In the last several years, the display known for excellent picture quality has given ground to the exploding popularity of LCD (liquid crystal display) in the high-definition TV market. Though plasma TVs were first to reach consumers a decade ago, LCD TV manufacturers were able to bring the costs below their plasma counterparts with an efficient panel manufacturing process. Now researchers are looking at ways to improve plasma's brightness levels, power consumption and cost, and developers hope that will help plasma regain some of the ground it's lost. Of course, LCD technology will also improve, but the closer pricing appears between the two, the more viable an alternative plasma becomes. "Performance will be going up in both (plasma and LCD), but costs will be coming down faster in plasma," according to Ross Young, president of market research firm DisplaySearch. That's good news for consumers. One of the biggest challenges in getting people to switch to high-definition TVs is the price. Predictably, as prices have fallen in the last year, more consumers are willing to buy into the idea of the HD experience. -- Ross Young, president, DisplaySearch LCD is so far the undisputed champion of the HDTV popularity contest, and much of it has to do with price and manufacturers' ability to scale the technology to increasingly larger screen sizes. But plasma manufacturers have gradually found ways to produce their displays for less too. Besides lower price, one of the traditional benefits of LCD over plasma is the brightness of the picture in a well-lighted environment. And though all TVs can be energy hogs, plasma sets are notorious for their high power consumption. Many believe the key to solving all three issues for plasma is something called luminous efficiency, or the ratio of the light output compared with the power input. Currently, the best plasma TVs are capable of 2 to 2.5 lumens per watt. For comparison's sake, the average fluorescent light bulb can output 80 lumens per watt. Efficiency can be increased in several ways, including changing the concentration of the gas mixture within the plasma panel, altering the structure of the plasma cells, and using different phosphors. Companies like Panasonic, Hitachi and Pioneer have banded together to create a display capable of 5 lumens per watt, double what's currently available on the market. Simply doubling the current luminous efficiency results in twice the brightness at the existing power levels, or half the power necessary to produce the existing brightness levels. One of plasma's most loyal proponents, plasma researcher and pioneer Larry Weber, says that if a fluorescent lamp can do 80 lumens per watt, there is "no reason a plasma display can't get anywhere close to that." Weber is currently tinkering with plasma display panels for this exact reason, although he cautions that 80 or even 40 lumens per watt could be far off. "If you ask someone today (how to double or triple the luminous efficiency) they'll say, 'I don't know how to do it right now,' but as time goes on, these things will become more likely." Huge payoffs likely The improvements are not just internal. Customers will likely notice the enhancements in picture quality as well. Right now, plasma TVs look better in dark, home-theatre-like environments because of their great contrast ratio and ability to light individual pixels, but that doesn't necessarily translate well to the show floor of a big-box electronics store. Increasing the brightness will erase that difference between plasma and LCD, according to DisplaySearch's Young. "Plasma panels will perform better in all environments, and at the same time, they'll get cheaper--that's a pretty nice advance for plasma," Young said. "Currently, people position LCD versus plasma (sales) based on where it's going to be: in a bright room with a lot of windows or a darker room or if you just watch TV at night. In the future, they both become great for all applications." 
By Erica Ogg on 19 October 2007
Once considered the future of television, plasma TVs have lost their shine.
Plasma manufacturers are trying to avoid being edged out of the HDTV market by LCD, so putting any money into research in this area will likely bring a huge payoff for them. For one, better luminous efficiency will mean fewer parts needed to put the TV together. The power supply in a 42-inch 720p plasma TV accounts for 9 percent of the manufacturing cost, for example. It's only 3 percent of the cost of a comparable LCD TV. By increasing a plasma's efficiency to 5 lumens per watt, the cost of producing the TV could become equivalent to LCD, Young argues, which will allow plasma manufacturers to simply focus on improving the panel technology. And every dollar counts in the TV market, where margins are razor thin.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Teaching plasma to follow LCD's lead
Dolby does digital TV
By Michael Kanellos on 05 October 2007
Dolby, the sound company, is getting into TVs.
This week the company was at Ceatec, Japan's largest electronics trade show, to promote Dolby Contrast and Dolby Vision, two technologies (one currently real, one on the drawing board) to extend its reach into digital TV and cinema.
Both Dolby Contrast and Dolby Vision are essentially ways to apply the dimmer switch concept to light emitting diodes. LEDs are being increasingly used as the backlight in flat panel LCD TVs and Dolby Contrast allows the TV to dynamically adjust. One LED could go completely black while its neighbour could be full or high, or the two could offer light that creates slightly different shades of tan. "You get much better blacks," said Gaven Wang, senior video product manager at Dolby.
Dolby Contrast can be used on current LEDs, while Dolby Vision is more of a long-term technology that will apply to LEDs that emit more lumens, or light, per watt.
Black has always been a problem for LCDs, so the Dolby technology could heighten the competition with plasma. Plasma TVs do well with black, unlike conventional LCDs.
