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All posts tagged "lcd"


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Which Is Best: LED, Plasma, or LCD?

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Digital Home Talk" @ 08:30 PM

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_...-plasma-vs-lcd/

"Want to know the best part, and the dirty little secret of the TV world? If you're buying a name-brand TV, its picture quality is going to be really, really good. You are seriously picking from good, gooder, and goodly goodest here. Compared with flat panel TVs from just a few years ago, new HDTVs are thinner, brighter, bigger, better-performing, and cheaper than ever before. So have at it. Your new TV is going to be awesome for years to come."

Geoffrey Morrison over at CNet has an interesting article comparing the three predominant television technologies. If you have any experience at all following this industry, you will know how complicated it can be to stay on top of "what is what" and "what is best". One of the key points Morrison states makes a lot of sense to me: what is best depends on what is important to you. His article compares the technologies on a number of criteria: light output, black level, contrast ratio, viewing angle, and energy consumption. This is definitely not an in-depth, detailed comparison, but it does hit some high points and is a pretty good introduction to the issues and subject matter. The bottom line: each technology offers some benefits that may or may not be important to you. If you are trying to decide on a new TV, check out this article.

Tags: hardware, tv, lcd, led, plasma

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Which HDTV Screen Technology Is The Best

Posted by Richard Chao in "Digital Home News" @ 04:21 PM

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,281...,2387377,00.asp

"When you're shopping for an HDTV, there are plenty of factors to consider. Chief among them is the type of display. While boxy, bulky CRTs are long dead and mammoth rear-projection HDTVs are all but extinct, the HDTV market currently offers three distinct choices in display technologies: plasma, traditional CCFL-backlit LCD, and LED-backlit LCD."

Image courtesy of plasma.com

Looking to purchase a new HDTV in the near future? You may want to take a look at the article published by PC Mag comparing the three different prominent HDTV screen technologies, LCD, LED and Plasma. PC Mag walks you through the differences in the technologies, their image qualities, size differences and power consumption.

Getting to know the pros and cons of the various screen types before going to the store will save you a lot of time and allow you to immediately focus on a smaller number of TV sets instead of aimlessly walking around.


Friday, June 24, 2011

Nanosys Screen Technology: A Quantum Leap Forward in Colour Accuracy?

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Laptop Thoughts News" @ 09:00 PM

http://scobleizer.com/2011/06/23/is...-i-hope-so-wow/

"When Nanosys CEO Jason Hartlove pulled two iPads out of his bag and turned them on one looked like when I first saw my first Kodachrome slide while the other looked muddy and crappy in comparison (I pulled out my own iPad and saw my screen looked muddy and crappy in comparison too). The new one was clear, beautiful, stunning, with richer colors than I had ever seen on a screen before."

I highly value great display technology and based on what I'm reading about Nanosys, this could be a major leap forward. The challenge here is that since none of us are going to watch this video on a Nanosys display, we can't actually tell how much better it is. While I don't think "our lives will change forever" as the hyperbolic Robert Scoble puts it, it looks like Nanosys is positioned to make a big splash in the display industry. The Nanosys system allows for just over 60% of the colour gamut that the human eye can see. In comparison, a typical tablet is 20%, a typical HDTV is about 35%, and the NTSC broadcast standard is about 50%.

A lot of technology like this goes nowhere, but the Nanosys CEO says their technology will be in a tablet by the end of the year, and in TVs in 2012. Since this is a film, it should technically work in essentially anything with an LCD screen: phones, tablets, laptops, TVs, etc. I'm looking forward to this, especially since the CEO says their product is essentially cost-neutral so industry pick-up should be swift.


Thursday, April 14, 2011

Future of Screen Technology by The Astonishing Tribe (TAT)

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Articles & Resources" @ 03:00 PM

http://www.tat.se/blog/future-of-sc...perience-video/

This video is from back in September 2010, but I hadn't seen it yet and wanted to share - there's nothing radically new here, but it's neat to see some of the concepts that have been commonly discussed being represented visually. Will we have many/any of these things by 2014? I doubt it - but we can dream!


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Future Is 3D. You Gotta Wear Shades.

Posted by Hooch Tan in "Digital Home News" @ 01:30 PM

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...-106432453.html

"In its first-ever ranking of 3D performance, Consumer Reports evaluated 14 3D TV models and found that plasma TVs are better at displaying 3D images than LCD sets, primarily because they exhibit less ghosting, or double images that appear even when wearing 3D glasses. Three plasma models from Panasonic exhibited the best 3D picture quality and the least ghosting of all the sets tested."

It comes as no surprise that not all 3D TVs are made the same. If you are one to hop onto the 3D TV bandwagon, it might be worthwhile to consider your purchase. Plasma TVs definitely seem to have the edge, which is a far cry from a year ago, when some thought that the Plasma screen TV was dying. I just find it fascinating. I do not subscribe to the 3D crowd, but I wonder what all the push is about. I still see people using old CRT style televisions. I even see some stores with some old stock they are trying to sell! Why not wait a few years until everyone has your plain old 2D LCD or Plasma TV and then push the 3D TV sales? That sounds like a much better way to maximize profits!


