What type of TV is LED? LED TVs - what are they, advantages and disadvantages of LCD matrices with different types of backlighting
Today, many people strive to improve their home, fill it with beautiful furniture, exquisite accessories and modern innovative appliances. The innovation of the latest generation is a modern LED TV. Not everyone knows what this means. It has a display backlit with innovative LEDs. They create bright radiation when electric current passes through the device. As a result, the user can watch high-quality, clearest and brightest cartoons, various films and television programs at home.
Latest generation LED technology
Its main difference from LCD displays is the principle of screen backlighting. Currently, the two most common types are lateral and posterior. The first type is used in cheaper and simpler models of household appliances, while the second is used in expensive functional devices. OLED backlighting consists of colored elements installed behind the plasma panel. LEDs acquire a certain shade, depending on the color of the picture. As a result of this effect, a person can watch three-dimensional and realistic films.
LED technology allows you to achieve high contrast and brightness of the image on the screen with an immersive effect. This feature distinguishes this device from many similar models. As a result, a person can enjoy watching films, cartoons and documentary series in high resolution and quality.
Do you want to know what an LED TV is? This is a device that has several advantages:
- Small thickness of the screen, which makes it easy to hang the device on the wall;
- Highest contrast and clarity of the transmitted image;
- LED lamps can reduce energy consumption by 40 percent;
- There is no mercury in the display structure;
- High functionality. Many modern devices have many special connectors and interfaces for connecting a computer and other digital equipment.
Many buyers, before choosing high-quality equipment, are faced with the question of what an LED TV is and how it differs from similar models. Its main advantage is its innovative LED lighting. Diodes make it possible to improve the quality of the image on the screen, and also increase contrast, brightness, color rendition and depth of dark color. These are devices of the latest generation, so they are significantly ahead of all their predecessors in terms of technical equipment.
Thus, the best choice is LED TV. What does this mean for the buyer? Saving electrical energy, functionality, aesthetics and environmental friendliness, since mercury and other hazardous substances are not used in the production of the matrix for this product. The diodes in the display are distributed in a checkerboard pattern, resulting in more uniform illumination.
OLED TVs – what are they?
Currently, another new product on the household appliances market is OLED plasma TVs. Not everyone knows what kind of functional device this is. It has an even thinner display, which distinguishes it from many similar models. As a result, the equipment will fit perfectly into any corner of the apartment - a small bedroom or living room, and will also become a natural extension of the wall.
The screen of this innovative multimedia device includes three layers, one of which is a special film. Each pixel in it has an unusual design with built-in organic LEDs. When an electric current passes through them, they themselves emit a bright glow. As a result, this structure eliminates the need to install a backlight in the screen, which makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the display.
Recently, OLED TVs have gained widespread popularity. What does this mean for the buyer? Maximum contrast, wide viewing angle, no glare on the screen, low weight, low energy consumption, no need to install additional backlighting, and fast response. These advantages make the equipment the best choice for those who prefer quality and functionality.
In recent years, televisions of this type have established themselves as a high-quality and reliable option. In this article we will look at what an LED TV is. Let's look at what LED means in detail. Despite the high cost, TV devices with such backlighting are popular.
What is a modern LED TV? This is a standard TV with an LCD screen, the matrix of which is illuminated by special LEDs. It would be worth calling LCD (LCD) TVs with LED backlighting. But the management of the South Korean brand Samsung calls such TVs “LED TV” for marketing purposes. This name has taken root in society. Let us remember that this company was the first to present televisions of this type.
In reality, LCD devices cannot be called real LED models. LEDs do not act as a real image unit - a pixel. LED-backlit TVs are a more modernized and improved version of LCD. Previously, CCFL cold cathode fluorescent lamps were used as a light source.
By replacing the CCFL backlight with LED, the developers eliminated several significant disadvantages of LCD devices:
- they became thinner;
- the amount of energy consumed has decreased;
- harmful chemicals are excluded from the composition.
The key feature of LED technology is that this device contains LED backlighting. In budget models it is located on the sides of the device (Edge LED). In flagships, the backlight is located at the back (Direct LED).
