Mon 2 Jun 2008
The menu on the Sony XEL-1 OLED TV is straightforward and very easy to use. Similar to other newer Sony products, the XMB or Xross Media Bar lets you access all the settings, functions and inputs for all modes of operation. A picture is worth a thousand words so I’ll save time and post the short video walkthrough of the menu below.
Fri 30 May 2008
This is a short review on the screen tilting function of the Sony XEL-1 OLED TV. As this model is best suited for a desktop or similar close up viewing, having the organic panel tilt for optimum viewing is a must. The video below demonstrates this capability.
Wed 28 May 2008
I’ve got my hands on a Sony XEL-1 OLED TV for a review. I’ve got to say it’s pretty impressive. I could best compare it to a concept car, the kind you see at auto shows that don’t look that practical. The Sony XEL-1 is just that, a product that showcases the latest technology in it’s field. I’ll have impressions of the XEL-1 itself, photos and video clips over the next little while. Hope you’ll come back and check it out.
Sun 18 May 2008
Sony has responded to the claims of decreased longevity of its XEL-1 OLED TV. The XEL-1 recently received a number of negative OLED TV reviews after it was claimed it would only last around half the 30,000 hours stated by Sony before fading.
Practically speaking, this won’t have any effect on the average viewer as 30,000 hours will last you a good number of years.
Register Hardware has a reply from Sony on these findings. Read more at reghardware.co.uk
Fri 9 May 2008
Dupont and Dainippon have announced a partnership to develop a new OLED manufacturing process.
From digitimes.com
“The companies also have signed an agreement relating to their intention to bring together the elements needed – materials, technology and equipment – to mass produce OLED displays, delivering higher performance at a lower cost.
“The flat panel display market is about US$100 billion annually and growing. DuPont is applying its science to make possible more vivid displays that are lower cost than current LCD displays,” said David B Miller, group vice president of DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies.
The companies are developing integrated coating and printing equipment for the fabrication of OLED displays from solution, an approach which is unique in the industry and can significantly reduce manufacturing costs for OLED displays.
DuPont brings to the alliance its distinctive small molecule-based OLED solution materials and proprietary process technology from which excellent performance has been obtained in testing. Dainippon Screen has developed a unique printing technology, called nozzle printing, in which the OLED materials can be printed accurately at very high speed.”
This is good news and helps to balance out the bad news on the Sony XEL-1 lifetime issues.
Fri 9 May 2008
According to an fairly negative OLED TV review by DisplaySearch, the first commercial OLED TV, the SONY XEL-1, does not seem to have the lifespan claimed by Sony. In addition, several other characteristics do not outperform either LCD or plasma TV models currently available.
From EETimes.com;
It turns out that the RGB architecture is very sensitive to the image, and it has a 5,000-hour lifetime for white and a 17,000-hour lifetime for the typical video image–well below the Sony’s published specifications, according to the report.
Moreover the panel suffers from differential aging: After 1,000 hours the blue luminance degraded by 12 percent, the red by 7 percent and the green by 8 percent, said the report. (more…)
Fri 25 Apr 2008
According to Digitimes.com, LG is planning to enter the OLED TV business.
“In addition to investment in next-generation production lines, LG Display has also deployed into the development of AMOLED panels. Despite that AMOLED is mostly applied in small-size panels, LG Display said it would continue investing in the large-size segment, with volume production of 32-inch OLED TVs scheduled for 2011.”
This is good news as more competition can only help bring OLED TV prices to a reasonable level in a few years.
Wed 23 Apr 2008
It looks like we’ll see some larger sized OLED TV reviews starting next year. Samsung announced yesterday that their AMOLED panels for medium and large sized applications will be mass produced by the end of 2009.
“Currently the biggest issue with mass-producing AMOLED panels is production costs, but Lee explained once a capacity of three million units can be achieved, economies of scale are reached and production costs become more manageable. Lee pointed out that Samsung SDI will achieve a production capacity of three million panels in 2009, up from a current capacity of 1.5 million panels. The company also expects to double its capacity again by the end of 2010.”
Check out the full story at Digitimes.com
Tue 22 Apr 2008
Taking OLED TV development yet a step further, Sony has displayed an even thinner version of the XEL-1 at the Display 2008 show in Japan.
According to audioholics.com;
“The new display was recently shown off at the Display 2008 expo trade show in Japan, where Sony also debuted a new version of its $2500 11-inch XEL-1, the world’s first mass-produced OLED TV. In this unit, the display panel “glass” measures just 0.3mm thick, about 1/4 the thickness of the prior model. We’ll be terribly impressed when the pricing drops by about 1000% and sizes go up to 42-inches or more. Until then, it’s fun to watch and wait.”
Wed 16 Apr 2008
A very interesting OLED TV survey has been completed by Displaybank. Their research “is intended to gauge the potential of large-size OLED displays upon the opportunity of Sony’s launching of 11-inch OLED TV XEL1″.
With 709 respondents from an expert panel, the results are pretty much as we would anitcipate regarding future predictions for larger sized OLED TVs.
“Displaybank reports results from its “Large-Size OLED Display Recognition Survey” that includes:
- 50% of the expert panel agreed that attractive price points of OLED TV can be achieved if within 50% of LCD TV prices.
- 60% of the expert panel forecasted 40″ OLED TVs to be available in the marketplace in 2010-2012.
- 37% of the expert panel stated that attractive price points of OLED-based notebook PCs can be achieved if within 20% of LCD-based notebook PCs.”
Full story at Displaybank