Thursday, August 19, 2010

Display Technology Just Keeps On Getting Greener

Posted by Hooch Tan in "Digital Home News" @ 03:30 PM

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews...d-cfl,2683.html

"Interestingly, displays were largely neglected in this "green refresh." Part of the reason was that, ever since LCDs displaced CRT displays, the typical PC utilizes more power than its attached monitor. However, this is changing rapidly. Enthusiast PCs, gaming systems, and workstations still often consume more than 100 W at idle and much more under load. But the majority of PCs sold are business and mainstream systems, and the average power consumption in this group is dropping fast thanks to aggressive optimization."

When one thinks monitors these days, almost everyone I know of thinks about resolution, refresh rates and viewing angles. Hardly a thought is given to power consumption. When CRTs and LCD displays were competing for your dollars, there was the battle of initial cost compared to long term power usage. LCDs handily won that battle and LCD displays are becoming more affordable each day. What should not be surprising is that that LCD you bought 5 years ago probably sucks juice out of your power outlets much faster than a new LCD made today. It seems as if no part of your computer setup is immune to the advances of technology!

Tags: hardware, lcd, crt

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Displex display cleaner from Wirelessground.com

Posted by Don Tolson in "Windows Phone Accessories" @ 07:00 AM

Product Category: Accessories -- Display polish/cleaner
Manufacturer: WirelessGround.com
Where to Buy: WirelessGround.com
Price: Starts at $19.95USD (regularly, but may be on sale...)
Specifications: Comes in a 5g (0.175oz) tube, which should be enough for 8 to 10 screen cleans, depending upon how much you use. Note: this product is only for use on non-coated surfaces and plastics (i.e. the transparent part of the screen. Do not use on the painted portion. The product is non-returnable.

Pros:

  • Easy to apply;
  • Very gentle abrasive, so unlikely to do damage to the screen on most applications.

Cons:

  • Regular price is a bit high;
  • You'll need a number of applications to see results;
  • Probably won't remove deeper scratches.

Summary:

Getting scratches in your screen display is always annoying -- especially when you remind yourself that you had meant to get that screen protector installed, but never got around to it. There are numerous 'old wives tales' about using toothpaste, etc. to remove scratches, but it's definitely better to use a product that is specifically designed for the job. Displex, from WirelessGround, is sold as a display polish. But how good is it at taking out scratches? Let's take a look.

Read more...


Sunday, August 1, 2010

Hot Hardware Reviews The HP ZR30w 30-Inch S-IPS LCD Monitor

Posted by Andy Dixon in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 03:00 PM

http://hothardware.com/articles/HP-...Monitor-Review/

HP ZR30w 30-Inch S-IPS LCD Monitor "How should you go about determining what size monitor to buy? It's simple - go out and purchase the biggest, baddest display you can afford, because really, you only get one shot at this thing called life, so why waste it staring at a 23-inch panel? If you're still not convinced, consider that, more than any other component in your entire build, it's the monitor you'll use to its fullest 100 percent of the time. You can't say that about your dual-videocards, six-core processor, or even your keyboard, but it certainly applies to your display, the one piece of hardware that brings the entire build together."

I've currently got a 26 inch monitor which I think is huge on my desk, though I must admit I am getting used to the size now, but 30 inch... it must look massive on a desk. I think if I was to replace my current monitor, rather than get an even bigger one, I would probably downsize and get three 24 inch monitors and stretch the desktop across all three. I find I am more productive that way. Anyway, if you prefer to have one big monitor, or even three of them, then check out this review of the HP ZR30w 30-Inch S-IPS LCD Monitor.

Tags: hardware, hp, lcd, monitors

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

HP Announces 30" ZR30w S-IPS LCD Monitor that Displays 1 Billion Colours

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 11:24 AM

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/e...71-4194577.html

"HP today announced its first 30-inch monitor to display a range of more than 1 billion colors, the HP ZR30w S-IPS LCD Display. Adding to the already powerful lineup of HP Performance Displays, the 30-inch diagonal display provides 30-bits per pixel color resolution and 1.07 billion displayable colors, compared to 16.7 million colors available on most 30-inch diagonal panels. Ideal for professionals in animation, game development, broadcast, design and graphic arts where accurate color is imperative, the HP ZR30w achieves more than 64 times the colors available on mainstream LCDs. With a wide gamut panel that covers 100 percent of sRGB and 99 percent of Adobe RGB, reds, blues and greens are visibly deeper."

Selling for $1299 USD, this is definitely a monitor for the professionals or hardcore prosumers who want a killer monitor. The 2560 x 1600 resolution is a 16:10 aspect ratio, which bucks the trend for monitors to be 16:9. I remain very pleased with my latest monitor purchase, a Dell Ultrasharp U2711.


