Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs • Hacker News Board

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#11

Post by olfox » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 5:42 PM UTC

leggomylibro wrote: post #5

eat_veggies wrote: post #4

The transparency aspect is so cool! They look like they'd be awesome for AR goggles, although I don't know enough about the optics to know if that'd be feasible. We may also be close to getting those Star Trek style clear displays! Exciting stuff.

I was actually wondering recently if you could do something like that with a small off-the-shelf TFT screen. ILI9341 modules are less than $5 each, and have 16/18-bit color with typical resolutions of 240x320. You can separate the actual panel from its backlights and casing without damaging it if you're careful, so I was thinking of trying to maybe put one in a box for a sort of DIY projector or something. But I'm al…

The panel will filter the incoming light; these displays emit light. With high transparency panels you could get something that works well when there is an external light source, although with worse color distorsion.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#12

Post by cronjobma » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 5:48 PM UTC

There was a time where I’d get super hyped when reading these kinds of promises. Transparent displays, foldable screens. Truth is, we’ve been seeing working prototypes at events like CES for more than 15 years. I’ve come to realize the mechanics of these companies are similar to the car industry. New technologies are presented for the same reason car companies present strange concept cars: PR

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#13

Post by djrogers » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 5:55 PM UTC

utopcell wrote: post #9

I'm not sure I see the "revolutionary" aspect of this. With displays, you don't need to make power consumption arbitrarily small. By Amdahl's law, you only need to make it a small percentage of the cpu (and wireless) consumption. In this respect, Sharp's transflective displays (that were found, for example, in the pebble watches,) were already resolving the power issue in the context of smartwatches.

The revolution is in the amount of time the display can be on, and the amount of data it can display 24/7. That is currently the big knock on most smartwatches - you have to move your wrist to activate the display and see the time. If that barrier is removed, it is revolutionary.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#14

Post by utopcell » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 5:58 PM UTC

kridsdale1 wrote: post #10

utopcell wrote: post #9

I'm not sure I see the "revolutionary" aspect of this. With displays, you don't need to make power consumption arbitrarily small. By Amdahl's law, you only need to make it a small percentage of the cpu (and wireless) consumption. In this respect, Sharp's transflective displays (that were found, for example, in the pebble watches,) were already resolving the power issue in the context of smartwatches.

All energy savings have value. You may argue relative significance, but a joule saved is a joule saved.

Agreed on that, but it's hard to justify the "revolutionary" tag if the end-product only increases its battery life by 10 or 20%.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#15

Post by utopcell » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 5:59 PM UTC

djrogers wrote: post #13

utopcell wrote: post #9

I'm not sure I see the "revolutionary" aspect of this. With displays, you don't need to make power consumption arbitrarily small. By Amdahl's law, you only need to make it a small percentage of the cpu (and wireless) consumption. In this respect, Sharp's transflective displays (that were found, for example, in the pebble watches,) were already resolving the power issue in the context of smartwatches.

The revolution is in the amount of time the display can be on, and the amount of data it can display 24/7. That is currently the big knock on most smartwatches - you have to move your wrist to activate the display and see the time. If that barrier is removed, it is revolutionary.

The Sharp displays on pebbles were always on though.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#16

Post by nradov » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:02 PM UTC

djrogers wrote: post #13

utopcell wrote: post #9

I'm not sure I see the "revolutionary" aspect of this. With displays, you don't need to make power consumption arbitrarily small. By Amdahl's law, you only need to make it a small percentage of the cpu (and wireless) consumption. In this respect, Sharp's transflective displays (that were found, for example, in the pebble watches,) were already resolving the power issue in the context of smartwatches.

The revolution is in the amount of time the display can be on, and the amount of data it can display 24/7. That is currently the big knock on most smartwatches - you have to move your wrist to activate the display and see the time. If that barrier is removed, it is revolutionary.

The displays on Garmin smartwatches are always on. However they're reflective displays so you have to activate the backlight to see them in the dark.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#17

Post by yjftsjthsd-h » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:04 PM UTC

utopcell wrote: post #9

I'm not sure I see the "revolutionary" aspect of this. With displays, you don't need to make power consumption arbitrarily small. By Amdahl's law, you only need to make it a small percentage of the cpu (and wireless) consumption. In this respect, Sharp's transflective displays (that were found, for example, in the pebble watches,) were already resolving the power issue in the context of smartwatches.

In phones, at least, I was rather under the impression that display did dwarf the entire SoC+radio?

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#18

Post by tobr » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:10 PM UTC

I’m guessing that “photo” is in fact a mock-up? Because it appears to show a screen that is able to occlude the background with both light and dark colors, which is not consistent with the description of the technology.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#19

Post by xt00 » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:12 PM UTC

I hope they start with small array counts and build up from there.. you can imagine them having a "super bright super low power small display with 200x400 pixels" actually being useful in plenty of places.. then build up from there step by step.. So if AR is that application then, great. But don't try to jump from barely manufacturable to 4k2k VR display as your first step.. sort of like Lytro -- they just were like, "yea we just need to be able to make the densest highest quality and highest lens count micro lens array in the world to be successful!" My advice to the microLED people.. start small.. no pun intended, but yea.. don't try to hit a grand slam on day 1.

Re: Next-Gen Display: MicroLEDs

#20

Post by grahamburger » Thu, Mar 22, 2018, 6:15 PM UTC

djrogers wrote: post #13

utopcell wrote: post #9

I'm not sure I see the "revolutionary" aspect of this. With displays, you don't need to make power consumption arbitrarily small. By Amdahl's law, you only need to make it a small percentage of the cpu (and wireless) consumption. In this respect, Sharp's transflective displays (that were found, for example, in the pebble watches,) were already resolving the power issue in the context of smartwatches.

The revolution is in the amount of time the display can be on, and the amount of data it can display 24/7. That is currently the big knock on most smartwatches - you have to move your wrist to activate the display and see the time. If that barrier is removed, it is revolutionary.

Both of the Android (WearOS I guess now) smart watches that I've personally used have had always on displays and 2-3 day battery life. Maybe this is just an iWatch or whatever it's called problem? It does seem like whenever I see one of those mini iPhones strapped to someone's wrist it's blank.