MILAN—With the Olympic Winter Games in full swing, Worldwide Olympic Partner TCL has announced that it is supplying advanced display technology and expertise for the International Broadcast Centre (IBC), the central technical hub for global media coverage operated by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS).

The company said it has provided large quantities of TV screens, as well as commercial display screens and a large-scale LED installation.

Additionally, TCL has equipped the IBC's visitor exhibition area with its latest flagship innovation, the groundbreaking TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED TV. Standing for Super Quantum Dot, it sets a new standard for display technology with unmatched brightness and contrast, exceptional color performance, an industry‑first, ultra‑slim, borderless design, and top‑tier audio.

TCL also provided its 65-inch televisions for the Main Press Center (MPC) to help the world's media follow every moment of the action, and additional TVs across Olympic venues.

TCL’s 55" screens play a vital role in supporting the "Athlete Moment," where athletes can see and speak with family and friends at home immediately after their events. By making it feel as though their loved ones are at their side, TCL's technology is helping to create powerful moments of connection and celebration throughout the Olympic Winter Games.

"We are delighted to welcome TCL as a Worldwide Olympic Partner,” explained Yiannis Exarchos, the CEO of OBS. “Only a select number of companies globally have the scale, capability, innovation, and technology required to meet the demands we face as the host broadcaster of the Olympic Games—and even fewer pair that with a deep understanding of Olympic values and the power of the Olympic Winter Games to bring people together."

Beyond supporting the competition and broadcast, TCL is also enhancing daily life in the Anterselva and Livigno Olympic Villages by providing smart home appliances, supporting athletes' comfort through technology thanks to the smart washing machines and dryers that keep competition gear fresh. Additionally, the Plaza of the Milano Olympic Village features a space showcasing TCL's latest innovations, including AI-enabled air conditioners and TCL RayNeo AR glasses. The glasses are the ideal partner for athletes as they offer real-time translation through augmented reality and can provide navigation cues and information as they explore Milan.

More of TV Tech's coverage of the technologies being used at the Olympics is available here.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics Inc. has launched 16 improved BRAVIA Professional Displays in the BZ-P Series.

Pro BRAVIA BZ-P Series will be on display at Integrate Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona, Feb. 3-6.

The new BZ-P Series complements Sony's existing lineup of BRAVIA Professional Displays, highlighted by the 98-inch BZ53L Series, 32-inch BZ30J Series, and EZ20L Series.

Comprised of the BZ40P flagship models, BZ35P enhanced options, and BZ30P core offerings, the new displays range in size from 43-inches to 85-inches and featuring a Deep Black Non-Glare technology, the 4K HDR portfolio is suited for a range of uses in corporate, higher education, retail, and transportation spaces.

The thinner options offer crisp imagery and exceptional visibility – even in bright environments. With a newly updated design, improved installation flexibility, enhanced operability, mindful sustainability, and lower power consumption, the new lineup incorporates a combination of powerful hardware and software capabilities.

The BRAVIA Professional Displays BZ-P Series is expected to be available in summer 2026. Collectively, Sony's expanded and enhanced professional display lineup – including the new Crystal LED S Series – provides end users with various tailored options for their diverse needs and use cases.

"The encouraging feedback to our BRAVIA Professional Displays featuring Sony's unique Deep Black Non-Glare technology inspired us to innovate further to expand our customers' creative vision and potential," said Rich Ventura, vice president, Professional Display Solutions, Sony Electronics. "We're proud to provide the pro A/V industry with a choice between 16 revamped displays that strengthen our overall portfolio and combine the most valuable traits inherent to Sony integrated display technology – including pristine image quality, strong visibility, robust integration abilities, and longevity – with an added focus on incorporating the benefits of both hardware and software."

The BZ40P, BZ35P, and BZ30P BRAVIA Professional Displays all feature Sony's impressive AI-powered XR signal processing for accurately depicting images, text, and details with realism and vibrancy and offer brightness between 400-700 cd/m2.

The full BZ-P Series lineup features a standout Deep Black Non-Glare technology, offering a premium 47%1 or standard 25% anti-glare, which combined with a wide viewing angle, mitigates glare and reflection, and provides high contrast for a true-to-life picture, even in bright, direct light-filled spaces.The BZ-P Series of displays are thoughtfully redesigned with installation and integration in mind.

The lightweight new lineup's decreased 1.8-inch depth can support Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance (only BZ-P series models sized from 43 to 65-inches) and features a universal chassis and even, narrow, and uniform bezels with an imbued logo for flawless portrait orientation and videowall setup options.

Additionally, new to the BZ-P Series are center Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) mounting holes that allow for easy installation. The lineup's 75 and 85-inch models also include in-chassis handles for assistance in transport. Furthermore, when used with Sony's Device Management Platform (DMP), display provisioning can be done quickly and at scale.Sony's latest displays have been enhanced to ensure more operational efficiency and compatibility optimized for professional users.

The lineup uses a System on a Chip (SoC) architecture that removes the need for an additional set-top box for digital signage and features a new user interface and setup program. Additionally, native integration between the new BZ Series and Sony's powerful and intuitive Remote Management System (RMS) solutions2 gives users total control over cloud-based provisioning, control, monitoring and maintenance. Sony also collaborates and conducts compatibility testing with major CMS solution providers worldwide, making it easier than ever to integrate preferred solutions.

