In March, Macroblock introduced the concept of "NEW BASICS." We have received a significant number of feedbacks from worldwide sources up to this point. The New BASICS are comprised of "Image Quality," "Minimum Grey," "HDR-Optimized," "64 scans," "Low power," and "Highly-integrated." Certain components of NEW BASICS are brand new to the industry. Therefore, Macroblock would like to capitalise on the opportunity to disseminate the most recent experimental data and technology via LIVE broadcasting on June 17th.
Sandra Tseng, Macroblock's Deputy Director of the Sales Department, discussed the LED industry trends in the inauguration, which included the increasing demand for "Drive-in Theatre" and the continuous release of sub-1mm 8K resolution displays by LED display manufacturers. These two applications are indicative of the industry's willingness to innovate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and are on the brink of replacing LCD as the primary indoor display.
Raymond Chang, the Technology Support Team Manager, and Albert Yang, the Business Development Manager, conducted a witty dialogue during the technology sharing session that followed the inaugural. Initially, they concentrated on the visual performance components of NEW BASICS, which include "Image Quality," "Minimum Grey," and "HDR-Optimized." Macroblock has been promoting the concept of "seven challenges" for the past few years in order to standardise image quality. While "Minimum Grey" was introduced this year to underscore the significance of LED displays' low greyscale performance. This is due to the fact that we have discovered that the quality of images is significantly impacted by their visual performance at low luminance, particularly in indoor applications. Consequently, in order to assess the visual performance of two LED displays, end-users should detect any non-uniformity issues at the same luminance. Also, if the display's measured gamma curve is closer to the ideal gamma of 2.8, it indicates that the image quality of the display may be improved. Raymond compared the MBI5264 cabinet with others during this session to elucidate the concept of "Minimum Grey."
Albert enquired during the HDR discussion, "We are aware that only a handful of driver ICs can simultaneously achieve a 4KHz refresh rate and 16-bit greyscale. What is the technology embedded in these ICs?" Raymond responded, "The MBI5359, MBI5850, MBI5264, and MBI5864 driver ICs are capable of meeting this high-performance standard, and they are equipped with the "PWM Enhancement" function." The PWM Enhancement function bypasses the GCLK frequency restriction, enabling the LED display to produce an HDR-optimized visual effect. Additionally, the absence of an external GCLK signal on the PCB board is crucial for mitigating the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Three image quality elements were discussed by the presenters, who then discussed the "64 Scans." The inevitable adoption of high-scan LED driver ICs is a response to the trend of ultra-fine pitch LED displays. The advantages of utilising high-scan drivers include the following: 1. A reduction in the quantity of driver ICs; 2. The ability to accommodate PCB layout; and 3. The absence of increased power consumption due to the low IDD of the driver IC (experimental data). Lastly, Albert distributed the 64-scan driver IC selection guide to Live participants.
The second session will concentrate on the Mini/Micro LED topics that are currently in high demand in the LED display industry. Audiences could simply and efficiently comprehend the technology innovation and development of Mini/Micro LED applications through the conversation between Hugo Chu, the Deputy Manager of the Technology Support Team, and Anson Lin, the US Regional Sales Manager.
"Designers should contemplate the use of driver ICs that are highly-integrated and support high scans for the sub-1mm LED module design." Hugo underscored this point in his introductory statement. Anson posed an additional inquiry: "We are aware that the issue of insufficient space on PCB boards can be resolved by utilising highly-integrated driver ICs." Nevertheless, what are the additional obstacles that LED driver ICs face when designing sub-1mm LED modules? Anson's inquiry suggested that the LED driver IC must reduce the driving current for applications that are less than 1mm in diameter. The MBI5864 is the highest specification in the LED display industry, with a minimal driving current of 100μA for pixel pitch 0.4mm micro-LED applications. Macroblock has already received a testimonial from MBI5864 for a 0.39mm pixel pitch design.
The sixth element of New BASICS, "Low Power," is the critical factor in enhancing the user experience. Hugo identified three energy-saving strategies: "IC's Dynamic+ Power Saving Function," "common-cathode LED display," and "IC's Low IDD." Hugo clarified that the utilisation of a common-cathode solution is not the sole method of reducing power consumption, as indicated by the experimental results. The wattage per pixel of MBI5864 (common-anode) is 47% lower than that of MBI5759 (common-cathode) when comparing the modules. Additionally, the temperature disparity between the "LED chip side" and the "backplane side (with driver ICs)" is negligible when employing MBI5864. This implies that the utilisation of MBI5864 does not result in an increase in the LED module's temperature and may reduce the likelihood of "cyan blocks" visual issues. At the same time, it is advantageous to prolong the lifespan of the LED display. The aforementioned driver's features will provide LED displays with the advantages necessary to replace LCDs as the primary indoor solution. Additionally, Macroblock's long-standing collaborator, ROE, has acknowledged the six components of NEW BASICS, and we have formed a partnership to expedite the development of high-end displays.
