Speedometer Cluster Brightness

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Clarinetist @ Sep 12 2006, 04:06 PM) [snapback]318622[/snapback]</div>

Why not use the dimmer (rheostat)?

I thought that was it's purpose!

 

I wear polarized sunglasses and have never had a problem with it. I just turn it down at night as I keep it on the brightest setting all day. Works fine for me.

 

I think the point is that because they use a polarized shield on the speedo cover, many polarized sunglasses darken the display quite a bit, even at it's brightest setting. Same problem with LCD displays such as the NAV display, mp3 players, and even phones. Makes me want to give up polarized sunglasses.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(narf @ Sep 12 2006, 07:55 PM) [snapback]318748[/snapback]</div>

One of the reasons I took off the LCD protector after one day. When I was using polarized sunglasses I either saw a rainbow or the screen went dark if I tilted my head wrong.

 

The speedometer display has no polarizing filters on it; thus, polarized sunglasses will not have any viewing issues due to polarization. The display is (most likely) a vacuum-fluorescent display, not an LCD. VFDs are used all the time in cars for clock/radio/climate control displays (though some, like my mom's 2000 Avalon, use LCDs). VFD usage is common in cars both due to the fact that polarized sunglasses don't have issues with them, and they still work well at low temperatures (LCDs start getting "slow", some even at 55°F). You'll also find VFDs on VCR and microwave displays. Basically anything that has that blue/green display where the segments/pixels themselves are the source of the illumination (as opposed to an LCD with backlighting or the occasional LED display)

You can tell if something has polarization on it if you tilt your head while wearing polarizing lenses yourself and you see it go dark at some angles. All LCDs have polarizing filters (in fact, two of them, plus the liquid crystal, which acts as an electrically controllable 3rd polarizing filter).

In fact, Toyota even made sure to put the polarizing filters on the MFD's LCD at the right angle so that it will always look fine to the driver, even as you tilt your head somewhat toward it... but a passenger might see the dark areas if they slightly tilt their head toward it from their opposite angle. Ah, the little things that really add up...

Anyway, enough geek-speak from this computer engineer ;-). I have no problem seeing the speedometer display (or any indicators) when wearing my polarized sunglasses. I leave the dimmer control all the way up, right below the full-on detent (so it's full-on during the day, and bright but not blinding at night). My headlights are also only on when necessary. Having them on during a bright sunny day might make the controls dimmer than optimal.

Whew!