SIM2, Dolby showcase 46-inch HDR display prototype

Well, would you take a look at that. Right on cue, Dolby and SIM2 are collaboratively showcasing a 46-inch 1080p display built around the former firm's high dynamic range technology. The HDR-enabled LCD HDTV boasts 1,836 LED-based backlight units (designed / developed by SIM2), a full 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, brightness level greater than 4,000 cd/m2, an "infinite" contrast ratio, 16-bits of luminance and a Xilinx Virtex field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) chipset. Additionally, the prototype employs a design created by Giorgio Revoldini, and while we can't imagine hearing of a release date anytime soon, the two firms aren't wasting any time putting the new set on a world tour to presumably wow onlookers. Hey SED, you taking notes here?

[sirsilencedogood @ Mar 31st 2008 11:13PM]

And we just bought a new one yesterday! Just goes to show I guess... ;-(

[Yevon @ Mar 31st 2008 11:16PM]

A cookie goes to whomever knows the formula for finding out the contrast ratio is and can explain how they got an infinite ratio on this one.

[Wolfticket @ Mar 31st 2008 11:23PM]

Contrast ratio = "the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black) that the system is capable of producing"
If it can product perfect black blacks, and white whites at the same time the presumably the contrast ratio is infinite.
Mmmmm... cookie.

[Chuckles McGee @ Mar 31st 2008 11:24PM]

My best guess is that the contrast ratio itself can vary, as opposed to 1: a really high contrast ratio. (Based on the settings, the ratio may adjust between 1:1000, 1:4000, etc. throughout viewing) Yeah, I'm sure there's only an integral number of possible settings, but it's probably enough for marketing to call "infinite"

[evilspoons @ Mar 31st 2008 11:48PM]

If the tv can switch off a pixel entirely so that it produces zero light, this gives an infinite answer when you try to divide the brightest value by the darkest (anything divided by zero is "infinity", although technically speaking it's undefined.)

[Dahk @ Apr 1st 2008 12:08AM]

Lol actually "undefined contrast ratio" sounds kinda badass.

[Bryan @ Apr 1st 2008 1:02AM]

Any old CRT monitor has a practically infinite contrast ratio as well.

[Netsnipe @ Apr 1st 2008 1:49AM]

Obviously they beat CERN to figuring out a way to miniaturize a Large Hadron Collider into each pixel. Whenever they need a pure black they just fire up a micro black hole to stop all light from escaping the pixel.

[rektide @ Apr 1st 2008 2:22AM]

infinite contrast = divide by zero error. you could make a 1 nit monitor and have it be infinite contrast, the only key is being able to not emit any light at all.

[rektide @ Mar 31st 2008 11:16PM]

That Xilinx FPGA chipset costs more than your TV.

[JLTate @ Apr 1st 2008 3:50AM]

Depends. There are Virtex chips that run as low as $200 and as high as $20,000.

[Francis @ Mar 31st 2008 11:21PM]

Whats the point of stating there is a Virtex FPGA? Thats not too far off from saying "hey, there's a pcb inside". FPGAs are not new. From someone who loves using FPGAs, i can say that statement is just fluff. Whats next, are they going to tell me theres a microcontroller in there too?

[JLTate @ Apr 1st 2008 3:47AM]

Well, that is true, but I still like hearing about it. In fact, I'd like to hear more details like what chip in particular it is so I can guess as to the price of the TV. Given that it's a "Virtex" without any details it could be anywhere between "chump change" and "obscene".


And for the uninformed, FPGAs are chips that you can reprogram to be whatever you want them to be. Want it to be a processor? Write up a processor in a hardware description language and download it to it. Want it to be a high performance display processor? Same. They're generally used by companies like Intel to test their high level designs in pseudo-hardware before actually having them fabricated, though they're being used more and more in consumer electronics, such as in network switches and evidently display processors for HDTVs. Oh, and people like to use them for other fun activities, like cracking encryption standards.

[holycow @ Mar 31st 2008 11:26PM]

At first I thought it was a news about the game SIMS 2 -_- ...

[fischju @ Mar 31st 2008 11:45PM]

Would the universe implode if I played an HDR enabled PC game on it?

[Namarrgon @ Apr 1st 2008 1:48AM]

You jest (though not well) but the question really is, how do you get a raw (not tone-mapped) HDR image from your PC into one of these things? DisplayPort might help, but I'm unaware of any gfx chips that are capable of not just rendering but actually outputting the sort of floating-point deep colour data that a display like this can take advantage of.

BTW I saw an HDR prototype a few years back (from BrightSide before they were bought by Dolby), and it was awesome, but they had some fairly custom display hardware to handle it.

[shuref00t @ Mar 31st 2008 11:53PM]

Such a thick looking front bezel.

[andres @ Mar 31st 2008 11:58PM]

thats what she said

[Brian Eun @ Apr 1st 2008 3:41AM]

On a 1080p display there are approximately 2 million individual pixels. This set is probably attempting HDR with LCDs by utilizing 1,836 separate LEDs to turn back lighting on and off for specific sectors of the screen independently. That's still about 1130 pixels per LED, so you will get some haloing effect around object against black background.

Also, LCD technology, which is transmissive in nature is never going to give you true HDR without sacrificing pixel response times. There is just no way for something LCD based to compete with OLED, SED or any other self illuminating or reflective techonologies.

[Joe @ Apr 1st 2008 6:26AM]

You're right. It's likely just perceived to the human eye as having a higher range. But that's ok with me. Fool my brain all you like, if I think it looks pretty I'll go for it.

[JLTate @ Apr 1st 2008 3:51AM]

NSFW. Anyone know how to notify the moderators?

[monkey @ Apr 1st 2008 4:11AM]

@Namarrgon

Good question. There must be at least some support from nvidia, based upon their native handling of openEXR images. Probably a driver tweak to push the raw floating-point data down the DVI cable. Alternatively it could use 2 DVI connectors, one driving the LCD display in front, the other driving the backlight.

This will be fantastic for post-production, we've recently moved to a HDR workflow in our animation studio, being able to see our renders pre 8-bit tonemapping will be brilliant. Of course, that means all our software will need to display HDR natively, not sure anything can yet. Oh well. Crysis will look pretty anyway.

[Nestor C. @ Apr 1st 2008 10:58AM]

it says "porn", did you really expect that it was safe for work?