8 bit panels question

[chrisrod01]

Okay there are two types of panels
6bits= 16 million colors
8 bits= 16.7 million colors

So here the deal is the screen able to produce all those colors with any kind of graphic card?

 

[bobsmith1492]

No, a 6-bit card can only TRULY reproduce something like 167,000 colors. It creates the rest (up to 16 million) by dithering - rapidly switching between two colors that are close together to appear to be a color somewhere in-between the two. The issue is accurate color reproduction, not necessarily the raw number of available colors. I don't know for sure if 6-bit panels are really, noticeably worse at color reproduction or not, though I think the consensus is that they are.

 

[xtknight]

There are actually five types:

6-bit - 262,144 colors, no dithering
6-bit - 262,144 colors, dithering (2x2 grid) to 16.2M
6-bit - 262,144 colors, FRC (rapid pixel change) to 16.2M
6-bit - 262,144 colors, Hi-FRC (9-bit upsample+rapid pixel change) to 16.7M (pseudo 8-bit)
8-bit - true 16.7M colors
(And there are also 8-bit panels that FRC to 10-bit.)

Confusing, huh? Well, I would say that the first three are ALWAYS noticeably worse than a true 8-bit panel, and that the Hi-FRC one is almost always worse. The only panels that can display true 8-bit are PVAs and IPSs, which also have higher contrast and better viewing angles than TNs. So, if the 6-bit vs 8-bit isn't noticeable, the better contrast definitely will be.

All of these panels will accept 16.7M colors from the video card and will do the best they can with what they have.

 

[SonicIce]

what is the limitation thats keeping the 6-bit panels from being 8-bit? something in the cheap electronics or something in the lcd?

 

[Bob Anderson]

It is the design of the LCD. Nothing can change a 6-bit to 8-bit.

-Bob

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
what is the limitation thats keeping the 6-bit panels from being 8-bit? something in the cheap electronics or something in the lcd?

It is almost always something in the TFT panel itself. However, there are 8-bit TFT panels that are driven with 6-bit+dithering controllers for whatever reason. Cost, I suppose. One would think the dithering algorithm would be harder to implement than just sending all 8-bits directly to the LCD, but I guess not.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: SonicIce
what is the limitation thats keeping the 6-bit panels from being 8-bit? something in the cheap electronics or something in the lcd?

It is almost always something in the TFT panel itself. However, there are 8-bit TFT panels that are driven with 6-bit+dithering controllers for whatever reason. Cost, I suppose. One would think the dithering algorithm would be harder to implement than just sending all 8-bits directly to the LCD, but I guess not.

i have a samsung syncmaster 730b, anybody know what kind of panel is in it?

 

[Bob Anderson]

The 730B is a TN (Twisted Nematic). TN's are 6-bit.
You can read all about LCD's on the video forum on this site. Look for the sticky at the top.

-Bob

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Bob Anderson
The 730B is a TN (Twisted Nematic). TN's are 6-bit.
You can read all about LCD's on the video forum on this site. Look for the sticky at the top.

-Bob

good to know, i am assuming the 730b is a TN panel too. so i guess whatever i get in the future will be better, which is good because i don't even have a problem with my current lcd (excpet for size) and it passes all the gray test fine and looks excellent when gaming 🙂

 

[sandeep108]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: Bob Anderson
The 730B is a TN (Twisted Nematic). TN's are 6-bit.
You can read all about LCD's on the video forum on this site. Look for the sticky at the top.

-Bob

good to know, i am assuming the 730b is a TN panel too. so i guess whatever i get in the future will be better, which is good because i don't even have a problem with my current lcd (excpet for size) and it passes all the gray test fine and looks excellent when gaming 🙂

Limitations of the human eye...

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: SonicIce
what is the limitation thats keeping the 6-bit panels from being 8-bit? something in the cheap electronics or something in the lcd?

It is almost always something in the TFT panel itself. However, there are 8-bit TFT panels that are driven with 6-bit+dithering controllers for whatever reason. Cost, I suppose. One would think the dithering algorithm would be harder to implement than just sending all 8-bits directly to the LCD, but I guess not.

i have a samsung syncmaster 730b, anybody know what kind of panel is in it?

TN 6-bit - 262,144 colors, dithering (2x2 grid) to 16.2M
TN 6-bit - 262,144 colors, FRC (rapid pixel change) to 16.2M

One of those.