Electronic television was invented back in 1927 and has seen improvements over the year. From Big CRT televisions to now compact rollable televisions, we have seen a lot of changes in television displays. Now when you think of buying a TV, you need to consider a lot of things including display size, display panel, display tech, connectivity options, and features. But not many people actually care about local dimming. Local Dimming is an important thing but most people don’t actually know about it. In this article, I will explain local dimming and will tell you the reasons why you need to know about it.
Local dimming
Local dimming is a display technology used in LCD televisions and monitors that adjusts the brightness of different areas of the screen independently. This allows for deeper blacks and more accurate contrast, resulting in a higher-quality image.
Local dimming is caused by the use of LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlighting in LCD displays. LED backlighting is used to provide the necessary illumination for LCD panels to produce images. Local dimming is achieved by dividing the LED backlighting into zones and controlling the brightness of each zone independently. When a zone is displaying a dark image or scene, the backlighting for that zone can be dimmed or turned off completely, resulting in a deeper black and a higher contrast ratio. Similarly, when a zone is displaying a bright image or scene, the backlighting for that zone can be increased, resulting in a brighter image.
By using local dimming, LCD displays can achieve higher contrast ratios and better black levels than displays without this technology. This is because local dimming allows for more precise control over the brightness of different parts of the screen, resulting in a more realistic and immersive viewing experience.
Different Types of Local dimming
There are different types of local dimming, including:
Full Array Local Dimming (FALD): This is the most advanced type of local dimming. The display is divided into multiple zones, each with its own dimming control. This allows for precise control of the brightness and contrast of each zone, resulting in superior image quality. FALD is commonly found in high-end LCD televisions.
Edge-lit Local Dimming: This type of local dimming is less advanced than FALD. The display is divided into a few zones, with the dimming control located around the edges of the screen. This allows for some control of the brightness and contrast of the image, but not as much as FALD.
Direct-lit Local Dimming: This type of local dimming is similar to FALD, but with fewer zones. Direct-lit local dimming has a higher number of zones than edge-lit, but still fewer than FALD. This type of local dimming provides better contrast than edge-lit, but not as much as FALD.
Global Dimming: This is the simplest type of dimming, where the entire display is dimmed uniformly. This results in a lower contrast ratio. Global dimming is not as effective as other types of local dimming because it does not allow for precise control of brightness in different parts of the screen. However, global dimming can still be useful in situations where power consumption is a concern.
Wrap Up
Local dimming can be an important factor to consider when buying a TV, especially if you value high image quality with deep blacks and accurate contrast. TVs with local dimming are generally considered to have better contrast and black levels than those without this technology.
However, it is important to note that not all local dimming implementations are created equal. Full-array local dimming (FALD) is generally considered to be the most effective type of local dimming, as it allows for more precise control of the backlighting and produces the best results. Edge-lit local dimming, on the other hand, is less effective and can sometimes produce undesirable artifacts such as halos around bright objects on a dark background.
Although local dimming is an important factor to consider while buying a TV, it is also important to take into account other factors such as resolution, refresh rate, color accuracy, and overall picture quality. TVs with advanced local dimming technology can be more expensive. So, you also need to consider your budget in mind while looking for other things. Ultimately, the best TV for you will depend on your personal preferences and needs, as well as your budget.
