Explaining the Differences Between TV Display PanelsPanel Technologies

Created on December 03, 2018 & continuously updated. No AI! © Copyright Our own TV Panel guide, texts protected!

When buying a new monitor, you should pay attention not only to its size but also to the technology used. The panels used are crucial for image quality and power consumption. All modern LCD monitors (Liquid Crystal Displays) use liquid crystals and require backlighting. The monitor itself is divided into hundreds of thousands of pixels, which contain the liquid crystals. These can transmit more or less light as needed. The pixels themselves are red, green, and blue, from which any color can be mixed. The different panel technologies currently on the market differ primarily in how the individual pixels regulate the light. Depending on the technology, this results in a faster response time, lower power consumption, higher contrast, or better viewing angle stability. Currently, various panel types are available on the market, with TN panels, IPS panels, MVA panels, and SVA/S-PVA panels being among the most well-known examples of this technology.

TN panels ("Twisted Nematic") are among the most popular panels on the market because they are suitable for multimedia and office applications, as well as being of interest to gamers. Like all LCD monitors, TN panels also use liquid crystals, but in TN panels, these liquid crystals are oriented horizontally to the image plane. The liquid crystals are located between two polarizers that are crossed relative to each other. Without voltage, light cannot pass from the first polarizer to the second, resulting in a black pixel. When voltage is applied, the orientation changes. The higher the voltage, the more vertically the pixels are aligned, and the more light can pass through.

TN panels are very cost-effective to produce and are characterized above all by their excellent responsiveness. This results in rapid image changes, which in turn positively impacts image rendering latency. Furthermore, the power consumption of TN panels is very low compared to their competitors.

TN panels are not suitable for professional users in the graphic design field because their viewing angle is only a maximum of 170 degrees, leading to inconsistent color reproduction.

For professional image editing, IPS panels are the right choice. IPS stands for "In-Plane Switching," which can be translated as "switching in one plane" and already explains the functionality of this technology quite well. With this technology, the liquid crystals are aligned in one plane. When voltage is applied, all liquid crystals are aligned parallel and horizontally to the polarizer. As a result, the light cannot pass into the second polarizer, and the pixel remains black. When no voltage is applied, the liquid crystals rotate 90 degrees, allowing light to reach the second polarizer, causing the pixel to appear white. Newer S-IPS panels, which offer even greater viewing angle stability, use liquid crystals that are angled relative to each other and point in opposite directions. IPS panels are primarily manufactured by LG Electronics and are used in touch devices such as the iPhone and iPad.

IPS panels are characterized above all by their wide viewing angles of up to 178 degrees. They also offer excellent grayscale reproduction, high color accuracy, and very good contrast. Compared to TN panels, IPS panels can display a wider range of colors.

Unlike TN panels, IPS panels are more expensive and consume more power. They also have a slower response time, which can be a problem for gamers. Gamers should therefore consider purchasing an S-IPS panel, which offers not only a faster response time but also higher contrast.

The MVA (Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment) panels developed by Fujitsu are characterized above all by their high contrast and excellent viewing angle stability. They are particularly interesting for graphic designers and professional users. The technology used is similar to that of TN panels. Liquid crystals are located between two polarizers, with their rotation depending on the power supply. The liquid crystals are vertically oriented when no voltage is applied. This prevents light from passing through the panel, and the pixel remains black. When voltage is applied, the liquid crystals rotate 45 degrees and thus move towards the second polarizer, creating a white pixel. Unlike TN panels, the pixel cells in MVA panels are further subdivided into three layers. This allows the tilt direction of the liquid crystals to be controlled, resulting in higher contrast. However, this subdivision requires a more powerful backlight, which leads to higher power consumption.

MVA panels offer significantly better color reproduction than TN panels. However, their response time is slower, and due to higher production costs, they are also more expensive than monitors with TN panels. The drawback of the slow response time is addressed in the next generation, S-MVA panels. These use pixel cells divided into eight subpixel cells. However, they are not currently very common on the market. Furthermore, MVA panels require more powerful backlighting, which results in higher power consumption.

SVA panels function similarly to MVA panels, with SVA standing for "Patterned Vertical Alignment." This technology is a further development of VA technology, driven by Samsung. When no voltage is applied, the liquid crystals align vertically. This prevents light from entering, and the pixel remains black. When voltage is applied, the liquid crystals rotate, allowing light to reach the second polarizer. SVA panels utilize four subpixels, which provide better contrast and viewing angles. This technology also employs color filters to enhance brightness. The successor to SVA panels is the S-PVA panel, which uses eight subpixels, each of which can be controlled in eight directions. This results in even greater viewing angle stability.

SVA panels are particularly suitable for graphic designers and professional users who require high color accuracy and wide viewing angles. Like MVA panels, SVA panels have higher power consumption and a slower response time than TN panels.

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