Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

Based on this photograph, it seems like the Visor Prism's LCD screen suffers from the same pixel spacing issues that the Palm IIIc had (basically you can see between the pixels, causing a distracting grid that makes it harder on the eyes to read the screen).

http://www.zdnet.co.jp/macwire/0010/16/visor5.jpg

Pen Computing also notices this issue, as well as a screen refresh/flicker issue.

Looks like the Platinum is probably a better buy. Doesn't look like 160x160 color will ever be fantastic -- the resolution is just too low.

Of course, my opinion is subject to change once I see one in person.

-Al

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 219

quote:

---

Originally posted by Albert C. Lee
Of course, my opinion is subject to change once I see one in person. -Al

---

I hope so160x160 Pixel is my concern, too. But I can't wait!

__________________
Taki
<!-- Begin UMSB Link --><A HREF="http://www.ad-visor.net/UMSB/"><IMG SRC="http://www.ad-visor.net/image/UMSB.gif"ALT="UMSB"BORDER=0></a><!-- End UMSB Link -->

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 165

Hard to judge definitively from the photo, too... depending on image reduction/compression, there might be some moir� pattern effect at work.

But it is nice to see a more realistic representation than the snazzy photos on Handspring's site. I hope Best Buy/Staples get these in stock soon, so I can go check one out.

__________________
<br>"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union" -Frank Lloyd Wright

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Posts: 44

Visor Prism - digital photos of screen will always look bad/moired

http://www.zdnet.co.jp/macwire/0010/16/visor5.jpg

The link above to the photo of Visor Prism does not do it justice. You do not see the gaps between the pixels. I love the 65 thou. colors. The pixels are way more obvious on my Palm IIIc because the images have to be dithered or posterized before they are displayed. The IIIc does not have enough processing power to handle any more color.

Geeky detail: you cannot photograph a grid of pixels with a digital camera based on a gridded CCD and expect the representation to look like how your eye would perceive it. It is like filming a TV or monitor with a scanning TV camera. You get interference lines. In the case of the Visor Prism you get a moire pattern like you can see on the (I presume) Japanese Visor Prism in the URL above. Try photographing with ordinary film to see what I mean and compare.

The joys of being an early adopter...

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 31

While I wait to see the Prism in person myself, I couldn't help but obsess over what 160x160 will do for an image, so I took a 320x320 native image, squashed it to 160x160, reduced the colors to 65k colors, and expanded it (with no interpolation) back to 320x320.

Here's what I came up with:
http://staff.pop3now.com/alee/image_v_hs.jpg

What do you think... is my methodology flawed here or is this roughly what we should expect to see (obviously on a much smaller scale)?

-Al

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Albert:

The image on the right is pretty much what it would look like on a Palm IIIc. Don't know about the Prism, until I see one in person. But I assume it would be a close likeness.

__________________
My blog: Pocketfactory

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

quote:

---

Originally posted by foo fighter
Albert:

The image on the right is pretty much what it would look like on a Palm IIIc. Don't know about the Prism, until I see one in person. But I assume it would be a close likeness.

---

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Yes but Albert is trying to simulate the effect of a 160x160 disply. Not color depth, but rather pixel depth.

__________________
My blog: Pocketfactory

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

quote:

---

Originally posted by Albert C. Lee
What do you think... is my methodology flawed here or is this roughly what we should expect to see (obviously on a much smaller scale)?

---

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

you guys are idiots. there is no way your file will look like anything. just wait for a week and go look at the thing in person at fry's. then you can tell your boring girlfriend every detail about the stupid thing and say: "if only this were out three weeks ago....."

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Hacienda Heights, Ca
Posts: 302

quote:

---

Originally posted by california boyhead
you guys are idiots. there is no way your file will look like anything. just wait for a week and go look at the thing in person at fry's. then you can tell your boring girlfriend every detail about the stupid thing and say: "if only this were out three weeks ago....."

---

__________________
Bret Snyder<BR>If you don't know where you're going,<BR>You'll probably end up somewhere else.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 33

So much for cyber-etiquette

__________________
Simpler is better.
- Occam's Razor

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 165

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bret Snyder

And when did they start selling at Fry's ? [/B]

---

__________________
<br>"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union" -Frank Lloyd Wright

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Hacienda Heights, Ca
Posts: 302

quote:

---

Originally posted by Usonian
I hate to prove a troll with a third-grade command of the English language right, but they've got Visors and accessories at the Fry's in Burbank, CA. No display models that I could see, though; just boxes on the same shelves as the Palm models (and the Clie, come to think of it.)

Best Buy will probably be a better bet to get a look at a working model.

-Andy

---

__________________
Bret Snyder<BR>If you don't know where you're going,<BR>You'll probably end up somewhere else.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 165

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bret Snyder
I shop at the Burbank Fry's, so I will stop by and take a look (the display models are usually over by the laptops).

---

Lol, I guess I'm in the idiot category too. I guess I never found the demo PDA's because I find Fry's floor staff so repugnant that I usually avoid the computer display area altogether, sticking to the peripherals in the aisles.

__________________
<br>"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union" -Frank Lloyd Wright

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Inglewood, CA, USA
Posts: 390

quote:

---

Originally posted by california boyhead
you guys are idiots. there is no way your file will look like anything. just wait for a week and go look at the thing in person at fry's. then you can tell your boring girlfriend every detail about the stupid thing and say: "if only this were out three weeks ago....."

---

"idiots", "boring girlfriend", "stupid thing"... Hmmm, so which bridge do you live under?

Actually, they probably won't be at Fry's in a "a week". I've read that you can only buy the new units from Handspring directly, until after the first of November. Then it will be open to other vendors.

Yep, I too saw Visors at Fry's/Burbank. (A few months ago, the people there acted like they had never heard of them.) They had a LOT of them - Deluxe's, Solo's, styluses (sp?), modules (I only saw Handspring) and cases... Looked to me like they were getting ready for holiday shoppers.

__________________
"Attitudes are contagious... Is YOURS worth catching?"