AUO and Innolux developing higher contrast IPS

Caught this interesting nugget the other day over at DisplayDaily:

"While I'm talking about contrast, there have been some interesting developments in contrast ratios for some IPS panels. Normally, while IPS LCDs have very good viewing angle performance, with well maintained colours and fairly consistent contrast - at least over a normal viewing cone - they typically only have from 1,000:1 to, perhaps, 1,500:1 contrast (without backlight modulation). AUO had a panel at 2,200:1 (although, as at SID, we weren't able to find out what they are doing) while Innolux went further and showed an IPS panel with 3,500:1 contrast. Again the company wouldn't confirm what they are doing, but I am pretty confident that the method is to use collimated light through the LCD and then to use a film to broaden the emission on the front of the panel. The clue was that Innolux confirmed to me that it is using a similar technology for its LCDs with 'privacy mode' and they do use control of the angle of the light that enters the display from the backlight."

Nothing as exciting as dual layer, but improvements in native contrast are always welcome, and could additionally help to mitigate blooming when used in conjunction with FALD backlighting. Something that crossed my mind was whether Apple's new XDR display could be using one of these higher contrast IPS panels. Would certainly set it apart from some of the other FALD monitors in a meaningful way.

Also worth mentioning in the same article are some improvements to VA viewing angles that Chi Mei is working on. Seems that IPS and VA are inching closer together in performance with time.

Uniformity issues and "IPS glow" are much more problematic, IMO.

Depending on room lighting, even 1000:1 is not that bad (in well lit room), if they would tame "IPS Glow", a solution has existed for well over a decade (I have it on my NEC) but it is seldom deployed.

Though if you like using your computer in the dark, or near dark, 1000:1 is not adequate.

This is the difference in "IPS glow" with and without the A-TW filter:

I don't why they stopped using polarizers... well, I guess cost would be a good guess! Given how much of a problem glow is these days though, and how much more popular and widespread IPS monitors have become (it was more of a niche in more expensive 'pro' monitors years ago), there is a definite argument for a return to using them. Few people even seem to be aware this solution exists though. I guess you wouldn't though, unless you'd used an older monitor with it.

It is pretty frustrating that A-TW polarizers are practically nonexistent these days (only used in a few pro monitors). The only image-quality related reason I've seen against using them is they cause some green-magenta color shift off angle, which is worse for color-critical work than IPS glow. But considering IPS much more widespread these days, and not primarily for color critical any longer, one would hope it would make a comeback.

Necere said:

It is pretty frustrating that A-TW polarizers are practically nonexistent these days (only used in a few pro monitors). The only image-quality related reason I've seen against using them is they cause some green-magenta color shift off angle, which is worse for color-critical work than IPS glow. But considering IPS much more widespread these days, and not primarily for color critical any longer, one would hope it would make a comeback.

Click to expand...

Considering that it is only available, on Pro Monitors, which you expect to be used in color critical applications, that supposed shift is a is NOT the issue. It really doesn't impact something like image editing since it only appears significant angle, mainly visible in dark rooms, on dark backgrounds. I am typing this on my A-TW equipped NEC, and as much as I move around, I can't see any of this color shift/tint.

The only actual reason I remember reading about, was that it lowered contrast slightly.

My view is that is really a cost issues.

Snowdog said:

Considering that it is only available, on Pro Monitors, which you expect to be used in color critical applications, that supposed shift is a is NOT the issue. It really doesn't impact something like image editing since it only appears significant angle, mainly visible in dark rooms, on dark backgrounds. I am typing this on my A-TW equipped NEC, and as much as I move around, I can't see any of this color shift/tint.

The only actual reason I remember reading about, was that it lowered contrast slightly.

My view is that is really a cost issues.

Click to expand...

I guess calling it color shift isn't quite accurate; it's more like the typical off-white IPS glow turns greenish on one side and magenta on the other, but is overall dimmer. A quick search turned up this old thread, which has reports of this effect from two different users (and which I see you commented on there). So it's clearly a real thing. Maybe panel-to-panel or model-to-model variance accounts for some of why you don't perceive it yourself?

Necere said:

I guess calling it color shift isn't quite accurate; it's more like the typical off-white IPS glow turns greenish on one side and magenta on the other, but is overall dimmer. A quick search turned up this old thread, which has reports of this effect from two different users (and which I see you commented on there). So it's clearly a real thing. Maybe panel-to-panel or model-to-model variance accounts for some of why you don't perceive it yourself?

Click to expand...

I never said it doesn't exist. I said it's NOT an issue. It's a feature ONLY available on pro monitors. That alone should tell you it isn't an issue for image editing. If it were, then it should be the reverse. Omitted from pro monitors, but only on consumer/gaming monitors.

A lot of people crank up LCD backlights to max, and sit in the dark looking for things to get unhappy about. I don't.

If you need to sit in the dark, looking at an all black screen, at an angle, it isn't a real issue that comes into play for image editing. The guy admits it probably fine for real world usage.

Back then people were coming from CRT and expecting LCD to be better in every way.

I wish my images survived in those old threads. Even TN has hideous glow compared to IPS with A-TW.

IPS glow is my pet peeve and why I rate non-FALD IPS as the worst LCD panel type.