E Ink Carta

Carta is the 4th generation Monochrome Active Matrix screen from E ink. It was introduced in 2013 as the replacement of the E Ink Pearl and was first used in the Kindle paperwhite 2. Until 2015 Carta was too expensive to be widely adopted but has since become the standard for most e-readers.

Overview

Carta Imaging Film is 50% improvement in contrast ratio over previous generation of ePaper displays. Carta supports E Ink's new Regal technology which virtually eliminates the need for a full page refresh with page turns. All providing a more focused and improved reading experience.

E Ink Carta is an FPL (Front Panel Laminate) that is usually placed over a Glass TFT. E Ink has announced the capability to also use it on a E Ink Mobius TFT.

Features

From the E Ink web site.

• Enhanced Readability

E Ink Carta delivers a dramatic 50% increase in contrast over earlier generations of ePaper, giving eReaders a contrast ratio close to that of a paperback book. The crisp text and detailed graphics are also highly readable in direct sunlight. Carta's 16 levels of grey produce the sharpest rendering of images with smooth tones and rich detail.

• Smoother Page Turns

E Ink Carta supports the new Regal technology for page updates. Regal virtually eliminates the need for a full page refresh giving the reader smoother page transitions for more focused reading.

• Lowest Power Consumption

E Ink makes the lowest power displays in the eReader industry. Carta delivers the same low power display capability of all E Ink electrophoretic displays. E Ink is bistable, which means it needs no power to hold an image or page of text. Learn more about how our ink significantly prolongs your battery life on our technology page.

• Modules

E Ink Carta modules consist of a TFT (thin film transistor), Ink layer and Protective Sheet. In addition, product designers can include a touch screen solution, which is incorporated into the module stack. E Ink currently offers digitizer and capacitive touch solutions. Digitizer touch technology utilizes a stylus to update the display, with the touch sensor sitting under the TFT. Capacitive touch technology utilizes finger swipes, and is placed on top of the display module. E Ink's touch solutions will not affect the reflectivity of the display.

E Ink displays can also be in applications with little or no light through the integration of a front light solution. A front light use a very thin light guide material to uniformly disperse light over the entire display. The light source is usually in the form of LEDs mounted in the sides of the display module. E Ink can manufacture the entire display module including the front light.

E Ink Carta display is also available on the E Ink Mobius providing a rugged screen choice.

Versions

• Carta 1000

The original, aka Carta, released in 2013.

• Carta 1100
• Carta 1200

Updates which deliver a 20% increase in response time over Carta 1000, and an 15% improvement in the contrast ratio. Carta 1200 devices appeared in 2021.

• Carta 1250

"Higher contrast and faster page turns", according to a press release. No other information is available on E-Ink.com

• Carta 1300

Offers a 27% faster response time and a 20% improvement in contrast (compared to what?) according to a press release reported by myereader.net. Carta 1300 devices first appeared in 2023. No other information is available on E-Ink.com.

Specifications

• Contrast ratio: 15:1 minimum
• White state: 74 min
• Black state: 19 max
• Reflectance: 44%
• Viewing angle: near 180°
• Monochrome depth: 1bit (black&white) or 4bit (16 level grayscale)
• Image update: 120ms (1bit A2 mode)
• Update mode: full, partial, pipeline.
• Resolution: greater than 300 dpi (most are either 212 dpi or 300 dpi)
  • The Kobo Nia uses 6" screen with 1024 x 758 pixels 212 ppi
  • The Kobo Clara uses 6" screen with 1448 × 1072 pixels 300ppi
• Available sizes: 1.44 to 13.3 in. Most devices are either 6" or 6.8". Other sizes include:
  • The Sony DPT-RP1 uses 13.3" screen 2200 x 1650 resolution 206 dpi
  • The reMarkable uses 10.3" screen 1872 x 1404 resolution 226 dpi
  • The Jing Page X uses 9.7" screen with 1200 x 825 pixels 150 dpi.
  • The Boox NoteS uses 9.7" screen with 1200 x 825 pixels 150 dpi
  • The Kobo Forma uses 8" flexible screen with 1920 x 1440 pixels 300 ppi
  • The Hisense A6 uses a 5.6" screen with 720x1440 pixels 287 ppi
  • The Hisense A5C uses a 5.84" color screen.