• Registered: 2007-11-19
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Rainbow colors on LCD

Hi everyone,

New forum member and one week Chumby owner here. Glad to be part of the forum.

My chumby appears to work properly with none of the other symptoms that I have read about. However, I have a small concern regarding the screen. The slightest touch on most parts of the screen produces that familiar rainbow color effect. The same that you get when you press on an unprotected LCD screen hard enough. I find this rather strange because I have several other devices that have a touchscreen and none of them exhibit this behavior, even when pressed rather firmly.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't touchscreen displays supposed to have the actual display recessed considerably from the touch surface to prevent the exact behavior that I described above?

Though it doesn't get in the way of functionality, it does get annoying and worrisome - my fear is all that repeated pressing on the screen might damage it eventually. Murphy's Law dictates that this happens after the warranty is over.

Thanks in advance!

-N-

  • Registered: 2007-11-15
  • Posts: 30

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

I've seen several people post about this, so it seems to be related to the design, as you surmise. My Chumby is exactly the same way. I think the issue is exacerbated by the touchscreen's relative insensitivity; I must press harder before Chumby registers a touch than I do on any other touchscreen device I own.

I don't have any concern about damaging Chumby in this way (am I being cavalier?), but it does seem like a fit-and-finish issue. People don't expect to see this in a touchscreen.

  • Registered: 2007-11-19
  • Posts: 2

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

I forgot to mention in my original post that even mildly pressing in areas outside the screen produce the same effect - I find this quite ironic being that the Chumby is marketed as something that appears to be cudly and squeezable. Not that I squeeze the thing endlessly though. LOL!

In any event, I hope the thing doesn't break out of normal use of the screen.

  • Registered: 2007-11-09
  • Posts: 38

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

my touch screen is perfectly sensitive, I just use my fingernail (as it seemed natural to).  the screen is too small to try and use my finger tip.

  • phord
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-11-16
  • Posts: 8

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

I pressed REALLY HARD on my Chumby screen when I was testing the pressure sensor output last week.  (Yes, the Chumby measures how hard you're pressing on the screen.)  I had to press REALLY hard to get the highest reading.  And I didn't break the screen or leave any lasting marks. 

I didn't think about it being dangerous for my Chumby!  Oh no! What was I thinking?!  yikes

Phil

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-29
  • Posts: 159

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

As we try to instruct in the tour and on the FAQ, the best way to get performance out of the chumby's touchscreen is a tap with the fingernail -- when the chumby's placed on a flat surface this is actually the easier way to do it, i.e., with your wrist in the air rather than flat on the tabletop.  I guess a bit of a retraining issue to do on our part but, once you do it this way, most people find that it works quite well.  Would like to hear how people are interacting with the touchscreen and if those who are sort of flicking at it with their fingernail have the same problems encountered by those trying to press (too hard apparently in some cases) with the fleshy part of their finger.

Steve Tomlin's Website

  • Ramez
  • New member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-11-17
  • Posts: 1

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

I've had my Chumby since last Thursday and so far I'm really enjoying it.  I'll write up a more comprehensive set of impressions and feedback later this week after I've spent a few more days getting to know Cthulhu (my Chumby).

Weighing in on the current issue, I do notice the above mentioned "rainbowing" effect on my touchscreen.

Unless I use the lightest of touches, a discolored blob appears in the middle right of the screen.  At first I found it a bit distracting, since my other primary touch oriented device (a Nintendo DS) has never displayed this particular issue.  However, once I got my Chumby setup and online I haven't been using the touch screen as extensively.  When I do use the touch screen I actually use a spare Nintendo DS Stylus.  I find it provides enough pressure to register without causing the distracting effect.  I have had none of the accuracy issue others have encountered, probably due to the use of the stylus.  Overall, I'm satisfied with the touch screen's performance and appearance.

I know there's another thread related to this issue, but I figure I might as well mention it here since it's really the only other grip I have hardware wise relating to the Chumby so far.  I've had problem where the button on the top gets stuck and I can't escape the control panel for more than a moment.  This seems to be due to the fact that the skin on my Chumby is pretty tight (especially after adding a 9V battery).  Rearranging the internal stuffing a little seemed to help some, but it can still get stuck on occasion.  I've found a light touch normally avoids this issue altogether and if it does get stuck, pushing gently on the sides of the Chumby seem to loosen the top of the skin enough for the button to unclick.

So far, I've been very pleased with my purchase and have been recommending it heavily at work.

  • Registered: 2007-11-16
  • Posts: 12

Re: Rainbow colors on LCD

I found my mushy fleshy finger to be too inaccurate to manage what I wanted to do with the touchscreen, as well as obfuscating my view. I have no long fingernails (I bite them) so I use the back of my finger, touching the screen with my fingernail top. This works well and I can see the screen while I do it. If that's what you wanted to know...