Coming to an electronics store to buy a TV, buyers inevitably face a choice problem.
In our online store there are a lot of TVs of various brands.
How to understand all the variety and choose exactly the model that suits you? What should you pay attention to when choosing? We will consider all these pressing issues in the article.
Choosing the class and size of the screen diagonal
First of all, you need to decide on the purchase budget and the desired TV diagonal. These two factors are closely related, but there are a couple of nuances and unspoken rules that we will now talk about.
Having saved up a certain amount for a purchase, you can dispose of it in different ways: for example, buy a budget TV with a large screen size, or - a higher series equipment, but with a smaller diagonal. Naturally, each such purchase has a different set of functions and quality of equipment. It turns out that you need to find an optimal balance between several factors.
It is important to choose a TV based on the distance from the viewer to the screen. A large plasma panel will look awkward in a small kitchen, it will be difficult to concentrate and cover the whole picture. In contrast, a small TV in a spacious living room will not only be "lost", but will simply be inconvenient to use, since not everyone can see anything on a small screen located at the opposite end of the room.
In order not to be mistaken with the choice, take the following hint into service:
The correct ratio should be chosen not only taking into account the diagonal, but also the resolution of the TV. The figures shown in the table are for devices with lower resolution. The higher the resolution, the closer you can watch TV.
Is it better to invest in quality or screen size? The answer to this question depends on what exactly you are going to watch. Obviously, there is a difference in quality between conventional terrestrial television and satellite HDTV. Therefore, when choosing, you need to remember the quality of the signal sources that you have at home.
Terrestrial TV (SD)
If you mainly plan to watch ordinary terrestrial television, you do not need to chase the large TV screen size. The point is that the original signal quality in this case implies low resolution. This means that the larger the physical size of the screen, the more noticeable the flaws will be.
However, modern televisions are processing images better and better, and the terrestrial signal in Russia is gradually switching to the digital format DVB-T2, which gives noticeably less quality losses in comparison with analog television. To choose the optimal TV model for watching the broadcast, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- the TV set must be equipped with a digital tuner of the DVB-T2 format;
- viewing distance - about 3 times more than the diagonal of the TV.
High definition television (HDTV)
Fortunately, the owner of a modern TV does not have to be limited only to terrestrial television. Today, satellite, cable and Internet television in High Definition (HD) format with a much higher image quality is relevant.
If you plan to watch in HD format, then you need to proceed in a completely different way. The larger the diagonal of the selected TV, the better! You can safely forget about the old rules - this is completely irrelevant for the High Definition signal, where high resolutions are used at the level of 1920 × 1080 pixels. This format allows you to sit close enough to the TV to see the smallest details of the picture, but without discomfort. In this case, you are limited only by the interior of your room and, of course, the following criteria must be taken into account by the budget:
- viewing distance - about 1.6 times longer than the diagonal of the TV;
- there is enough space for the TV in the room.
Ultra high definition television (UHDTV)
VA matrices
A very popular type of matrix used in televisions of various levels. VA matrices provide optimum picture quality with good viewing angles and high contrast.
IPS matrices
Popular solution. They typically provide the widest viewing angles that LCD technology is capable of. At the same time, the color rendition is comparable to VA matrices, but the IPS contrast is noticeably lower due to the unimportant black depth.
If you look at the lineup of popular manufacturers, then in most cases the choice is between higher quality matrices - VA or IPS.
All TVs with diagonals starting from 32 inches are equipped with such matrices. They will satisfy the needs of most viewers.
Well, TN matrices are the lot of the most budget models in the lower segment, where TVs with a screen of less than 32 inches are presented.
LCD TVs have appeared on the market for a long time and everyone has already gotten used to them. However, every year more and more new models appear, differing in appearance, screen diagonal, interface and more. In addition, there are such models of liquid crystal displays that differ in a special refresh rate, types of LEDs and backlighting. However, about everything in turn. To begin with, I propose to figure out what it is - LCD monitors.
Probably many of you have heard such a concept as LCD panels. LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. Translated into Russian, this means a liquid crystal display, which means that LCD and LCD panels are one and the same.
