You're quoting an inflated dynamic contrast ratio. Static contrast ratios are usually 1000:1 give or take a few hundred. CRT's have huge huge huge contrast ratios, hard to measure. Contrast ratio is the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest white to the deepest black that the monitor can display. A CRT's deepest black is almost as black as the screen when it's not turned on, but a LCD's deepest black always has light coming through.
The term "contrast ratio" only applies to display types that use backlighting. Contrast ratio is used to determine color clarity and intensity on non-light emiting display technologies. Display types like LCD use a backlight to illuminate the screen because the LCD panel itself does not emit light. The problem is the brighter the backlighting the more washed out the color of the LCD becomes. Black on an LCD panel isn't as dark as on other display types because of the backlighting that shines through. Contrast ratio is how intense the colors are in spite of the backlighting.
Phosphor based displays like Plasma and CRT don't require backlighting because the image technology actually produces the light. As such, contrast ratio does not apply to them.
The newer panels from quality manufacturers are using dynamic backlighting to create much deeper contrast ratios. They'll still never be as good as a CRT, but it's a nice start
Contrast ratio is measurable for any screen it was only popularised though because LCDs are so incredibly bad. Nobody actually bothered to answer the question but a better branded CRT is meant to have a contrast ratio of around 20,000:1. Neither LCD nor plasma comes close yet. LCD's technology makes it tough and plasmas have trouble reducing the static cell charge enough to get it to perfect blacks either but they do do a significantly better job than LCDs. Most plasmas are said to be around 10,000:1 although none would hit it. By contrast CRTs can stop firing electrons, very effective for getting deep blacks.
Interesting side fact: Sharp showed off a 1,000,000:1 contrast LCD at CES earlier this year, but I don't expect it to be available for consumers anytime soon if ever.
Interesting side fact: Sharp showed off a 1,000,000:1 contrast LCD at CES earlier this year, but I don't expect it to be available for consumers anytime soon if ever.
The term "contrast ratio" only applies to display types that use backlighting. Contrast ratio is used to determine color clarity and intensity on non-light emiting display technologies. Display types like LCD use a backlight to illuminate the screen because the LCD panel itself does not emit light. The problem is the brighter the backlighting the more washed out the color of the LCD becomes. Black on an LCD panel isn't as dark as on other display types because of the backlighting that shines through. Contrast ratio is how intense the colors are in spite of the backlighting.
Phosphor based displays like Plasma and CRT don't require backlighting because the image technology actually produces the light. As such, contrast ratio does not apply to them.
-Byshop
Byshop
just one question for you then byshop, why does my plasma set have a stated CR of 10,000:1 (dynamic)
just one question for you then byshop, why does my plasma set have a stated CR of 10,000:1 (dynamic)the1stmoonfly
Well, to be super techincal while what I said applies to both CRT and Plasma it applies to CRT moreso. The contrast ratio of CRTs is so high as to be not practically measurable. While Plasmas work on a similar principle, their contrast ratios are not quite as good as CRTs but still much higher than a backlit display.
The thing is, contrast ratio is a measurement that came about with the invention of backlit displays. Plasmas are in direct competition with LCD so manufacturers put statistics like contrast ratio on the specs for their Plasma displays. They don't really do this becuase it's a terribly important spec on a Plasma relatively speaking, but rather so consumers can look at the spec sheet of an LCD and a Plasma and see a quantifyable difference in their capabilities.
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