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Dim Daylight Display

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by pablo, Jul 11, 2005.

  1. pablo

    pablo New Member

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    We are renting an '05 right now; planning to buy our '05, #6 in the next week or so. One of the (very few) things we don't like about the Prius is the washed out display screen in daylight. I played with the brightness control and turned it fully on but it is still very difficult for me to read -- and impossible for my wife.

    Is there a fix for this? Am I missing something?

    I'd also like to know if anyone is using the Bluetooth connectivity with a Motorola V330.

    Great board, by the way.

    Thanks.

    --P
     
    #1 pablo, Jul 11, 2005
  2. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    nope not a bug. there was someone who created a hood that fit over the screen and acted as a shade.

    in some situations, you can adjust the contrast and that might help.

    on the brightness you were adjusting, it was the wheel on lower left side of Dash below the steering wheel?
     
    #2 DaveinOlyWA, Jul 11, 2005
  3. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    [font=Comic Sans MS:8a008c01c8]Hi Pablo, welcome to PriusChat! Congratulations on deciding to get a Prius.

    I don't have any trouble seeing my display except when the sun is shining on it directly. The dash dimming wheel Dave mentioned is like in most cars for dimming the instrument panel at night. If you have the headlights on, the car assumes it's night and dims everything unless you have the wheel rolled up to full bright, then everything is displayed like daytime.

    If you press the Display button you can adjust the screen. I have mine set for full brightnes and the contrast turned up for good visibility. You can also set Night mode and Day mode conditions. Adjust it with the headlights off first. Sometimes picking a different background color helps visibility too.

    If, when you look at the map, the streets and type are light and the background dark, for some reason your display is in Night mode. Fiddle until you get what you want. [/font:8a008c01c8]
     
    #3 Bill Merchant, Jul 11, 2005
  4. pablo

    pablo New Member

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    Thanks for the quick replies.

    Before I posted the original query I adjusted both the "wheel" dimmer switch and went into the screen's menus and set brightness at full. I played with the contrast adjustments while I was at that screen as well. I optimised the settings for daylight conditions and the picture was improved but still not at all optimal. As I said, my wife cannot read the screen and I'm having a hard time.

    The hood which was mentioned earlier; are there any user reports on its effectiveness? How does it look? How does it attach to the dash?

    I was really hoping that I had missed a trick. It's disturbing to find the display is this weak in sunlight. That really dampens our enthusiasm for this otherwise brilliant vehicle.

    Please let me know if there are any other options.

    Thanks again.

    --P
     
    #4 pablo, Jul 11, 2005
  5. obiwan

    obiwan New Member

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    The hoods (both leather and cloth) attach via velco sticky tape. THey do have a bit of tendancy to droop a little covering up the top part of the screen - but not 1/4 inch or so. I suspect you could brace it with a bit of wire if you really wanted to.

    I love the hood and use it all the time, since the display scrolls and turns are spoken, you lose nothing.
     
    #5 obiwan, Jul 11, 2005
  6. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    [font=Comic Sans MS:13c1601b08]It may also be that the back-light in the screen in the rental is defective. There have been a few defective screens reported. Test drive another Prius. As I said, I've rarely had a trouble seeing my screen.[/font:13c1601b08]
     
    #6 Bill Merchant, Jul 11, 2005
  7. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    because i live in the pacific northwest, the sun is frequently at a very extreme angle and i have had some experience with what you are describing.

    but i cant imagine that reason keeping me from buying the car especially when there were so many right reasons to buy
     
    #7 DaveinOlyWA, Jul 11, 2005
  8. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    [font=Comic Sans MS:fb4afeed98]Portland, Oregon, is in the Pacific Northwest, too. Your Milage May Vary.[/font:fb4afeed98]
     
    #8 Bill Merchant, Jul 11, 2005
  9. pablo

    pablo New Member

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    I'm pleased (and a bit shocked) to report there's a shiny new Prius sitting in the driveway. We certainly didn't intend to buy a car when we set out to run errands today. But the drive took us past a dealership and we thought we'd pop in to check the interior colors...

    I'm also pleased to report that the display in the new car is easily visible, even in the slanting afternoon sun. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad. It may be, as Bill pointed out, that the rental has a defective display screen. Much worse, it may be that the displays dim over time. I haven't noticed anyone posting such a complaint so I'm hoping that's not true.

    In any event, we've leapt into the deep end. Now I have to go read through the manuals...

    BTW, we are both thrilled.

    --P
     
    #9 pablo, Jul 12, 2005
  10. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    :partytime:[font=Comic Sans MS:a7317aac6e]My warmest congratulations to you and Mrs. Pablo on your new baby! What color? Interior? Option package? :)

    Now the fun really begins! :party:[/font:a7317aac6e]
     
    #10 Bill Merchant, Jul 12, 2005
  11. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    WTG!!

    im glad you did it and you may find that it wiill be one of the best car decisions you have ever made
     
    #11 DaveinOlyWA, Jul 12, 2005
  12. andyprius

    andyprius Senior Member

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    Hello Pablo, Yes there is definitely a problem when the Sun is shining on the screen. While driving cross country the problem was fixed by propping a 50 state map on top, (protected with cardboard) and that solved the problem, Did require continuous adjustment however. If anybody can suggest a site for a good hood, it would be appreciated. Tried to make my own, but encountered problems.
     
    #12 andyprius, Jul 12, 2005
  13. michalopoulosgk

    michalopoulosgk New Member

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    I too had the same problem and it was fixed after I added the hood specially made for the Prius display. It is available on Ebay if you search for Prius. It is rather inexpensive (around $30) and it works very well.
     
    #13 michalopoulosgk, Jul 12, 2005
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