Image display technology is based on the use of crystals in liquid form and their amazing properties. Such panels have a huge number of positive qualities due to the use of this technology. So let's see how it works.
How an LCD monitor works
The crystals used to create these monitors are called cyanophenyls. When they are in a liquid state, they have unique optical and other properties, including the ability to correctly position themselves in space.
Such a screen consists of a pair of transparent polished plates on which transparent electrodes are applied. Between these two plates, cyanophenyls are located in a certain order. Voltage is supplied through the electrodes on the plates, which is supplied to the areas of the screen matrix. There are also two filters located parallel to each other near the plates.
The resulting matrix can be manipulated by making the crystals transmit a beam of light or not. In order to obtain different colors, filters of three basic colors are installed in front of the crystals: green, blue and red. The light from the crystal passes through one of these filters and forms the corresponding pixel color. A certain combination of colors allows you to create other shades that will match the moving picture.
Types of matrices
In LCD monitors, several types of matrices can be used, which differ from each other in their technology.
TN +film... This is one of the simplest standard technologies, which is distinguished by its popularity and low cost. This type of module has low power consumption and a relatively low refresh rate. It is especially common to find a similar module in older panel models. "+ Film" in the name means that another layer of film was used, which should make the viewing angle larger. However, since it is used everywhere today, the name of the matrix can be abbreviated to TN.
This LCD monitor has many disadvantages. First, they have poor color rendering due to the use of only 6 bits for each color channel. Most of the shades are obtained by mixing the primary colors. Secondly, the contrast of LCD monitors and the viewing angle are also poor. And if some subpixels or pixels stop working for you, then most likely they will constantly glow, which will please very few people.
IPS... Such matrices differ from other types in that they have the best rendering of shades and a large viewing angle. The contrast in such matrices is also not the best, and the refresh rate is lower than even in the TN matrix. This means that with fast movement behind the picture, a noticeable trail may appear, which will interfere with watching TV. However, if a pixel burns out on such a matrix, it will not glow, but, on the contrary, will remain black forever.
On the basis of this technology, there are other types of matrix, which are also often used in monitors, displays, TV screens, etc.
- S-IPS. Such a module appeared in 1998 and differed only in a lower response refresh rate.
- AS-IPS. The next type of matrix, in which, in addition to the refresh rate, the contrast was also improved.
- A-TW-IPS. This is, in fact, the same S-IPS matrix, to which a color filter called "True White" was added. Most often, such a module was used in monitors intended for publishing houses or photographic laboratories, since it made white more realistic and increased the range of its shades. The disadvantage of such a matrix was that the black color had a purple tint.
- H-IPS. This module appeared in 2006 and was distinguished by screen uniformity and improved contrast. It does not have such an unpleasant black backlight, although the viewing angle has become smaller.
- E-IPS. It appeared in 2009. This technology has helped to improve the viewing angle, brightness and contrast of LCD monitors. In addition, the screen refresh time has been reduced to 5 milliseconds and the amount of power consumption has been reduced.
- P-IPS. This type of module appeared relatively recently, in 2010. This is the most advanced matrix. It has 1,024 gradations for each subpixel, resulting in 30-bit color, which no other matrix could achieve.
VA... This is the very first type of matrix for LCD displays, which is a compromise solution between the previous two types of modules. Such matrices best of all convey the contrast of the image and its color, but at a certain viewing angle, some details may disappear and the white color balance may change.
Such a module also has several derived versions that differ from each other in their characteristics.
- MVA is one of the first and most popular matrices.
- PVA - this module was released by Samsung and features improved video contrast.
- S-PVA - also made by Samsung for LCD panels.
- S-MVA
- P-MVA, A-MVA - manufactured by AU Optronics. All further matrices differ only by the manufacturing companies. All improvements are based only on a decrease in the response speed, which is achieved by applying a higher voltage at the very beginning of the change in the position of the subpixels and using a full 8-bit system that encodes color on each channel.
There are also several more types of LCD matrices, which are also used in some panel models.
- IPS Pro - they are used in Panasonik TVs.
- AFFS - matrices from Samsung. Used only in some specialized devices.
- ASV - matrices from Sharp corporation for LCD TVs.