Sony also reported that the BZ-P Series offers a substantial reduction in power consumption. The displays' new high efficiency optical system and XR processor–based AI backlight control deliver up to about 31% lower power consumption than the BZ‑L series (when comparing the FW‑55BZ40L and FW‑55BZ40P).

BZ40P – Flagship: Four models ranging in size from 55 to 85-inches, featuring Deep Black Non-Glare Premium technology that accommodates 47% anti-glare and supports 700 nits of brightness, along with an IP5X-compliant dust resistance.

• FW-85BZ40P
• FW-75BZ40P
• FW-65BZ40P
• FW-55BZ40P

BZ35P– Enhanced: Six models sized from 43 to 85-inches, featuring Deep Black Non-Glare Standard technology and offering 500 nits, as well as IP5X dust resistance.

• FW-85BZ35P
• FW-75BZ35P
• FW-65BZ35P
• FW-55BZ35P
• FW-50BZ35P
• FW-43BZ35P

BZ30P–Core: Six models in 43 to 85-inch sizes, incorporating Deep Black Non-Glare Standard technology and providing 400 nits of brightness.

• FW-85BZ30P
• FW-75BZ30P
• FW-65BZ30P
• FW-55BZ30P
• FW-50BZ30P
• FW-43BZ30P

The Pro BRAVIA BZ-P Series is expected to be on display at Integrate Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona, Feb. 3-6; Sony's AV Tech Expo in San Diego, March 3-4, 2026; and InfoComm in Las Vegas, June 17-19, 2026. For more information, please visit https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/pro-displays/.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics has launched its latest direct-view LED (dvLED) displays, the Crystal LED S Series, a mid-market option providing high visibility even in bright environments thanks to its brightness, accurate natural color reproduction and low reflection optimized for a diverse range of uses in corporate settings, educational institutions, and commercial facilities.

The two thin new models, the ZRD-S12G and ZRD-S15G, feature 800 cd/m2 of maximum brightness and a 1.25 and 1.56 mm pixel pitch, respectively. These scalable displays, planned to be available in late spring 2026, serve as a high-quality, cost-conscious option that addresses the growing needs of customers.

“The S Series furthers Sony’s longstanding commitment to offering advanced technology with high image quality, exceptional visibility, flexible integration capabilities, and long-term reliability – all of which provide our customers with inspiring visual experiences that offer value, while enabling creativity,” said Rich Ventura, vice president, professional display solutions, Sony Electronics. “With these new models, Sony is strategically expanding our display lineup to ensure we have the right choices to address common requests, support varying budgets, provide a range of options, and ensure consistency that bridges the gap between our BRAVIA professional displays and dvLED products.”

Featuring an impressive 800 cd/m2 brightness, the Crystal LED S Series also offers the same Anti-Reflection Surface Technology in Sony’s BH Series of Crystal LED displays. Together, this enables rich image expression and accurate color reproduction, even in ambient light environments or spaces featuring large windows.

Sony also reported that The S Series’ thin design promotes ease and flexibility in installation. Boasting a slim cabinet with a thickness of approximately 45mm/1.8 inches, representing a 35% reduction in depth, the models streamline installations, and are able to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance when combined with appropriate wall mount frames. Additionally, the S Series offers smooth, seamless integration with NovaStar’s flagship high-end COEX series, MX30 and MX40 Pro controllers. By using the NovaStar controller, the distance between cabinets and the controller can be extended up to 100m which will contribute to installation flexibility.

In addition, the new displays offer a reduction in ownership costs, resulting from energy-efficient operation – including a cool surface temperature – and low power consumption. Pre-calibrated modules enable precise installation, and ease of service for simplified maintenance add durability and flexibility. Additionally, the Crystal LED S Series is equipped with surface protection that helps prevent accidental contact and promote longevity and it is a scalable and modular solution that features a bezel-free design to enable the construction of seamless video walls of various sizes and configurations. 　

The Crystal LED S Series is expected to be on display at Integrate Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona, Feb. 3-6, 2026, and InfoComm in Las Vegas, June 17-19, 2026.

For more information, view the video below or visit: https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/led-video-walls/s-series.

WIESBADEN, Germany—Panasonic will unveil a comprehensive portfolio of projection, LED and workflow solutions to meet the demands of live events, immersive experiences, education, corporate and signage environments at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026, Feb. 3-6, at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via in Barcelona, Spain.

The company will feature several solutions, under its Mevix branding, including:

• A new projection light-source platform, delivering true 3-Chip DLP performance without the traditional limitations of 1-Chip. The platform delivers faithful color reproduction, high brightness and improved operational efficiency in a compact, installation-friendly design.
• The PT-RQ45 42,000-lumen projector shares the same chassis as the PT-RQ35 but delivers 12,000 lumens of additional brightness. The PT-RQ45 is designed for large venues, live events and immersive installations where maximum visual impact is essential, the company said.
• Panasonic’s first 4K LCD projector will be at the heart of a golf simulator in the company’s booth. It produces close-range visuals with reduced pixel structure, supporting highly realistic imagery for immersive applications.
• A 55-inch LED platform designed for fast deployment across signage, retail brand experiences and video walls, featuring excellent brightness uniformity, modular design and practical VESA-mounting capability.