The first option uses exclusively white LED elements, and the second uses blue, green and red, known as RGB LED backlighting. In the backlight, the color elements are located behind the LCD panel. Diodes of different shades are turned on, which is affected by the incoming image color. Thanks to this, high resolution and image quality are achieved. Previously, such a picture was not available in conventional TV devices.
Let's look at what ICE means depending on the type of backlight and its placement.
Types of LED TVs
To understand the characteristic features of LED TV, it is necessary to dwell in detail on the types of backlighting. Today there are two classifications.
By color of light sources:
- White LED (single-color system). Or white LEDs.
It is a cheap option, but more preferable compared to fluorescent lamps. Devices of this type consume a minimum of electricity. LEDs do not contain mercury. If we consider color transmission and coverage depth, LED TVs with this backlight are practically no different from LED LCDs.
- RGB (multi-color system).
In this case, the color palette is much wider. This increases the quality of color reproduction. It should be noted that the price of an LED TV with this backlight technology is much higher. These devices need a powerful GPU. Among the disadvantages is the consumption of electricity in large quantities. If you have extra money, you can consider this type of TV device. All that remains is to choose the right TV.
- QD Vision (mixed version).
The basis is blue LEDs with a special film with quantum dots (green and red).
This technology produces clear, confined and tuned optical waves. The color palette becomes wider, the colors become more intense. And this technology, unlike RGB, is considered energy efficient. Bravia TV panels are the first clear example of the use of a mixed lighting method by the Triluminos Sony manufacturer. As for the backlight placement technology, there are two options.
Along the edge of the LCD matrix (Edge LED). This is a one-color system, located on one side in most cases from the bottom. The manufacturer can also place it on parallel sides or along the entire perimeter.
The side lighting is affected by the size of the diagonal. Among the disadvantages of this method, it should be noted “lights” in the corners of the screen and a low level of contrast. At the same time, using such a scheme, the manufacturer creates panels a couple of millimeters thick.
- Direct LED.
Principle: uniform distribution of diodes over the entire area. The price of such models is significantly higher. The advantage is that in this case it is possible to use local black dimming technology. The manufacturer can use white and colored LEDs. This will improve the picture quality.
Pros and cons of LED TVs
First, let's look at the advantages of LED TVs.
- Small body thickness. By using LEDs it is possible to create ultra-thin TVs.
- The image is contrasty and clear. Due to the reduced pixel response time, it was possible to achieve the most realistic image possible, even if there is dynamic movement on the screen. The viewing angle competes with plasma TV.
- Energy efficiency. Almost a key advantage for buyers. The device consumes 40% less electricity than its predecessors.
- Extensive model row, both in terms of functionality and design.
- Lifetime. Due to the use of reliable and fade-resistant LEDs, the LED screen has a long service life.
- Environmentally friendly product. No mercury. Moreover, LED TV safety documentation complies with all strict global principles.
Now for the cons:
- Since local dimming technology is used to improve picture quality (LEDs are controlled by groups consisting of several diodes), TV models have the following disadvantages: presence of dark and bright spots in places where the backlight is activated and deactivated, there are colored halos at the transitions of contrasts. In dark areas, picture details may disappear. Viewing angles may also be limited.
- Increased demands on signal qualityx. A low-resolution transmission on a TV will not look the best, showing all the disadvantages of the device.
- An LED screen is considered an expensive pleasure. In most cases, these TV models are 40% more expensive than conventional LCDs.
Now you know the advantages and disadvantages of LED devices.
How to choose an LED TV
Choosing equipment, and especially an LED TV, is a pleasant chore. In order not to make a mistake when choosing the optimal device for yourself, you need to know what criteria you should pay attention to. Next we will look at the nuances that you should keep in mind. This will allow the buyer not to get confused when choosing the right TV model.
LED TV backlight
Let's take a quick look at the pros and cons of Direct LED or Edge LED.
Positive aspects of Edge LED:
- ultra-thin panel;
- excellent contrast level;
- high brightness.
Flaws:
- there are problems with the uniform distribution of backlight in certain models;
- There may be highlights around the edges.
Pros of Direct LED:
- high contrast and brightness;
- uniform illumination;
- no glare around the edges.
