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Sharp LCD Display with 1,000,000:1 Contrast Ratio
i4u writes "Sharp announces in Japan that it has developed a LCD display with the world's highest contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
The Sharp ASV Premium LCD display panel has a size of 37 inch, 1920x1080 pixel resolution and a brightness of 500cd/m2.
Sharp aims the Mega Contrast LCD display at the professional TV and movie production industry. For comparison the Canon and Toshiba developed SED TV has 100,000:1 contrast ratio."
Doesn't this start to become meaningless at a certain point? I mean, is 1,000,000:1 really any noticeably better than 100,000:1?
It's very meaningful from a technology accessibility perspective (the "trickle down" theory) - right now at the consumer level sets and computer monitors are offering with 400:1 to 600:1 contrast ratios. As they develop technologies at the extreme ends, it tends to push down prior accomplishments - this might be the sort of achievement that yields us economical 2000:1 displays.
How about "manufacturer releases LCD display where pixels don't commit suicide as soon as you look at the screen sideways"
:P
Or "manufacturer releases LCD display where black is black, not grayish"
Or "manufacturer releases LCD display that is actually usable in a heavily lit environment"
Even for movie professionals I'd guess that this is at least as important as being able to see sweat pores on an actress' skin
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Actually, this article is about one of the points you raised. The display has fairly high pixel dimensions, but since it's a very large display it's not actually that high resolution. It's nothing fancy in that regard - no pores on skin here.
/at the same time/.
What it *does* do, according to the spec, is solve the greyish blacks and muddy whites problem. Comprehensively. That's what a contrast ratio means - it's the ratio in brightness between the brightest white and darkest black the display can produce
I agree. That was funny as crap.
Although those Aqous TV ads are trying to do exactly what the grandparent was joking about: Sell image quality through bad image quality devices. I always thought it was such a stalemate.
Although people go to the movies every once and a while and maybe they'd notice the gap between the big screen and their dated tube. Maybe that's why "home theater" was coined. It was a good way to describe that clear picture you remember from the real cinema.
1. Go to movies
2. See pretty picture
3. Point at screen, "me want that"
4. ---
5. Profit!
Maybe eventually you'd be influenced by peers if you visited their houses (dinner party etc) and saw their screens. If everyone had 800" wall TVs (see Total Recall) that looked crystal clear, I'd probably wonder what I'm doing with a tube on a table. The disparity would probably influence me.
But at the same time it's not like an iPod where you see white earbuds everywhere. It's not so 'public'. Meh, getting OT.
For the record, startup company Brightside recently introduced a 200,000:1 "extreme dynamic range" (EDR) display. Tom's Hardware stated that the 200,000:1 contrast ratio was basically "infinite". They have a few display screen images for comparison, and the differences are striking: http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20050923_1705 19.html
Specs on the Brightside display are 37", 3000 cd/m2 brightness rating, 1920x1080 resolution. Yours for the low price of just $49,000.
As to contrast ratio I wonder how 1,000,000:1 is even measureable. As the parent states, 3500:1 is comparable to color film. I also read somewhere that 70mm film has a contrast ratio of approximately 1000:1. YMMV...
Matthew Jeppsen
www.FresHDV.com