This article was originally published at display-central.com.
VP Dynamics was at Display Week where it introduced a new 28″ monitor that integrates two novelties (see video below). One is the use of a RGBW quad pixel arrangement that allows the display of 4K-like images using sub-pixel rendering, and the second is the use of the 3M QDEF quantum dot film to achieve a wide color gamut. It has a 120 Hz refresh rate and 10-bit processing
The RGBW quad pixel structure is a variant on the new class of pixel structures being offered by Samsung, LG, Sharp and others. The panel itself has a native resolution of 1920xRGBWx1080, which means it will display FHD content in a pixel accurate manner.
The white segment allows for extra brightness if needed, but it may sacrifice color gamut and/or contrast in that mode – just like a white segment in a DLP color wheel. The quantum dot film helps to off set this effect by providing a wide color gamut to start with, however.
But the company also claims the display can create virtual UHD images as well using the RGBW subpixels in a sub-pixel rendering scheme. The concept is illustrated in the graphic below.
Here, the idea is to create a pixel with one set of RGBW subpixels (solid lines). Other pixels can be created as well that overlap this central pixel. The dotted lines show a WGBR combination, but you can also use other combinations like the BR dotted pair. How the subpixels are used to create the image is very complex and this is a simplification of the concept, but illustrates the flexibility of the approach.
UHD video rendered on this display will look better than FHD, but not as good a a native 3840xRGBx2160 display. The quality will depend on the sub-pixel arrangement and the quality of the rendering algorithms. This may or may not be acceptable to consumers – we will have to see as these TVs and monitors are just being introduced. But one thing these monitors can’t do is display a 1-pixel wide line or or column with a UHD-resolution source.
Foxconn is now an investor in VP Dynamics and getting help with production from another Foxconn company called Century Tech Corp (CTC) in Shenzhen. MegaChips provides the TCON chip. It is expected to ship by Q4’14 for under $1,000.