What is Contrast Ratio?
"Contrast ratio" represents the difference between the brightest whites and darkest blacks that a LED panel can display. But claimed contrast ratios can be misleading. It is a subjective observation that varies according to the person evaluating the display.
One ad might list a contrast ratio of 5,000:1 for one LED Display, for example, while another display boasts about a ratio of 1,000,000:1. That's 200 times better, right? No!
There are many ways to measure contrast ratio, and the results aren't comparable. Also, they might be based on settings that wouldn't work in actual use, with picture brightness set too high. Maybe one display has less LED's per pixel which would provide more black on the screen yet another company claims that they have a blacker shader or potting solution housing the diodes. Once again its all subjective.
The real truth is the best way to evaluate an LED boards contrast ratio is compare it to another LED board and see which board is has the biggest difference between the white and the black. So the next time some companies start beating their drums about contrast ration be it known that what they are saying is strictly subjective and not based on any kind of a standard.
Contrast ratio is perhaps the most misleading and overhyped data when it comes to LED displays. In theory, contrast ratio measures the difference between the brightness in the super-bright portions of a screen vs. the super-dark portions. A 1000:1 contrast ratio would mean that a perfectly white pixel is 1000 times brighter than a perfectly black pixel.
That's the theory, anyway. The problem is that these brightness levels are hard to calculate, and they're subject to all sorts of interpretation. Ultimately, contrast ratio has become little more than marketing-speak, and the numbers are now largely meaningless. Things have gotten out of control to the point where various vendors have claimed 1,000,000:1 contrast ratios. It's getting to the point where escalating contrast ratios are now an industry joke, though not a very funny one.
Of course, it may not. The numbers could be calculated differently, inflated, who knows. You'll need an independent source to get a real sense of a LED displays' contrast, but even then the numbers probably wouldn't be very meaningful because of the difficulties in performing such a test.
Ignore manufacturer's contrast levels and focus instead on how a LED display looks to your eyes.
About Ultravision LED: William Y. Hall is President of the privately owned company based in Addison, Texas with offices in China. Ultravision LED specializes in turnkey LED display integration from the LED display, to installation, service, maintenance and even affordable factory financing. Ultravision LED's technological advancements continue to transcend digital communications systems for wide-reaching industries including sports and entertainment, retail, urban spectaculars and digital advertising companies. Information about Ultravision LED and turnkey integrated solutions for schools, retail and advertising applications can be found at www.ultravisionled.com or by calling 214-260-4500.