Thursday, May 20, 2010

Display Technology: Fact and Fiction

Posted by Hooch Tan in "Digital Home News" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/fe...myths_shattered

"Not only are displays getting more complicated and harder to understand, but the competition between manufacturers has gotten so brutal that marketing gimmicks—ploys that exploit the average consumer’s technical ignorance—are playing an increasing role in driving sales. The goal of this article is to point out and explain some of the most important myths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings about display technology."

I thought I knew a good deal of what to look for in a display. Resolution, contrast ratio, response time, all words that I know well. Apparently, that which I have depended on for my purchase of displays is a lie. Sure, they still have some value, but Maximum PC has written an article explaining that there is a whole world of other things to look out for; aspects that manufacturers tend to bury. The article does get a bit technical, but it is simple enough to understand for most people. All I can think of now is that there is even more to worry about. At some point, I may just give up and buy what is "good enough" and forget about the exacting details that I used to fuss over.


Monday, March 15, 2010

The Endless Stream Of New TVs Continue

Posted by Hooch Tan in "Digital Home News" @ 11:00 AM

http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/03/1...ma-and-lcd-tvs/

"Last week it was Sony, and today it was Hitachi announcing [JP] a flood of new flat-screen TVs for the Japanese market. Hitachi does sell TVs outside this country, too, so chances are the four plasmas and seven LCDs find their way into other markets as well."

New TVs are nothing unusual. I am sure that within the next year or two, you will see a huge influx of 3D capable TVs, meaning those that you buy now will probably find their way to the second room in short order. However, unlike other TV announcements, what I find interesting is Hitachi is hanging on to the Plasma TV market. When Pioneer announced their exit from the market, some people were screaming that the sky was falling. Fortunately, companies like Panasonic and Hitachi are not listening. It is reassuring to know that there is still enough interest in Plasma TVs that they are still being worked on with new models being released.


Saturday, July 11, 2009

New LED LCDs from Sharp

Posted by Chris Gohlke in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 03:00 AM

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105...l?tag=mncol;txt

"The LE700 series features a "full array of LEDs" behind the screen, but doesn't have local dimming, a technology that allows different areas of the screen to brighten and dim separately. Past TVs we've reviewed with local dimming exhibited superb black levels, but we haven't tested any LED-equipped sets without local dimming aside from Samsung's edge-lit models, which didn't perform as well as the local dimming displays. Also, while Sharp is touting the LE700's native 120Hz refresh rate, a number of its LED competitors are already pushing 240Hz sets. Other than its energy-saving capabilities, it's not entirely clear how this kind of LED backlight offers much of an improvement over standard LCDs, so we'll have to look into it when we get our hands on the LE700 series."

Although quite a bit more than non-LED Aquios sets, the starting prices for these are pretty competitive with other LED sets. But, without local dimming, I'm curious if these sets will have the bang to go with the buck.


Wednesday, June 10, 2009

NEC CRV-43, A Monitor with Beautiful Curves

Posted by Chris Gohlke in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 PM

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/new...ls.php?id=18227

"The unique NEC CRV43 curved display provides a much wider field of view and greater dynamic range with its double WGXA resolution (32:10 aspect ratio). The user's taskbar is extended natively and setup is made easy to configure with one input. These features make it an ideal solution for simulation, digital imaging and command & control."

WOW! The curvature sure makes this super-wide beast more usable, but it is hard to tell from the picture if the curve is enough to make the difference. I've got two 22's side by side with one serving as the primary and one as a secondary. I've got the secondary to the side and it is angled about 30 degrees for optimal viewing. While that works great for me and is significantly cheaper, I see this as being ideal for an truly immersive gaming experience.


Friday, February 20, 2009

LCDs Becoming Gargantuan In Size

Posted by Hooch Tan in "Digital Home News" @ 03:00 AM

http://hdguru.com/new-hdtv-makers-e...-82-part-i/374/

"The GE name is going to appear on televisions created by a 49%/51% joint venture of GE and Tatung, a Taiwanese builder of HDTVs, computer monitors and appliances. The new company is known as GDT for General Displays and Technologies. The GE line is set to launch in late April. Honeywell has authorized another Taiwanese company; SOYO to design, sell and market Honeywell branded HDTVs. Honeywell will produce a line of LCD HDTVs from 19” to 82” screen sizes. Yes, that right, an 82” LCD Full HD TV."

LCD TVs have slowly been growing in size over the years as the technology has been improving. However, a recent announcement by Honeywell is notable as their largest model spans a hefty 82 inches. This puts it in the size class that competes against some projectors. It offers full 1080p HD, a wide viewing angle, 120Hz refresh rate and a standard compliment of connectors. It also weighs a considerable 303 lbs, so you won't be moving it around much, but it does look like a great choice for setting up a home theater and you don't want to go the projector route.

Tags: tv, lcd, hdtv, altera, honeywell, ge

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