btschumy
Vendor - Southern Stars
Reged: 04/13/04
Loc: Longmont, CO, USA
|
iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
#3986101 - 08/16/10 11:59 AM
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
I thought I'd pass on two tips I have about preserving your night vision when using an iPhone or iPad.
Tip 1. Use Rubylith rather than a software "night vision mode". Most astronomical programs have a "red light" or "night vision mode". Invariably these do not work that well and will have a detrimental effect on your dark adaptation. They also only work for that application. If you need to look at another, non-astronomical app, you're dead.
So the question becomes how to attach the rubylith to your screen? I used to use a case that allowed me to cut the rubylith to a size that would tuck under the edges of the case. However, I've since found a better solution.
You can buy sheets of clear "static cling vinyl". These adhere to the the glass screen of the iPhone without leaving any residue. They can be peeled off and reapplied at will. As it turns out, the shiny side of the Rubylith will also adhere to the static cling vinyl. So what you do is cut out a piece of vinyl and a piece of Rubylith of the correct size for your screen. Press the shiny side of the Rubylith to vinyl and rub it to make a the two "bond". Now this combo can be applied to the screen and it sticks perfectly.
I bought six 9"x12" sheets of "Grafix Cling Vinyl" for $5.29 (plus and outrageous $6 shipping) from Amazon. Some craft stores apparently have it locally so you could avoid the shipping.
Tip 2. I recently leaned that the Accessibility features of the iPhone/iPad (at least the 3GS phone and later) has a mode where you can invert the screen colors. Black becomes white and vice versa. If you do need to use an app that is predominately text (black-on-white), you can enable this feature and the screen is drastically darker and will have much less effect on your dark adaptation. This works really well in conjunction with tip #1. There is even an option in the Settings app to enable "white-on-black" by triple-clicking the Home button.
I find that on the iPad in particular, I like to look at various PDFs such as observing lists or descriptions (I use the GoodReader app). Being able to easily switch to white-on-black means that the screen is much, much less bright when looking at PDFs.
Hope this helps
|
psonice
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/24/09
Loc: Warrington, UK
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: btschumy]
#3988148 - 08/17/10 11:06 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Also (and especially if you're not using rubylith) tell the phone not to sleep so it stays on. The unlock screen is totally unfriendly to night vision 
|
btschumy
Vendor - Southern Stars
Reged: 04/13/04
Loc: Longmont, CO, USA
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: psonice]
#3988367 - 08/17/10 12:58 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
You can help the unlock screen quite a bit by setting a dark unlock picture. But your point is still valid.
|
Poochpa
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/12/05
Loc: Buffalo Burbs, NY
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: btschumy]
#3995587 - 08/20/10 04:13 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
How do you set a dark unlock picture? I can decrease brightness for all screens but then SkyVoyager will be dark also. For me, the night vision issue when using the Ipod Touch is a real drawback. Every time I want to use SV, I have to unlock and that screen is a night vision killer. If I just leave the ipod on, without a sleep time, thereby bypassing the unlock screen, the battery will quickly wear down. Putting layers of vinyl and rubylith material on the screen seems impractical, if you want to use the ipod during day and night, not to mention the decrease in screen sharpness. BTW, I like SkyVoyager very much. Wish it had a direct catalog search function, in which you could type in, e.g., the NGC or IC #.
|
btschumy
Vendor - Southern Stars
Reged: 04/13/04
Loc: Longmont, CO, USA
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: Poochpa]
#3995879 - 08/20/10 06:38 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
1. Setting unlock Picture:
To be honest I don't know if this is available with all levels of the iOS. It is certainly present in iOS 4
In the Settings app, choose Wallpaper and then select a dark image to use. When you choose "Set" on the iPhone, it will ask you if you want to set the Lock Screen, the Home Screen or both. On the iPod touch, I think you can only set the Lock screen so it doesn't give you that choice. Nevertheless, you can set the important Lock screen on either device.
2. Layers of Rubylith
The solution I mentioned makes it easy to peel off and reapply the rubylith as needed. You take it off for daytime use and apply it before going out observing. Very simple.
I can't stress enough how useful this is. It make your whole iDevice usable at night.