Flaws:
- panel thickness;
- high energy consumption.
Screen resolution
You also need to consider screen resolution. Mostly models in the middle class are presented with Full HD resolution. If the diagonal is small, then HD Ready may be present.
Experts recommend choosing a TV with maximum resolution. Since there has been progress in the quality of television broadcasting. For example, the abandonment of analog TV in favor of digital TV is already in full swing.
Thickness and weight
If you plan to mount the TV on a plasterboard partition, it is better to give preference to light and thin TVs. If the TV will be placed on a stand or cabinet, these parameters do not matter. It is important that the stand matches the size of the device. For the first option, Edge LED is suitable.
Frame frequency
The frame rate of the TV signal in European countries is 50 Hz. This indicator is not enough to convey a dynamic scene. The picture will be choppy and blurry.
TV device manufacturers have added intermediate frames to solve this problem. As a result, a frequency of 100 Hz was obtained with the addition of 1 card between the previous and the next, 3 frames - 200 Hz. The task of the TV is to complete the intermediate frames. This technology was first used by the Samsung and Sony brands.
To increase the frame rate, scanning backlight was added. Modern models combine two technologies for maximum frame rates. If you intend to purchase a TV with 3D, then you need to opt for a high-frequency model.
To avoid making a mistake in your purchase, you need to ask the store consultant to turn on a dynamic scene. Look carefully at the image, the movements should be smooth and the contours clear.
Screen coating
Which screen coating should you choose – matte or glossy? The second option is characterized by a contrasting and bright image. Among the disadvantages are the glare that appears from the sun's rays. This is explained by the fact that the surface is slightly mirrored, so your eyes may get a little tired. The matte finish does not have such clarity, but there is no glare.
Consider the viewing angle. The larger it is, the less the picture is distorted when viewed from the side. Choose a TV with a viewing angle of at least 170 degrees.
Connectors
When choosing an LED TV, you should take into account the number of connectors on the rear panel. Today there is a lot of additional equipment that effectively interacts with the TV: DVD players, speaker systems, media players, receivers. To connect these devices, you will need the appropriate connectors. It is important that there are several HDMI interfaces, audio and video outputs, and USB connectors.
3D
Do you need 3D images? If you consider yourself to be a lover of modern technology, then a TV with a surround image will interest you. All 3D devices use 1 of 2 existing 3D imaging techniques: active or passive. Active technology uses glasses with an active shutter, which closes the eyes one at a time.
Glasses with liquid crystal lenses also interact with the TV device, using Bluetooth or an infrared port. This option is considered expensive, but at the same time it has its drawbacks. There is slight flicker. Add to this the additional cost of purchasing batteries.
The passive option divides the picture into two different polarizations. Due to different lenses, one eye will see the image from one polarization, the other from another. There is no need to purchase batteries. The main disadvantage is the halved image resolution. To choose a TV with 3D wisely, you need to look at two technologies in the store at once. Tilt your head, change your focus, move away from the TV. This is the only way to choose the best option for yourself.
Smart TV
Is it worth paying extra for Smart TV features? A very interesting question. On the one hand, this is a really convenient option for viewing photos, videos and movies. You can access the Internet using Wi-Fi or use the LAN connector. Depending on the manufacturer, there are special widgets and browsers. This makes using the TV much easier. Smart TV reads data from an external USB drive. The device may not support all formats, much depends on the company.
Now you know what an LED TV is. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of TV. Moreover, you know what points to consider when choosing it.
Today, the variety of television equipment is very high. All of them differ in the principle of image formation, the technology of its illumination, as well as the presence of additional technological delights. Despite this, the choice in favor of one type of TV or another is becoming easier to make, as pass-through types such as plasma and projection are becoming a thing of the past. LCD TV began to occupy a dominant position in the market, although just a few years ago the debate around which is better - LCD or plasma, was very heated, but with the development of liquid crystal technology, the operating principle of which is based on the polarization of the light flux, the debate came to naught, and Plasma models went into oblivion, giving way to LCD TVs.
LED or LCD?