Backlight types
Liquid crystal displays also differ in the types of backlighting.
- Plasma or gas discharge lamps. Initially, all LSD monitors were backlit from one or more lamps. Basically, such lamps had a cold cathode and were called CCFL. Later, they started using EEFL lamps. The source of light in such lamps is plasma, which appears as a result of an electric discharge passing through the gas. At the same time, one should not confuse LCD TVs with plasma ones, in which each of the pixels is an independent light source.
- LED backlight or LED. Such TVs have appeared relatively recently. These displays have one or more LEDs. However, it should be noted that this is only a type of backlight, and not the display itself, which consists of these miniature diodes.
The responsiveness and value you need to watch 3D videos
Responsiveness is how many frames per second a TV can display. This setting affects the image quality and smoothness. In order to achieve this quality, the refresh rate must be 120 Hz. In order to reach this frequency, TVs use a video card. In addition, this frame rate does not create screen flickering, which in turn has a better effect on the eyes.
For watching movies in 3D format, this refresh rate will be enough. At the same time, in many TVs, a backlight is installed, which has a refresh rate of 480 Hz. It is achieved by using special TFT transistors.
Other characteristics of LCD TVs
| Brightness, Black Depth and Contrast | The brightness of these TVs is at a fairly high level, but the contrast is poor. This is because with the polarization effect, the black depth will be as deep as the backlight will allow. Due to insufficient levels of black depth and contrast, dark shades can blend into a single color. |
| Screen diagonal | Today, you can easily find LCD panels with a large diagonal, which can be used as a home theater, and models with a fairly small diagonal. |
| Viewing angle | Modern TV models have a fairly good viewing angle, which can reach 180 degrees. But older models do not have an adequate angle, which can make the screen appear rather dark or distorted when viewed from a certain angle. |
| Color rendering | The color rendition of such displays is not always of a fairly good quality. This again applies mainly to old screen models. But modern models are often inferior to other types of TV. |
| Energy efficiency | LCD displays consume 40% less energy than other types. |
| Dimensions and weight | Such TVs have a rather low weight and thickness, however, today there are panels with less thickness and weight. |
Long pleasing to the eye, you need to carefully approach his choice. If the design and diagonal are purely a matter of taste preferences, then the technologies used in the production of TVs require careful study. Since the decline of CRT screens, developers have resorted to using new technologies. For a long time, only LCD (TFT LCD) displays could be an alternative; they also tried to replace them with plasma panels. Then the use of OLED matrices based on active LEDs was developed. Now it is TFT LCD and OLED screens that are the most popular. Among them, you have to choose.
TFT LCD is the general name for a display technology that uses liquid crystals (special substances that combine the properties of liquids and solids). But within the framework of this technology, there are branches, so the consumer qualities of the matrices may differ depending on what type of LCD is used. The most popular are TN and IPS types of LCD matrices. The former are distinguished by their low price, and the latter - by the increased picture quality.
The development of IPS technology is due to the presence of irreparable shortcomings in TN matrices. Their main advantage has always been their high response speed. But in terms of color reproduction and viewing angles, such screens have always lagged behind and were not suitable for professionals. The IPS matrix in the TV allows you to avoid these disadvantages, providing high quality shades, excellent viewing angles and rich color gamut.
To figure out, Which TVs have an IPS matrixreally is such, and the quality of the picture corresponds to that for her - it's not easy. For example, the viewing angles of an IPS should be up to 178 degrees or so. Even if the manufacturer claims to use such a matrix in the device, but the viewing angles do not exceed 176 degrees, this is hardly a real IPS technology.dedicated to devices that are actually equipped with such a screen, and their picture quality corresponds to the declared one.
TOP-6 best models of TVs with IPS matrix
Philips 40PFH4100 - 6th place, from 4937 UAH
7th in hit Philips 40PFH4100. It is a 40-inch LCD TV with an IPS LCD that attracts with its slim design and high-quality screen. Its resolution is quite standard 1920 x 1080 pixels, LED strip is used for backlighting. The viewing angles of the matrix correspond to the ideal for IPS, 178 degrees. The scan rate is small, 60 Hz, but this is more than enough for a TV without 3D. The backlight brightness is 250 cd / m2.
