Click to enter low cost TFT Monitor
TFT LCDs are a variant of liquid crystal display which use thin-film transistor technology to improve their image quality. TFT LCDs are one type of active matrix LCD, though this is usually synonymous with them. They are used in both flat panel displays and projectors. In computing, TFT monitors are rapidly displacing competing CRT technology, and are commonly available in sizes from 30 to 77 cm (~12 to 30 inches). As of 2005, they have also made inroads on the television market.
Contents
1 Types
1.1 TN+Film
1.2 IPS
1.3 MVA
2 Display industry
Types
TN+Film
The TN+Film (Twisted Nematic) display is the most common consumer display type, due to its lower price. The pixel response time on modern TN panels is sufficiently fast to avoid the shadow-trail artifacts that were a cause for complaint in the past. This fast response time has been a heavily marketed aspect of TN displays, although in most cases this number does not reflect performance across the entire range of possible color transitions. However this marketing strategy, combined with the relatively lower cost of production for TN panels, has lead to the dominance of TN in the consumer market.
The TN display suffers from limited viewing angles, especially in the vertical direction, and some are unable to display the full 16.7 million colors (24-bit truecolor) available from modern graphics cards. These particular panels, with 6 bits per color channel as opposed to 8, can approach true 24-bit color using a dither method which quickly cycles pixels to simulate a given shade, which are noticeable to some and discomfiting to others. Overall, color reproduction and linearity on TN panels is poor.
IPS
IPS (In-Plane Switching) was developed by Hitachi in 1996 to improve on the poor viewing angles and color reproduction of TN panels. These improvements came at a loss of response time, which was initially on the order of 50ms. IPS panels were also extremely expensive.
IPS has since been superceded by S-IPS (Super-IPS), which has all the benefits of IPS technology with the addition of improved pixel refresh timing. Though color reproduction approaches that of CRTs, the contrast ratio remains relatively weak. S-IPS technology only appears in larger displays aimed at professionals, though pricing has come down to the reach of the typical consumer.
MVA
MVA (Multi-domain Vertical Alignment) was originally developed in 1998 by Fujitsu as a compromise between TN and IPS. It achieved fast pixel response (at the time), wide viewing angles, and high contrast at the cost of brightness and color reproduction.
Analysts predicted that MVA would corner the mainstream market, but instead, TN has risen to dominance. A contributing factor was the higher cost of MVA, along with its slower pixel response (which rises dramatically for small changes in brightness).
PVA (Patterned Vertical Alignment) is a more advanced version of MVA technology offered by Samsung. Developed independently, it suffers from the same problems as MVA, but boasts the best contrast ratios of any TFT technology.
Display industry
Due to the immense cost of building TFT factories, the number of major OEM panel vendors probably does not exceed four or five. Several of the most well-known are Samsung, AU Optronics, and Fujitsu-Siemens.
Raw LCD TFT panels are usually factory-sorted into three categories, with regards to the number of dead pixels, backlight evenness and general product quality. Additionally, there may be up to +/- 2ms maximum response time differences between individual panels that came off the same assembly line on the same day. The poorest-performing screens are then sold to no-name vendors or used in "value" TFT monitors (often marked with letter V behind the type number), the medium performers are incorporated in gamer-oriented or home office bound TFT displays (sometimes marked with the capital letter S), and the best screens are usually reserved for use in "professional" grade TFT monitors (usually marked with letter P or S after their type number).
Value TFT screens and most 38 cm (~15 in.) sized LCDs usually fail to include a digital signal compatible DVI interface, thus their future proofing may be limited. The upper end of 43 cm (~17 in.) or 48 cm (~19 in.) gamer and office TFT screens may have dual analog-VGA and DVI sockets; almost all professional screens have DVI and pivot mode for letter-mode display. However, the use of a DVI video signal does not automatically guarantee better image quality: a good video card RAMDAC and properly shielded analogue VGA cable may produce the same display.