Samsung Electronics has demonstrated the first prototype of a new LCD technology that offers a more natural display of moving images.
Samsung's 'Blue Phase' screen is on show at the Society of Information Display (SID) conference in Los Angeles, but isn't expected to launch until 2011.
Most current TV screens are refreshed 50 or 60 times per second - a rate that suits most situations except fast moving images, which can sometimes appear jagged or jumpy. A newer generation of panels, now finding favour among many of the latest TV sets and computer monitors, doubles this rate to 100 or 120 times per second so that the fast moving images appear to move more naturally. Samsung's prototype Blue Phase display doubles the refresh rate again to 240 times per second.
Samsung Blue Phase screen
The liquid crystals used in the Blue Phase display will make screens easier and cheaper to produce, said Samsung. They will also require less in the way of driver electronics.
Samsung said it plans to begin mass producing Blue Phase LCD panels in 2011.
Television sets featuring the 100Hz/120Hz screen refresh rate have been on the market for about a year and are becoming popular among consumers. The global market for such sets is expected to climb from 4 million units in 2007 to 39 million units in 2012, DisplaySearch said on Thursday. Most of the demand and growth is expected in the 37in screen size and above segment of the market.
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Comments
EMF said: The term is used because the screen is actually being updated or refereshed Most CRTs would flicker at 60 Hz because the phospher glow would fade faster than the refresh rate and the image would get preceptibly brighter and darker giving the impression of flicker You are correct that LCDs are only updated when the image chages but that still occurs 60 to 120 times per second It is the fact that the LCD pixel doesnt fade between refreshes that eliminates the flicker 120 HZ rates are important as stereoscopic images used for games and 3D renderings can be shown with each eyes image being refreshed at 60Hz making the 3D image flicker free
BigSanta said: Ive still yet to understand why the refresh rate terms are given to lcd panelsas screen refreshing is something that only crt tubes doLcds on the other hand dont refresh the screenthey only updatechange when an screen imagesignal is moving or in motioncrt on the other hand are continuously refreshing the screeneven if its displaying a still imagewhich is also why you get eye strainfrom the constant flickingSo why is the crt term getting applied to lcd