Backlight new technology spawned a new product to illuminate the road leading to the differentiation of television

LCD TV manufacturers are trying to make their products unique to achieve differentiation, and to promote the market toward the big screen direction, while the rear projection TV manufacturers are trying to maintain the competitiveness of flat-panel tvs. According to the day prior to the convening of the 2007 International Conference of iSuppli flat panel display (FID) to discuss the situation of the two camps are stepping up their search for the advanced light source to overcome these challenges.

Although the size of the larger LCD panel manufacturers to reduce costs, but the cost of lighting is not as liquid crystal panel as the decline. In fact, the proportion of lighting costs accounted for the overall cost of large-size TV rose. This is particularly worrying panel manufacturers, they are digesting most of the cost of lighting. Panel makers are also beginning to use third party lighting manufacturers to meet their own needs, which further increases the cost of.

At present, the LCD TV is mainly composed of a fluorescent lamp and a series of optical thin films. On the plus side, these technologies have the advantages of long life, high efficiency and high yield. From the negative side, these light sources do not have a learning curve economy, and contain RoHS directive to prohibit the use of mercury. In addition, the startup of these technologies is slower, the color gamut is poor, and the cost increases as the display becomes larger.

"LCD TV needs to improve the quality, in order to attract those who are interested in CRT or plasma display of consumers," Semenza said, "lighting is the key factor that prevents consumers can eliminate the remaining obstacles to the LCD tv. "

From a cost perspective, as LED prices continue to decline, they can begin to reduce costs - starting with the largest screen size.

LED has great potential

According to iSuppli, although many technologies can be used for display lighting, including a variety of fluorescent tubes, as well as FED and OLED and other emerging technologies, but LED is the most likely to improve the LCD backlight technology in the near future.

LED can be used as a direct substitute for standard fluorescent lamp, which means from the design change and market entry point of view, this is the most easy to use technology. In addition, the use of time series color (time-sequential color) in the LED, so no need to use color filter. This method can accurately control the brightness of the LED, which can obtain high dynamic range, this feature has just been used in high-end LCD TV market.

But there is still a problem that LED is now too expensive to use in the mass market. ISuppli believes that the cost of the next few years will be significantly reduced, so that LED can be used as a light source for the mass market.

The high cost of LED will limit its use in LCD TV in the near future. To the fourth quarter of 2008, the global LED backlight LCD TV shipments from the 2007 quarter of 200 thousand to grow to 771 thousand units.

Global LCD TV shipments by LED backlight

laser

Another emerging trend discussed at the FID conference is the use of advanced light sources in rear projection televisions. Panasonic is using an electrodeless light source in its LCD rear projection tv. While MITSUBISHI in the development of laser based DLP rear projection TV, and plans to demonstrate the technology in the private meeting CES.

Laser developers are promoting their products as the ultimate form of lighting technology.

"As the size of the TV becomes larger, it will be difficult for LED and the light bulb to maintain the cost of television," said Greg, executive vice president of Inc., a Novalux developer at the FID 2007 conference. "Using laser light, the material cost (BOM) can be reduced by $50-200, while reducing power consumption, the panel becomes thinner and brighter, better color. "

Niven also pointed out that the laser based rear projection TV is close to commercialization, is expected to launch the first batch of products in 2008. He also said that for digital movies, signs of the projector, as well as a highly integrated pocket projector, but also the potential application of laser light source. He even predicted that the future of LCD TVs may use laser backlight.

Source: International Electronic Business