Future is bright for LEDs

Apart from increasing run times for their respective notebook systems, LED backlighting has been a big deal with computer makers to become greener.

Just as LCD technology has revolutionized the CRT display industry, the application of LED backlighting is expected to set new benchmarks in IT displays. With lightweight and thin design, as well as environmental friendliness, becoming key issues in the market, the adoption of LED backlight modules in large-sized display panels has become a trend, especially in panels used in notebook PCs. The power-saving and low- pollution features of LED have captured the market's attention. As major panel makers have announced that they intend to increase the use of LED backlight modules in their display panel products. Research firm iSuppli has recently predicted that the percentage of these LED-backlit TVs will grow from 3-per cent in 2009 to 39 per cent in 2013.

After 10.8-per cent growth in 2008, the LED market is still expected to grow by 2.9 per cent in 2009, aided by the rising demand from LCD-TV makers, according to market research firm iSuppli Corp. LEDs, therefore, provide a rare growth opportunity amid sharp revenue decline in most other electronics component categories. The LCD-TV market in 2009 will consume $163 million worth of LEDs, up 221.9 per cent from $51 million in 2008, reckons iSuppli. By 2012, LCD-TV LED revenue will grow almost nine-fold from 2009 to $1.4 billion.

Despite the slowdown, backlights for LCD displays in notebook computers and TVs are showing a strong growth. "Recently, LED monitors are more frequently showing up in the market, indicating the increasing application of LED in the monitor field. Vendors are majorly promoting LED monitors these days. However, early products which were flawed in colour rendering and uniformity and sold at high prices were not very popular among customers. "But LED technology has kept advancing, which brings the advantages of LED backlit monitors more noticeable. Thus, more and more manufacturers are developing LED backlit monitors and launching new products," says S. Rajendran, Chief Marketing Officer, Acer India.

LED backlighting is still relatively rare, but has been in use in televisions since 2004 when it first appeared on a Sony WEGA television. Though there are several different ways of backlighting using LEDs, the idea is the same: a lot of LED bulbs are used to light the screen.

With LED LCD poised to dominate at ever larger screen sizes, the smaller end of the screen size spectrum will soon belong to organic LED (OLED). The viewing angle for OLED screens is very wide, and it derives its unique visual effect from the fact that each individual pixel on the screen consists of a glowing LED. So, unlike even the LED, LCD technology, an OLED needs no backlighting because the pixel grid itself is an array of coloured lights. Such "active-matrix" OLED displays are also brighter than active-matrix LCD technology (TFT-LCD), and they maintain 100 per cent of their colour gamut at all gray levels. LED-backlit LCD TVs also consume less electricity than their CCFL-equipped counterparts.

The new process is all about creating and assembling ultra-thin, ultra-small inorganic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into large arrays that offer new classes of lighting and display systems with interesting properties, such as see-through construction and mechanical flexibility. "Compared to their organic counterparts, inorganic LEDs are brighter, more robust and longer-lived. Organic LEDs, however, are attractive because they can be formed on flexible substrates, in dense, interconnected arrays," says Mr Gautam Ghosh, Country Manager, ViewSonic India.

It is estimated that nearly 59 million notebooks will employ LED backlight in 2009 and approximately 4 million LCD TVs will employ LED backlight. The market for this segment is driven by the consumer who enjoys the lightweight and thin design, and enhanced picture quality in terms of colour and contrast coupled with low-power consumption.

Thin-and-light notebooks have been the early and obvious targets of choice because, even more than other notebooks, they place a premium on long battery life (low-power consumption) and slim and lightweight design. Further, buyers in this segment are clearly willing to pay a premium that easily covers the additional cost of a LED Lit notebook. Battery life increases are one of the main advantages for moving to LED backlighting on notebook computers compared to traditional CFL backlighting. LED backlighting has been a big deal with the PC vendors not only to increase run times for their respective notebooks, but also in an effort to become greener. Dell also has big plans on moving notebooks from CCFL to LED backlighting. The computer maker claims that 80 per cent of the total number of notebooks it produces will have LED backlighting by the end of 2009. By the end of 2010, Dell says all its notebooks will use LED backlighting.