“Our customers are looking for high-impact visuals without compromise—in performance, flexibility or efficiency,” said Hartmut Kulessa, head of marketing, visual systems, at Panasonic Connect Europe.

Panasonic will also highlight its wider ecosystem of projection, display and software-driven workflow tools at ISE 2026.

See Panasonic at ISE 2026 Stand 3J500.

More information is available on the company’s website.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics will show its new Crystal LED CAPRI display featuring 1,500 candelas per square meter (cd/m²) of maximum brightness with a 2.50-millimeter LED pitch size during InfoComm 2025, June 11-13, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The new display supports high refresh rates and brightness, a wide color gamut and antireflection, according to Sony. It also offers installation flexibility, a familiar structure, streamlined maintenance and compatibility with the company’s ecosystem of virtual production technologies, the company said.

The new ZRD-VS25FB and ZRD-VS25FM models are compatible with Brompton and Megapixel controllers, respectively, it said.

Targeted at a broad range of users looking for a cost-effective approach to virtual production applications for TV, feature films, commercials, broadcast and rental and staging, the CAPRI LED displays complement Sony’s premium Crystal LED VERONA displays, use the same controllers and offer the same luminance, enabling both lines of displays to be used together within the same LED wall, Sony said.

“With the announcement of CAPRI, Sony is furthering our commitment to the creation of Spatial Content, such as virtual production, by giving a wider range of users opportunities for flexibly showcasing images in high fidelity,” Rich Ventura, vice president of Professional Display Solutions at Sony Electronics, said. “We’ve broadened our lineup to offer more cost-conscious choices, which expand the market in support of high-quality virtual production at every level and ensure the growth of Sony’s distinctive virtual production ecosystem.”

The CAPRI series offers high refresh rates up to 7,680 Hz to reduce scanline artifacts and ensure smooth, fluid motion. With a high brightness of 1,500 cd/m², complemented by coverage of more than 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, the displays accurately reproduce lifelike images.

Antireflection capabilities mitigate the effect of reflection from lighting equipment, it said.

The series takes advantage of recent installation advancements to ensure fast and efficient setup, Sony said. Offering a 1:1 cabinet optimized for temporary installations such as virtual production stages, the models can quickly and easily be assembled and dismantled using locating pins for simple alignment and a tool-free lever locking mechanism.

To streamline maintenance, the CAPRI enables module blocks to be changed from the rear. A status indicator light makes identifying blocks that need to be serviced.

Sony expects to begin shipping CAPRI sometime in the winter, it said.

See Sony at InfoComm 2025 booth 2001.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Samsung, a new NASCAR technology partner, will provide digital displays to elevate the stock-car racing circuit’s fan experience, racing operations and enterprise processes, the company said today.

The multiyear partnership will begin with the introduction of Samsung displays and monitors for NASCAR Productions’ newly launched remote race control room, Samsung said.

Housed in NASCAR’s 58,000-square-foot production facility in Concord, North Carolina, the control room features Samsung’s The Wall as its centerpiece, allowing officials to review comprehensive, real-time video, audio and data from the track and remotely officiate races. The Wall spans 32 feet in width and 9 feet in height, NASCAR said.

The new control room will enable NASCAR to remotely officiate large-scale races nationwide in a precise, data-driven way. During races, as many as 24 officials in the room will use The Wall as their primary screen to access replays from the SBG Sports Software system, which is capable of aggregating up to 200 camera angles, all driver audio and voice-to-text transcription of team radio transmissions, it said.

The Wall’s true-to-life picture quality will deliver footage and data with the finest level of detail, presenting crisp, clear information to remote officials so they can confidently make decisions on penalties and race results.

“Our indoor LED displays and monitors will help NASCAR fuel a new era of race-day precision from the first lap to the final stretch,” David Phelps, head of the display division at Samsung Electronics America, said.

“With superior visuals and real-time data, officials will experience unmatched clarity and insight into every moment of each race—offering a level of visibility that surpasses what they could see on-site at the track. This is just the beginning of our partnership as we help to pave the future of motorsports.”

Officials in Concord will remain fully immersed in the racing action via live feeds and intercom communications to consult with their counterparts at the track.

The Wall’s large-scale display provides officials with a real-time view of information as drivers make their laps and pit stops. The screen will display a variety of data, including feeds from onboard cameras, Engine Control Units (ECUs), optical tracking cameras, Pit Road Officiating (PRO) systems and official cameras positioned at the pit, start and finish lines, restart zones and other key locations, the company said.

Officials will use a range of Samsung monitors to gather and analyze insights, including 25 27-inch ViewFinity S6 high-resolution monitors and seven 49-inch Odyssey G9 monitors. The ultra-wide, curved Odyssey G9 monitors offer extensive screen real estate where officials can simultaneously view and assess multiple data sources, enhancing their ability to support track operations, it said.

