Android TV box eye strain, and solution (for PC also)

Kray

I have a 2014 Sony LED TV which I can watch for hours without any eye strain whatsoever. I also have a blu-ray player which I use to connect my hard disk and watch downloaded movies from there. Again no eye strain whatsoever.

Recently I purchased an Android TV box. It was a Minix Neo U1 android box, which is a slightly older model. I chose this model because it came with Android 5 lollipop. Other newer models comes with Android marshmallow and nougat, which are known high risk for eye strain.

So I plugged this new android box using HDMI to my Sony TV. Watch a movie streaming, and I get eye strain. Within minutes my eyes felt very irritated and gets watery. Damn.

Its definitely the android box. When I unplugged the android box, I can watch my TV on the satellite box or from downloaded movies, all fine, no eye strain. Plug in the android box, I get eye strain. My old HTC M9 Plus phone has Android 5 and I can use that phone without any eye strain. But apparently not all Android 5 are eye strain free.

I almost gave up on this box until I decided to try something. I know the TV is fine. I suspected whatever the cause of the eye strain either from the Android OS or from the graphics driver of the android box, is transmitted to the TV digitally through the HDMI cable. I wondered can the cause of the eye strain be transmitted by analog, or would analogue signal/cable stops it?

So I bought an HDMI to Component converter box. This basically converts the digital HDMI signal to analogue Component signal, which goes into my TV. So Minix Android TV Box -> HDMI to Component Converter box -> TV (connected using Component cables). And walah...no eye strain!

What a relief. I can watch movies, even browsing the files on the android box on the android launcher no longer cause eye strain.

So whatever it is that is causing the eye strain (android OS, graphics driver, dithering, unknown x etc) is transmitted digitally to the TV and into our eyes, causing us eye strain. If we convert the digital signal to analogue, this seems to "flush out" or eliminates that unknown x that is causing us eye strain.

So if you have an android TV box or Amazon fire stick that is causing you eye strain, maybe you can try this solution out. Also, if you have a PC that is causing you eye strain, try connecting your monitor using analogue/VGA cable. Make sure your monitor is PWM-free. Otherwise if you still get eye strain you never know if the solution works or not (could be the monitor's PWM causing the eye strain).

Hope this workaround solution can help some of you here.

KM

Kray Wow, could you share the converter's name/model type? I wonder if connecting an analog-to-HDMI converter at the end of the chain could make the setup useful for PC outputs and PC monitors, too. Hopefully not too blurry.

Gurm

Kray I second the request for the model number. There are hundreds of these things available...

Gurm

KM 1080i/p over a GOOD QUALITY component connection is fine. As long as there is active electronics in the converter you should be good to go. I think what is going to happen in this case is that any flicker (dither?) is going to be smoothed out by the analogue conversion, kind of a peaks-and-valleys sort of thing. Remember that HDMI is 30/60fps and Component is "continuous". Does that make sense? I've contemplated doing this for a while, I might have to actually put it in place on my plasma and see!

Kray

Here is the exact model of the HDMI to Component converter that I am using now:

https://shopee.com.my/product/60326163/1062067729

Before using that model, I used another HDMI to Component coverter in the link below:

https://www.lazada.com.my/-i104316149-s105505790.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

This model also does not give me eye strain, which is good. But the unit has problem, the screen would blink or disappear for 2 seconds every 10 minutes or so. I read Amazon reviews of some other HDMI to Component converter, also have the same problem. I think its a design problem, not faulty unit. That's why I decided to buy a different HDMI to Component converter (the one in the first link).

I believe any HDMI to Component converter sold in Amazon or other places should be ok too. What is important is that the signal that goes into our TV or monitor is analogue. That's the theory anyway.

Component cable can output max resolution of 1080p. So, as long as you dont require 4k, then 1080p should be fine. Another potential disadvantage of using component cable is that the audio output is only limited to 2 channel. I have 5.1 surround home theater which I cant use when using my android TV box. But despite only 1080p and only 2.1 audio, I would take this anyday as long as I dont get eye strain.

Hope this works for you too.

MagnuM

Interesting findings... thanks for sharing!

