision. I am buying an Ipaq hx4700. I will keep my beautiful Zire 71 as a personnal organizer and for language study, and the Ipaq as a drawing pad, picture viewer, word processor and document raeder (still with Repligo though.) Maybe the Zire 73 will have a big Sony screen and wi-fi. Then I will have two nice PDAs.


I guess I will have to get two PDAs now. I guess they are really useful to me. But whatever I buy, I NEED a Sony screen with perfect colors. I am too much of a multmdia guy to deal with the LD's screen. Too bad. Drawing on the Ipaq with Pocket Artist is so much fun! I guess I won't miss the LD after all.