“Remote Race Control will give NASCAR officials unparalleled views of more than 200 camera angles with multiple data points from every car that were previously not available,” Steve Stum, NASCAR vice president of operations and technical production, said. “It will also allow us to make competition calls faster and more accurately than ever before to ultimately help improve the product.”

The remote race control room will be fully operational and revved up to support this year’s NASCAR Cup Series, which kicks off with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NEW YORK—Fox News Channel said it will debut new immersive graphics technology during its election night coverage next Tuesday (Nov. 5).

As part of Fox News’ renovation of its Studio M earlier this year, the network’s engineers worked to improve the viewer experience with several technology and design upgrades. Those included new augmented reality (AR) technology for anchor Bill Hemmer’s “Bill”-board showing election data, recently developed virtual set technology and new touchscreen applications for Fox News Voter Analysis.

The tools will enable Fox News reporting teams to provide the audience with the most updated polling information and voter analysis throughout its marathon coverage, Fox News reported.

Debuting on election night, the newly developed “Bill”-board technology was enhanced to include augmented reality attributes and 3D interaction allowing Hemmer to further drill into election data in real time.

With the new tools, Hemmer can interact and telestrate in 3D space, as the infrared sensors can track anchors and objects. The 3D space is also equipped with voice to text, where natural language will trigger augmented reality graphics. These new tools will be visible in population maps, outstanding vote maps and battleground state historical voting charts.

Fox News also said it has created several sophisticated multimedia presentation concepts to enhance the election-viewing experience, including a “Path to 270” map, showcasing the presidential nominees’ potential line to the critical electoral votes needed through dynamic 3D interaction. Using those tools, Fox News anchors can present various scenarios by moving virtual objects representing electoral college votes on the path to winning the presidency.

Additionally, the network developed a “Top 5 Closest Races” tool, which gives a snapshot of races that are too close to call. This provides real-time updates on the candidates’ standing and the impact on the electoral landscape, allowing the audience to visualize the intensity and uncertainty of the closest battles for the presidency, Fox News said.

In addition to the technological enhancements, Fox News also made several design improvements to Studio M, which has served as its election headquarters over the last two presidential cycles. On election night, co-anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum and panelists will convene behind a bespoke “super desk,” designed for the anchors and their teams to use during special news coverage.

Studio M also now features a two-story-high accent feature wall and a 20-foot-long ultra-high-definition media wall for showcasing video and photo elements during the broadcast. Additionally, dimensional accent walls and extensive lighting placements were developed to create multiple presentation areas in the studio.

LAS VEGAS—Named by the National Association of Broadcasters as the “Official Commercial Display Partner of the 2023 NAB Show,” LG Business Solutions USA will be on the exhibit show floor focusing  on its advanced displays for broadcasters, studios and content creators. 

A focal point of LG’s booth in Central Hall of the LVCC will be its Virtual Production (VP) and Extended Reality (XR) stages anchored by large DVLED (direct-view light emitting diode) displays. Visitors also will learn about the advantages of OLED technology, especially OLED Pro displays built on LG’s OLED reference monitor technology.

“At NAB 2023, for the first time, we’re demonstrating LG DVLED technology’s versatility and advanced virtual production capabilities, providing a next-generation blueprint for media companies and systems designers,” said Tom Carroll, Senior Director, Commercial Displays, LG Business Solutions USA. “We’re pairing that with our 65-, 32- and 27-inch OLED Pro reference monitors and the latest, massive 97-inch OLED display to show industry professionals how our cutting-edge display technologies can be used to develop modern production spaces and workstations with benefits for on-screen and behind-the-scenes needs. 

The XR DVLED Stage will demonstrate 1.5mm DVLED technology with the strength and design resiliency of a rental-style product, which attendees can experience through a 20-foot-wide, 11-foot-tall 4K Ultra HD display. It is built with the new “LG MAGNIT” DVLED tiles (model LBAG015) which are specifically designed for on-camera use in virtual production, extended reality and broadcast environments. 

LG’s chip-on-board (COB) LED technology provides a robust and physically resilient background display, and its rental style frame offers flexible, non-permanent installation options. With the added strength and simplified installation, this DVLED offering is specifically designed to live up to the demanding needs of production studios, according to Jeff Cohen, Director of Broadcast & Virtual Production, LG Business Solutions USA. 

“Our new XR DVLED Stage concept will combine LG’s microLED COB technology with the advanced Helios LED Controller from Megapixel VR, enabling producers to leverage the power and advanced features of the leading LED controller for virtual production,” said Cohen. “This solution provides on-screen talent with the aesthetic and feel of a physical backdrop while affording powerful post-production options that can broaden opportunities and eliminate the need for an enormous, full-set DVLED wall.”

The second stage is the VP DVLED Stage, launching LG’s foray into Virtual Production solutions. This space will demonstrate the unique effects of a curved DVLED display using LG’s new LBAE026 tiles, which have a 2.6mm pixel pitch. The VP DVLED Stage shows how different levels of DVLED sophistication can be optimal for different on-screen uses, with lower resolution but equal size as the XR stage. At both stages, LG will showcase comprehensive solutions for virtual production through its collaborations with its professional partners, including Mo-Sys, ARRI, Megapixel VR, QSC, and VIVE STUDIOS, presenting a fully functional design for production houses to consider

Both LG DVLED technologies enable construction of displays in virtually any size or orientation. These solutions can be used for a variety of business settings including entertainment applications, such as film and TV, corporate in-house broadcasting and houses of worship, the company said. 

