Friday, March 20, 2009

240Hz? Why?

So, you might have read one of my previous posts discussing 120Hz, the technologies and what they solve. I recently read that Sony has released a 240Hz model, I am at a lose as to what this solves, it only allows there SmoothMotion, Automotion, whatever interpolation algorithm more chances to change the original picture to something new.

As we know, traditional NTSC broadcasts are 60Hz (30fps), movies are 24Hz (24fps) and Digital broadcast is an amalgam of 24Hz (24fps) and0 60Hz (both 30fps and 60fps for interlaced and progressive). And we also know that these smoothing techniques are interpolation and create images that were never captured by the camera. So bottom line, 120Hz covers the entire spectrum of frame rates and there is no reason for 240Hz.

This is the same argument I had with European countries and the 100Hz LCD panels. In Europe the two primary analog transmission styles were PAL and SECAM both of which where 50Hz (25fps) and films are already modified (read slowed slightly) to be 25Hz (25fps)...so 50Hz covers both segments, 100Hz is unneeded and does not cover 24Hz (24fps)...so what are these companies thinking?

Oh wait, I know they are thinking that they can make a buck off of people who either a) do not understand film/video or b) just want the prestige of owning the latest and greatest gadget.

Anyways, enough of my rant. Please note, this discussion is only for LCD technology flat-panel displays.