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Dim backlight

i know we are a very few and small group, but i wanted to open a dialog here regarding the backlight on the FR230. traditionally, with my prior Forerunners, i've only used the watch during running in daylight hours, so the backlight has been something i've never paid much attention to. but now that i am trying out the FR230 as a daily watch, i've noticed what was mentioned on DC Rainmaker: the backlight is dim with a noticeable spotlight effect from the lower part of the screen.

last night, before boxing my FR220, i compared the 220 and 230 side by side and the backlight on the 220 is significantly brighter than the 230's. the 230's is certainly functional, but the difference was striking.

what do your backlights look like?

UPDATE: spoke with Garmin and they put a note in to the engineers. the rep thought that this was likely a power consideration issue. but if there is enough feedback from people that it should be brighter, this could be updated in the firmware. (and maybe be an optional setting)

i wouldn't mind it being brighter even if it drained a little more battery. i typically leave it "off" for alerts and button hits, but would love the ability to manually illuminate at a brighter level when i wished.

so if you guys agree it should be brighter: chime in to Garmin! :)

0 acousticbiker over 9 years ago

i have not run in the dark (i rarely do)...but because i'm starting to use this as a daily watch (at least for a week or two to see if i like it enough as a replacement for my regular field watch), i have needed to use it in dim situations in the evenings. it's legible but faint...

here's a picture comparing taken in a lit room...

DerekRuns, thanks for sharing - actually, looks pretty good to me. I'm waiting for a 235 but imagine will be identical to 230 except for optical HR. Can you check whether it's possible to show sunrise/sunset in the watch face (or what other data fields might be available)? Considering switching from an F3, which has this capability.

0 timgrose over 9 years ago

No need whatever - just install the Sun & Moon widget!

0 timgrose over 9 years ago

PS the 230 does have sunrise and sunset data fields so covered on both fronts.

As far as can see the list of data fields in the manual http://static.garmin.com/pumac/Forerunner_230_OM_EN.pdf is correct.

0 hollyoak94 over 9 years ago

Thanks for the picture. The backlighting is indeed different. I looked at my FR610 that's always done a good job at night and I notice that the backlighting is very even, no "spotlight" from the bottom. However the FR230 does seem to have lighting all around too, not only from the bottom ? Also what does it look like with data fields and a white background ?

0 DerekRuns over 9 years ago

Thanks for the picture. The backlighting is indeed different. I looked at my FR610 that's always done a good job at night and I notice that the backlighting is very even, no "spotlight" from the bottom. However the FR230 does seem to have lighting all around too, not only from the bottom ? Also what does it look like with data fields and a white background ?

i don't typically run at night, but i did try it out (sorry no pic) and it works well enough. yet, if you run regularly at night, you may want to check one out in person (may have to bring a blanket or jacket to simulate what it would look like running in the dark.

0 hollyoak94 over 9 years ago

Saw a 230 in the flesh, extremely dim indeed...

@TIMGROSE - is the BL as a dim on the FR630 ?

0 DerekRuns over 9 years ago

Saw a 230 in the flesh, extremely dim indeed...

@TIMGROSE - is the BL as a dim on the FR630 ?

glad you got to see one in the flesh... (that gives me moderate comfort that mine isn't an anomaly)

i do believe they made a design choice here for battery spec that could be changed by firmware so i hope others will contact Garmin and give them that feedback. from what i understand, the Fenix 3 actually allows adjustable backlight settings. that might be helpful as i think the 220 was unnecessarily bright, so something in between would be nice.

i too am curious if an FR630 folks have noted similar dimness although the screen technology is entirely different...

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

First off I have a hard time believing Tim doesn't have a Fenix - I was beginning to think he had as many watches as DC. :)

Yep, the Fenix 3 allows you to adjust the brightness from 10% to 100% in increments of 10. Would have been nice for Garmin to include that feature on the 630, since it is their uber-expensive top of the line running watch.

0 timgrose over 9 years ago

First off I have a hard time believing Tim doesn't have a Fenix - I was beginning to think he had as many watches as DC. :)

Yep, the Fenix 3 allows you to adjust the brightness from 10% to 100% in increments of 10. Would have been nice for Garmin to include that feature on the 630, since it is their uber-expensive top of the line running watch.

ha ha - no I don't actually have any Fenix devices and never have done. There is only so much room on one's wrists! I was out with 3 today :)
Nobody can have as much "stuff" as DC!

Here's a 630 and 230 backlight comparison. They were both on the floor in rather dim light. As such you would need the backlight to see anything. Seems about the same brightness to me.
https://www.instagram.com/p/-MtV5gOocR/

0 DerekRuns over 9 years ago

ha ha - no I don't actually have any Fenix devices and never have done. There is only so much room on one's wrists! I was out with 3 today :)
Nobody can have as much "stuff" as DC!

Here's a 630 and 230 backlight comparison. They were both on the floor in rather dim light. As such you would need the backlight to see anything. Seems about the same brightness to me.
https://www.instagram.com/p/-MtV5gOocR/

thanks for the comparison pic. i still speculate this was a battery conservation choice on the part of Garmin. function over form...