[X10II] [X10III] Color banding in low light conditions

Bug Reports
,
#71

Done! The package is now available: Brightness Fix for Xperia 10 III | OpenRepos.net — Community Repository System

It works as expected on my device as I write this! Note: You should uninstall any previous scripts and services so they don’t overlap. (There should be no harm though, I guesstimate…)

Thanks to @JacekJagosz for writing the initial script and service, and to @nephros for tweaking it further :slight_smile:

7 Likes
#72

Thank you so much!
I couldn’t find the file in storeman or GitHub though.

Ps. Maybe I should have started with the link above :sweat_smile:

1 Like
#73

Unfortunately doesn’t work for me

#74

Strange… Is the service running?

Edit: it’s harbour-brightness.service, not brightness-fix.service

$ systemctl status harbour-brightness.service
● harbour-brightness.service - Brightness fixer for Xperia 10III
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/harbour-brightness.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Sat 2023-04-22 16:22:03 EEST; 3h 58min ago
     Docs: https://forum.sailfishos.org/t/11659/
 Main PID: 8517 (harbour-brightn)
   Memory: 1.3M
   CGroup: /system.slice/harbour-brightness.service
           ├─8517 /bin/bash /usr/bin/harbour-brightness
           ├─8518 dbus-monitor --system sender=com.nokia.mce,interface=com.nokia.mce.signal,member=display_status_ind
           └─8519 /bin/bash /usr/bin/harbour-brightness

Actually, is the package installed?

$ rpm -qi harbour-brightness
Name        : harbour-brightness
Version     : 1.0
Release     : 1
Architecture: noarch
Install Date: la 22. huhtikuuta 2023 16.22.02
Group       : System
Size        : 665
License     : GPLv2
Signature   : (none)
Source RPM  : harbour-brightness-1.0-1.src.rpm
Build Date  : la 22. huhtikuuta 2023 16.21.48
Build Host  : samurai
URL         : http://github.com/direc85/harbour-brightness
Summary     : Brightness fix for Xperia 10 III
Description :
Short description of my Sailfish OS Application
#75

I installed the package as well, but it didn’t resolve the colour banding. I then tried to reboot the phone, but it didn’t have any effect.

[defaultuser@Xperia10III ~]$ systemctl status brightness-fix.service
Unit brightness-fix.service could not be found.

[defaultuser@Xperia10III ~]$ rpm -qi harbour-brightness
Name        : harbour-brightness
Version     : 1.0
Release     : 1
Architecture: noarch
Install Date: Sat 22 Apr 2023 20:12:52 EEST
Group       : System
Size        : 665
License     : GPLv2
Signature   : (none)
Source RPM  : harbour-brightness-1.0-1.src.rpm
Build Date  : Sat 22 Apr 2023 16:21:48 EEST
Build Host  : samurai
URL         : http://github.com/direc85/harbour-brightness
Summary     : Brightness fix for Xperia 10 III
Description :
Short description of my Sailfish OS Application

I then tried to start the service, but the service was not found.

[defaultuser@Xperia10III ~]$ devel-su systemctl start brightness-fix.service
Failed to start brightness-fix.service: Unit brightness-fix.service not found.

Then I took a look at the source code and noticed the service is named as harbour-brightness.service. Or am I completely mistaken?

EDIT: I removed the installed rpm package, took a few pictures and re-installed the package and took more photos. The colour banding is still the same.

1 Like
#76

Sorry, I had a typo there; the correct command is

systemctl status harbour-brightness.service

I edited the post above to fix it, too…

1 Like
#77

I edited my last post as well, just to clarify that I took before and after photos to judge the amount of colour banding. Now, systemctl status harbour-brightness.service returns


● harbour-brightness.service - Brightness fixer for Xperia 10III
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/harbour-brightness.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Sat 2023-04-22 22:13:54 EEST; 2min 38s ago
     Docs: https://forum.sailfishos.org/t/11659/
 Main PID: 3361 (harbour-brightn)
   Memory: 724.0K
   CGroup: /system.slice/harbour-brightness.service
           ├─3361 /bin/bash /usr/bin/harbour-brightness
           ├─3373 dbus-monitor --system sender=com.nokia.mce,interface=com.nokia.mce.signal,member=displ
           └─3374 /bin/bash /usr/bin/harbour-brightness
#78

It should be running indeed, and it does work for me…

Is there an effect and then difference if you run these commands in a dark room with a minimal brightness (as root)?

echo 1 > /sys/devices/dsi_panel_driver/hbm_mode
echo 0 > /sys/devices/dsi_panel_driver/hbm_mode
#79

The first command brightens the screen and the second one returns it back to what it was. However, the “washed out” effect is still there and it’s identical before and after running the commands.

