The global 4K/UHD ultra high resolution panel market may produce new changein this year! In order to reduce the cost of 4K/UHD panel and expand market share, Korean panel maker Samsung Electronics and LG Display developed a new generation of RGBW (or Green UHD) low cost 4K panel, and plans to take the key products sold to China market, is expected to start shipping in the second quarter of this year, against Innolux, bright star, Au optronics.

As a new generation of RGBW 4K TV panel Han factory development boasts asave energy and reduce the cost and other advantages, and Samsung and LGDare currently in the China positive publicity for its RGBW, 4K panel, 4K paneleven price than Taiwan and Chinese quotation, panel manufacturers more competitive. It has attracted some Chinese TV brands such as attention. Among them, SKYWORTH, Konka and Changhong will use the RGBW Green or G+ UHD panel, and in 2014 will be the beginning of the two season.

What is RGBW 4K (Green UHD)? RGBW 4K and traditional 4K/UHD? RGBW 4Kwhy it is called Green UHD or Green Plus UHD (G+ UHD)? According to the NPDDisplaySearch in the large size TFT LCD product blueprint quarterly report(Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Product Roadmap Report), the main difference lies in the different pixels.

It is reported, the traditional pixel by R (red), G (green) and B (blue). The FHD panel is 1920 x 1080 pixels, each pixel consists of three seed pixels (R, G, B), a total of 6200000 colors. While the 4K panel resolution 3840 x 2160, or 24900000colors (3840 x 2160 pixels, each pixel consists of three seed pixels). So UHD (4K)resolution is FHD (2K × 1K) 4 times.

Although the principle is the same, but the RGBW 4K panel and the 4K panel LGtraditional Samsung and Display developed slightly different. In addition to RGB,pixel added a seed pixel - white (W). With the increase of the sub pixels, RGBW4K panel also can achieve higher resolution. Samsung Electronics will the RGBW panel called Green UHD, and LG Display called G+ UHD.

In the RGBW panel of Samsung, each pixel consists only of two seed pixels (RGor BW). Disadvantages of this technique is the biggest, the resolution may be only 1920 × RGBW × 2160, quality as well as the RGB inline 4K panel type. But Samsung said, the RGBW panel with VESA definition for 4K, because 4K VESA is defined as the number of alternating panel color filter black speed based on matrix, rather than the number of sub pixels. At the same time, in order to improve the quality of Samsung, is still in the Green UHD panel using GMA (color gamut mapping algorithm) and SPR (subpixel rendering) technology.

Samsung, the Green UHD panel advantages include: better light transmittance,high opening rate, reduce energy consumption, reduce the driver IC and T-Con(controller), reduce cost, reduce the backlight module using television system cost etc.. However, NPD DisplaySearch emphasizes, low cost and low power consumption advantages of RGBW such as 4K TV panels which have yet to beconsumer market, the real test and observation.

Among them, Green UHD panel to increase white sub pixels transparent,translucent and therefore has a better rate and a high aperture ratio. When theresolution is increased from FHD to 4 times UHD, as the resolution increases, the panel transmittance decreases. If the traditional RGB technology, the UHD panellight transmission rate is only 60% of FHD, it needs to increase the backlightmodule use, but RGBW has no such problems, because it can provide bettertransmittance.

To reduce energy loss associated with transmission rate. Energy loss of traditional UHD panel is two times that of FHD, because it need to drive more pixels, while the lower euphotic rate makes the panel need greater kinetic energyto promote the backlight module operation. With the RGBW panel light transmission rate, energy loss is reduced. Basically, the energy loss of GreenUHD panel, only 10% higher than FHD.

While the Green UHD panel also reduced the driving IC and T-Con cost, isbecause in the UHD panel of traditional, because the sub pixels are more, so the need for adequate driving IC and T-Con powerful to promote panel operation.But the sub-pixel less RGBW panel, the drive IC and T-Con decreased the cost of.

As for the cost of the backlight module, LEDs and optical thin film is an important element of driving backlight module brightness, with higher rate of transmissionRGBW panel, backlight module need not be too strong, so the structure of the LEDs and optical thin films are not very complicated, thus reducing the cost of the backlight module.

In addition, NPD DisplaySearch LCD TV analysis director Yang Jingping said,Green UHD TV system cost can be reduced. With the decrease in the use of LEDs and optical thin film in the backlight module, RGBW 4K panel can also useother power components in low cost, such as SMPS (switch mode power supply)and converter.

Notable is, although some brands Chinese soon took the lead in the introduction of Korean panel factory introduced a new generation of RGBW 4K TV panel,however, Yang Jingping pointed out, TV brands for the RGBW 4K panelconsidered point is not the same, mainly due to the development of strategicChina manufacturers and overseas manufacturers differences. China TV brandsaimed at the domestic market to the relatively low price sales of 4K TVs, while the overseas brand manufacturers are hoping to maximize picture quality. Some TVbrands that RGBW sub pixels is not equal to the true 4K, playing the real 4Kcontent, the picture quality and a 3480 x RGB x 2160 pixel difference.

Overall, although all TV makers are looking forward to 4K can start a comprehensive TV replacement tide, however, the Chinese most manufacturerswill only 4K as a TV "specifications", and overseas manufacturers in the pursuit of4K products were more cautious