Attendees will also have the first look at LG’s 97-inch OLED commercial display, demonstrated publicly for the first time in the western hemisphere. Such a large display that provides superior color, black levels and contrast represents an ideal solution for screening rooms and review monitors and can even be used in fully lit environments.

Three of LG’s OLED Pro monitors will also be featured in the booth, with a 65-inch wall-mounted display and two desktop monitors showing how different production processes can benefit from the technology’s exceptional picture quality and color accuracy compared to LCD displays. The 27-inch 27BP950 and 32-inch 32BP950 desktop monitors are ideal for hands-on tasks and individual work, while the 65-inch 65EP5G display can provide a stunning review monitor for groups.

Carroll said LG OLED Pro displays offer versatile options for a variety of visual tech applications. “Each model is optimized for numerous creative workflows while faithfully reproducing the content creator's color and visual intent,” he said. 

Another attraction will be the LG 136-inch All-In-One display (model LAEC015), which is a pre-built unit that combines an oversized HD DVLED display with speakers and multiple mounting or mobile cart options.

LG will be in Booth C6025 during the show, April 16-19 in Las Vegas. 

LAS VEGAS—This year’s edition of CES was vastly different from a quarter-century ago. Back then, televisions were just breaking free from low-resolution cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) as high-definition television was taking its baby steps. A 50-inch high-resolution display in 1998 contained just 1280 x 768 pixels (Wide XGA) and cost as much as a car. Rear-projection televisions were just switching to solid-state light modulators. And liquid-crystal display (LCD) televisions weren’t even available—the largest flat screen TVs all used expensive plasma display panels (PDPs).

Today, all of those technologies (and some of their manufacturers) are distant, fading memories. We’ve had 4K TVs for over a decade, while 8K sets appeared five years ago. LCD technology rules the roost nowadays, and the median TV screen size is about 55 diagonal inches and slowly increasing. Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays have supplanted plasma for image quality, but with much lower power consumption.

But there are other contenders: Mini and microLEDs, quantum dots and QD-OLEDs are finding their way into televisions and computer monitors. What are the differences between them? Will they replace or obsolete any currently available displays? Read on…

Liquid-Crystal Displays and Enhancements
It didn’t take long for large LCD panels to become the preferred solution for large televisions after their introduction 20 years ago. Those original models have evolved from heavy, bulky designs using fluorescent lamp backlights to modulate thousands of tiny light-shuttering pixels, to sleek housings stuffed with light-emitting diode (LED) backlights. Over time, pixel counts have continued to grow as retail prices drop with increased manufacturing efficiency. 

The debut of high-dynamic range (HDR) video forced more design changes. Given the gross inefficiency of LCD imaging panels (only 5% of the backlight illuminance actually makes it to the front of the screen), other solutions were needed to boost brightness levels. One approach was to add a thin layer of quantum dots, tiny metallic particles that absorb blue light from LEDs and re-emit it as higher-intensity red and green light (hence, the quantum energy conversion effect). 

Televisions with a “Q” in their model names (like Samsung’s QLED TVs) use quantum dots (QDs) to produce high dynamic range images. These displays are still hamstrung by the light transmission inefficiency of LCDs, but they are now able to pump out luminance levels in the range of 1200 to 1500 candelas per square meter (cd/m2). TCL also manufactures LCD TVs with quantum dot enhancement layers. LCD TVs equipped with quantum dots are priced at a premium over conventional LCD models. 

There’s another way to achieve HDR imaging by packing more “mini” LEDs into a smaller area and change their light levels in step with luminance levels in video content, a process known as local area dimming. Sony and Hisense (ULEDs) use this approach instead of QDs. The challenge is to minimize LED light from bleeding into adjacent pixels, creating what looks like a halo effect around bright text and objects. 

Fixing that problem requires some additional structural changes to each pixel as well as specialized light modulation techniques. But there’s another problem looming—TVs using large matrices of miniLEDs for local area dimming consume lots of power, and pending European Union regulations on energy conservation may keep these models from ever coming to market.

Organic Light-Emitting Diode Displays
OLEDs have been in development for decades, yet it seemed like they could never get over the finish line. Tricky to manufacture, they were susceptible to moisture and differential aging of colors. And you couldn’t drive them too hard, as they’d burn out quickly. 

OLEDs emit different colors of light when a low voltage is applied across a junction of organic compounds. Those colors are saturated and bright, and OLED displays exhibit high contrast, deep blacks, and wide viewing angles. Unlike LCD panels, OLEDs are very thin and can bend and warp. These latter properties have made it possible to offer foldable smartphones and tablets, not to mention digital signs that can be wrapped around poles, buildings, cars, and other objects.

There are two types of OLED displays in wide use today. For televisions, white OLED panels with color filters (WOLEDs) dominate the market. (The white color in RGBW displays is generated by a compound of blue and yellow organic chemicals.) LG Display is the source of all WOLED panels used in OLED TVs, no matter whose brand you see on the bezel. The underlying technology uses an RGBW pixel stripe to produce high levels of luminance (up to 1000 cd/m2 with a 10% full white window). WOLED televisions are available in sizes from 42 inches to 97 inches. 

