2011 TE stock radio

[Fialdj]

Having only owned my TE for 1 day, I have noticed 1 problem. When wearing polarized sunglasses it is difficult to read the display on the stock radio. I've seen some films that reverse the colors of LCD displays, but I believe you have to open the radio up to install. Is there anything else that could be done to improve it? like changing the orange display to a white display?

 

[Johnny Utah]

i dont think you can change the backlight color of the display

 

[JPanimal]

Not sure if it applies directly to the 4Runner, but I saw on the FJ forum and for some camrys that to change the backlight color you would need to desolder/resolder new LED's on the board behind the display. It doesnt look too hard but I hear its a good amount of work

 

[USMC_4runner]

I don't think new LED's would make it any better...The problem is that the LCD display emits polarized light, so when you are looking at it with polarized glasses, there will be 2 angles where you don't get any light transmission through your glasses from the display, and 2 angles where it is uninhibited. Anywhere else and it'll be somewhere in between. Unless there's some film that scrambles the direction of the light waves after it's emitted you'll have this issue regardless of the back lighting.

 

[Turn_down]

Just lower your glasses when you want to change the station. OR only drive at night and on cloudy days.

Problem solved. My bill is in the mail.

 

[oldsweng]

I don't think new LED's would make it any better...The problem is that the LCD display emits polarized light, so when you are looking at it with polarized glasses, there will be 2 angles where you don't get any light transmission through your glasses from the display, and 2 angles where it is uninhibited. Anywhere else and it'll be somewhere in between. Unless there's some film that scrambles the direction of the light waves after it's emitted you'll have this issue regardless of the back lighting.

These type of displays require polarizing filters to display properly even in daylight. Inexpensive polarized sunglasses may have varying angles at which they are polarized. If they are aligned wrong then you may not see the display at all or have no light blocking. Polarized sunglasses with properly aligned polarizing will partially block the light.

 

[Fialdj]

I'll have to look over/under my not cheap Ray-Ban's

 

[harper7]

Having only owned my TE for 1 day, I have noticed 1 problem. When wearing polarized sunglasses it is difficult to read the display on the stock radio. I've seen some films that reverse the colors of LCD displays, but I believe you have to open the radio up to install. Is there anything else that could be done to improve it? like changing the orange display to a white display?

You can supposedly cut out clear "3M transparency film" for copiers to put over your radio screen to solve the problem.Some PFM that straightens out the polarization of the radio screen as it is polarized too to cut glare.

I havn't tried it because I had/have a aftermarket stereo but might be worth a shot and a DIY on here to help our tribe. Same problem with Bimmers and here is a link to a DIY on there. DYI: How to see your radio screen w/Polarized Sunglasses - BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (1M / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)

 

[Egstyle]

Take your polarized sunglasses off and look thru the lens at your display (or try a computer monitor). Slowly rotate the glasses, continuing to look thru the lens at the display. You will find the display to dim or brighten depending on the angle of your sunglasses. This will tell you the angle of the polarization. You may have noticed a similar problem at the display on some gas pumps while wearing polarized glasses. This is really just an interesting physics experiment, but probably wont help you in any way.

A cheap way around this is to tilt your head by about 45 degrees while looking at your radio display

Unfortunately, the same principle that makes polarized sunglasses awesome for the outdoors is a hinderance when interfacing with the technological world.