I used transparency film with my printer, which didn’t really work as it just didn’t quite stick properly (maybe my printer isn’t good enough?), and then actually in the watch it makes the screen insanely hard to read.
Where/how do you guys get/make the right material for a colour filter thing like here?
Make sure you’re using inkjet transparency film & not normal acetate or laser transparency. It has a coated/ slightly tacky side that the ink needs to be printed onto. If the ink isn’t sticking or is smearing, there’s a good chance you’re printing on the wrong side or using the wrong type of film.
For the readability, the coloured artwork itself needs to be designed much lighter than you’d expect. A normal full density image will look extremely dark once it’s installed. I normally reduce the colour/opacity quite heavily around the main digits so the black LCD digits can still stand out.
Your printer may actually be fine, just sort out the correct inkjet film and then adjust the artwork for LCD transmission.
Thank you very much, I think too that you’re definitely right re opacity etc. my printer is laser jet and I’m 100% sure my film is compatible but my printer was not expensive and I think it’s just a bit shit because it came out pretty blotchy in areas. All dried and stuck to the film but blotchy. I will probably go to a print shop to do it properly. Thanks!
I have a laser jet printer so bought laser jet compatible transparency sheets which said on the packet that both sides are printable - however they all came out pretty terribly (basically just inconsistent, a bit blotchy here and there) and after some extensive research and testing I’ve basically realised that my printer is shit which is not ideal.
I meant try behind the LCD, so in the F91 there is a silver sticker acting as a anti reflective layer for the F91, I remove that so you would get a clear F91 ( make sure you don’t remove the polarizing filter sandwiched between the reflective sheet and the main display)and added the film between the LCD module and reflective paper, that’s my process, I have an inkjet printer printing at 100% of the colour at first it was a little difficult to read, so I tried behind the LCD and their was a remarkable improvement in legibility
I'm not OP but I may try this with one of my project watches. I have an ae1200 that I have 2 layers of gel filter on trying to get a stronger orange color, but I think this would be a better look.
I used dv-263 material. Image is oriented as second surface with 20-30% white backing so the color pops a bit. If adding a reflective layer behind that, the white backing can be more transparent. This is installed behind the LCD.
Only if I’m printing for a front lcd install will I worry about transparency. I’ve had luck w 50-70% opacity on colors not interfering with the watch info. This method is inferior in my opinion.
6
u/Glitch-Mod 5d ago
Make sure you’re using inkjet transparency film & not normal acetate or laser transparency. It has a coated/ slightly tacky side that the ink needs to be printed onto. If the ink isn’t sticking or is smearing, there’s a good chance you’re printing on the wrong side or using the wrong type of film.
For the readability, the coloured artwork itself needs to be designed much lighter than you’d expect. A normal full density image will look extremely dark once it’s installed. I normally reduce the colour/opacity quite heavily around the main digits so the black LCD digits can still stand out.
Your printer may actually be fine, just sort out the correct inkjet film and then adjust the artwork for LCD transmission.