Choose a good option
Often, when we go to a store, we choose a device primarily by size and price. But there are many other factors that also need to be taken into account.
So let's figure out which option to choose - led or lcd, what possibilities are hidden behind the abbreviation, led TVs - what does this actually mean, why have they become so popular lately.
The essence of this question is to find out which TV is better, but this approach to comparison is fundamentally wrong, since LED denotes the matrix backlight technology, and LCD is, in fact, the matrix itself, inside which the image is formed. A similar, erroneous attempt to compare is that an inexperienced buyer is trying to understand what is better - LCD or ice.
Partially understanding the difference will help to understand the terminology. The abbreviation LCD comes from the English Liquid-Crystal Display, which means “liquid crystal display”, and LED (light emitting diode) is translated as “light emitting diode”. Therefore, it is inappropriate to compare a screen and a light bulb, especially since the concepts of lcd and led are related, do not contradict each other and coexist perfectly in most modern models. Moreover, LCD matrices with backlighting other than LED are becoming increasingly rare.
Such a false comparison in the minds of ordinary people did not arise by chance - it is the result of the planting of a marketing idea. It was she who promoted LED as a fundamentally different type of technology, leaving behind the scenes that, in fact, it is only a fundamentally different type of backlight, which replaced the fluorescent backlight in the same LCD TV.
Undeniable advantages allow ice lighting to differ from fluorescent lighting, otherwise it would not have become so widespread. After all, LED TV backlights have not only supplanted fluorescent ones, they have practically driven them out of the market, not least because LEDs are cheaper to produce.
Another undeniable advantage in receiving the title “best” is environmental friendliness: LED TVs, or rather LEDs, do not contain mercury, which fluorescent lamps cannot boast of.
A very strong argument in favor of purchasing LED equipment is the presence of much higher performance characteristics compared to models with the old type of backlighting. One of the differences is that LEDs burn longer and do not dim during operation. As a result, such a TV works without loss of image quality. And the service life of the device is a significant factor in the choice.
Important nuances when choosing a TV
Separately, you need to dwell on how to choose a LED TV. Despite the seeming obviousness and simplicity of choosing the type of device, you need to understand that LEDs are different, and in order to choose the right one, it doesn’t hurt to understand what qualitative differences characterize such TVs and how they are expressed.
The main factors that you should pay attention to when choosing an LCD TV are:
- The principle of screen illumination with LEDs
This is directly related to how the technology is implemented. It is impossible not to mention how LCD TVs differ from fundamentally different technology - OLED (organic light-emitting diodes).
The difference between models with OLED displays is that the LEDs here do not illuminate the matrix with white light, thereby illuminating the image, but rather form the image themselves. The matrix of such a display consists of many LEDs, each of which emits the desired color of a certain intensity. This fundamentally affects not only the quality of the picture, which is a level higher here, but also the cost, which in turn hinders the mass distribution of this technology. In addition, OLED displays have a much shorter service life, approximately 2-3 years, which is also a limiting factor for its distribution. At the same time, the service life of LED TVs is about seven years.
At the moment, OLED technology is a distinctive feature of the premium segment of TVs, and here each buyer, based on his budget, decides which to get - LED or OLED.
- Illumination Uniformity
Depends on the number of LEDs.
Of course, you won’t be able to count them, but before purchasing you should pay attention to the degree of uniformity of the screen’s glow. It is advisable to check this not on a beautiful high-resolution picture, but on solid colors - then it will be easier to see highlights. However, this practically never happens on TVs from famous brands, even in the budget segment; it is mainly the manufacturers of Chinese brands who are guilty of this.
High-price TVs use so-called carpet backlighting, which is characterized by the fact that the LEDs are located immediately behind the display and are evenly and fairly densely distributed over its entire area. In addition to uniformity, this method also allows you to control the brightness of the glow in a particular area on the screen. In practice, this allows you to reduce the intensity of the glow in those areas of the screen where you want to achieve deeper blacks. It must be said that this is a very uncommon technology, and not all brands implement this approach well. The most commonly used schemes are those in which LEDs are placed in two garlands, one each at the top and bottom of the display, or in several such garlands, symmetrically distributed directly behind the screen.
