LCD TVs: Six Years of Contrast Measurements

According to manufacturers' tech specs, between 2007 and 2010 the average contrast ratio of LCD TVs has shot up from 2,000:1 to 150,000,00:1. Since we've been testing TVs since 2007 and measuring contrast ratios for ourselves, we decided to check the credibility of this incredible progress against our own data. So just how far have things really come?

Vincent Alzieu
Translator: Catherine Barraclough
Updated: February 24, 2011

OLED Coming Soon?

Image quality fanatics have been getting excited about the upcoming arrival of OLED technology since around the year 2000. On paper, the technology looks fantastic, as each pixel emits its own light and thus its own colour. Infinite contrast is therefore guaranteed, as the pixel turns off completely to produce black. Responsiveness is also excellent, although it probably won't be quite as good as some manufacturers are claiming ( 0.01 ms). That said, OLED still gave the best results we've ever seen in our test lab, with a ghosting time measured at 5 ms.

However, we have two reservations about this type of technology.
- The lifespan of OLED screens is said to be shorter than regular LCDs. Although this problem has apparently been resolved, it's still something worth checking out.
- It's very expensive! A 15-inch OLED TV we tested before Christmas would cost the best part of £2,000, so just imagine how much a 40" model would cost!

Obviously, prices should come down pretty quickly once the technology starts to trickle down onto the market. In the meantime, though, LCD TVs are also improving. With its matrix of diodes and infinite contrast ratio, the LG 47LX9500 is already 'only' at £1,500 and the next generation of TVs could be even cheaper and feature even more technological innovations! So is there still room for OLED to take the market by storm or has it missed the boat? Five years ago, all manufacturers were tipping OLED to be the next big thing, but that's no longer the case today. One major manufacturer even told us they were hedging their bets a new type of technology—not LCD or plasma or even OLED. However, we promised we wouldn't divulge any information about it ...

Are today's TVs really any better than the ones we tested when DigitalVersus first started up back in 2007?

Our very first TV tests were carried out by our sister site in 2005, but few actual measurements were made. We did manage to dig out a bit of data, but even the following year, in 2006, very few of the TV reviews included a practical contrast ratio test. However, a new test procedure was devised in 2007, and since then we've carried out a number of specific tests and recorded data in various fields, including the actual measured contrast ratio.

We used the contrast ratio data from TV tests carried out over the last six years to calculate an average contrast ratio per year:

Average contrast ratios have increased five fold in 6 years.
Contrast is measured with the optimal image settings,
and so generally with dynamic contrast deactivated.

This sharp increase to 2010 is even more impressive considering that our system for measuring the contrast ratio has actually got stricter. We now use complex test cards to make sure that high-tech TVs don't get too much help from automatic correction functions. Even then, though, the LG LEX8 we reviewed at the end of 2010 effectively has an infinite contrast ratio according to our sensor, as does the LG 55LX9500, reviewed at the beginning of January 2011.

The Bravia Story: 5 Years of Data

Ever since we started testing TVs, we've found that mid- and top-of-the-range Sony Bravia TVs have done particularly well in our contrast tests, with decent results year after year. In fact, the contrast ratio progressively improves from series to series. Obviously, contrast isn't the only thing that's improved, as improvements have also been made in fields such as SD upscaling (DVD, TV etc.), video entries, screen resolution, colour reproduction, ghosting etc.

Five years of contrast ratio measurements for Sony Bravia TVs.

Note: this data is for mid- and top-of-the-range Bravia TVs only. Sony is capable of great things (as seen here) but it can also make some very disappointing TVs, especially in its entry-level ranges.

2011: All Change!

Prices unavailable Recommended alternatives

For the last six years, LG hadn't really been up to much on the TV front—until now! After making the five-star television of 2007, the brand seemed to pale into relative insignificance in the TV market as its screen panels were incapable of producing a really deep black. This obviously had a negative impact on the overall contrast ratio. However, LG is now back on top form thanks to the exceptional LEX8 TV we tested in December 2010. This TV is a bit of an exception though, as it's a showcase product that isn't available to buy on the high street.

Nevertheless, the LG LX9500 series that followed the LEX8 is almost as good as LG's superstar model. For starters, it's actually available to buy, plus it's a cut above the current competition when it comes to contrast ratios! Quality like this does come at a price though, as the 47LX9500 (47") will set you back somewhere in the region of £1,500, while you can pick up a Sony 47EX713 (and its expected replacement, the EX720) for under £1,000.

Looking at the various TV ranges on offer this year, it now seems like pretty much every manufacturer is using full LED backlighting, hot on the heels of LG's trailblazing TVs. If this technology is handled well across the board, the new challenge for TV makers could now be keeping ghosting in check rather than racing to improve contrast. For ghosting, IPS panels still lag slightly behind the best ASV and PVA panels out there, but they're still better than MVA screens.

Stay tuned for more investigations into panel switching later this year.

Guess the Contrast

Regular readers of our TV reviews will know that TVs are made with several different types of screen panel, all of which use different types of technology. It we forget about TN panels for a minute, we're left with LG's IPS panels (current contrast ratio approximately 900:1 with standard backlighting or infinite contrast with full LED backlighting), ASV panels made by Sharp (current contrast ratio approximately 3000:1), MVA panels made by CMO and AU Optronics (current contrast ratio around 1500:1 ) and PVA panels made by Samsung and Sony (currently 1500:1 to 4000:1).

So, here's a question for all you TV experts out there: in 2006, what was the average contrast ratio for each type of technology—ASV, IPS, MVA, PVA?

Answers (turn your screen upside down):

What About Plasma TVs?

As from 2007, Pioneer's plasma televisions already reached a contrast ratio of 3600:1, according to our sensor and lab tests. The firm has since been bought by Panasonic, whose latest plasma TVs can reach 15000:1 on the brand's best models or 2000:1 on those lower down the range.

In comparison, LG and Samsung plasmas come in at between 1000:1 and 3000:1.

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