The tuner is double, with support for analogue and digital TV broadcasting channels. Among the declared standards are DVB-C and T. This is enough for cable TV users, but those who only need terrestrial channels may be disappointed: there is no DVB-T2. Connection is carried out using two HDMI, already outdated, but universal SCART, analog VGA. USB content playback is also supported. It is also possible to record TV programs on a USB flash drive or external hard drive.
The Philips 40PFH4100 is powered by two 16W speakers. External acoustics are connected using a 3.5 mm jack or optics. The TV is mounted on the wall using a universal VESA bracket 20x20 cm.
Toshiba 40S2550EV - 5th place, from UAH 8731
Sixth inTOP TVs with IPS matrixlocated Toshiba 40S2550EV. This is a 40-inch TV with an IPS panel, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. It is equipped with light-emitting diode (LED) backlighting, providing brightness up to 250 cd / m2. The scan rate is 60 Hz, which is typical for most TVs. The viewing angles are reference for IPS, 178 degrees vertically and horizontally.
The TV is equipped with a receiver designed to work with analog and digital terrestrial DVB-T2 channels. There is no satellite and cable receiver, but with the help of a tuner everything is solved. Taking into account the fact that there are already 3 dozen digital channels, completely free, and a pair of HDMI allows you to connect a media player or a PC, the need for a cable may not arise. Of the older video transmission standards, VGA, tulips and SCART are implemented. If you need a large TV that will also be used as a monitor, the Toshiba 40S2550EV is optimal. And even without it, you can enjoy watching a movie from an external drive: a USB port and support for popular formats (DivX, MKV, MPEG4) are present.
The sound of the TV is quite powerful, 2 speakers of 8 watts each. For a room of 20 m2, this is enough. If you want louder, you can connect a stereo system via a 3.5 mm jack. The main thing is that the neighbors do not swear. And if they suddenly start to swear, you can connect powerful headphones to the same jack so as not to disturb anyone with a loud sound. Wall mount is standard with 200 mm VESA hanger.
LG 32LF510U - 4th place, from 4985 UAH
The Korean company LG equips its TVs with matrices of its own production. They are of high quality: it is LG (along with Sharp) that are considered the best developers of IPS screens. The LG 32LF510U is an example of an inexpensive TV with a good screen. That is why he got intorating of TVs with IPS matrix... Its screen has a diagonal of 32 ″, and its resolution is 1366x768. A bit like for a monitor, but if you use it specifically as a TV (where the viewing distance is greater), then this will be enough for your head. Moreover, the viewing angles correspond to the ideal 178 degrees, and the sweep frequency reaches an impressive 300 Hz.
Dual (digital + analog) tuner allows you to receive terrestrial, cable and satellite TV channels. The current DVB-T2 standard is also supported. From the interface ports, the TV is equipped with antenna inputs, HDMI, USB with support for storage, SCART and audio jacks. You can bring sound to your home theater using a 3.5 mm jack, an optical output.
For sound reproduction, 2 speakers with a power of 6 W each are responsible. Virtual Surround support is present. Among media formats played from a flash drive, AC3, MP3, AAC, RA, WMA, MPO, JPG and others are declared. For wall mounting, a standard VESA footprint with dimensions of 20x20 cm is provided.
Samsung UE-32J5100 - 3rd place, from UAH 5760
Samsung is one of the world's leading display manufacturers. Its products are of high quality, and the technical characteristics correspond to those officially declared (which is sometimes lacking in Chinese technology). Samsung UE-32J5100 - 32-inch IPS LCD TV. It has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the backlighting is carried out using LEDs. The picture refresh rate is 100 Hz. The viewing angles are reference for IPS and reach 178 degrees.
The TV is equipped with a built-in tuner with support for analogue broadcasting and "digital". Of the digital standards, both terrestrial DVB-T2 TV and satellite S2, cable C are declared. To connect image sources (in addition to the antenna input), there is a pair of HDMI, "tulip". There's also a pair of USBs, a 3.5mm headphone output and an optical home theater output.
