Gradient Problems . . .

jjames

I just did a custom design using a gradient fill in the background. I loaded it on the 1200VG, and it looks awful. Are there any settings or something that can increase the clarity of the graphics? You can literally see huge lines of the gradient going from a light blue to a very light silver. The closest reproduction I can get on a computer is the attached image, a screen shot from webcontrol. I marked in the image how large the lines of color are. Has anyone seen this, and is there any way to fix it?

Clingpeach

I have a question to do with your panel ( not the answer you were looking for) The headline feed??? Is that something that has to be purchased or is it free can you direct me to where I have to find it. Thanks

jjames

It's a small "module" (term used loosely) I wrote using CNN's xml feed. It's not that hard to figure out really. Just a bit of string parsing. I'm pretty sure by looking at other XML feeds (ESPN.com, NPR's, etc.) that this little "module" can be used for theirs as well without much modification.

dchristo

I looked at the data sheet for the 1200VG, and it specifies only 18-bit color depth. You may want to try reducing the color depth in your graphics program and add some dithering to the gradient to help smooth it out.

--D

jjames

Thanks - I should have looked at that. I reduced it down and added some dithering. It does look better, but not exactly how I want it. Oh well, only time will improve the hardware I guess.

[Deleted User]

Nice panel design

Your panel layout is first class. We could use you for an instructor.

Is your graphic format a .png file or something else? The reason I ask is because your best results will be provided by importing the file as a png.

jjames

Brian,

Thank you for the compliment. Instructor huh? :cool: That makes my head big - JUST KIDDING!!

I used Macromedia Fireworks2004 (FW), which I use for all of my designs because FW uses PNG as its native format. So normally, I'll just save and bam - I've got a PNG graphic for my panel - I'll even sometimes convert GIFs and JPGs to PNG so I can have transparent backgrounds for some of the images (logos, icons, etc.) However, FW save them as a 32-bit image. So, since I have to try to keep within the 18-bit limit for the 1200VG (and I'm going to suspect for most other panels as well?? - someone correct me if I'm wrong) I had to export it as an 8-bit image, bump up the colors to 256, and dithering to 100% to get it not as "blocky" as my old image - thanks to D for finding that's it's an 18-bit color depth screen.

And by the way - I hope this post didn't scare anyone off from using gradients, they're perfectly fine in touchpanels, except for a large gradient like the one I was using. Small gradients (like the ones used in the buttons) are fine, and look great on the panel. It's just sometimes frustrating and disapointing to see your creation not turn out how it looks in your mind, and on the computer screen.

[Deleted User]

Can you get me the original image, I've never seen any issues that crop up with using gradients, the human eye has a hard time seeing the 6 bit difference, between 24 and 18 bit.

jjames

The original file was 32-bit depth, so that could be why it was so badly "chunked" in seeing the lines of the gradient. Like I said, I had to lower it to an 8-bit PNG with 256 colors and 100% dithering. Just do any large gradient that takes up the entire screen and you should be able to replicate it. So far I've only seen it on the 1200VG.

pauld

Off Topic, But...

Please forgive me but,

JJames how do you get the xml feed into the master? Do you have a computer or are you directly connecting to CNN.com from the master?

I found the XML feed on CNN.com and after looking at it I think i can create a module to do the same for other web sites but I am interested in how you get that great looking feed on the touchpanel.

jjames

Directly connecting the controller to the feed. Feel free to replicate my module, it's not like I personally can copyright or sell it. It's actually very simple. Enjoy.