Question regarding TV refresh rate?

Question

I was in a shop today and was told that an LED with 400Hz refresh rate is actually just 100Hz but has four panels on it, each of which has a refresh rate of 100Hz therefore making it 400Hz.

I have never heard this before. Is it true? My question is in reference to Samsung's UE446D6530

Answer 1

I've never heard of having or counting separate display panels as part of the refresh rate specs...



So-called LED TVs are actually LCD panels with LEDs for illumination rather than the usual cold-cathode fluorescent tubes.



It's theoretically possible the backlight has separate RGB LEDs rather than white LEDs, and the colours are displayed sequentially rather than simultaneously, to give better colour separation - but I doubt it..



The broadcast TV signal only uses 25Hz interlaced (50Hz alternating even/odd frames) update rate, so anything above 50Hz is using interpolation to create fill-in frames to reduce flicker.



100Hz is faster than the eye can manage anyway, so anything beyond that is fine.



One of my friends has just ordered the 6530, so I'll find out what the actual system is in a few days.



Edit:

They have the 6530 now, and it is definitely a very good set - I want one myself having seen it..

It's an edge-lit LCD, and very thin - not much more than an inch overall.



I've been thinking about the 'multiple panels' blurb. Liquid Crystal Displays are driven using a multiplex system where the rows and columns of the display are driven in combination to address pixels.



With all but tiny panels, multiple driver ICs are used and for each row addressed, several driver ICs will update the columns they control simultaneously (or vice-versa), so the overall update sequence is faster than if every single pixel had to be worked through one at a time.



It's standard technology in any LCD, and 100Hz update is still 100Hz update. But it sounds like some marketing people have 'discovered' it and are trying to put a spin on it. It makes about as much sense as saying a particular car is 4x faster as each wheel is doing whatever speed, 'but there are four of them!'..

Answer 2

The refresh rate on a screen is important for games with fast-paced graphics or that require more rendering to look seamless. In normal circumstances, you're probably never going to notice the difference visually. However, if your game starts pixellating or looks sluggish, it's often because the image on the screen can't keep up with the inputs it's receiving from the source (your Xbox.) The higher the refresh-rate, the less you're going to encounter this problem (if at all.)

Answer 3

nope never heard tht before either, and i should have really seeing as tho i have sold electrical equipment for years, as far as im aware (been told) the refresh rate is just how quick your tv and ur arial communicate with one another, higher refresh rate=better picture, if the tv ran on 4 diff panels pottentially u could have some parts of the tv running better than others if there was a fault or anything, so i guess that would be a little silly, as if the tv was running fully at the same refresh rate you wouldnt realise if it were all running at a lower refresh rate

Answer 4

I think that is 'salesman speak'.If it starts off at 100Hz, it stays at 100Hz. The panels don't change the frequency, they are just the display.



Were they trying to sell you it? Was it a branch of a certain UK high street electrical chain that recently changed its name and re-branded all its stores?



Well known for their bullsh*t information.If it sold you something, they would swear blind the moon was made of cheese.The same people call a £50 mini system a 'Hi-Fi'.