ISuppli: side light white LED backlight applications start to accelerate

According to iSuppli, the light emitting diode (LED) and the rate of finished products increased, resulting in LED pile up in excess of requirement in the second half of 2008 prices fell sharply, the current LED and cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) between the price gap has narrowed.

With the emergence of green technology, energy saving and appearance more slim, more and more brands in 2009 to launch the LED based notebook and even TV solutions. Most LED based notebook panels currently use side light white LED backlight, rather than RGB based products, because the former cost is lower, although RGB based products have a higher color gamut. In addition, the white LED also has many advantages, such as low power consumption, light weight and slim shape, do not contain mercury. Panel vendors have started using white LED in monitors and tvs.

LED finally appeared on TV

TV brand manufacturers began to introduce LED based TV a few years ago, but it has not been so successful. This is mainly because the LED price is higher, and the cost of CCFL products with a larger difference between. But manufacturers again interested in LED backlight based television, began to use white LED. The manufacturer did not focus on the color gamut, image quality and high-end RGB solutions, but began to pay more attention to the slim shape and low power consumption, in favor of the side light type white LED backlight solution.

The price gap between CCFL and LED solutions narrowed, coupled with the attractiveness of thin TV, prompting more consumers to accept the use of LED based tv. In addition, Samsung and other brand manufacturers are also committed to a considerable portion of the LCD TV turned to LED backlight.

For TV applications, the panel suppliers are using side light LED backlight to achieve the frame rate of 120Hz, so that the TV thinner, lower power consumption and mercury free, so that it has a "green" feature. In some cases, the use of LED backlight can save up to 30-50%. Thickness and weight can be reduced by up to 30-50%.

Green light

Due to the "green" program in many countries, it is expected that in the next few years, the demand for power consumption will be reduced, and the power consumption of many TV stations may not be up to the standard. This will lead to a faster transition to low power products manufacturers. More than 50% of U.S. consumers consider the "Green Plan" factor in the purchase of television, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by iSuppli in April.

Although the majority of TV panels began to use the side light type white LED, but some have been launched (directly) white LED backlight, and flashing or dynamic light control to improve the image quality and color gamut, especially black level, despite the use of white LED solutions. On the other hand, high-end TV will use the backlight (direct installation) RGB LED, to get better image quality and achieve product differentiation, but high cost -- although the RGB LED backlight with color gamut rate is high and the dynamic area control ability and do not contain mercury and other advantages, but is much more expensive than the white LED backlight. Some panel vendors have demonstrated a prototype product based on white LED, using side light, you can get more than 90% of the NTSC color gamut.

ISuppli predicts that in 2009 the TV industry will receive 3% of LED backlight, will rise to $30% in 2012, reaching $39% in 2013. This is equivalent to 2013 there will be 90 million LCD TV panel shipments using LED, while only 438 thousand LED TV panels in 2008, the compound annual growth rate of up to 190.1%.

Supply constrained

However, because LED is also used for general lighting, some manufacturers have recently begun to worry about insufficient supply of LED chips. In addition, LED backlight supply chain is still in the development of the need to involve a variety of solutions and many different suppliers. The supplier does not establish a joint venture partnership, is to develop their own internal LED solutions to optimize the value chain process, reduce costs and strengthen the control of supply.

Innovation and higher performance, will help LED in the next few years by the television industry to be faster. The price gap between LED and CCFL TV systems is likely to be between $300 and $700, depending on the size and type of LED used. However, this price gap is expected to continue to shrink, many brand TV manufacturers plan to launch in the second half of 2009 based on the new LED TV models, the price will be very radical.

In view of the present between CCFL and LED television system and panel panel suppliers want larger price gap, between 40/42 and LED inch CCFL panel price gap narrowed to less than $100, a 46 inch panel down to $150. The current 40/42 inch panel price gap is higher than $150.

With the increasing emphasis on reducing power consumption and governments to launch a green program, the future of television standards will be more stringent. LED backlight will help the next generation of television to meet these requirements.