CES 2015

An increasing number of manufacturers are starting to use Quantum Dots as a light source for their LCD TVs, replacing LEDs. QD Vision is a major supplier of these devices. They argue that QD technology offers a number of advantages over LEDs (and OLEDs), including wider color, higher brightness, lower power consumption and, ultimately, lower cost (though the first sets to use Quantum Dots appear to be premium models).

In their room at the Westgate hotel (originally the Hilton) QD Vision had set up some side-by-side demos. The one pictured had a QD-lit set on the left and an OLED on the right. For some reason, my camera's sensor reacted very differently to the two devices, at least on some shots including this one. The two sets looked different, but not this different. (In any event, screen shots are a poor way to evaluate the images on a video display.)

The two sets had not been calibrated, so the comparisons were not on a level playing field. I marginally preferred the OLED color, though it was a bit under-cooked to the QD's somewhat overly rich saturation. But Quantum Dots are an important new development for video displays, and we will be watching their progress closely.