Panasonic today presented an IPS LCD panel with a static contrast ratio of 100,000: 1 (yes, static) and brightness levels up to 1000 Nits. That implies, you can get black levels as low as 0.001 nits, which is better than what the best IPS LCD panels offer today.
The Contrast Ratio is a metric that, perhaps, matters the most when it comes to the quality of display panels. If you have to consume multimedia content or anything with dark colors, a high contrast ratio can make a world of difference.
Usually, high contrast ratios on IPS LCD panels don’t mean squat. The high numbers manufacturer’s drum are mere marketing exaggerations as it’s the dynamic Contrast that they refer to (Unless it’s an OLED panel under consideration).
Dynamic contrast is measured by comparing the brightest image to the darkest one that the LCD can depict on a display. Since these ratios are measured against different images and backlights, they are essentially meaningless.
The static contrast ratio, which is a fairer metric, goes up to 2000 for IPS LCD screens, Up to 5000 for Plasma screens and is infinite for OLEDs. This is because OLED displays have each pixel powered individually and can completely turn off pixels to portray enchanting blacks.
So, that brings us back to today’s announcement.
Panasonic has managed to elevate an IPS LCD panel to AMOLED standards without compromising on IPS LCD advantage. The company says that this is achieved by controlling the backlight intensity of each pixel separately, something which only OLED displays were able to accomplish thus far. Panasonic also confirmed that its new technology panels can be created using existing IPS LCD manufacturing facilities.
To control light intensity at the pixel level, Panasonic uses a special layer of light-modulating cells made of light-tolerant liquid crystal material that acts like a gate to allow or block light passing to the liquid crystal layer.
Panasonic will start shipping sample monitors with its new IPS LCD technology panels in January next year. Commercial release is expected to follow soon.
