The acronym LCD refers to Liquid Crystal Display , an expression of the English language that can be translated as Liquid Crystal Display . An LCD , therefore, is a type of screen , which is characterized by being flat and made up of pixels that contain liquid crystal molecules.
These pixels are located between two layers of polarized glass and are illuminated by a fixed light source. Liquid crystal molecules allow the passage of more or less light depending on the electrical stimulus they receive.
It can be said, therefore, that an LCD screen shows images from that backlight that allows the combination of colors. One of the disadvantages of this system is that it cannot provide absolute black, a characteristic that affects contrast and undermines image quality.
Currently LCD screens are relatively inexpensive. That is why we can find liquid crystal screens in numerous devices , from televisions larger than 50 inches to small calculators. It should be noted that the native resolution of Full HD LCD screens is 1920 x 1080 pixels .
While on LCD screens the image is formed thanks to the lamp located behind it, OLED screens have small light-emitting diodes. In the case of plasma screens, meanwhile, they have pixels surrounded by a gas mixture that, when receiving electric current, becomes plasma , forming the image through a reaction of the phosphor present in the pixels.
The choice of one or another technology depends on several factors. Firstly there is the economical: with the passage of time, LCD type screens became very economical, and this allowed the big brands to launch low -end models, very accessible for the tightest of pockets. Although when it was presented on the market it seemed somewhat futuristic and elitist, in a matter of a couple of decades it became the most used type of screen.
For those people who have a very comfortable budget, the economic factor is not a problem. Therefore, your decision for one or another technology may be based on technical issues or simply on your preferences. There are many points of view about the type of screen most suitable for each type of content : there are those who say that one is necessary for watching movies with the lights off, another for video games in broad daylight, another for the computer, etc. In this area, subjectivity always permeates the judgment, which is why the important thing is to feel satisfied with your own choice.
One of the biggest confusions regarding screens arises from the acronyms used for each technology, since in many cases they are created to hide the fact that there have not been many changes between one model and another. Take the case of LCD and LED TVs: the market tries to make us believe that they are two different technologies, but they both use liquid crystal displays. What is the difference, therefore? Backlighting (also known as rear lighting ).
While early LCD screens used a few relatively large lamps for backlighting, LEDs rely on many, very small ones. The result is greater color uniformity, especially in pure blacks, which cannot be accurately reproduced with this technology anyway. The greater the number of lamps, the better the contrast; If the device is capable of controlling them independently, then the result will be even better.