3. Direct Catalog Search Function.
SkyVoyager does have a direct catalog search function. Touch the Search icon in the toolbar and type the designation in the Search field at the top of the screen that pops up.
|
psonice
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/24/09
Loc: Warrington, UK
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: btschumy]
#3997389 - 08/21/10 03:08 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Setting the unlock picture doesn't help much - the text and slider are all white.
I did look into porting my redscreen software to iOS (it might have been possible with a jailbroken phone, apple would not allow such software) but it seems the hooks aren't there to control the screen colour.
So at least for now, the options are rubylith or trying to unlock the screen without looking at it (I do that, it can be done with practice - although the night sky is so bright here it doesn't make that much difference anyway)
|
mtnmedic
Late for dinner
Reged: 11/09/04
Loc: Antelope, Oregon
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: psonice]
#4002688 - 08/24/10 02:01 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
I normally use just one program (Sky Voyager) in "Night Vision" mode when using the iPad with my scopes (and SkyFi controller).
I just set the iPad's autolock (some folks call it "sleep") to "never" and viola...my red Sky Voyager stays up.
FYI...for iPad users who don't know how to achieve this: To change the auto-lock delay, tap the Settings icon from the home screen and tap the General in the main Settings. Then choose Auto-Lock option, there would be a list of options to slide in: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 minutes and Never. Set it to what you want. In the "never" setting, to put the device to "sleep" you'll have to do it manually by pressing the sleep/wake button on the top of the device.
Edited by mtnmedic (08/24/10 02:02 AM)
|
Rossmon
sage
Reged: 07/09/10
Loc: Marin County, CA
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: btschumy]
#4224885 - 12/03/10 01:45 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Hi was wondering if anyone has found a great way to control a scope from the iPad. I own an ETX 125, a Celestron Nexstar 8 and a Celestron ast 9 1/4 GT. All I need is to sell my ETX and get a refractor for a little more variety! I was doing a search on controlling from iPads when I stumbled on this interesting thread.
Oh I use Star Walk and Planets to help look around.
Ross
|
therocksal
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/02/08
Loc: Everett, WA
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: Rossmon]
#4224910 - 12/03/10 02:21 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Yep...SKY Fi. I just got mine today and just hooked it up to my CPC1100 and at least inside, it worked perfect with Sky Voyager and Starmap Pro. I cant wait to get it outside. Somedays I will use the controller, somedays the ipad wirelessly.
They are going to come out with a SkyWire....a direct wired connection from an ipad/iphone to your mount.
I chose the Sky Fi because you can use it with your laptop/netbook, whatever that has wireless...although it's double the price of the Sky Wire.
Great products.
|
therocksal
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/02/08
Loc: Everett, WA
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: therocksal]
#4224912 - 12/03/10 02:22 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Oh, and to preserve vision, I just use an eyepatch over the eye I use for my observing and use the ipad in normal mode with my other eye...works perfect for me.
|
Micheal
sage
Reged: 02/28/10
Loc: Corona, CA
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: therocksal]
#4226601 - 12/03/10 08:17 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
Oh, and to preserve vision, I just use an eyepatch over the eye I use for my observing and use the ipad in normal mode with my other eye...works perfect for me.
I bought an eyepatch for this very reason then went ahead and bought my first binoviewer. Back to square one.
|
rollout
super member
Reged: 03/25/08
Loc: 36°2'11"N, 95°47'59"W
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: Rossmon]
#4288547 - 01/03/11 10:23 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
Hi was wondering if anyone has found a great way to control a scope from the iPad. I own an ETX 125, a Celestron Nexstar 8 and a Celestron ast 9 1/4 GT. All I need is to sell my ETX and get a refractor for a little more variety! I was doing a search on controlling from iPads when I stumbled on this interesting thread.
Oh I use Star Walk and Planets to help look around.
Ross
+1 on the SkyFi. Works GREAT with SkySafari, on my iPad, and my ETX-125PE.
Bill
|
ChipAtNight
super member
Reged: 01/09/08
Loc: N.C. (Love the Blue Ridge)
|
Re: iPhone/iPad: Tips to preserve night vision
[Re: rollout]
#4294100 - 01/05/11 03:52 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
A good eye patch - cover your viewing eye while using your iPhone or iPad.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
