OLED Televisions: The Next Generation In TV Technology
Whilst OLED televisions have been under development for some time now, it is only recently that talk of them has entered wider public awareness. There seems to be an awful lot of excitement about the developments, particularly at the increasing number of trade fairs and industry shows around the world. But is it warranted?
Before discussing the benefits of OLED televisions, it is worth spending a little time trying to understand the tech. Rather than using a screen that reflects light to produce an image, (as with LCDs and LEDs), the layers of compounds that make up the screen emit light themselves.
The advantages from this point are immense. Most notable of all, (for the industry certainly), is that it finally delivers a “true” black color. That is to say that the black produced through the screen is as close to that seen in nature than anything that has gone before it. This means that all other colors have greater clarity and realism too.
This is just the start of where the next generation in TV comes in however. Because the screen itself produces the light, there is no need for separate technology to be built into the unit. Resultantly, a thinner screen is produced, whilst they can be manipulated into a host of different shapes.
This also allows the screen to be extremely resistant to damage and scratching; ideal for televisions and many other applications such as advertising boards, cell phones and a new concept in interactive printed media. The screens are also extremely thin, the thinnest out there reputed to be just three millimetres in depth.
However what the screen “lacks” in depth, it also certainly LACKS in size. Presently, the biggest screen made, (and shown to the public), is a rather small fifteen inches. However, despite this, resolution and contrast are amazing.
There is also a negative in the price of these new OLED televisions. The biggest screen size widely available from a leading manufacturer, (eleven inches), is on the market for somewhere in the region of two thousand five hundred dollars. This price tag is attached to LCD equivalents with a screen size of about four times this.
OLED televisions are also affected by a relatively short life span; and this is in direct comparison to the extended lifespan of LED TVs of course. The availability is not too widespread either; which in itself maintains the high pricing of course.
It is still a relatively young technology though; with a lot of advancements yet to be made. The price will of course fall as demand picks up, the technology really becomes commercially viable and life span is improved.
In summary, the advantages of OLED televisions now and for the future will outweigh any disadvantages. They are the greener option; subsequently consuming fewer resources and the picture clarity is unparalleled.
Jimmy Tyrrell writes about OLED Television and Sony OLED TV