Sound is output using a pair of 10W speakers, with support for surround stereo. It will not be difficult to connect a stereo system, fortunately, there are connectors for this. Playback from external drives is supported, all popular video and audio formats (MP3, MP4, AAC, DivX) work. The TV is supplied with a stand by default, but the option for wall mounting is also available.
- Tutorial
- Recovery Mode
Hello, dear habrasoobshchestvo.
After studying the materiel, I clarified some points.
I Type of imaging.
Today there are 3 types of image formation on modern televisions:1 LCD.
The most common type of TV. Images in such TVs are obtained using polarized light, multiple light filters and controlled liquid crystals.1.1 Types of LCD TV backlights.
Since the image that we see on an LCD TV screen is obtained as a result of the passage of polarized light from a backlight source, it is necessary to designate 2 types of backlight:a) CCFL, aka cold cathode. A subspecies of thin fluorescent lamps located behind the matrix.
Advantages: uniformity of illumination.
Disadvantages: large thickness, power consumption, inability to locally control the backlight.
b) LED - light emitting diodes. Nowadays, TVs with cold cathode have almost completely supplanted.
Advantages: it is possible to make very thin TVs, low power consumption, the ability to locally control the backlight.
A few words must be said about the local control of the backlight and the LED backlight division. LED-backlighting is divided into 2 types: edge (aka EDGE-LED, when the LEDs are located at the edges of the matrix, their light hits the diffuser and diffuses) and carpet (Full HD LED, LED Pro). Since LCD pixels do not emit light by themselves, they need a backlight (as discussed above) that is always on. Sealed crystals still allow light to pass through, so low black levels (the lower the better) and contrast transitions are not possible in edge-lit systems. The highest-end TVs use carpet lighting (where the LEDs are located directly behind the matrix). This allows for more uniform backlighting and the implementation of segmented backlight control, where the individual diodes responsible for areas on the screen can dim the brightness depending on the scene on the screen. In fact, only 2 series have carpet lighting - Philips 9 series and Sony 9 series. LG's 9th series also has carpet lighting, but its implementation is worse than the edge of competitive solutions.
Uneven backlighting.
Due to the fact that the LEDs are located at a certain frequency (scattering and many other factors contribute their influence), in almost 100% of cases LCD TVs with LED backlighting have uneven backlighting (clouding) - when areas that should remain black have a different gradation gray.The problem is partially solved by the segmented LED backlighting.
1.2 Types of matrix LCD-TVs with LED-backlight.
I will not go into the details of image formation by different types of matrices, but will briefly describe their main advantages and disadvantages.a) IPS(currently only produced by LG). Matrices that I think are ideal for low to mid-range TVs.
Advantages: large viewing angles.
Flaws: high black level (~ 0.16 nits), long response time.
Installed in TVs LG 3-9 series (that is, in fact, in all, without division by level), Philips 4, 6 series, Panasonic of various variations and many others.
b) S-PVA(manufactured by Samsung). Matrices for TVs of the classes above.
Advantages: deeper blacks (0.05-0.1 nits depending on the backlight implementation).
Installed in TVs Samsung 7-8 series, Sony 7-8 series, Philips 7-8-series and some others.
c) UV²A(produced by Sharp). In my opinion, the most perfect type of matrix.
Advantages: angles are larger than S-PVA (but smaller than IPS). Deepest black level (0.02 - 0.06 nits)
Flaws: Sharp does not produce enough of them.
Installed in Philips 9 series TVs and Sharp top series.
2. Plasma.
There are many myths and misconceptions associated with this word. Any ignorant seller will tell you that plasma is out of date. This is due to a set of stereotypes and problems that have taken place.The image is formed using the glow of the phosphor under the influence of UV rays.
Each plasma cell is an independent light source, so the TV does not require backlighting. Previously, plasma TVs had a very large thickness and cell size, so they were very bulky and Full HD diagonals started from 50-60 ". Now the thickness of modern plasma TVs does not exceed 3-4 cm, and diagonals start from 42".
Plasma TVs do not have different types of matrix with marketing names, but there are generations of panels (the most advanced is the 15th).