LCD monitor market is evolving at a very fast pace in terms of technology. The customer today is familiar with the technical features and demands the latest in his purchase. The latest evolvement is of "Green Monitors". The focus is on low-power consumption, lesser radiation and restriction of hazardous materials. LED also contributes to the same with its share in reducing power consumption of a monitor. In terms of features Full HD and Ultra HD Resolution, High DCR’S OF 100,000:1 and excessive built-in features are becoming a must to have. Super-glossy monitor finish in luxury outlooks with touch keys and sleek shapes are in. There is also a very high increase in bigger size screens 20” and above and it captures about 25% of the monitor market now.

BenQ, a top global display provider in both CE and IT industries, leads the charge in the mounting of LED display revolution, starting with the official launch of their 24" LED widescreen and the world's first 21.5" LED widescreen, namely the Full HD 1080p V2400 Eco and Full HD 1080p V2200 Eco, respectively.

The new V2400 Eco and V2200 Eco employ the latest in monitor display lighting, namely LED (light-emitting diode) technology, for advantages that are visible in exquisite visuals on the screen, and in eco-friendly and pocketbook-friendly benefits. Most notably, when it comes to display performance, both new LED models are superbly engineered with zero light leakage, enabling an ultra-high dynamic contrast ratio of 5 million:1 for intense blacks and extreme whites. While this unparalleled benefit unique to LED technology reveals never-before-noticed fine details and near-infinite colour variations, BenQ's Senseye 3 Human Vision Technology further amplifies image richness, clarity, and depth even in the darkest scenes. Because LED is a stable light source, it likewise provides flicker-free performance ideal for long-term viewing and improved visual comfort. And for on-demand gratification, LED enables instant display when the monitor is powered up. Both new V Series models also feature "Eco" mode for 36-per cent less power consumption without compromising on visual enjoyment.

The V Series Eco monitors keep BenQ's promise of  "Lookin' Great" not only when it comes to visual splendour, but also to energy conservation and environmental sustainability. The energy-efficient, mercury-free LED panels of the V Series Eco consume approximately 36-per cent less power than traditional CCFL displays. Additionally, the new models are lighter (-14.6%) and thinner (-21.2%) than CCFL displays of comparable screen size, which saves on packaging (+56%) and affords more efficient shipping. Packaging itself was given an eco-friendly makeover. Paper cushioning, composed of 80-per cent recycled paper material, replaces Styrofoam. The carton is also 80 per cent recycled paper material, and printing on the carton now uses 70-per cent less ink and is done in 100-peer cent soy ink.

AOC launched the world's slimmest and lightest WLED monitor sometime in March 2009. It is called Verfino and is extremely popular in our distribution network. AOC 22" WLED Monitor Verfino also comes with an inbuilt webcam, mike and speakers. It has a superfast 2ms response time and comes with HDMI input connection too.

The demand is continuously picking up for these monitors. The company plans to launch 18.5" and 20" wide with WLED very soon.
However, while the energy consumption and form-factor benefits of LED backlighting are beyond doubt, there is some debate over how much the technology actually improves the image on LCD TVs.

"Most of the current LED-equipped LCD TVs use edge-mounted designs that place the diodes at the borders of the display. This allows for the thinner form factors that consumers appreciate, but it does not provide any major improvement in contrast ratios (the ratio of the luminance of the brightest colour to that of the darkest colour that a TV can produce)," according to Sweta Dash, Director of LCD Research for iSuppli. "TVs with superior contrast ratios get rid of excess off-state light when an LCD pixel is turned off, delivering a better picture. Using an edge-mounted LED backlighting design in a large-sized LCD TV yields no improvement in picture quality and the colour gamut of the display is actually less than when using a CCFL," says Jagdish Rebello, Director & Principal Analyst for LED research at iSuppli.

Finally…
According to experts, building LED backlight units (BLU) in notebooks can offer three main benefits: low-power consumption, slim product design and a more environmentally friendly product - thanks to the absence of mercury in LEDs as opposed to its presence in CCFLs. It is predicted that LED light sources will largely replace cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) for notebook backlight units in the next four years.