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An ultra-thin television brighter and crisper than current generation screens will go on sale from Sony in December. The TV uses organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) to produce the image, resulting in a screen only 3mm thick. OLED screens are more energy efficient than LCD panels as they do not need a backlight to boost brightness. But it is difficult and expensive to make large screens using the technology. Sony's first OLED TV costs £850 and has an 11in display. OLED screens are brighter than LCD panels and also have better contrast ratio - resulting in sharper pictures. The diodes emit a brilliant white light when attached to an electricity supply and are also being developed for use as replacements to traditional light bulbs. Colour display Different organic materials produce different colours and are combined to produce a colour display. Sony has hailed the new television as a signal of its returning strength as a technology innovator. "Some people have said attractive products are slow to come at Sony despite its technological strength," said Sony president Ryoji Chubachi at a news conference at its Tokyo headquarters. I do believe this is a type of technology with very high potential Katsumi Ihara, Sony He added: "I want this world's first OLED TV to be the symbol of the revival of Sony's technological prowess. "I want this to be the flag under which we charge forward to turn the fortunes around." Other firms are also working on OLED screens - Samsung has shown off a 40-inch TV using the technology - but Sony is the first to market. "I don't think OLED TVs will replace LCD TVs overnight. But I do believe this is a type of technology with very high potential, something that will come after LCD TVs," said Sony executive deputy president Katsumi Ihara. The new TV goes on sale in Japan on 1 December. There are no plans for a global launch as yet. The OLED TV has a lifespan of about 30,000 hours of viewing - half that of Sony's LCD televisions. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Future television switches on By Jonathan Fildes Technology reporter, BBC News, Las Vegas Everything about the televisions on show at CES is extreme. Alongside a raft of new high definition LCD displays was the world's largest plasma display - a 150in behemoth from Panasonic - the world's thinnest commercial screen - just 3mm thick - and the world's first laser television. The latter was debuted by Mitsubishi, a company that has claimed a number of television firsts including the first true high definition sets. The firm describes its laser technology as a "new category" of screen, in addition to the likes of LCD and plasma displays. It claims that current high-definition televisions only display 40% of the colour spectrum the eye can see. Lasers, it says, offer double that. There is a lot to overcome in terms of physics and the materials Stan Glasgow, Sony "Laser is all about light source," said Frank DeMartin of Mitsubishi. "It's the purest light source on the planet; it's the most intense light source on the planet." The 65in sets use three lasers - red, green and blue - that project the image from the rear of the television. The result is vivid colour and crisp images. Third dimension The firm has not revealed how much the screens will cost but said it will start to ship them to retailers later this year. Other firms have expressed an interest in the technology. "We are studying laser technology but still it is far from commercialisation," said Sang Huang Shin of Samsung. Instead, Samsung has decided to focus its efforts on other television technologies. The Korean firm has shown off 3D plasma screens, which it says will be available to consumers in 2008 and will be a world's first. The 42in and 50in screens rely on software, running on a PC connected to the screen, and polarised glasses to create the 3D image. "We cannot realise the 3D function without glasses," said Mr Shin. Although technologies do exist to produce a 3D experience without the use of spectacles, according to Mr Shin, they have drawbacks. "Without glasses, eyes quickly become tired," he said. Bright lights Samsung are also showing off their prototype OLED displays. Organic light emitting diode (OLED) televisions are brighter than LCD displays and are ultra thin. Sony released the first commercial set in October 2007. The 11in display was just 3mm thick, including the case. OLED screens are more energy efficient than LCD panels as they do not need a backlight to boost brightness. "The huge advantage is that it is an emissive material," said Stan Glasgow of Sony. "So we are directly putting the colours on the screen." But it is difficult and expensive to make large screens using the technology. Sony is showing off a 27in prototype at CES, whilst Samsung has a 31in screen. "It's very complex - it's a new technology," said Mr Glasgow. "There is a lot to overcome in terms of physics and the materials." The diodes emit a brilliant white light when attached to an electricity supply. We're going to be able to recognise who is watching the set by their eyes and change parental controls automatically Stan Glasgow Different organic materials produce different colours and are combined to produce a colour display. The screens are brighter than LCD panels and also have better contrast ratio - resulting in sharper pictures. At the moment the televisions are extremely expensive. Sony's first 11in screen costs £850. As a result, Mr Glasgow believes that it will continue to be a niche product for some time. "It will be the premium television of the future," he said. Fun walls If and when it finally comes to mass market, the ultra thin televisions will be competing with televisions packed with a range of new features. "I think we are going to be able to interact with voice and movement," said Mr Glasgow. "We're going to be able to recognise who is watching the set by their eyes and change parental controls automatically." Some firms are already showing off prototypes of the technology at CES. Panasonic have demonstrated its interactive life wall which features facial recognition to bring up customised displays and information. The large scale prototype which is envisaged to take up the entire wall of a room also detects the distance form the viewer to the screen and optimises the size of the image accordingly. "I think we are gong to see a whole bunch of really consumer friendly applications that will make the TV much more automatic for people." The future of technology at the Consumer Electronics Show 2008 Story from BBC NEWS: |