Gurm

MagnuM Don't get your hopes up too high. This is the equivalent of using a VGA connection on a monitor, and we know some people still suffer with that. But I suspect that this will certainly eliminate the dithering from the equation. If we can find a box that we know is good, and we can live with 1080p... that makes our lives MUCH more bearable at home. I for one would LOVE to be able to play XBox One X. 😉

MagnuM

Gurm Been looking to buy both an Xbox One and a Switch (Smash Brothers is coming out tomorrow), so I hope these are both "eye-safe" consoles for me!

Gurm

MagnuM They're not. Well, the XBox One might be but the switch isn't. XBox One X is not eye safe, at least not on my TV, nor is the switch. BUT, this might be the ticket for either/both.

jasonpicard

Gurm I'm pretty sure the switch and the PS4 are not safe. I don't know about Xbox. My PS4 is good on my plasma but once on my LED immediate pain. I know for sure for me the switch screen is death for me.

daniel_mate

Can somebody please share a link of some adapter to convert HDMI to VGA

I mean on my Chromebook (HDMI), MBP touch keyboard (USB C to HDMI) and MBP Air (MiniDisplay) DVI I got from amazon DVI/MiniDisplay to HDMI adapter and I'm able to connect all 3 to CCFL monitor. However I want to try with VGA, got such adapter but non of the laptops was connecting to the monitor with it :S
Do you think I got defective adapter?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6BFFS2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kray

Another thing to add, for my home PC, I am not using hdmi to connect to the monitor. Instead, I use DVI to VGA converter, and use VGA cable to connect my CPU to my BenQ flicker-free monitor. I can use my home PC without any eye strain (thankfully). Can you try this too.

diop

I have been thinking about this for a while - as I was using a W10 machine earlier this year in work but via displayport>vga adapter - and I noticed minimal discomfort with it, so I bought the exact same machine for home use - but connected to my monitor directly via displayport (no VGA on my U2414h 🙁) - Was not very comfortable.

Is this because analog video cannot support anything higher than 8bit or does an analog video signal not use dithering of any kind?

ryans

This guy, Peter Romero, tried the same thing with no success: https://www.quora.com/Why-does-using-a-MacBook-Pro-Retina-cause-eye-strain-and-dizziness

But I'm glad you found something that could work. I suspect Peter Romero knows more about this issue, but I've been unable to find an email for him. Any ideas to try to get in touch with him would be great.

Kray

ryans

What Peter Romero tried was not the same as what I tried. I read the article, he used a different method, he used HDMI to VGA converter. Those "converter" is more like an "adapter", like in the photo below:

whereas the HDMI to Component converter that I used is not an adapter/dongle, it is a full converter box, with circuit boards and its own power supply:

So the way the HDMI to Component converter box works might be different than how a simple HDMI to VGA adapter works. I dont know. Maybe his monitor has PWM. It is important to use a monitor that you know you get zero eye strain. Only then you can be sure.

Anyway, if anyone wants to try, use the HDMI to Component converter box like in my link or like the one Gurm purchased. Use a good component cable as well. Hopefully it will eliminate the eye strain just like it did mine.

Gurm

I just ordered this unit:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DQR8338/

I will let everyone know how well it works (or doesn't work) later this weekend. Fingers crossed, folks.

Seagull

I am wondering if a hdmi -> composite converter + composite -> hdmi converter will work for as a solution for general computer monitor use.

I also have quite a few hdmi -> vga converters, maybe I should give some of those a try with the graphics cards I can't normally use.

Question: I know a lot of you have plasma, but do modern TVs still have composite outputs?

daniel_mate

I have some legacy external graphic card Display Link from around ~2011, USB plugged to Mac, VGA converter on the other side to CCFL monitor. No improvements, it feels the same as when directly plug over HDMI.

daniel_mate

...regards washing signal with VGA
I got one of these HDMI to VGA converters and connected my good Chromebook to the monitor, it produces greenish colors :S Somebody might like em 😃
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016HL4CAY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tried to connect it to new MPB too but monitor is not turning on VGA->HDMI->USBC adapter-> USBC laptop

KM

@Gurm did the converter work for you?
And @Kray, it seems the link is broken now. Could you give us the manufacturer or product name/number? I completely forgot about this thread but since I have a usable TV now and rediscovered the thread, I want to give the converter a try.