Also, using manual or automatic brightness adjustment doesn’t seem to make any difference. However, I’m not really bugged about this undesired colour banding, it’s just aestetchically unpleasing.

Since the workaround doesn’t work for some of us, there has to be more to the mystery… Could it be any help, if I uploaded the pictures before and after installing package? I used my partner’s iPhone to take the photos and they are asleep right now, so I could upload the tomorrow.

#80

That’s indeed mysterious. So, that could mean there are differences in hardware, too, or this is affected by the Android version the device was on before it was flashed… I upgraded to a too new Android and firmware before flashing SFOS, what about you?

#81

I didn’t update the phone after purchasing it and therefore I believe it was on Android 11. I just followed the installation guide and since Android version 11 was recommended, I went with it.

Now we just have to wait for more answers to that question, the Android version could be a crucial factor here…

#82

Hmm weird. Actually already uninstalled it. After the new installation it seems to work now.

1 Like
#83

Worked instantly when i installed the app.
Thank you so much!!
I can finally enjoy the phone and focus on other things that need some tweaking!

2 Likes
#84

I´ve installed it in my Xperia III and works great!!!
Thanks…
Now the screen looks awesome !!!

2 Likes
#85

Thank you! Kiitos!
X10 III looks so much better now in the darkness!

1 Like
#86

I made a fresh reflash with 4.5.0.21 (on Xperia 10 III), and this color banding problem appeared (and is really noticeable with washed out colors, and black is not black anymore).

This didn’t happen before. When i bought the phone in May 2022, I initially flashed it with the latest release (4.4.0.64) and have been updating it with OTA to the latest release now available (4.5.0.21). A couple of days ago i reverted it to Android (62.0.A.3.109, Android 11) to pair my new activity tracker (to get the authentication key, and yes, there was no other way) and i reflashed it with the latest SFOS release.

@direc85’s “Brightness Fix for Xperia 10 III” helps (a very big thank you for that), with only one minor annoying thing: after a reboot color banding is back, until i turn screen off and on again, and then the fix kicks in again.

Any thoughts? I’m thinking about flashing my phone with an earlier Sailfish release (4.4’ish or something). Maybe something was changed along the way that didn’t apply with OTA updates?

#87

I flashed my 10 III with Sony’s Android 13 (62.2.A.0.525) using EMMA, and then reflashed with SFOS. Color banding and yellow/green tint seem to be gone, without using the “Brightness Fix” or any other such workaround. Not a single time I’ve noticed any banding or tint, in any light. Additionally, no person I spoke with confirmed hearing any echo. It’s been three days now and I haven’t noticed any negative effects, either.

4 Likes
#88

I’m having the same good call quality experience on latest Android 11 AOSP I flashed early of Dec '23.

Just tested now to wife’s iPhone 15 - zero echo or call quality problems, also on speakerphone.

People complained repeatedly about this on my previous X10II, which I think I could take out of the drawer and try flashing a newer AOSP release on it :thinking: as discussed in Anyone flashed Software binaries for AOSP Android 12.0 – Kernel 4.19 – Seine on Xperia 10 ii? - #7 by wetab73

Official docs Updating the Vendor Image | Sailfish OS Documentation

EDIT Well, problem is there are no newer Android 10 releases since Dec 2020, but I think 11+ aren’t compatible on X10II?

#89

Did you suffer from the brightness issue before? And it was resolved with the flashing? And you are sure it’s not there anymore?

If so, I could give this a try next month (when I can experiment with my daily driver again)…

#90

Yes.

Yes.

Right after flashing Android 13 (62.2.A.0.525) and then restoring SFOS, I disabled the brightness fix service. It was some four days ago and since then I haven’t seen the color banding issue or the yellowish tint a single time. So I guess it is safe to assume that it is gone. Together with the echo issue which is also absent.

I’d recommend you to do it the way I did it, i.e. use dd (in recovery mode) to backup rootfs and home (/dev/sda79 partition), flash Android 13 using EMMA, and then simply restore SFOS from backup using dd. This way you can change the underlying Android version and quickly and easily get back to the exact same system you’ve had…

Please see Full dd backup of rootfs and /home as flashable images - #26 by wetab73

7 Likes