Electronic industry downturn LED brings a rare glimmer of hope

According to market research firm iSuppli, with the help of rising demand for LCD TV manufacturers, the LED market is expected to expand in 2009. At the same time, the operating income of most other electronic components will be significantly reduced.

Following the 2008 growth of 10.8%, is expected in 2009 LED operating income increased by 2.9%. In contrast, the overall semiconductor market will decline 9.4% in 2009.

"LED this year is expected to achieve growth in the semiconductor industry, our forecast is very unusual, because in 2009 nearly all other areas of revenue will shrink," iSuppli Market Intelligence Service Senior Vice President Dale Ford said.

"In the 12 major semiconductor categories tracked by iSuppli, it is expected that there will be a decline in operating income in 2009 from memory chips to logic integrated circuits (IC), power transistors, and so on in the. While 2.9% is a very general growth rate, by the standards of the semiconductor industry, any growth in operating income is a remarkable achievement in a recession like this year. "

LED light TV

According to iSuppli, LCD TV market in 2009 will consume $163 million worth of LED, compared with $51 million in 2008, an increase of $221.9%. By 2012, LCD TV LED revenue will grow to $1 billion 400 million, almost nine times in 2009.

LED is used to illuminate the display in LCD tv. A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a transmissive display, which means that they do not emit light on their own, and therefore require a separate light source, i.e.". Most liquid crystal displays used to use cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) as backlight. However, LED prices continue to decline, making it a strong competitor CCFL. Although the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this month, the overall mood of the TV manufacturers is relatively low, but still optimistic about the prospects for the use of LED backlight LCD tv.

"LCD TV manufacturers sent a positive message in CES: LED backlight and light design represents the future of the market," iSuppli's TV chief analyst Riddhi PatEL said, "the two are complementary to each other, side entering type LED backlight system can make TV become thinner, which are more attractive to the consumer. "

LED backlight LCD TV consumes less power than CCFL LCD tv. "Most LED backlit LCD TVs are in line with the requirements of the energy star," Patel said. "This is very attractive to consumers, they have begun to believe that the Energy Star label is a green guarantee and means to reduce energy costs. "

LED price drop

The price drop, as well as the newer LED with higher brightness, make LED increasingly becoming a backlight for LCD tv. The average price of LED is on the decline, so that the price of LED backlight TV is more competitive in terms of price compared with CCFL tv. Patel estimates, compared with CCFL TV, 40-42 inch LCD TV price premium is now only 200 to $500 LED.

LED market expansion

At the 2009 CES show, some high-end LCD TV brand shows the new LED TV, is expected to be launched around next year in June. These brands include Samsung and SONY. At the same time, the second tier brand general electric (GE) that LED backlight is the opportunity to open up new markets.

"Ge and Datong have formed a joint venture that will produce LED based LCD TVs and are trying to take the practice of Westinghouse a few years ago. The Westinghouse to LCD TV prices low for the value of the brand into the market, won a high place, "Patel said," with LED backlight LCD TV brand more and more into the market, the competition will be more intense, the price will fall. "

LED bring better visual experience?

Although the advantages and disadvantages of LED backlight energy consumption and thickness, but there is still some debate about the role of the technology in improving the quality of LCD TV image. At present, most of the LED LCD TVs use side by side backlight design, which is installed on the edge of the diode display. According to the Sweta Dash LCD iSuppli's director of research, so that consumers can be achieved more love slim appearance, but it is for the contrast without any significant improvement.

Contrast is the ratio of the brightness of the brightest and darkest colors that television can produce. A TV with a very high contrast, when the liquid crystal pixel is closed, can get rid of too much off state light, thus providing better image.

The image quality, the large size LCD TV with side entering type LED backlight design, like Ford with Ferrari automobile to Pinto engine, "iSuppli LED, director of research and chief analyst Jagdish Rebello said," the picture quality does not improve, but actually is not using the CCFL display color gamut. "

According to Dash, the full array backlight is used in LCD TVs in addition to a LED backlight, can significantly improve the contrast.

"LCD TV the highest image quality will be using the full array backlight TV, because it can provide the best dynamic contrast, so as to improve the image color and clarity of perception," Randy senior analyst Lawson iSuppli said the company's digital TV semiconductor. ISuppli is expected to launch a series of ultra-thin LCD backlight design and high quality full array design in the next few years.

RGB LED: more vivid colors

There is also an image quality depending on the type of LED used in LCD tv. Most LED backlit LCD TV now