What can I do about laptop screen sun glare?

sinjin · Jul 11th, 2005, 05:42 PM

It is really hard to get Mac laptop screens to be even tolerable outside. I can recall being surprised by some PC laptops I've seen being operated outside with perfectly visible screens when I know my powerbook would have been useless. I guess it's a different technology thing as mentioned above.

Anyhow, I've played around a bit with DIY visors and decided they were more trouble than they are worth, for me (as in it is not ever crucial for me to be working outside, only desirable). Even on overcast days there is A LOT of light out there! When I put a visor around my screen, light reflected from the keyboard, me and coming in from angles that the visor wasn't blocking made the visor effectively useless.

I concluded that if I were to seriously continue my project I'd make sure the visor was the flattest black I could find on the inside, blocked light from the keyboard (like the hoodman) and that I'd wear black when using it!

ernestworthing · Jul 11th, 2005, 05:45 PM

Alternatively, you can do the B&W thingy which helps improve legibility:

System Preferences
Universal Access
White-on-Black

Or if you didn't disable the keyboard shortcut like I did, you can press:

Ctrl-alt-Cmd-8

If you want a fully black and white negative image, turn on Grey Scale.

Paperweight · Jul 11th, 2005, 11:12 PM

	Quote:
	It is really hard to get Mac laptop screens to be even tolerable outside. I can recall being surprised by some PC laptops I've seen being operated outside with perfectly visible screens when I know my powerbook would have been useless. I guess it's a different technology thing as mentioned above.

Is that the shiney kind of display like on Sonys? Or is it something special? I wish Macs had it--after all, they are supposed to be the best.

andreww · Jul 12th, 2005, 02:13 PM

Its the form factor of the PC laptop that allows for bigger and more powerful backlights. My powerbook screen is about 1/4" thick. I've seen PCs that are about 3/4". More room means more light!

Jul 11th, 2005, 05:42 PM	#11
sinjin Full Citizen Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 523	It is really hard to get Mac laptop screens to be even tolerable outside. I can recall being surprised by some PC laptops I've seen being operated outside with perfectly visible screens when I know my powerbook would have been useless. I guess it's a different technology thing as mentioned above. Anyhow, I've played around a bit with DIY visors and decided they were more trouble than they are worth, for me (as in it is not ever crucial for me to be working outside, only desirable). Even on overcast days there is A LOT of light out there! When I put a visor around my screen, light reflected from the keyboard, me and coming in from angles that the visor wasn't blocking made the visor effectively useless. I concluded that if I were to seriously continue my project I'd make sure the visor was the flattest black I could find on the inside, blocked light from the keyboard (like the hoodman) and that I'd wear black when using it! __________________ How could you not be happy with balloons full of hamsters hanging off of your belt?

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Jul 11th, 2005, 05:45 PM	#12
ernestworthing Full Citizen Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Hamilton, ON and Montreal, QC Posts: 195	Alternatively, you can do the B&W thingy which helps improve legibility: System Preferences Universal Access White-on-Black Or if you didn't disable the keyboard shortcut like I did, you can press: Ctrl-alt-Cmd-8 If you want a fully black and white negative image, turn on Grey Scale.

Jul 12th, 2005, 02:13 PM	#14
andreww Honourable Citizen Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,311	Its the form factor of the PC laptop that allows for bigger and more powerful backlights. My powerbook screen is about 1/4" thick. I've seen PCs that are about 3/4". More room means more light!