cliffart

I'm looking at buying the Xenarc 700TSV and am wondering if anyone has purchased the high brightness upgrade. Most of the problems I've read about the display have been about the amount of glare during the day. On this site:

http://www.xenarcdirect.com/search_r...n=ALL&iLevel=1

the upgrade mentions that an "anti-reflective coating" will be applied. Before I pay $195 more for the already expensive screen, I wanted to hear some opinions.

Has anyone found another solution to the glare problem?

Thanks,
Cliff

aggie300zx

Yes, when you install the Xenarc, do not attach the clear plastic protective cover (for non-touchscreen version). This is what causes alot of the glare.

cliffart

Hey fellow aggie. Thanks for replying to my thread. I'm assuming you're a Texas A&M aggie since you live in Dallas now. I'm A&M class of 97 and really miss those Freebird burritos.

Did you get the high brightness upgrade with your Xenarc? If you go to the link on the first post of this thread, you will see a $195 upgrade at the bottom of the page. It claims to boost the brightness to 380 to 400 cd/m and reduce the glare with a special coating. I was hoping to get some feedback before I purchase that upgrade.

Does removing the clear plastic cover help reduce the glare with touchscreens?

aggie300zx

Yep, class of 96! Gig'em

The brightness could be better during daylight hours, but is more then plenty at night. Someone on the board wrote a little software program that quickly and easily allows you to adjust the brightness for at night. Try a search for that...

As for the touchscreen, I have not physically seen one but from what I understand there will be a clear screen cover that has to be used (for the touchscreen function) so you will undoubtedly have glare from that. At one point I looked into anti-glare film, but then I would suspect that would negate some of the brightness....but that's just a quess.

cliffart

I contacted Xenarc to get more details about this upgrade. They told me that an anti-glare film is put over the screen or touchscreen and they change the optics to make it up to 80% brighter. They also said there is a drawback to this enhancement. The new back-lighting optics reduces the angled viewing range. I guess the display gets brighter than stock only when you look at it straight on.

To anyone with a Xenarc, how is the angled viewing range? Does the screen get brighter if you look at it straight on? Do you think it could sacrifice some angled viewing range?

aggie300zx

The screen is not the best at angled viewing...although I think it works great for the two passenger seats. I kind of like knowing that someone just looking in through your window will not even realize something is on the screen.

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

That's what I have seen on mine as well. If you are sitting in the driver's or passenger's seat, great view. If you are just a little more off to either side, poor or no view.

cliffart

I just bought a Xenarc 700TSV screen from this site:
http://www.spysupply007.com/LCD_Screens/
They are selling it for only $450 which is a good deal compared to Xenarc Direct:
http://www.xenarcdirect.com/storefront.asp?pgID=1
I hope this SpySupply distributor is honest. I'll know more if/when I get my display.

I didn't get the high brightness upgrade. The reduced angle viewing range scared me away and I didn't hear from anyone who purchased the upgrade to vouch for it.

Can't wait to install it

MacGuru

"They are selling it for only $450!"

That's a really good deal. Let us know how this purchase goes. If all goes well, I'm next. -m

ZZZealous007

YEh that price is not bad at all for the VGA and touchscreen. Let us know how the service is with that dealer. ...GOod LUCK with the install!

cliffart

Well, my experience with SpySupply hasn't been perfect so far. I can say that the guy I've been dealing with has been honest but the web site might be incorrect. I tried to buy the TSV700-VGA for $450 but he wrote me back saying that screen is $550...even though I ordered it correctly through the web site. He refunded my money and said the web site was fixed so I could try it again. Well I tried it again and the same display came up for the $450 price so I don't think it's fixed. I went ahead and ordered the normal 700TSV display for the $550.....that's still $50 cheaper than Xenarc direct.

I wrote him another email asking if there really is a 700TSV-VGA type display for $450. I'll let you know what he says....and if/when I get my display. He promised it'll be here by this Friday.

HEUGE

So based on people's posts, this upgrade does not actually upgrade the backlight, only putting a "film" to improve measured brightness. That is disappointing since a brighter backlight would make more sense in a car since the additional current draw would be insignificant. Perhaps this is similar to the screen films made by 3M that many Libretto owners had installed by Man & Machine. It is possible that the screen works as a mini fresnel lens, focusing the normally dispersed light into coherent light. That would explain why the image viewing angle is reduced. I never purchased this upgrade because of the prohibitive cost.

There was one fellow on the boards who was able to buy a large sheet of the material and was selling it to Libretto mailing-list members, so perhaps that same trend can be followed here to save some cash.

Per the Adorable Libretto pages: (http://www.silverace.com/libretto/)
LCD Screen
Man & Machine can install a 3M Brightness Enhancement Film into your LCD display panel to increase the brightness of the screen by 71% (from 70 nit to 120 nit). The advantage of this is that it allows you to run the Libretto at a lower screen brightness setting than before, yet it will appear just as bright with the film installed. This increases battery life. And, you can view the Libretto under much brighter conditions under full brightness power. About $300-400 USD, a Toshiba approved modification that will not void the warranty. (note: I think these prices are from 3 or 4 years ago)

BrImSt0ne

I think by law they have to sell you the item for the listed price. If the website says $450 and you give him money he has to sell it to you at the advertised price.

cliffart

Thanks for the info. That would have been helpful a few days ago

He states that he has a 700TSV-VGA screen that has all the features of the 700TSV for $450 but I was worried that he didn't know what he was talking about. I hope someone tries to buy the $450 screen.

ares

iTrader: (2)

I purchased from him long ago, in march.

long story, most my fault, some his I think, but I still dont have a screen.

basicly I installed it, found out it didnt work, then in trying to remove it cracked the screen.(never tested it before installing).

well of course I send it back and they say hell no cause the case was opened.

anyway, that was my fault, however I sent it back like 2 weeks after ordering and recieiving it. then waited 3 month before they told me I had to paypal them 150$ to fix it out of warrenty.

I paid them about 3 weeks ago. still waiting.

in short, they do deliver their product the first time. but be sure to test it before opening it, and if its broken, well you may be waiting a while.

cliffart

ares, I read about your broken screen on other threads....that sucks!

I just got my display today

I powered it up and it works fine but the brightness really isn't all that great. I'm considering returning it to Xenarc to get the brightness upgrade to it. The way it is now, I won't be able to see anything on it during the day. I just really wish I could see a display with the brightness mod before I buy it.

SpySupply did deliver a good product though. I will recommend them. I hope they get their web site figured out though.