- Glow brightness
This determines how well the screen will be visible in daylight. Many people probably know what it’s like to watch a movie or a program when the entire picture is illuminated by the sun. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to this point if you plan to use the TV in brightly lit rooms, or if it will be located opposite a window. In any case, the brightness, if it is excessive, can be reduced.
Guided by these points, you will already know exactly how to choose the right LED TV.
SMART TV
It is also worth mentioning such a concept as smart, with which the era of smart television began.
It does not relate to quality and does not affect the picture, however, a buyer choosing an LED TV will inevitably encounter this term when he comes to the store to make a purchase, and therefore it is better to be aware of whether it is necessary to spend money on buying a smart device , or you can do without it. In fact, a smart TV contains an additional module that is used to access the Internet and only acts as a monitor.
A smart TV is distinguished by the ability to access the Internet, provided that an Internet cable is connected to it. The result is a kind of symbiosis between TV and computer.
In general, when buying a TV, you need to understand that watching television channels at home and watching a promotional video in a store are not the same thing. A TV can produce the best quality only if you watch TV channels in high definition or HD content.
Thus, knowing how LCD differs from OLED and smart, you can consciously approach the choice of a TV with the required technical characteristics.
Most homes have more than one TV. Maybe two, three or more. They are installed in different rooms - in the kitchen, in the living room, in the bedroom or in the nursery. Depending on the place of “registration”, the requirements and selection criteria change. So it turns out that choosing a TV is not so easy.
To choose a TV, you first need to decide at least on the technology by which it will be manufactured. They all have their pros and cons. But even the disadvantages can be used for good.
Plasma screens
The design of a plasma panel is fundamentally different from all other technologies. Between two glass plates there are cells filled with gas - xenon or neon. That’s why such TVs are sometimes called gas-discharge TVs. When current passes, the cells glow, the brightness of the glow depends on the magnitude of the current.
The main advantage of this technology: high quality of the “picture”, which is preserved even in very dynamic moments. Other advantages of this technology are no less impressive:
Very good indicators that contributed to the rapid growth of popularity. But there are also disadvantages:
If you want to choose a TV with a large screen, high-quality images and good color reproduction, pay attention to plasma panels. This is exactly them. Only if you want, you will have to look for appropriate brackets and the wall must have good load-bearing capacity. Drywall or foam concrete will not hold such a mass.
Properties of LCD TVs (LCD)
LCD screens use a digital image transmission method. They are so named because the cells are filled with liquid crystals, which in an electromagnetic field polarize the light passing through them, changing the degree of their own transparency. To obtain an image, a matrix with liquid crystals is illuminated from behind (cold cathode lamps), and color filters are used to convey shades.
The advantages of LCD TVs are as follows:
- Recent models have low power consumption.
- Higher resolution (compared to plasma).
- Possibility of playback in FullHD format.
- Light weight.
- There are screens of different sizes - both small and large. The image on them has the same quality.
- Good image geometry.
- Low level of electromagnetic radiation as they are powered from reduced voltage.
- There is no screen burn-in or see-through.
- The screen does not attract dust.
A similar set of qualities contributed to the rapid spread of televisions with liquid crystal screens. But they also have a number of disadvantages that are worth knowing about:
If you want to choose an LCD TV with good resolution, you will have to shell out a substantial amount. If the requirements for image quality are not so strict, it is quite possible to look at models from the mid-price range.
LED technology
The difference between LCD and LED TVs is in the various lamps used to backlight the matrix. LED TVs use LEDs. They are smaller in size, which allows for very thin screens. They are also more durable and consume less electricity. There are two types of LED screen backlighting:
Through the use of LEDs, LCD TVs receive additional advantages:
If you decide to choose a TV with high image quality, take a closer look at LED models. They have, perhaps, only one drawback - the high price. A good quality LED TV costs $600-1000. Compared to conventional LCDs, they cost 40-50% more. However, these are not the most expensive models today and many people opt for LED TVs.
OLED and QLED technology
This technology for making televisions appeared already in this century, and they have been mass-produced for only four years. The image is formed by organic light-emitting diodes, which themselves emit light and do not require backlighting. In English they are designated OLED, which gives the name to this type of TV.
