Need to understand panels types. S-IPS? TN? Help...

Several things to consider when purchasing an LCD:
Panel type
Real response time as tested by xbitlabs.com (not the lies on the box)
Glossy or matte finish
Use of BFI or true 120Hz

Things that are mostly unimportant (at least as they list it on the box):
brightness (too bright anyways)
contrast (usually a lie)
viewing angle (usually a lie)
response time listed on the box (usually a lie)

There is a sheet somewhere on the net that has a table of the benefits of different panel types. However, basically, the panel type is what will determine the quality of your monitor in almost every area (except for exact response time). The panel types affect viewing angles (which results in different colors from one side of the screen to the other on all but IPS panels).

The biggest difference between panel types is the viewing angle. However, as you might not be aware, viewing angle also affects colors. If the viewing angle is not good enough, then a solid color will appear a different hue on different parts of the screen, even though you are looking at the monitor straight on. *S-IPS panels are perhaps the best as getting rid of this problem; though whether they are quite perfect at it I do not know. You have pretty much listed the panels in order of their viewing angle : IPS, PVA, MVA, TN.


There are two possible issues with response time. As you may or may not be aware, all current LCD panels will show blurring during motion. I cannot confirm 100% the reason for this. It could be due to response time (since even monitors listed as 2ms really have a response time of 8-10ms). Or, it could be due to the way your eyes perceive LCD monitors. If the issue is the latter (and it does seem like it could be), then the only solutions are purchasing a BFI or 120Hz monitor. A BFI monitors inserts a black frame between each frame as a solution; however, I fear that this only risk giving you flicker like on a CRT (and at a very dismal 60Hz at that). The other solution is to raise the refresh rate to something like 120Hz. However, there are all kinds of issue raised by doing this, and even this is not perfect.

There is also the choice between the glossy and matte finish. The matte finish reduces glare, however, it also results in a dirty/dusty look to the screen that makes solid colors not appear solid, but speckled -- which is not ideal for image editing. The glossy finish gets rid of this problem, but introduces pretty severe glare that can cause headaches, eye strain, and/or nausia.

Basically speaking:

TN = Twisted Nematic - These are 6-bit screens that cannot really reproduce 16.7 million colors. They can only reproduce 262,144 colors; 64 shades of Red, Green & Blue. Thats (2^6)^3 or 64^3. All the other colors are created through a process called dithering. These typically have fast response times (for gaming) at the expense of color accuracy. These are inexpensive monitors.

MVA = Multidomain Vertical Alignment
PVA = Patterned-ITO Vertical Alignment

MVA and PVA panel are the most common 8-bit LCD screen around. They are relatively slow compared to TN, but offers better color accuracy. Good viewing angles and contrast ratio. However not all MVA and PVA panels are 8-bit screens. S-MVA and S-PVA are typically the ones that are 8-bit panel from my research. S = Super.

8-bit LCDs can truly reproduce 16.7 million colors. That's because there will be 256 shades of each color (2^8 ); Red, Green & Blue. Therefore 256^3 = 16.7 million (actually, a little more).

S-IPS = Super In-Plane Switching. These are high end and really expensive LCD panels. All these panels are 8-bit panels and comes the closest to CRT image quality. From what I've read they also have very good response times as well. LCD monitors geared towards graphic artists who demands the most color accuracy are designed with these type of panels. That means the shades of color you see on the screen are the exact shades that will be printed out on a good color printer.

To give you a rough idea of the price of a 20.1" LCD monitor based on these different panels:

TN = $200-$300

MVA/PVA = $400 - $600

S-IPS = $1,000+

Here's a link to other technologies used in LCD monitors in case you are interested:

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/advanced.htm

Interestingly enough, TN panels can come in true 16.7 million colors (8-bit); just like a manufacturer could make the other panel types 6-bit if they wanted to. In the past, most TN panels have been 6-bit, but that's not necessarily always true now. It's just a matter of choice by each manufacturer.


If it helps any, the colors on all panel types are just as accurate as the other panel types (when viewing straight on); however, due to viewing angle, anything but an IPS panel will have colors that shift to a different hue or shade from one side of the screen to the other. Absolutely, perfect shades of colors require calibration.

Also, some MVA panels can get in the same range as the best TN panels in terms of response time, but have serious problems in dark to dark transitions. What is interesting, is that many TN panels can be as slow or slower than PVA and some MVA panels; it's just a matter of finding the fastest panels as tested by xbitlabs.com (not the lying specs on the box). In essence, you can't rely on panel type to guage response time since the results are all over the place.


Note: CRT image quality refers to the reduced viewing angle issue, since that is the major difference between the 4 panel types. IPS panels still suffer from all the other limitations of LCDs vs CRTs that all the other panel types suffer from.

Click the following link for additional info:

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/specs.htm

You mean this one?

Matrix-Of-All-Matrices

(In-Plane Switching) IPS Panel is one of the best panel these days,
It provides us wide viewing angle up to '178 degree', and produce bright images.
Its response time is faster as compare to any conventional panel.

More about IPS Panel...Just follow the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPS_panel