The resolution, the brightness, the size of inches, the smart functions… seem to be key when buying a television. But be very careful with the type of panel. And we are not only referring to the technology that illuminates and colors the image, but to how it is formed. Details that, sometimes, go unnoticed by users, and that can totally change the experience of using the salon. Because from now on we tell you that you can have the best LCD LED TV on the market, but if its panel is of the VA type, you can forget to see it well when you lean over or see it lying down. Something that is not always explained to you in stores. So if you are interested in buying an LED LCD TV , you better take a look at these concepts.
LCD TVs with LED lighting
In this article we only talk about televisions that base their technology on liquid crystal. These devices work with pixels, which in turn are subdivided into three colored pixels: red, green and blue . Something that you have seen on other occasions represented by the acronym in English: RGB.
These sub-pixels allow light to pass through depending on the image to be formed. With only three colors it is possible to represent images of infinity of tones, opening or closing some sub-pixels or others to generate that illusion of color. Of course, these colors only light up because there is a light source, which in this case is LED . It is usually placed on the back or sides of the TV, behind the pixels. Although there are advances that lead to illuminate in a much more detailed way the different areas of the screen to leave others in black or a darker gray. Something that avoids some lighting problems such as light leaks.
But let's go to the issue of the panels, which is what interests us. A detail in the way of placing the pixels that radically changes the user experience , the perception of color, brightness and other details even if it is an LCD LED TV.
VA panels
In this type of panel, the pixel matrices are aligned vertically with respect to the screen. Hence its name: Vertical Alignment or vertical alignment . It seems like something really subtle, but this engineering decision directly affects issues like viewing angle, contrast, and brightness as well.
Pixel matrix in VA panel
Of course, its technology is liquid screen or LCD, and the lighting is LED. Some manufacturers only have panels of this type in their repertoire. But others use VA or IPS panels depending on each TV model.
They are usually used for professional-type products , such as design or gaming monitors, where their color characteristics and low viewing angle are more interesting.
IPS panels
In the case of IPS panels, we speak of an organization of the pixel matrices in the same plane as the screen. They emerged as a modification of the TS panels, solving some of the problems that this technology presented. It is currently the most widely used, and is generally used for high-end products .
IPS type pixel matrix
The point is that the user experience is very different compared to VA panels. It excels in some characteristics, but loses in others. The interesting thing is to know them to know which is the television that you are most interested in choosing when buying.
Vision angle
It is the key that differentiates LED LCD TVs with IPS panel or VA panel. And it is that, in this aspect, IPS panels win by a landslide. This is because they achieve a greater angle of view without degrading the image.. That is, you can list, tilt or view the television from more angles without losing color. Although yes some brightness and luminosity. It depends on each manufacturer and how these technologies work, of course, but it is possible to find IPS televisions with a viewing angle of 178 degrees. Something that makes them ideal for group television viewing, where all people, regardless of their position on the sofa, can see the scene in full color and practically the same brightness. For this reason, too, if you are a lover of large panels, this technology allows you to see the entire screen with the same vision characteristics even if the sides are at an angle to the viewer.
In the case of VA panels, the viewing angle affects the experience from 20 degrees . In these positions it is already possible to see how the color is fading, missing more color saturation with each step you take towards the side of the panel. And, after 50 degrees, things only get worse. That is, it is a panel to see from the front.
Contrast and brightness
In this regard, things change again between IPS panels and VA panels. Here it is the VAs that manage to significantly outperform the IPS. And it is that they are capable of achieving contrasts that range between 3,000: 1 and 6,000: 1 . In this way, the blacks appear deeper, and also more stable. Something that helps to define the image and improve the perception of color significantly.
For its part, IPS panels only manage to be around 1,000: 1 in the field of contrast. Enough to achieve good image quality, but without offering the sensations of VA panels. Something that has to do with blacks that are not really so much, and a brightness that is also below.
In conclusion, VA panel televisions show images that are perceived better in dark rooms , where blacks appear darker. Although without reaching the depth and definition of OLED panels, of course. If your living room is bright, it may be more interesting to dispense with this feeling of quality and opt for an IPS panel and its greater viewing angle.
Other points to consider
Although this is about types of panels, you have to be well informed about the technologies and additions that television manufacturers add. Some use microscopic particles in the liquid crystal to absorb irregularities in the colors and brightness of the image, which ends up giving a much sharper perception of the final scene.
Others introduce ways to illuminate the panel in much more detail, avoiding blooming problems, and light leaks that make blacks less black and the image of worse quality. In this way, in an IPS panel, the problems of shallow and unstable blacks could somehow be saved. Something that is known as a Full Array .
Of course, the TV processor also counts as a key element in displaying the image. Manufacturers already rely on Artificial Intelligence to analyze everything that is shown in the image frame by frame, trying to improve it in different aspects. Both improving the contrast and remastering the finish to expand it in resolution. Issues that fully touch on how we perceive the image.