Today there are two main technologies for producing OLED TVs:
Quite recently, in the midst of summer, a report was published on our website: Samsung LED TVs: from Kaluga with love, dedicated to the opening of the Russian Samsung plant for the production of various electronics and household appliances - Samsung Electronics Rus Kaluga (SERK). Let me remind you: the key point of the report was the story about the launch of production lines for the production of the most modern and most relevant Samsung flat-panel TVs with LED backlighting today - the so-called LED TV. Since then, the editorial mail has received more than once letters in which our readers ask us to tell them more about LED TV technology. The main questions lie in the technical details of the technology, its advantages over competing proposals, and so on. But almost always we are talking about the price factor: is it really worth paying for an LED TV an amount that is sometimes more than twice the cost of LCD and plasma TVs with similar diagonals and screen resolution, will there be a real return on such costs. What is typical is that as time passes, the relevance of the questions asked does not decrease. Flat panel TVs are becoming fashionable, and their range is constantly expanding. You don’t have to look far for an example: the Kaluga plant of Samsung Electronics plans to produce about 75 thousand televisions of all three LED TV series - 6000, 7000 and 8000, with diagonals of 32, 37, 40, 46 and 55 inches by the end of the year and with special emphasis on the most popular are 32- and 40-inch models. Already now, these models are present on the shelves of most Russian retail chains, along with this, the choice of “LED” TV models from other companies is growing, so the growing interest in this technology is quite understandable. In short, today we are publishing a brief overview of the features of the production technology of flat panel displays with LED backlighting.
LED TV or LED LCD TV?
To begin with, it is worth deciding on the terminology that has been established by now. The term LED TV, first introduced by Samsung Electronics and used by a number of companies, and various variations of this term like LED-backlit LCD, used by other companies, in practice means that we are talking about the good old flat-panel LCD screen, but equipped with a more modern and high-quality backlight – LED. In other words, to say that LED TV is exactly LED TV from a technical point of view it would not be entirely correct. Various technologies where light-emitting diodes form the “picture” - such as OLED, OEL or AMOLED, belong to a slightly different class of displays. A real LED screen - where each pixel is displayed using one LED or a group of LEDs - can be found, for example, on huge billboards, looking at which from afar we see a whole picture, and not individual LEDs. Another example is Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) displays, where certain types of organic polymer materials emit light when exposed to electric current. OLED technology is truly promising as the basis for the production of high-quality displays for televisions and monitors - such displays are lighter, do not require backlighting, have better color rendition, a larger brightness range, lower power consumption, and in some versions even flexibility. Moreover, as technology improves, it is expected that over time the production of OLED displays will become even more profitable than the production of LCD screens. However, due to a number of technological limitations - for example, the lifespan of blue polymer phosphors, which is noticeably shorter than that of red and green organic light-emitting diodes, OLED technology is currently used mainly in the production of small-diagonal screens for various mobile devices. Serially produced OLED TVs currently have a small diagonal; rather, they are rare exotics with a huge price rather than a mass product. Although, I repeat, the prospects for the technology are promising. So, let’s dwell on what the use of the term LED TV in practice means: we are talking about an LCD TV equipped with modern LED backlighting. In other words, it would be appropriate to label such TVs as LED LCD TV. However, Samsung has adopted a shorter and, apparently, more convenient marketing option - LED TV. Or LED-backlit LCD in other versions.LED TV vs CCFL LCD TV
Everything is relative. Until recently, we used LCD TVs and monitors, most of them equipped with traditional backlighting based on so-called cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL), in other words, fluorescent lamps. The production of screens using CCFL LCD technology has been “tested” on many generations of such devices and is now relatively inexpensive, and the advantages compared to the previous generation of cathode ray tube displays, mainly such as lower weight and lower power consumption, have led to widespread (although and not final) displacement of the latter from everyday life. And everything would be fine, but illumination using fluorescent lamps has a number of disadvantages that can be considered fundamental. For example, with CCFL backlighting it is quite difficult to realize really deep black