The second type of OLED display, used in smaller products such as smartphones, has discrete red, green, and blue emitters (RGB stripe). Several companies manufacture RGB OLEDs, among them Japan OLED, Samsung Display, and Chinese manufacturers AUO and BOE. While RGB OLEDs can achieve similar peak luminance levels as WOLEDs, the largest RGB OLED display currently available is a 32-inch desktop monitor. 

The challenge for both RGBW and RGB OLEDs is the time to half-brightness of the blue organic materials. (A similar problem affected blue phosphors in color TV picture tubes and plasma displays.) Some clever solutions have been devised to overcome this problem, such as using multiple blue emitters with each running at reduced brightness. One way to get more luminance out of an OLED display is to employ microlens arrays on each pixel, collimating the light and directing more of it to the screen. This technique is currently implemented by LG on its latest series of Evo OLED televisions.

QD-OLED Hybrids
A new, clever hybrid display technology combines a stack of blue OLED emitters with red and green quantum dots. This QD-OLED hybrid was launched by Samsung Display last year at CES in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes and was joined by a 77-inch television at this year’s show (Samsung and Sony both sell QD-OLED models). QD-OLED TVs command higher prices than conventional LCD TVs and are priced on par with quantum dot-equipped sets and WOLED TVs. 

The big advantage of the QD-OLED is the simplicity of imaging layers—four in all—in the display panel. As an emissive display, it too exhibits excellent contrast performance, deep black levels, high color saturation, and a wide viewing angle. The blue OLED emitter is actually a stack of smaller blue OLEDs, each running at reduced power to extend their useful life. The rest of the horsepower comes from the quantum dots, with Samsung Display claiming a maximum luminance of 2,000 cd/m2 for 2023 models. Think of the QD-OLED as a turbocharged WOLED or RGB OLED!

MicroLED Displays
Display manufacturers are now prototyping televisions made up solely of tiny red, green, and blue LED emitters. These “micro” LED displays can also be used across a wide range of display products from smart watches and phones to tablets, computer monitors, and in transportation applications. To make this happen requires high manufacturing yields of microLED chips at a reasonable cost, which has so far proven to be a difficult task.

The advantages of microLED displays are in simplicity and image quality. Instead of the multiple light-absorbing layers of polarizers, backlights, and color filters in an LCD display, there’s just an array of LED emitters and transistors to switch them on and off. Since microLEDs are emissive displays, there are no issues with black levels and contrast flattening when viewed at wide angles. And they’re plenty bright at 1500 cd/m2, although they can easily hit peak levels exceeding 2000 cd/m2.

Although multiple companies are researching and developing microLED displays, only Samsung is currently offering models for consumers. At CES, they unveiled a 76-inch Ultra HD model to complement earlier 89-inch, 101-inch, and 110-inch offerings. The main selling point of the 76-inch Micro LED CX is that it can be installed by the end user. However, given the steep price point of the previously-introduced 89-inch model (about $80,000), it’s going to be a high-end, ultra-premium television for now.

Even so, many display analysts predict microLED displays will likely replace all other display technologies by the end of this decade—if manufacturing costs can be lowered and high yields achieved. And the odds are that it will happen. Recall that the first plasma televisions came with five-figure price tags, but by 2010 cost well under $1K. And the first 4K monitors (not TVs) sold in North America in 2012 were priced over $20,000! Today, you can buy a 65-inch “smart” Ultra HDTV for as little as $400 on sale.

Looking Ahead
Given the popularity of WOLED TVs, you’ll see more companies like Toshiba and Sharp offering them in 2023. LCD TVs will continue to be the cheapest TV offering, while QD-equipped models are slowly coming down in price to keep pace with OLEDs. 

As for microLED TVs—well, if you have eighty grand just lying around… 

KENT, England—Display, monitor and embedded computing technology provider Densitron is launching a new series of open and closed frame TFT displays with touchscreens in 13.3- and 21.5-inch models. The new products are expected to be used particularly for mixing desks.

The new Densitron displays are part of the company’s complete ecosystem. They feature a streamlined appearance that allows for customization, like being rotatable or being put at the end of a pole for easier viewing. The screens are HMI with multitouch capabilities that allow operators to update information on the display and manipulate sequencing.

With the 21.5-inch display, a half 4K monitor resolution (3840x1080) is available. It also provides a viewing angle of 178-degrees and a contrast ratio of 1000:1. For the 13.3-inch display, its resolution is 1920x1080, has a 178-degree viewing angle and an 800:1 contrast ratio.

Hello, everyone, welcome back. In my last posting, we examined the various scientific (SI) units used to measure many of the properties of light; in reality, most of those related to brightness or luminance. We needed this data in order to make sense of the various specifications that we come across in our daily lives as media professionals, but in particular I wanted to define exactly what is meant by the term “nit” (a colloquialism for “candela per square meter,” if you recall). The reason for this is that specification for brightness in today’s monitors is most often described in terms of nits.