The technology could even create a third category of displays, according to analyst Richard Doherty of Envisioneering. Interestingly, NXP Semiconductor, formerly Philips Semiconductor, has come up with a technology that functions differently but with similar results.
The problem now lies in finding customers. Dolby as yet has no signed contracts to announce, but hopes TVs employing the technology will come out next year or in 2009. The fact that Dolby is at Ceatec, where many of the world's largest TV makers are showing off their latest goods, shows that the company is seeking out the right people.
Dolby didn't invent this technology itself, but acquired it from a company it purchased called Brightside. Dolby is no stranger to video, however -- founder Ray Dolby started out by developing a system for removing noise and artifacts out of black-and-white video footage.
Dolby also demonstrated its 3D cinema technology at the show. Theatre owners pay about US$26,000 for the system, which revolves around doing a software upgrade to digital servers. That price tag is relatively cheap, according to Dolby. The company's 3D technology will get a full international airing when Beowulf premieres later this year as many 3D theatres use Dolby's tech.
Sharp recalls 42-inch LCD TVs
By Pam Carroll on 28 May 2007
Sharp Corporation of Australia has announced a voluntary product recall on all 42-inch models of its LCD TVs.
The precautionary measure is being taken after the discovery that in these TVs, there is a chance that a small piece of foam shielding could dislodge from its mounting and make contact with the power board. This could in turn cause overheating and/or create a live voltage on the frame of the unit, with risk of electrical shock.
The recall affects units sold in Australia between 1 February and 27 May, 2007, specifically three model numbers LC42BX5X, LC42GD7X and LC42PD7X with serial numbers commencing 610700001 to 705799999 inclusive.
The model and serial number can be found printed on an identification plate at the rear of the unit. If there is a green dot on the identification plate, Sharp says that the 42-inch LCD TV has already been inspected and corrected, so there is no need for further action.
If you own a 42-inch LCD TV subject to the recall, Sharp will fix the issue in your home free-of-charge. To register with the Sharp Approved Service Centre nearest you, check the Web site or call 1800 333 435 between 7am and 7pm.
UPDATE June 1, 2007: CNET.com.au has had a conversation with Denis Kerr, Deputy Managing Director, Sharp Corporation of Australia, and can now reveal more detail regarding the state of the company's recall of its 42-inch LCD TVs.
* The total number of recalled units across Australia and New Zealand is 2500. Of that number, approximately half have been recovered from retailers' stock, leaving the total number of consumers affected in the neighbourhood of 1200-1300.
* The green dot system on the identification plates of the recalled models, which denotes that the unit has been inspected and fixed, applies to stock that was "frozen" in the Sharp warehouse at the time of recall. Therefore, fixed models with green dots have only been available for sale post the recall announcement on May 26.
Kerr reiterated that the problem was identified through internal company testing and that no incidents of damage of any kind have been reported by consumers. The voluntary recall relates to a small piece of conductive foam that the company believes could have slipped its double-sided adhesive tape mounting to damage the circuit board. Australia and New Zealand are the only countries that require this foam protection in the EMC area of the television and the fix involves replacing it with a more secure casing.
Sharp's very, very sharp experimental screen
By Michael Kanellos
Anyway you look at it, 8.84 million pixels is a lot of points of light.
Sharp has produced a 64-inch LCD monitor that provides screen resolution four times that of normal high-definition screens. Normal HD screens have 2 million pixel points. The new Sharp monitor, which is on display at the Ceatec technology trade show here this week, sports 4,096-by-2,160 pixel-line resolution -- double the number of vertical and horizontal pixel lines offered by a normal HD screen. This comes out to nearly 9 million pixel points.
Small details, like plumes of smoke over an aerial shot of a rural village, can be picked out. The monitor can also be divided into quarters and display four high-definition videos at once.
The screen, still in the development phase, will be targeted at film and television producers as well as medical researchers, a Sharp representative said. The exhibit is one of the more popular at the weeklong trade show taking place outside Tokyo. But eventually, these technologies trickle down to the consumer market.
The company is using the show to emphasise its role in the screen world. In August, Sharp formally began producing LCD panels out of its second Kameyama plant. The plant processes eighth-generation glass sheets, which measure just over 7 feet by 8 feet. Six 52-inch LCDs can be popped out of a single sheet. The smaller glass sheets processed in sixth- and seventh-generation plants can only produce two and three 52-inch panels, respectively, out of a single piece of glass.
Other prototypes being shown include a screen with a technology Sharp calls Mega Contrast. The screen has a 1 million-to-1 contrast ratio. Typical HD LCD screens sport a 1,200-to-1 contrast ratio.
On other notes, Sharp also showed off its Japanese-English electronic translator, which will come to the Japanese market later this year. If you speak a Japanese phrase into it, the handheld translates it into spoken English text -- and vice versa.
Samsung's Blu-ray and LCD TV plans disclosed
David Steel, marketing vice president of Samsung's Digital Media
Business, addresses Blu-ray, future products, and whether
the company is ditching plasmas in favour of LCDs.
