musky
03-20-2008, 02:29 AM
I want to post this mini-review on the M1400 View Anywhere display vs. the Fujitsu reflective (outdoor) display, because I've had zero luck Googling for information on a direct comparison on these 2 displays, and I thought it might be useful to someone, so here goes....
For a couple years I have had a Fujitsu 3500 with the reflective outdoor display (3500R). I use it in a boat with a GPS for navigation. Frequently I have to deal with bright direct sunlight. The Fujitsu display looks pretty good in direct sunlight. It LIKES direct light, it THRIVES on direct light. The more light the better. The only issue is color purity; you don't get rich colors from this display. The downside to the totally reflective display is when it gets dark there is nothing of course! The newer Fujitsu reflectives (ST4021, ST5021) have a front light which somewhat solves this problem, although I haven't seen one in action.
I wanted to upgrade, and have heard various opinions on the Motion View Anywhere display. I have heard anything from, "they are great outside", to someone's comment that the View Anywhere is "View Anywhere as long as it is not outside" :)
The only way to truly find out was to buy a M1400, so that's what I did, and here is my take:
For direct sunlight (behind your back shining directly on the screen), the Fujitsu reflective beats the VA. To me it is clearly superior in direct sunlight. I wouldn't go so far to say the VA is bad or anything, it is still usable in direct sunlight, it's just that the Fujitsu is better. The VA in direct sunlight also has a kind of odd "double image" thing going on. What it looks like is the bright sunlight reflecting off 2 layers. I do not know exactly what the 2 layers are. It's not bad, just noticable. The Fujitsu has none of this going on.
Outside on a sunny day without DIRECT sunlight (the sun is not directly behind your back shining directly on the screen), I would call it a draw. They are both pretty similiar.
On a very cloudy day, or sunrise/sunset, the VA is better.
In darkness the VA of course blows the Fujitsu away.
For a couple years I have had a Fujitsu 3500 with the reflective outdoor display (3500R). I use it in a boat with a GPS for navigation. Frequently I have to deal with bright direct sunlight. The Fujitsu display looks pretty good in direct sunlight. It LIKES direct light, it THRIVES on direct light. The more light the better. The only issue is color purity; you don't get rich colors from this display. The downside to the totally reflective display is when it gets dark there is nothing of course! The newer Fujitsu reflectives (ST4021, ST5021) have a front light which somewhat solves this problem, although I haven't seen one in action.
I wanted to upgrade, and have heard various opinions on the Motion View Anywhere display. I have heard anything from, "they are great outside", to someone's comment that the View Anywhere is "View Anywhere as long as it is not outside" :)
The only way to truly find out was to buy a M1400, so that's what I did, and here is my take:
For direct sunlight (behind your back shining directly on the screen), the Fujitsu reflective beats the VA. To me it is clearly superior in direct sunlight. I wouldn't go so far to say the VA is bad or anything, it is still usable in direct sunlight, it's just that the Fujitsu is better. The VA in direct sunlight also has a kind of odd "double image" thing going on. What it looks like is the bright sunlight reflecting off 2 layers. I do not know exactly what the 2 layers are. It's not bad, just noticable. The Fujitsu has none of this going on.
Outside on a sunny day without DIRECT sunlight (the sun is not directly behind your back shining directly on the screen), I would call it a draw. They are both pretty similiar.
On a very cloudy day, or sunrise/sunset, the VA is better.
In darkness the VA of course blows the Fujitsu away.