Now plasma is almost superseded by LCD TVs and only 3 companies are engaged in its production: Panasonic, Samsung and LG (moreover, only the first 2 have their own developments). This is due to unprofitable production, competition from LCD TVs and their popularization. But plasma holds the first positions in large diagonals.
3. OLED.
Organic LEDs. Something in between, between the first 2 technologies. The image is formed using self-emitting diodes, which glow under the influence of an electric current. As in plasma, each cell is an independent light source. So far, there are only a few serial samples of such TVs at very high prices. LG and Samsung are developing in this area.There are other types of TVs, such as laser projection TVs, but their development has already been discontinued.
Briefly about the advantages and disadvantages of each technology:
LCD:Advantages:
- a relatively low production price, which allows manufacturers to get a fairly high profit and invest in production.
- Static imaging (no dithering) is good for displaying images and photographs.
- Great for static images and is not afraid of it.
- LCD TVs are high brightness and low power consumption
Flaws
- High black level (from 0.02 nits in UV²A matrix with carpet backlighting to 0.2 nits in IPS).
- Long response time
- Lack of volume and and depth of the image
- Dynamic resolution without artificial tweaks 300 - 700 lines.
Plasma
Advantages
- Overall image depth. In general, when presenting high-quality content, the image on plasma differs markedly from that in LCD: it has greater depth and saturation of colors, and has a pronounced effect of volume.
- Low black level (0.008 nits on Panasonic 2012 models).
- Have a dynamic resolution without artificial tweaks of 1080 lines.
- Great for dynamic images (movies), good at revealing high quality content.
- There is virtually no response time.
- Freest viewing angles
Flaws
- Completely unsuitable for connecting to a computer due to image retention
- Photos show worse (since gradations are obtained using dithering)
- High power consumption, not all models have high brightness.
- High production costs, low margins - it is more and more difficult for producers to stay afloat.
OLED
The latest imaging technology in televisions. Self-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are used. Like plasma, they are self-emitting displays that do not require backlighting.
Currently, only a few production samples have been released at a price ten times higher than similar LCD and plasma TVs, but LG promises that in 3 years OLED TVs similar to LCD and plasma diagonals will cost 1.5 times more.
Advantages:
- low response time and high contrast, like plasma, since there are no mechanically rotating molecules and constant backlight, like in LCD.
- efficiency
- wide viewing angles.
Flaws:
- different pixel degradation over time (same as plasma, which results in afterimages and pixel burnout). Now they are trying to compensate for this programmatically.
- Low service time: about 10,000 hours (for example, LCD has 60,000 hours, plasma has 100,000 hours).
II Image characteristics
Choosing a new TV, I came to the conclusion that some picture characteristics can be changed, some cannot.Measured characteristics:
- Black level (MLL, Minimum luminescence level) - the black level that the TV shows when the signal is 0. [nit]
- Brightness - the level of brightness that the TV shows when it receives a 255 signal.
These 2 characteristics are measured together when a checkerboard (ANSI method) is displayed on the TV - an alternation of black and white areas. The brightness of each area is calculated, the arithmetic average of the brightness of the black and white areas.
- Contrast. Difference between the arithmetic mean of black and white areas when black areas are taken as one.
The ANSI contrast of IPS matrices is ~ 1000: 1, S-PVA - 3500: 1, UV²А - 5000: 1, plasma - 12000: 1.
- Color accuracy (DeltaE, deviation from the standard). A signal is applied at the input, the signal at the output is measured. The greater the deviation, the less accurate color reproduction. The naked eye is believed to be unable to detect the DeltaE deviation.< 3, а нулем обозначается идеальная цветопередача.
- Viewing angles. The smaller the angle of view of the matrix, the more the color is distorted. The smallest corners are LCD S-PVA matrices. The largest are plasma panels.
- Dynamic resolution. As you know, almost all TVs have a static resolution of 1080 lines (1920x1080 pixels), but the dynamic resolution (what the TV shows when there is movement on the screen) is often different. This is precisely why backlight flickering, frame interpolation and other tricks are introduced into LCD TVs.
Subjective characteristics
These include the volume of the image, which is formed by a combination of black level and color saturation, the "cinematic" image, the effect of presence.
Thank you for your attention.
