LE26R74BDX Samsung - LCD

Samsung LE26R74BDX LCD HD Ready Digital Television, 26 Inch

LCD DEFINITION: Liquid Crystal Display as found with the LE32R72BX. A display that consists of two polarizing transparent panels and a liquid crystal surface sandwiched in between. Voltage is applied to certain areas, causing the crystal to turn dark. A light source behind the panel transmits through transparent crystals and is mostly blocked by dark crystals.

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Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

LCD (liquid crystal display) is the technology used for displays in notebook and other smaller computers and TV's like the LE32R72BX. Like light-emitting diode (LED) and gas-plasma technologies, LCDs allow displays to be much thinner than cathode ray tube (CRT) technology. LCDs consume much less power than LED and gas-display displays because they work on the principle of blocking light rather than emitting it.

An LCD is made with either a passive matrix or an active matrix display display grid. The active matrix LCD is also known as a thin film transistor (TFT) display. The passive matrix LCD has a grid of conductors with pixels located at each intersection in the grid. A current is sent across two conductors on the grid to control the light for any pixel. An active matrix has a transistor located at each pixel intersection, requiring less current to control the luminance of a pixel. For this reason, the current in an active matrix display can be switched on and off more frequently, improving the screen refresh time (your mouse will appear to move more smoothly across the screen, for example).

Some passive matrix LCD's have dual scanning, meaning that they scan the grid twice with current in the same time that it took for one scan in the original technology. However, active matrix is still a superior technology.

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LCD - A Brief History

Pioneering work on liquid crystals was undertaken in the late 1960s by the UK's Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern. The team at RRE supported ongoing work by George Gray and his team at the University of Hull who ultimately discovered the cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals (which had correct stability and temperature properties for application in LCDs).

The first operational LCD was based on the Dynamic Scattering Mode (DSM) and was introduced in 1968 by a group at RCA in the USA headed by George Heilmeier. Heilmeier founded Optel, which introduced a number of LCDs based on this technology.

In December 1970, the twisted nematic field effect in liquid crystals was filed for patent by Hoffmann-LaRoche in Switzerland (Swiss patent No. 532 261) with Martin Schadt and Wolfgang Helfrich (then working for the Central Research Laboratories) listed as inventors. Hoffmann-La Roche then licensed the invention to the Japanese electronics industry which soon produced the first digital quartz wrist watches with TN-LCDs and numerous other products. James Fergason at Kent State University filed an identical patent in the USA in February 1971. In 1971 the company of Fergason ILIXCO (now LXD Incorporated) produced the first LCDs based on the TN-effect, which soon superseded the poor-quality DSM types due improvements of lower operating voltages and lower power consumption.

In 1972, the first active-matrix liquid crystal display panel was produced in the United States by T. Peter Brody.[1]

In 2007, the first Double-sided LCD panel[1] and the World's slimmest LCD panel[2] are produced by Samsung Electronics.

LCD - Colour Displays

In colour LCDs each individual pixel is divided into three cells, or subpixels, which are colored red, green, and blue, respectively, by additional filters (pigment filters, dye filters and metal oxide filters). Each subpixel can be controlled independently to yield thousands or millions of possible colors for each pixel. Older CRT monitors employ a similar 'subpixel' structures via the use of phosphors, although the analog electron beam employed in CRT's do not hit exact 'subpixels'.

Colour components may be arrayed in various pixel geometries, depending on the monitor's usage. If software knows which type of geometry is being used in a given LCD, this can be used to increase the apparent resolution of the monitor through subpixel rendering. This technique is especially useful for text anti-aliasing.

LCD or Plasma?

What are the differences between LCD and Plasma?

We found a great article on the subject which you can read below.

If you are in the market for a new television today, be prepared to be blinded by science. Consumers are spoilt for choice. When you visit an electrical store, you have the option of purchasing the latest technology in the form of an LCD or plasma TV, but if you do not know the difference between the two then buying a TV has never been so complex! The jargon alone is enough to blow your mind. However, there are significant differences between the two and both have distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Appearance

There is no apparent difference in appearance between LCD and plasma TVs. In keeping with the latest technology, both are flat screen. They can both be mounted on a wall or placed on a stand, and, weighing very little, both are easy to carry. The major difference in appearance stems from the fact that plasma TVs are 42” or larger whereas LCD models range from 20” to 82”. Therefore, if you only want a small TV for a bedroom, the LCD TV is probably better for you, but both will enhance your viewing pleasure if you want a larger screen.

Picture

Both LCD and plasma TVs have an advantage over other TV technology on the market. As they do not function via rear projection, there are effectively no parts that may need replacing. Their expected life is also a lot longer than the TVs that we have grown accustomed to at a minimum of 15 years, although some may last up to 30 years. However, it is picture quality that separates the two.

There used to be a distinct difference in picture quality between LCD and plasma TVs. This meant that the advantage went to the plasma screen because it offered the best viewing quality that money could buy. However, in recent years, massive advances have been made in LCD technology and recent models have managed to get over the traditional LCD problems such as poor viewing angle, slow response rate (leading to blurry motion) and the limited range of screen sizes (i.e. if you wanted a 40" screen, plasma was the only option). Latest 4th generation LCD technology is now available in sizes up to 80 inches, with almost perfect viewing angles and extremely fast response rates, possibly making it preferably to plasma technology.

In addition, most technology experts assert that a plasma TV should not be used for playing video games because of the risk of burn in. Any image that remains static for a few minutes may cause that image to be burned into the screen permanently, hence the term burn in. This is a major risk when playing video games but should not be a hazard when watching TV.

Practicality

As far as practicality is concerned, LCD technology has the edge over the plasma TV. If you are looking for a dual-use TV, LCD models will suit you but plasma will not. The LCD TV was designed to be compatible with a PC and thus the two can be easily combined for and interactive experience. However, using a plasma TV as a computer monitor will cause burn-in. The same may be said for a plasma TV showing a cable channel all day - the 'Sky Sports' logo in the top corner may become burnt into the panel over time.

There are also problems associated with the plasma screen that are not present in the LCD models. For example, the first plasma screens have reportedly experienced picture fading. After a few years of use, the colours are no longer true and bright. This does not appear to be a problem with newer models, but it is a factor you should be aware of before making a decision.

In addition, your electricity bills are going to be somewhat higher with a plasma screen compared to a LCD screen. Plasma screens use a vast amount of power (700W vs 70W for same sized LCD screen), roughly equivalent to a household hoover!

Price

Whether you decide to purchase a plasma or LCD TV, bothare quite a significant investment. Both are coming down in price gradually, but the minimum you should expect to pay is £800 at the moment. LCD televisions are slightly cheaper than plasma ones depending on the brand you are looking to buy.

Recommendations

Regardless of whether you decide to go for a plasma or LCD TV, there are some models that come highly recommended that you should certainly consider before settling on one.

For plasma TVs, look at the Samsung PS50Q7HD, the Pioneer PDP 507 XD and 42 XD, and the Hitachi 42PD9700.

For LCD TVs, look at the Samsung LE 40 R 74 BDX, the Toshiba 37 WLT 66 and the Philips 32 PF 7531 D.

Technology is advancing rapidly in all areas of electronics, but both plasma and LCD technology will be a staple in the years to come. Television technology can certainly enhance our viewing experience but the type of technology you choose should suit your needs. Now that you know the pros and cons, you are well equipped to decide!

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