Widescreen polarization direction?

[racer2086]

I recently swapped out my 4:3 monitor for a 16:9 after the 4:3 started delaminating from the heat.

What I noticed is that the polarization of the screen is 90 degrees off from my 4:3 monitor and the dash LCDs. Meaning, before when I wore any of my sunglasses, I could still see the dash LCD and the 4:3 monitor. Now, I can still see the dash, but I can't see my 16:9 monitor unless I turn my head 45 degrees or take my sunglasses off.

Is this just my monitor or does everyone have this issue? I find it difficult that BMW would overlook this. Unfortunately, I think it would require a new screen with different polarizer to fix.

[purplecty]

Did the screen come from an x5?

[cdh]

If you want to fine tune any 16x9 board monitor, the following article is quite good.
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/211409/
If you want to take it to the next level and you have a video module in the car - obtain a copy of the
old Video Essentials DVD and a DVD player. Plug the DVD player into the video input on the video module
and 'play' the video tuning procedures on the DVD and adjust the board monitor as needed. You will have
a pretty amazing 'picture' display on your board monitor.
Video Essentials was the videophiles answer for DIY home theater calibration way back when.

Craig

[Sobek]

Is this just my monitor or does everyone have this issue? I find it difficult that BMW would overlook this. Unfortunately, I think it would require a new screen with different polarizer to fix.

My E38 does this on my original 4:3 monitor and the 16:9 I pulled from an E39. Our X5 (E53) does this as well... I've noticed that on my cheaper $30 sunglasses, it's really bad. On my expensive good ones, it's far better. The quality of the lens you're looking through has a pretty big impact it would seem! I know enough about optics to understand why that would be, so I learned to live with it and just wear my nicer glasses as often as possible

[racer2086]

Did the screen come from an x5?

Honestly, I couldn't tell you because I pieced this widescreen together with parts from 3 units. The screen was from another unit, but I believe it was from an E38. Can't say for sure. Did the X5 vs E38 have different polarizers on the screens?

My E38 does this on my original 4:3 monitor and the 16:9 I pulled from an E39. Our X5 (E53) does this as well... I've noticed that on my cheaper $30 sunglasses, it's really bad. On my expensive good ones, it's far better. The quality of the lens you're looking through has a pretty big impact it would seem! I know enough about optics to understand why that would be, so I learned to live with it and just wear my nicer glasses as often as possible

It's not my sunglasses. All of my sunglasses are polarized the same way. I have a pair of beater Bolle glasses and my nice Maui Jims both don't let me see the screen. Very annoying.

[racer2086]

If you want to fine tune any 16x9 board monitor, the following article is quite good.
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/211409/
If you want to take it to the next level and you have a video module in the car - obtain a copy of the
old Video Essentials DVD and a DVD player. Plug the DVD player into the video input on the video module
and 'play' the video tuning procedures on the DVD and adjust the board monitor as needed. You will have
a pretty amazing 'picture' display on your board monitor.
Video Essentials was the videophiles answer for DIY home theater calibration way back when.

Craig

Wow that is a fantastic write up. I've noticed some screens in the past seem more dull than others. Fortunately for me, my screen has great color saturation, brightness and contrast and I can see it fine at my normal driving position. It's just the polarization that's 90 degrees off to everything else in the car and my sunglasses.

[DennisCooper]

Hi,

There are indeed different viewing angles for the E39/E38 & E53 monitor units and many E39 guys get caught out buying an X5 unit and vice versa. There is a fiddly way to adjust the viewing angle as you can see from that link. The OEM screens/TFT panels aren't polarized.

Try different polarized sunglasses to the ones you have currently. I've had this issue before as well but thankfully with mobile phone screens so I can just move the phone to another location or use in landscape to resolve. That's when I'm in other vehicles. Right now, I'm in between head units in my E39, and the Alpine iLX-W650 is due to be fitted so will be testing the 'polarized' sunglasses issue and hoping it'll be ok ! I've found some moderately priced £20-35 ($30-40 or so) polarized sunglasses work fine. Other's, give the issue. For instance, my lovely genuine Ray Ban 3459 Polarized were 'just' on the edge of having the polarization causing a bit of the issue, I had to move my head a little more to get a clear view, in normal looking, the screen would be slightly 'dimmed'.

Cheers, Dennis!

[sealbeach740]

Wouldn't non-polarized sunglasses solve the problem?

[racer2086]

This is a good point, yes non-polarized sunglasses would solve the problem. However, polarization reduces glare and helps clarity in bright light.

Not to mention my sunglasses are probably worth more than the widescreen nowadays.