8 bit TN panels

[lefenzy]

Why are there no 8-bit TN panels?

I've never found an answer to this question on the internet. Is there some sort of technological limitation that limits TN panel technology to 6 bits? I mean, couldn't panel manufacturers improve the technology so that voltage control over degrees of twist in the liquid crystals allows for more gradations? Is it only because of economics that TN panels are 6-bit? I think that the dark color shift in VA panels can be more distracting than the contrast changes in TN panels and sometimes wish there were 8-bit TN panels for sale, since IPS panels are too expensive.

 

[Mark R]

I'm guessing that because the overall performance of TN is so poor (poor dynamic range, black level, color shifts and poor viewing angle) that there is no real benefit to be gained from 8-bit drive. Techniques such as 3D dithering are more than sufficient to extract full performance for this low-end panel technology.

Given that the image quality performance of TN is so poor generally, the only target market is for customers who are budget constrained and so embedding more exepnsive 8-bit DACs would erode TN's only real selling point, price.