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App to change screen hue?

arjo

arjo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 17, 2011
31
0
Philadelphia
I saw this app a while back that allowed you to change the hue of your Mac's screen based on the time of day (the screen would take on a red hue at night – something to do with making your eyes less tired). Has anyone heard of this? What's the name? It's driving me crazy!
 
I went to the f.Lux website and several other sources, and unless I am reading them wrong, the app does not effect screen hue, but rather just automatically adjusts Display Brightness. This is something that you can do with your keyboard, or have the app do it for you automatically - certainly a convenience.

My guess is that it positively effects sleep by reducing melatonin suppression. Melatonin production is necessary as part of the process of sleep onset, and bright light falling on the retina causes melatonin production to be suppressed. Dimming the Display Brightness allows melatonin to be produced.
 
Shrink said:
I went to the f.Lux website and several other sources, and unless I am reading them wrong, the app does not effect screen hue, but rather just automatically adjusts Display Brightness. This is something that you can do with your keyboard, or have the app do it for you automatically - certainly a convenience.

My guess is that it positively effects sleep by reducing melatonin suppression. Melatonin production is necessary as part of the process of sleep onset, and bright light falling on the retina causes melatonin production to be suppressed. Dimming the Display Brightness allows melatonin to be produced.
Click to expand...

Actually, it seems to change the temperature of the lighting. For example, the program has "daylight" (the default screen setting) as 6500K, and the nighttime setting at "tungsten" or 2700K. I think it does work in the manner you said – that is, something to do with melatonin production and eye fatigue.

EDIT: It seems the program changes the actual backlight. I snapped some photos to highlight the difference.

2700K (Tungsten)
6500K (Daylight)

The difference is a lot more apparent in-person, but you can see the difference in lighting temperature between the two.
 
Last edited:
arjo said:
Actually, it seems to change the temperature of the lighting. For example, the program has "daylight" (the default screen setting) as 6500K, and the nighttime setting at "tungsten" or 2700K. I think it does work in the manner you said – that is, something to do with melatonin production and eye fatigue.

EDIT: It seems the program changes the actual backlight. I snapped some photos to highlight the difference.

2700K (Tungsten)
6500K (Daylight)

The difference is a lot more apparent in-person, but you can see the difference in lighting temperature between the two.
Click to expand...

Wow - so much for my reading of the website copy. :eek: Definite difference in hue - nice demonstration.

The melatonin thing would still be in effect with reduced light intensity falling on the retina.
 
Since nobody has answered yet, it's Flux ;)

But yea, it's a great program; I installed it a few days before I wiped my MB and got it ready for shipping. As soon as I get my new one and run Migration Assistant or whatever, I'll use it.

On a side note, it's amazing how much it helps to lower the brightness. When I'm on the computer all day and it's 2am, my eyes are almost bleeding. Turning the brightness down 3 notches is an instant eye relief.
 
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