As is often the case, some of the parameters of a transmitted signal were actually defined by dated technology. For example, we still have drop frame timecode, which arose from the creation of the NTSC color television standard, even though we have moved on significantly since the technology which mandated such a complex solution. That historical perspective is also responsible for what we would now consider to be “Standard Dynamic Range.”

THE UPPER LIMITS

To date, moving images distributed to the various platforms has been constrained to an upper limit of 100 nits. That is because 100 nits is approximately the limit of illumination that was achievable from a standard CRT display. Try buying a new, CRT based, television set today!

Despite the obsolescence of CRT as the ubiquitous display technology, the (SDR) programs are still calibrated to fit in this limited range. In order to be able to do that, the extremes of the signal – those close to black and close to white – end up being crushed down and up respectively in order to maximize the linearity of the end-to-end system in its midrange.

[Read: HDR: What Is It And Why Do We Need It?]

Modern flat panel displays, on average, offer a maximum light output of 500 nits, and manufacturers are already offering new sets that boast 1,000 nits. But—and here’s the important part–the majority of the video that will be delivered to them is SDR and has been conformed to fit into a 0 - 100 nit range. Thus, most of the fine detail in those extremes is lost forever. The images, when captured, are actually already raw HDR, but that dynamic range is crushed at several stages of the production and delivery process (Fig. 1).

QUALITY IN, QUALITY OUT

There is a very important point here – once that detail has been crushed, you can’t get it back. So even if you display it on a 500-nit screen, you are not getting HDR. Let me be perfectly clear: HDR does not just mean brighter whites. Setting the white point of an SDR image to 500 nits on your screen does not gain you extra detail. Think about this in audio terms: you can put an MP3 signal into a very powerful, very expensive high-fidelity audio system and crank up the volume, but the quality of the audio doesn’t get any better – it just gets louder!

In order to provide you with a higher fidelity (i.e. HDR) image on your screen, the delivery system has to possess a higher dynamic range from the point of ingest all the way to the point of display. (Fig. 2 acknowledges that we live in the real world; there is a practical limit to how much resolution – spatial (pixel count), temporal (frame rate) and HDR/WCG we can deliver to the mass audience within reasonable economic restraints. HDR is an attempt to deliver the most faithful imagery we can currently deliver, for the greatest impact on the customer experience.)

We must acknowledge that HDR is currently in its infancy. There are compromises in each of the display technologies available today. LCD screens are transmissive – they require a backlight in order to produce a viewable image. You can certainly increase the brightness of the backlight to produce white levels in excess of 1000 nits, but LCDs have a fixed contrast ratio internally, so increasing the level of the backlight also increases the light level produced by “black” pixels.

Manufacturers have come up with several schemes to modulate the backlighting in areas which are supposed to be black, with varying degrees of success. OLED screens are emissive, and do have the extended dynamic range capabilities, but struggle to produce the higher light levels, especially over long periods of time.

This last point is taken into account in all of the proposed HDR standards – metadata provided with the signal lets the set know just how bright the average image is and will also specify just how bright the brightest pixel in the entire program is, so that a display can adjust its behavior in order to protect itself from premature burn-out.

We will discuss these proposed standards in a future posting, but first we’ll examine just what is meant by “Wide Color Gamut” and discuss the various standards currently in use in both standard dynamic range HD (i.e. today’s signals) and in the proposed HDR formats.

Paul Turner is founder ofTurner Media Consultingand can be reached atpault@turnerconsulting.tv. 

Blackmagic Design introduced its Video Assist 5-inch touchscreen monitor/recorder at the 2015 NAB Show.
PADUCAHY, KY.—It wasn’t that long ago that getting monitors to “agree” in a production control room was a full-time job. (Anyone who ever carried around a blue filter in their pocket will certainly understand.) Lately though, improved reliability and more features, along with high resolution, color match, and high contrast ratios have been just something broadcasters have come to expect.

FEATURES AND GADGETS

Broadcasters love technology (except when they hate it), and one sure way for equipment manufacturers to get their attention is to add value to their monitors, when it comes to multi-tasking.

“We put everything you can think of into these monitors,” said Wes Donahue, director of channel sales and marketing for TV Logic, in describing the new monitors the company launched at the 2015 NAB Show. Those new features include audio metering, timecode, waveform/vector-scope, multiple inputs, focus assist, HV Flip, Key Lock, and Luma Zone Check.

Ray Kalo, president of Plura Broadcast in Phoenix, noted the variety of customers looking for more feature-filled professional monitors now. Among the more popular features on Plura’s monitors are LKFS audio monitoring and logging, audio de-embedding, V-Chip decoding, HDMI preview output, waveform/vectorscope, multiple SFP slots, HD-SDI, SDI with active loops, fiber and coaxial connectivity, SDI to HDMI conversion, and even a built-in 6 x 6 cross point switcher.

With van and truck space always at a premium, Marshall expects their new Lynx 503 5-inch HDMI, composite, SD/HDSDI monitor to be a hit, along with their popular M-Lynx 702 dual 7-inch, which includes tilt view, physical knobs, and optional WFM/vector. “There have been a lot of changes in the past three or four years with regard to what our customers demand,” said Devan Cress, director of sales,

Broadcast AV Division for the El Segundo, Calif.-based company. According to Cress, their MD Series (modular) is a first with direct fiber-optic inputs, using Telecast Fiber’s (Grass Valley) TeleCube modules, with other features including H/V delay, IMD, tally, HDMI, test signals, modular input slot, adjustable backlight, loss of input curtain, and more.

