[nahtanoj]

I just bought a Sharp 62u 1080p display. In various places (the marketing and screen stickers of course), it says it has 10,000:1 contrast ratio. But in the specs, it says it has a native resoution of 2000:1 and a dynamic ratio of 10:000:1.


My only guess, which I have no confidence in, is that the range of low contract to high is 10,000:1, but the true contract at max is 2000:1. I have no basis for this other then physics and simple logic.


I'm keeping the TV and really like it (SD from Dish with Smart Stretch looks REALLY good and I'm waiting for a promo on an HD DVR), but want to know what it means.


Thanks guys.

 

[hemingway]

This diffence in the ratios is in how they are measured.


Dyanmic: First display black on the whole screen then display white on the whole screen and measure the difference between the two.


Actual: Display a black and white checkerboard pattern and measure the difference between the black squares and the white squares. This measure better reflects what you will see during normal use.

 

[btstarke]

^ exactly. The static (native) measurement is a more real world number as to where the dynamic is a great marketing tool to advertise in stores.

 

[Xcalibur_255]

The difference is that one is partial snakeoil and one is total snakeoil. Since we know these tvs get very bright the number you want to be interested in is it's actual measured light output while displaying a total black field in a light controlled room. The best LCD sets can approach 0.05 foot lamberts and anything below 0.01 gives you pretty nice blacks in a dark room.

 

[DBLASS]

Perhaps, but remember, the contrast ratio "war of numbers" is just that. Contrast is White+reflection/Black+reflection. First, keep in mind that Black on a LCD is trying to block the constantly on backlight. Any light leakage and incorrect blocking of the light by the LCD (polarizers) will produce a reasonably low contrast number.


Plasma, feeling the heat from LCD mfgs, begin to talk about 10,000:1 constrast. Since they produce ZERO light in a darkroom, they have fantastic numbers....in a darkroom. LCD's, due to their technology, will alway leak light in a darkroom. So, if all you did was to compare plasma's 10,000:1 versus LCD's 2000:1, plasma would win. Since LCDs can't lose, they came up with some gamesmanship to create some stupid term like "Dynamic Contrast Ratio". Nonsense, contrast is contrast. PERIOD.


Here's the deal... in a livingroom, all displays have to add REFLECTION into the numbers. When you do this, plasma's ratios drop, as do LCDs. In a normally lit room, numbers like 20:1 are reality. Plasmas reflect more than LCD. Contrast ratios even out.


Don't get caught up in the numbers game. Facts don't lie, liars use facts.


DB

 

[why2not]



Quote:
Originally Posted by DBLASS /forum/post/0


Here's the deal... in a livingroom, all displays have to add REFLECTION into the numbers. When you do this, plasma's ratios drop, as do LCDs. In a normally lit room, numbers like 20:1 are reality. Plasmas reflect more than LCD. Contrast ratios even out.


Don't get caught up in the numbers game. Facts don't lie, liars use facts.


DB

Intresting. I'm not sure I can comment on contrast ratios, since I have no way to "measure" them, but how about black levels? I can assure you that I have compared both LCD and plasma side by side in my living room (I own both) under lighted conditions (easily read a book anywhere in the room without the least bit of eye strain). I can say that the black levels of both suck under those conditions. But the plasma is much better than the (2) LCD's I compared it to.

 

[DBLASS]

You are commenting on the "real world" and mfgs hate that comparison. In a lit room, light from the various angles are going to reflect (bounce off) the front of the sets. In reality, plasma reflect more of the light, but since the front of the display is shiney glass, the reflected light back out is controlled (it reflects in straight line... angle of reflection is the angle of insidence). If you cannot "see" the light source in the mirror-like finish on the display, you won't be affected by it.


LCDs have a 30% non-glare (diffused) reflection surface. This will scatter the reflected light, causing a greater reflection "flare" on the display, in most conditions. With LCDs, placing the room light to the side, or behind the display will help a bit.


Also, setting the Brightness, Contrast and backlight levels can help.


DB