TCL's Dynamic Backlight LCD TV Digital Video Technology Passes National Testing

TCL's Dynamic Backlight LCD TV Digital Video Technology Passes National Testing

April 17th,2007

TCL's enhanced dynamic backlight control technology, independently developed by its Industrial Research Institute for LCD TV digital video, passed testing conducted by the PRC's Ministry of Information Industry. The results were heralded at an Authorization Signature Ceremony during a Scientific and Technological test results meeting held on April 11, 2007 in Shenzhen.

The test results demonstrated that this technology is the first of its kind, in both China and other countries, and that it achieves internationally unprecedented technological advances. At the ceremony, TCL and Renesas a Japanese semi-conductor manufacturer ranked third place in the whole world reached an agreement that authorizes the licensing and use of this technology.

According to Dr. Yan Xiaolin, head of TCL Research Institute, the innovative part of this technology lies in its unique method for combining control of both the local and whole backlights in the cold-cathode florescent lamps (CCFL) LCD video. This method adopts dynamic luminance control and gradual improvement of sharpness in accordance with the visual characteristics of the human eye.

It achieves best contrast and maximum reduction of power consumption by means of control calculation for the local backlight in order to obtain dynamic compensation for the digital video images data. This technology achieves a maximum static contrast ratio of over 10000:1 and an even larger dynamic contrast ratio of 50000:1, which delivers the highest performance of any CCFL LCD TV set in the whole world today.

Meanwhile, the power consumption can be reduced by over 50% when typical TV programs are watched. TV sets adopting this technology can enhance field depth performance, improve 3D effects and provide more vivid frames while significantly reducing power consumption and, at the same time, improving visual comfort.

This is good news for consumers of flat TV sets.

Professor Qiu Yong from Qinghai University the team leader of the National "863"Flat Display Special Program - apprised that consumer demand for LCD technology will increase once LCD TV sets have larger screens and become the market mainstream. However, current LCD TV sets in today's market feature low contrast - which easily leads to visual fatigue - plus high energy consumption in what has been referred to as the industry's "chronic illness" and, now, TCL technology has provided the cure.

During the test results meeting, this technology was highly evaluated by CIO Yong, the chief expert of the National 973 New Material Team and an academician at the China Science Academy. He pointed out that China's colour TV set manufacturers are in an unfavourable position because they lack the core technologies required for flat screen TVs in the next round of competition when LCD colour TV sets become the market mainstream: This situation has received great attention from the national authority.

Fortunately, the digital video dynamic backlight control technology, independently developed by the TCL Industrial Research Institute for enhanced LCD TV sets, has attained a leading international position in LCD technology. In so doing, it has filled the void in the thin-field transistor (TFT) LCD TV field in China and has narrowed the schism in technology between our country and those of developed nations.

Meanwhile, it is a notable breakthrough in the development of flat LCD TV sets in China and makes great progress in the independent innovation of domestic flat colour TV sets while reducing national dependency on imported technology. So far, the industrial chain in the manufacturing of flat screen TVs in China is incomplete due to a lack of equipment and essential raw materials in the upper-stream, while a low-supply and a lack of variety in the middle-stream.

In this context, it was a rare achievement for TCL to make such a significant advancement in this integrated product. It is believed that the promotion and popularization of this technology will stimulate the rapid development of China's flat TV sets, as well as related products.

Reporters said that Renesas, the Japanese company that was authorized to use TCL's backlight control technology, will adopt the technology to manufacture video processing system-on-chip (SoC) core microprocessors. Industry insiders believe this is why Renesas purchased the technology at such a great sum: because they recognize the high market value and potential of this technology.

Renesas surpassed Motorola in 2003 and ranks first in the manufacturing of flash microcontrollers (MCU) in the world today. Due to its low cost and large-added value, the widespread application of this technology will yield enormous economic benefits in the marketplace.

It is reported that this technology has already been incorporated into the design of TCL's newest LCD TV models and that the corporation will launch future product lines that rely upon it. The TCL Industrial Research Institute deliberately chose Renesas as its licensee for the purpose of popularizing and expediting the use of this technology in the LCD TV industry for the benefit of the consumer.. At the same time, TCL obtained a significant sum from the licensing fees.