tones - constantly switched on lamps still create a certain “leakage” of light even in those parts of the image that, according to the idea, should be dark at the moment. This also logically implies a subjectively perceived decrease in picture clarity. In addition, fluorescent lighting makes it difficult to reproduce multiple colors, making it very difficult to achieve good color saturation. Among other problems of CCFL LCD technology, one cannot fail to note the difficulty in achieving high scanning frequencies, the limited service life of the lamps, relatively high power consumption, and, finally, the environmental nuance - the need to use mercury in the lamps. In a word, one way or another, the need to replace fluorescent lamps with something more efficient has matured a long time ago, and as a result of numerous experiments, the choice fell on LED backlighting. With its help, you can improve at least four key factors of image quality: brightness, contrast, image clarity and color gamut. Not to mention the more uniform nature of such illumination, which is important when viewing dimly lit scenes with initially low contrast. In addition to this, it is also worth mentioning that the efficiency of LEDs and longer operating time without loss of performance can significantly reduce the power consumption of LED TVs compared to conventional LCD TVs with CCFL LCD technology.LED backlighting varies
To date, a number of different technologies for backlighting LCD screens using LEDs have been developed. As a rule, to create backlight modules (Back Light Unit, BLU), LED arrays composed of white or multi-colored RGB (Red, Green, Blue) LEDs are used. The backlight principle is also represented by two main options: direct (Direct) and edge (Edge). In the first case, it is an array of LEDs located behind the LCD panel. Another method that allows you to create ultra-thin displays is called Edge-LED and involves placing backlight LEDs around the perimeter of the inner frame of the panel, and uniform distribution of the backlight is carried out using a special diffuser panel located behind the LCD screen - as is done in mobile devices. Proponents of direct LED backlighting promise better results due to more LEDs and local dimming technology to reduce color casting. The downside of direct backlighting is more LEDs and a concomitant increase in energy consumption and price. In addition, you will have to forget about the ultra-thin design of the TV. Proponents of edge lighting, in addition to saving energy, promise no worse quality with a thinner design. Today, many global companies are producing LCD TVs with LED backlighting, including Samsung Electronics, Toshiba, Philips, LG Electronics, Sony and others. Each company uses variations of the above technologies in its LCD TVs and LED-backlit monitors. For example, Sony TVs use Edge LED technology, which has made it possible to significantly reduce the thickness of fairly large TVs.However, further we will look at LED TV technology using the example of Samsung Electronics TVs - for the reason that currently in Russia Samsung’s share of the LED TV market reaches 98%.
Samsung LED backlighting: how it works
At its core, an LCD screen is a multilayer “pie” made up of color filters, liquid crystal arrays, backlight lamps, etc. The liquid crystal cells themselves do not glow, but, depending on the voltage level applied to them, they open to allow light to pass through fully, partially open, or simply closed when a dark area of the picture is displayed.
The role of the backlight lamps in this whole story is to illuminate the slightly opened LCD cells so that the final picture appears on the screen. Despite such a simplified retelling of the operating principle of the LCD display, this is quite enough to understand the purpose of its main components. The thickness of the layers of the “pie” of different LCD screens is different. When using traditional fluorescent lamps, the backlight layer is so thick that it occupies more volume than all other layers combined.
Let's replace the fluorescent lamps backlighting the LCD cells with LEDs. The first obvious effect of such a replacement is a significant reduction in the overall thickness of the LCD panel. Moreover, in Samsung LED TVs, the LEDs are placed not behind the matrix, but along its edges, due to which the presence of such an end layer has practically no effect on the overall thickness, but the overall weight is significantly reduced.
The LED BLU light-directing layer ensures uniform illumination in all areas of the screen. Thanks to a special reflective grille, the light transmission efficiency of Samsung LED TVs is stated to be 20% higher than that of models with direct RGB LED backlighting. In addition, instead of the usual 10 or more centimeters in thickness, it turns out to be less than 3 cm - if you want, put such a TV on a shelf, or if you want, hang it like a picture on the wall using a specially designed lightweight mounting system. The thickness of Samsung LED TVs 8000 series in the thinnest part of the body is 11 mm, in the thickest part – 29.9 mm. In advertising, Samsung always indicates the value obtained by measuring the thickest part of the case.