If the article seems interesting, in the next part I will write about the choice of the diagonal, types of 3D, their practical difference, about image interpolation and try to debunk some myths.
Almost everyone knows that the main manufacturers of processors for smartphones are Qualcomm (USA) and MediaTek (Taiwan). Fewer people know that they do not manufacture crystals on their own, relying on factories like TSMC. But only a few people know about who makes displays for smartphones. But this is no less important component of a mobile device than a central processing unit. Therefore, let's try to clarify and find out who, at the world level, produces screens for smartphones.
Looking ahead, it is important to note that it is easier to produce matrices of poor quality using outdated technologies. It is much cheaper to organize the production of 7 "screens with a resolution of 800x480, which are used in the cheapest tablets, than to launch a series of 5" screens with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. Having access to equipment decommissioned by leading companies (such as Samsung) and purchased relatively inexpensively (hundreds of thousands instead of millions, millions instead of billions of dollars), even the unknown “Uncle Liao's basement.” Such manufacturers, for obvious reasons, cannot be listed.
The history of the company dates back to 1938. It all started with trading in noodles, rice and other goods. The company switched to electrical engineering in the 1960s. In the 80s and 90s, Samsung focused on the telecommunications industry, not forgetting about household appliances, as well as industrial and special equipment. Around the same years, Samsung engineers took an active interest in LCD technology for screens. As a result, already in 2000, the first Samsung LCD TV with a 40-inch screen was created.
Around the same time, intensive work began on active matrices based on organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). Attention was paid to VA and IPS matrices, as well as TN. In 2012, the successful display business was spun off into a separate subsidiary, Samsung Display. He had 6 factories at his disposal, 3 of them are engaged in the production of OLED screens, the same number - LCD. At the end of 2015, 38% of all mobile displays in the world were manufactured by Samsung.
OLED screens
In the early 2000s, OLED development was in full swing. In 2004, 40% of all AMOLED screens came off the assembly lines of Samsung. Due to only the developing smartphone market and "raw" technologies, these displays were large (10-20 ") and were installed in televisions. Until 2006, the company had registered and acquired more than 600 patents for OLED technology. In 2010, over 97% of all AMOLEDs screens were manufactured by Samsung.
In 2010, the company named its screens Super AMOLED and slightly changed the technology for their production. The main difference is that the sensor layer is now located on the matrix itself, and not on a separate layer with an air gap. In 2013, the first smartphone with a curved screen, the Samsung Galaxy Round, was released. As of 2016, Samsung produces flat and curved Super AMOLED screens for smartphones and tablets with resolutions up to 2560x1440 pixels.
LCD screens
Samsung also produces LCD displays for mobile technology. Currently, this direction is less priority, and all the latest developments are AMOLED screens. LCD-matrices are made for TVs, monitors and laptops. Some of them are also produced for smartphones. After the company announced the sale of equipment from the L7 plant in 2015 to re-equip it for the production of OLED screens, it became clear that organic light-emitting diodes are a priority for the company.
Sharp
The Japanese company Sharp was founded by Tokuji Hayakawa in 1912. She started out by making pencils and repairing equipment. Only in 1925, after seeing the radio, the founder Sharp decided to take up electrical engineering. Around the same time, Tokuji became interested in television broadcasting. In 1951, after a difficult war and post-war period, the first Japanese TV Sharp was released.
In 1988, Sharp developed the first 14 "active crystal LCD. In 1994, a 21" color TFT LCD was introduced. In the early 2000s, it became possible to mass-produce miniature LCD displays, which were introduced into their own phones sold in Japan. Also matrices were supplied to other companies. In 2012, Sharp, at a factory in Kameyama (Japan, Mie Prefecture), began production of 5-inch LCD screens with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. In the same year (and beyond), they launched Retina IPS screens for the iPhone, iPad and MacBook.
The first 4k display for a smartphone
In the first half of 2015, Sharp launched a series of displays combining IZGO (pixel reduction due to the use of gallium, zinc, indium oxides) and In-Cell (built-in sensor) technologies. At the same time, the first mobile 4K screen with a 5.5 "diagonal was released. It was he who was used in the Sony Z5 Premium. But innovative technologies did not help Sharp achieve high profitability, and in the spring of 2016 the company was 2/3 acquired by the Chinese Foxconn.