Another endorsement of how fast the monitor industry is changing comes from Bob Caniglia, senior regional manager, Eastern North America for Blackmagic Design. “One big change over the past few years, industry-wide, has been the demand for screens on the front of control panels,” he said. In addition to Blackmagic’s Smartview Duo, Duo with WFM/Vector, and the Smartview 17—which all feature tallies and throughput—their 6G 1RU audio monitor features a built-in 2.1-inch real-time LCD monitor, HDMI out, and plenty of buttons on the front.

Regarding features, Gary Litwin, national sales director at Boland Communications in Lake Forest, Calif., had plenty to say about where the industry is going. “Broadcasters and production companies seem to need products categorized as ‘good,’ ‘better,’ and ‘best,’ and Boland has new product lines to supply those needs, including custom rackmount models for mobile, from 7-inches up to 20-inches, all the way up to the highest quality OLEDs.” Customers can find custom solutions via the Boland website by answering questions along the way, and Boland offers a rich feature set as well, including audio de-embed/monitoring, closed captioning, etc.

At the 2015 NAB Show, Plura expanded its PHB-3G Series of high-brightness portable LCD monitors with a new 7-inch model, designed for a wide range of broadcast mobile, indoor and outdoor applications.

4K/UHD AND BEYOND

Feature-rich products are not the only demands of broadcasters of late; much as faster cars require better tires, higher video standards are requiring display manufacturers to step up and deliver. HD was the first new benchmark in decades, but 4K is the latest generation, and it seems that there is no time to waste.

ITU-R Recommendation BT.2020—the latest benchmark for display manufacturers—is more commonly known by the abbreviations “Rec. 2020” or “BT.2020.” The recommendation defines various aspects of UHD such as display resolution, frame rate, chroma subsampling, bit depth, and color space. For cinema and high-end video productions where 4K has been the norm for awhile, it seems that camera-top displays are having to evolve at a fast pace as well. “It doesn’t matter how good the display is, if you can’t see it, it’s useless,” responded Litwin, referring to Boland’s new camera-top DayBrite Models with anti-glare, cross conversion, and off-axis viewing features.

For the best quality, Litwin points to OLED, and at this year’s NAB Show, Boland unveiled the BVB55OLED, one of the industry’s first 55-inch OLED professional monitors. “A few years ago, CRTs and plasma displays were making a run at hanging around,” he said. “I’m just glad they are gone, although if you run OLEDs at full bright, it does shorten their life.”

Kalo noted that resolution is just one aspect in determining the quality of an HD or 4K monitor; what about color tracking, contrast ratio, rate sampling, resolution, and gamut? “That’s one reason we provide automatic color calibration with Plura Intelligent Connection for Alignment and Calibration and 10-bit digital signal prcessing,” he said.

For 4K (or HD), Marshall offers their top-of-the-line Orchid, up to 32-inches, with features including tri-color tally, histogram, markers, and more. According to Cress, “4K seemed slow to gain traction, but at this year’s NAB Show, there was a huge amount of interest.” For camera-top, Marshall offers new full-resolution camera-top monitors, including a 7-inch and 10-inch. Cress says many 4K cams have HD1080 out, so these are a great fit.

Blackmagic Design hit the 4K market head-on in 2014 with their Smartview 16 4K, which features battery or internal supply, HV delay, blue only, zoom, peak, 3D LUTs, markers, and support for SD, HD, 3G, 6G, and 12G SDI sources, according to Caniglia. For camera-top, he touted BMD’s new Video Assist 5-inch touchscreen monitor/recorder, a 6G unit that uses two Nikon batteries, (drains weakest first), and can connect to DLSRs via HDMI to provide 10-bit recordings inside the Video Assist unit.

“There are two things happening in video display: 4K and watching HDR [high dynamic range],” said Donahue, who adds that, for consumers, 4K alone is not going cut it on its own; with a 55-inch or 65-inch screen, viewers have to be close enough to discern the resolution difference. “HDR is key with 4K to make a completely different look,” he said, adding that, in his opinion, the CEA gave their manufacturers “a pass” on the REC2020 [BET2020] spec, which has a wider color gamut, among other attributes.

Donahue acknowledged that he believes no manufacturer currently makes a monitor that can meet the entire REC2020 spec, but manufacturers are trying to provide what broadcasters need. At the NAB Show, TV Logic showcased the 31-inch 4K LUM-310a reference display for HD and 4K, which does about 75 percent of REC2020 and features 10-bit processing, about 1.07 billion colors, and a contrast ratio of 1450:1.

In today’s monitor market, there are a mixture of display types available, including LED, LCD (different backlighting schemes), and OLEDs. For 4K, applications can be digital cinema projection, multi-viewers with higher resolution (over HD), studio, field, camera-top, or in the home. One thing is for sure, 4K/UHD is here to stay, and so are monitors with creative features.