For reference: Samsung 8000 series LED TVs use 324 LEDs for backlighting. Thanks to the complete elimination of fluorescent lamps, LED TVs do not contain a single gram of mercury. In addition to this, Samsung technology has also managed to completely get rid of soldering using lead compounds, and practically reduce emissions of volatile organics and other harmful by-products to zero by eliminating the use of sprayed powder paints - the thin, durable and attractive body of the new TVs is made using a special casting technology Crystal Design. Another significant advantage of LED TVs is the high level of image contrast, which significantly exceeds the best performance of traditional LCD matrices. The brightness of the LEDs is so high that, for example, in Samsung LED TVs of the 6000, 7000 and 8000 series, the contrast ratio reaches 1,000,000:1. In addition, digital signal processing with Mega Dynamic Contrast technology provides detailed images in low-contrast “twilight” areas of the picture.
The maximum capabilities of the new backlight system are squeezed out using a multi-layer Ultra Clear Panel filter, which transmits light from inside the screen and does not reflect it from the outside, so it is possible to achieve better brightness and contrast with a minimum of glare, regardless of how the screen is lit from the outside - sunlight or artificial electric lighting. LED backlight allows you to achieve white illumination of LCD cells, as a result of which it is possible to display a wider and more natural range of color shades. The color palette of LED TVs is richer and richer; the greens and blues of bright areas no longer look faded and pale compared to conventional models. In Samsung LED TVs, color saturation is also additionally monitored by the Wide Color Enhancer Pro hardware technology. Often, the weak point of LCD screens is the blurred image with a long response time, which reduces the sharpness of the image and reduces the smoothness of the movement of objects in dynamic scenes. In the new Samsung LED TVs, this is monitored by the Motion Plus interpolation system: models of the 6000 and 7000 series have double the 100-Hz scan, and the flagship 8000 series have quadruple the 200 Hz scan.
An important factor is electricity consumption. Traditional LCD TVs are, of course, more economical than previous models with cathode ray picture tubes, but don’t forget that the diagonals are no longer the same, so with large LCD TVs, electricity meters still spin quite quickly. As for the new LED models, LED backlighting can significantly reduce energy consumption without sacrificing image brightness.
In addition to significant energy savings - up to 40% compared to traditional LCD models with the same diagonal, Samsung LED TVs can also boast certification to one of the most stringent environmental standards, Energy Star 3.0.
LED TV Samsung: it's not just a TV...
Everything on a TV should be perfect - characteristics, appearance, and set of functions. Since we are talking today about specific Samsung LED TVs produced today in Kaluga, it would be an omission not to mention their main characteristics. This is only indirectly related to the topic of today’s article; however, I believe a few lines of details about the potential item of purchase will not be superfluous.First of all, Samsung LED TVs of the 6000, 7000 and 8000 series, along with receiving traditional analogue channels, are ready to work with digital TV thanks to the presence of built-in DVB-T/C tuners. Whenever the era of ubiquitous digital television arrives in Russia, you are already ready for it. In addition, the LNA plus tuner used in these models was created specifically taking into account Russian specifics - interference, vast open spaces and not the first freshness of television repeaters. In addition to this, thanks to the presence of two USB ports, the new TVs can be used as a photo frame for viewing photos from a flash drive, watching multimedia videos in DivX/Xvid formats, for example, from an external USB hard drive, and it will not be enough - there is a built-in 2 GB of flash memory with pre-installed flooded with content. The TV can be “registered” in the home network with access to laptops, desktops and external data storage, and the TV remote control turns into a wireless keyboard for navigating through folders and displaying content from different places on the network. For Internet access there is a LAN connector and support for Internet@TV with access to YouTube. The sound system in ultra-thin LED TVs is on par with the best Samsung models. A unique flat subwoofer was created especially for ultra-thin LED TVs, plus well-proven hidden speakers are used.
Finally, communication with consumer electronics - a DVD player, Blu-ray player, AV receiver, cinema, HD video camera, game console - can be achieved using an HDMI connection, of which four are provided in the design of Samsung LED models.
