[deadcowboy]

Now I remember why I quit my Q10...it gave me regular headaches; I've been using it again lately instead of my Passport and I've been getting them more and more, especially so right now. The Q10's screen just seems abrasive to my eyes and brain.

I have a theory that the issue I have is due to the "Pentile Subpixel Arrangement" which is when pixels share green subpixels, it's why lines look like zippers on the Q10. Samsung uses this arrangement to artificially bolster listed resolution. And it's occasionally noted to seemingly cause headaches.

So I'm back to looking for something different, and I was considering the Priv, but am nervous of its amoled screen. Does anyone know from which company the Priv's screen is sourced? Does anyone know whether or not the Priv uses a Pentile Subpixel Arrangement?

This is a pretty specific question, but I'm sure one of us has a few clues.

Posted via CB10

[goku_vegeta]

It might be pentile, doesn't look like it though. With pentile though you wouldn't notice it as much with higher resolutions. I find the Priv has a high enough resolution for the AMOLED screen not to show the matrix as the Q10 did.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Mirko935]

It uses Diamond Pentile matrix: BlackBerry Priv review: Privilege granted - page 3 - GSMArena.com

But I don't think you'd notice it given the rather high resolution of the screen.

Btw, it's probably a Samsung-made screen. No one but Samsung and LG even manufactures OLED screens afaik, and LG doesn't even put them on their own phones, so I'd bet it's Samsung.

[deadcowboy]

Thanks guys, I knew you'd come through! I'm sure it's not an issue at its high resolution, but it'd be nicer to have a traditional arrangement.


Posted via CB10

[Mirko935]

Thanks guys, I knew you'd come through! I'm sure it's not an issue at its high resolution, but it'd be nicer to have a traditional arrangement.
Posted via CB10

Actually it's not just to "artificially bolster listed resolution". There is quite some research that suggests that the human eye is most sensitive to green colour so in that sense an RGB matrix isn't actually the most "natural" to the human eye. And there is also the reason that blue and red subpixels have to be larger in order to achieve the same brightness as the green ones. At least the internets say so, I'm not really an expert, this is just what I've read.
Pentile or not, Priv's screen is gorgeous. The only times I can notice the pixels are e.g. when reading red text on a pure black background. Then only the red ones light up so you can actually see them. Not a big deal, really.

Are you sure that it's the subpixel arrangement that is causing you headaches? It doesn't make much sense to me. I don't mean to insult or anything, just that I don't see a reason for it. What I do see as a potential cause is the PWM:
"As typical for AMOLEDs, the Priv's screen brightness is controlled via PWM, which could be a problem for sensitive users.
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether."
From: BlackBerry Priv Smartphone Review - NotebookCheck.net Reviews

I don't know if this helps you at all regarding Priv, but maybe it could help you understand your problem better (if I'm right about it). For instance, most PC monitors also reduce brightness by PWM, but there are "flicker-free" monitors that reduce it by other means for which people sensitive to flickering say they don't have headaches from, so maybe you should look into it.

Anyway, I hope this helps, somehow. And sorry if I missed the "diagnosis".

[StutterStep]

Q10 screen is not high enough resolution which is why you will notice the pentile pattern; it is as bad as the screen on the galaxy S3 which is what 4 years old now? For the Priv it is literally imposssible to see the pattern. You have nothing to worry about. People cannot even notice on Full HD displays let alone a QHD display on the Priv and flagship phones these days

[deadcowboy]

Actually it's not just to "artificially bolster listed resolution". There is quite some research that suggests that the human eye is most sensitive to green colour so in that sense an RGB matrix isn't actually the most "natural" to the human eye. And there is also the reason that blue and red subpixels have to be larger in order to achieve the same brightness as the green ones. At least the internets say so, I'm not really an expert, this is just what I've read.
Pentile or not, Priv's screen is gorgeous. The only times I can notice the pixels are e.g. when reading red text on a pure black background. Then only the red ones light up so you can actually see them. Not a big deal, really.

Are you sure that it's the subpixel arrangement that is causing you headaches? It doesn't make much sense to me. I don't mean to insult or anything, just that I don't see a reason for it. What I do see as a potential cause is the PWM:
"As typical for AMOLEDs, the Priv's screen brightness is controlled via PWM, which could be a problem for sensitive users.
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether."
From: BlackBerry Priv Smartphone Review - NotebookCheck.net Reviews

I don't know if this helps you at all regarding Priv, but maybe it could help you understand your problem better (if I'm right about it). For instance, most PC monitors also reduce brightness by PWM, but there are "flicker-free" monitors that reduce it by other means for which people sensitive to flickering say they don't have headaches from, so maybe you should look into it.

Anyway, I hope this helps, somehow. And sorry if I missed the "diagnosis".

PWM would definitely make more sense. If amoled screens behave like fluorescent lights, with rapid flicker that is 'almost' imperceptible to the human brain, then that would make a lot of sense, because I can often sense LED and CFL flicker, and I experience occasional headaches as a result.

As a filmmaker, anything not incandescent requires consideration of the relationship between 60hz power and frame rate (that's why standard frame rate in Europe is 25fps, because of the 50hz power). This is especially true for still photographers who have the ability to shoot a massive range of shutter speeds...and can often have photos ruined if they aren't paying attention to flicker rate.

But I wonder, doesn't an LCD flicker in much the same way? Unless it is flicker free. I guess I'll have to film all my electronics at different shutter speeds to determine what works. What about OLED tv's? thanks for bringing this idea to my attention, very interesting and could help me in the future.

Posted via CB10

[Mirko935]

PWM would definitely make more sense. If amoled screens behave like fluorescent lights, with rapid flicker that is 'almost' imperceptible to the human brain, then that would make a lot of sense, because I can often sense LED and CFL flicker, and I experience occasional headaches as a result.

As a filmmaker, anything not incandescent requires consideration of the relationship between 60hz power and frame rate (that's why standard frame rate in Europe is 25fps, because of the 50hz power). This is especially true for still photographers who have the ability to shoot a massive range of shutter speeds...and can often have photos ruined if they aren't paying attention to flicker rate.

But I wonder, doesn't an LCD flicker in much the same way? Unless it is flicker free. I guess I'll have to film all my electronics at different shutter speeds to determine what works. What about OLED tv's? thanks for bringing this idea to my attention, very interesting and could help me in the future.

Posted via CB10

You're welcome. Afaik, most LCDs (not flicker-free ones, of course) work the same way, at least when not at 100 % brightness.

I would guess that OLED TVs work the same as phone screens. PWM is probably way simpler than voltage regulation for every subpixel or something like that. But I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, I can't really help you much more. My eyes are extremely sensitive, but only to bright light (I get nasty migraines on sunny days if I forget my sunglasses, also from screens if set to high brightness), fortunately I don't have any problems with flickering so I never looked into it much.
What I do know is that notebookcheck (the site I linked above) tests phones for flickering (probably also other devices that they review) so you might start there and try to read about and test a few devices yourself to see what works for you. I read their iPhone 7 review and it said they didn't detect flicker on its screen so if it is PWM, i.e. flickering that is causing you problems, I guess you shouldn't have them with it. Not that you should buy an iPhone, god forbid , just see if the screen works for you.

Feel free to write what you manage to find out. I'm actually interested in this topic and there could be others with a similar problem to yours.