Early last week, we had an opportunity to catch up with David G. Steel,marketing vice president of Samsung's Digital Media Business. The first non-Korean to hold a top echelon position at the chaebol, Steel had dropped by Singapore for the company's Tech Forum 2006. A full-day seminar held at The Oriental hotel, top minds from its electronics and telecommunications divisions were flown in to present on various hot developments in their respective fields.
The diversified topics ranged from high-speed mobile WiMAX to Samsung's LCD technology, as well as its vision of the digital TV market in terms of growth, competition and potential. With up to 50 percent of the company's 2006 revenue generated from its TV business and a multi-billion-dollar investment at stake, we asked this affable Briton just what's in the pipeline for one of the fastest-growing consumer electronics colossals.
Q: The current trend in home entertainment is heading toward high-definition video and audio. How long will these developments reach critical mass in Asia, and what, in Samsung's opinion, will be the next big push beyond HD? Take 3D visual.
Steel: There are several key elements required for mass HD adaptation: HDTV availability, recorded content such as Blu-ray software, HD broadcasts, government regulations and, most importantly, hi-def gaming. These are gradually falling into place for Asia and we believe that 2010 will be the year when HD reaches mainstream. In fact, we will be seeing tremendous growth next year with growing hardware affordability and content availability.
It is too early to single out any particular innovation. Take higher-definition, alternative visual technologies such as OLED or even flexible displays. Though we forecast nothing drastic occuring in this space for the next couple of years, home networking could probably be the next area to watch. It's all about sharing content and integration of various entertainment boxes to take home a more seamless user experience.
Samsung earlier announced its plan to roll out a universal player which plays back both Blu-ray and HD-DVD. Why was the development shelved despite a very positive initial response from consumers, particularly from the deep-pocket enthusiast market?
This is a common misunderstanding. We haven't announced plans to release a universal Blu-ray and HD-DVD player. What we have said is that such a product is quite possible and poses no technical difficulty in manufacturing. In addition, we don't think that's the route to take because we believe a single standard for the market is the best course of action. It eliminates potential multiple format confusion for the consumers and overlapping content inventory in the retail channels.
We look at Blu-ray as the best format with its high storage capacity and inbuilt flexibility. It is supported by many of the major consumer electronics and PC manufacturers, as well as endorsements from over 80 percent of the Hollywood studios. This is one standard which almost everyone has agreed to, with products readily available on shelves in selected markets.
Many vendors are holding back their Blu-ray and HD-DVD products in Asia,citing a lack of software as a key consideration. Is anyone in the hardware industry negotiating with the studios to remedy the situation? Or are there any profound reasons behind the delay?
Samsung has no intention to hold back its Blu-ray products and is collaborating with the local studios for launches on a county-by-country basis. This is bearing in mind that it takes time for hardware fine-tuning and localisation such as relevant language support and regional coding allocation.
It also makes more sense to launch the software and hardware in countries where HD is better understood and appreciated. This, unfortunately, is not the case in most parts of Asia considering the HD awareness, maturity of the consumer market and HDTV's penetration rate. Just imagine the negative experience if one were to hook up a Blu-ray player on an old CRT TV.
Philips is pushing hard for the users' experience with its unique Ambilight technology, while Pioneer is offering professional calibration for its plasma TVs. Does Samsung have a unique proposition for its flat panels which is a key differentiator from the crowd?
Based on our global customer survey, picture quality comes out top as the single-most important purchase consideration. Besides leveraging on Digital Natural Image engine which is our core picture-enhancement technology, we have invested heavily in improving performance and are currently at the head of the pack. We are the first in the world to introduce LED backlighting for enhanced colour reproduction, 120Hz scanning on LCD TVs for smoother motion, and special anti-reflection filters on plasma TVs for better contrast.
The second element of differentiation is design. We believe as digital products become more and more widespread, design will take on a far more important role in the future. Things will get slimmer, sleeker, and smaller than ever. That's why we are putting a strong emphasis in this area with our pool of 650 designers and design centers spread throughout the globe in major countries such as Japan and the US. The R7 LCD TV is an example of our innovative design which is very well-received worldwide.
Samsung is nowadays releasing a lot more LCD TVs than its plasma counterparts. In the last three months, we have seen the F7, N7 and S7-series LCDs compared with a single P7-series plasma. Is this an indication of a shift in focus toward LCD technology for your flat panels?
Not at all. This is just a reality of the current strong market demand for LCD TVs, which more than quadrupled its plasma counterparts in shipping volume. This comes as no surprise considering the LCD advantage in offering a wider range of screen sizes, particular the smaller panels for bedrooms. The demographic variation also has a hand in the fluctuating trend, with consumers from different countries favoring a specific technology due to different exposures, among others.
That said, Samsung is very much committed to all competing visual technologies, be it LCD, plasma, DLP or even the legacy CRT. As long as there is market demand for the products, Samsung will have the relevant solutions for its customers.