Monitors How to tell if LCD is 6 or 8 bit....

[Eazy]

Came across this POST in a Monitor's forum ... seems like good info ... can anyone here confirm its validity ?

This is the biggest problem for individuals who are looking at purchasing an LCD monitor. Most manufacturers do not list the color depth of their display. Even fewer will list the actual per-color depth. If the manufacturer lists the color as 16.7 million colors, it should be assumed that the display is 8-bit per-color. If the colors are listed as being 16.2 million or 16 million, consumers should assume that it uses a 6-bit per-color depth. If no color depths is listed, it should be assumed that monitors of 12ms or faster will be 6-bit and the 20ms and slower panels are 8-bit.

Hopefully that'll help you get an idea of what your buying. I have a benq and they listed online that it was a 16.4 million color with dithering so i ended up with a 6 bit panel. It's great for games and stuff but really sucks for movies. I have turn dvds to divx just to be able to watch them on here. THat kinda bites but whatever.

 

[Darklord]

Helpful info there Eazy,nice work. Repped ya

 

[Eazy]

My Samsung 740N lists 16.4 million colors

 

[Darklord]

^ Lol...so in between the 2 catagories it seems.awesome one in a million monitor with 7.5 Bit panel...hehehe

 

[Chaos]

*N in samsung range is 6bit TN. The P series is all PVA.

 

[Eazy]

^ Lol...so in between the 2 catagories it seems.awesome one in a million monitor with 7.5 Bit panel...hehehe

....err... isnt this vague numbers the result of interpolation ?? ..... or sumthing ?? .... :huh:

 

[Switch]

Eazy... Same to same ...

Nice info there... Repped ...

 

[Nikhil]

@chaos, what is PVA??

And Eazy nice info!!!

 

[dipdude]

Case of 8-bit panels :

8 bit per color = 2^8 = 256

Now for 3 primary colors RGB = 256*256*256 = 16777216 colors = 16.7 M colors.

Case of 6-bit panels :

6 bit per color = 2^6 = 64

Now for 3 primary colors RGB = 64*64*64 = 262144 colors = 262.1 K colors

But, for 6 bit panels they use a "virtual 8 bits" with 2x2 dithering without FRC - i.e - More colors can be imitated with tricks like FRC (quickly altering the pixel color back and forth between the two nears colors that the pixel can really display; causes some flickering) or with dithering without FRC (standing chessboard like pattern at the native resolution of the TFT).

So it ends up displaying - 253*253*253 = 16194277 = 16.2 M colors

Disadvantage of dithering :

In reality, 6-bit LCD can only produce 262,000 color shades, but by using a method of frame rate control, the panel controller can adjust voltages to emulate out of bound gray scales.

As a consequence, you can display only all 4th gray grades clearly, the others will be done with checkboard-like patterns as shown below :

 

[Eazy]

Case of 8-bit panels :

8 bit per color = 2^8 = 256

Now for 3 primary colors RGB = 256*256*256 = 16777216 colors = 16.7 M colors.

Case of 6-bit panels :

6 bit per color = 2^6 = 64

Now for 3 primary colors RGB = 64*64*64 = 262144 colors = 262.1 K colors

But, for 6 bit panels they use a "virtual 8 bits" with 2x2 dithering without FRC - i.e - More colors can be imitated with tricks like FRC (quickly altering the pixel color back and forth between the two nears colors that the pixel can really display; causes some flickering) or with dithering without FRC (standing chessboard like pattern at the native resolution of the TFT).

So it ends up displaying - 253*253*253 = 16194277 = 16.2 M colors

NOW .....THAT IS SOME INFORMATION !!! :clap:

 

[Switch]

@dipdude

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to dipdude again.

Reps due mate

 

[hunt3r]

Great info :hap2: Yup, reps due.