ResponseTime
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Sony 'Hybrid FPA' liquid crystal alignment technique sets LCD issues straight
Sony has announced a new LCD display technology called Hybrid FPA (field-induced photo-reactive alignment), which it claims provides a bevy of improvements for LCDs in the areas of response time, contrast, panel stability, and production speed. For those of you who slept through display science in school (no shame), this boils down to Sony finding a better way to wrangle unruly liquid crystal molecules (LCMs) into more optimal alignments -- which is important since this affects how light passes and therefore how images are resolved. The new technique builds on earlier work, which focused on the vertical alignment of LCMs via an alignment layer. As the left diagram shows, through pre-tilt positioning at the substrate layer, LCMs were forced into a more stable vertical state, which made shifting them quicker and more precise while requiring less voltage. In other words, images resolved faster and more evenly, resulting in "cleaner" whites and blacks with less motion blur. Hybrid FPA simply improves the situation by aligning LCMs even more vertically, which produced response times of less than 3ms in tests. That's great news for 3D lovers and gamers, and should help Sony at least move units off of retailer shelves at some point, particularly if its plans for rapid commercialization of this tech hold true.
Samsung P2770FH dips down to 1ms response time, costs $400
Electronics manufacturers love to claim their product is entirely without precedent, but this 27-inch Samsung monitor has good reason to crow about its (relative) uniqueness. It's the first the second LCD to tout a blink-and-you'll-miss-it 1ms response time, halving the previous best in this category of 2ms. It's dubious whether you'll notice the difference in casual use, but that growing class of professional gamers will probably appreciate the extra, barely perceivable, responsiveness. Then again, those same pros might be slightly put off by the lack of stand adjustment and Samsung's Touch of Color enclosure -- neither seem to fit in with the performance-oriented panel within. The spec sheet is filled out with standard fare such as 1920 x 1080 resolution, 300 nits of brightness, HDMI input, and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. Should that sound like your perfect recipe, you'll be able to pick up the Samsung P2770FH later this month for $400. Update: Viewsonic kindly reminded us that its own VX2739wm 27-inch panel beat this Sammy to market with a 1ms response time back in May.
Viewsonic rolls out 27-inch VX2739wm LCD monitor with 1ms response time
If there's one thing LCD manufacturers live for it's "world's first" claims, and Viewsonic has now snagged yet another with its new VX2739wm monitor, which it claims is the world's first full HD 27-inch monitor with a 1ms response time. In addition to that standout spec, you'll also get a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, a pair of discreetly built-in speakers, an "anti-glare" panel, a four-port USB hub, and the usual trio of HDMI, DVI and VGA connectors -- not to mention a suitably slim design. Look for this one to be available from all the usual sources starting today for $349.
Samsung's 240Hz 3DTVs now in mass production
We're still waiting for details -- sizes, dates, prices -- on Samsung's latest HDTVs, but for now all we know is it's claiming to be the first to begin mass producing 40-, 46- and 55-inch LCD models with 3D 240Hz motion technology. Whether or not you're planning to put on some active shutter glasses and take in the 3D effects, a 20% increase in response time should make even old school 2D HDTV watching a smoother experience. Find anything wrong with that?
BenQ's Joybook R55 boasts 16ms response time
We're still digging out from under the avalanche of technology that was the 2006 Computex show, and in our efforts we stumbled across AVING's encounter with the latest BenQ Joybook we've been hearing about. The R55 sports a Core Duo processor, Bluetooth 2.0 and NVIDIA's 256MB GeForce Go 7400. What makes it noteworthy, though, is the 16ms response time (many laptops range in the '20s), which they claim is the "world's fastest" when it comes to 15.4-inch WXGA laptops. This R55 uses the UltraVivid technology, which includes a brightness-boosting Display Brilliance Enhancement Film to improve visibility and greatly reduce the dreaded LCD ghosting effect. We know it's still nowhere near the quickness of a faithful CRT, but that's no reason to frown little girl. It is, after all, called the Joybook.
Samsung's 19-inch CX919B boasts 2000:1 contrast ratio
With so much focus on response time these days, it's nice to see Samsung play up another aspect of its newest 19-inch LCD, namely the display's impressive 2000:1 contrast ratio. That's not to say the SyncMastermagic CX919B has a slow refresh rate -- to the contrary, it seems to employ the CX917B's "Response Time Accelerator" to go from gray to gray in a zippy 2-milliseconds -- rather, the highlight here just happens to be that "Dynamic Contrast" technology which promises to deliver truer blacks. Besides these two key details, however, not much else is known on the specs tip -- including our old favorites, pricing and availability.