Japan Display Inc.
JDI Corporation was founded in 2012 in Japan, as a result of the merger of the Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba display divisions, as well as the state corporation INCJ. The company has taken up the production of high pixel density LTPS LCD screens. Most of them use IPS technology. The company has become one of the main suppliers of Retina screens for the iPhone.
JDI and OLED
In 2014, JDI partnered with Sony and Panasonic, and with financial support from INCJ, to form JOLED Corporation, a dedicated OLED display company. It is positioned as a competitor to Samsung, which controls the bulk of the OLED market. It is planned to become one of the key suppliers of AMOLED matrices for Apple by 2018. At the end of 2015, 17% of all displays for portable equipment in the world left the JDI conveyors.
The founders began their activities with the manufacture of household chemicals in the middle of the last century. Work on TFT technologies began when Goldstar was a separate company, in 1987. In 1995, a line for the production of LCD displays was launched in the city of Gumi (South Korea). In 1998, all screen technology from other branches of the company was transferred to the display division of LG. In 1998-2003 the company took the first place in the LCD market. In 2001, LG develops Super-IPS technology to address the shortcomings of early IPS matrices. It forms the basis of the best screens from LG.
LG OLED screens
Attention is also paid to organic light-emitting diodes. Back in 2011, the LG Optimus Sol was released - a smartphone with a 3.8-inch Ultra AMOLED screen with a resolution of 800x480. As of the end of 2015, the market share of OLED displays for mobile devices seems negligible compared to Samsung. But in numerical terms, it means that about 5,000 organic diode matrices leave the LG assembly line every day. In total, in 2015, the Korean company took about 14% of the mobile screen market.
AU Optronics
AUO is a Taiwanese display manufacturer established in 2001 with the merger of the display divisions of Benq and Acer. In 2006, the company bought out Quanta, which also specializes in screens. Then it allowed to take the first place in the display market. The company is engaged in the development of its own technologies (VA matrices, OLED, OnCell touchscreens, curved LCD displays) and contract manufacturing of foreign products.
OLED displays AUO
By the end of 2015, AUO was able to deliver about a million OLED screens for smartphones and other portable electronics. This puts it in third place, after Samsung and LG, in terms of production of matrixes on organic LEDs. In the summer of 2013, the AMOLED screen AUO with a diagonal of 4.4 "and a resolution of 1600x900 pixels saw the light. In 2014, AU Optronics released a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2560x1440. However, as of April 2016, the company's management believes that the time of mass introduction of AMOLED until it comes.
Tianma
Tianma Microelectronics was founded in 1983 in Shenzhen (China). Until the beginning of this decade, the company was not widely known, as it developed products for the domestic market. The main part of it is industrial LCD screens of low resolution, but with high reliability. Everything changed at the beginning of this decade, when the company started producing displays for mobile technology. At the moment, it is the largest Chinese matrix manufacturer.
Tianma's main products are LCD panels, but the focus is also on AMOLED. In 2014, it acquired NLT (based on the display division of NEC), expanding its arsenal of technologies. Tianma's clients include Xiaomi, HTC and other well-known smartphone manufacturers. High-resolution LCD displays are produced for them. Tianma's level of technology reflects the 8K (7680x4320 pixels) 10 "tablet display shown at CITE-2016.
Other manufacturers
As mentioned at the beginning, there are small companies (mainly Chinese) that make LCD screens. For manufacturing, obsolete equipment is used, often purchased from market leaders. These screens are installed in ultra-cheap smartphones from little-known brands. By the quality of the picture, such products can be recognized at a glance. Poor viewing angles, dim and uneven backlighting, a grid of pixels visible to the naked eye - these are the main signs that the screen was produced at one of these factories.
The problem is that the launch of conveyors for the production of modern IPS or AMOLED high-definition screens requires billions of dollars in investment. Only a few world-class companies are capable of allocating such finances, while everyone else has to be content with more affordable technologies. Therefore, a small company is simply unable to establish a serial production of high-end displays.
