Sony today introduced a new range of Full HD Monitors for the TV and movie business, the TRIMASTER EL, which are based on the largest commercial organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen yet produced.
Available in 17" (BVM-E170) and 25" (BVM-E250) the new "TRIMASTER EL" series of OLED monitors are aimed for the professional market, bringing accurate color reproduction as well as perfect image quality without motion blur even when fast moving objects are displayed.
Based on the newly developed DIGIC processor, both monitors deliver homogeneous color representation on the entire 1,920 x 1,080 pixel organic EL panels, the offer an 178 degrees viewing angle, use a 10bit RGB drivers and feature 48/50/60/72/75Hz frame rates. The panels have a lifetime of approximately 30,000 hours.
The BVM-E series also features the advantages of OLED display with Sony?s "Super Top Emission" technology. The result is high light efficiency, high colour purity, high contrast and high reliability.
These models feature a higher accuracy "Nonlinear Cubic Conversion" color management system, and an I/P conversion system offering extremely low process delay. Finally, the monitors have a new chassis design, with a refined black aluminum body, and lighter and slimmer chassis, which puts a larger image in a smaller foot print.
The monitors come equipped with HDMI, DisplayPort, 3G-SDI, SD-SDI and HD-SDI ports.
The BVM-E250 and BVM-E170 will be available in May and July 2011 respectively. The 25-inch model will cost ¥2.4 million (US$28,840) and the 17-inch model will cost ¥1.3 million.
Sony's "TRIMASTER EL" series of OLED monitors succeed the company's XEL-1 OLED TV, which was announced in 2007 and the company discontinued in 2010. The XEL-1 had an 11-inch screen yet cost US$2,500, which was significantly higher than much larger LCD televisions on the market at the time.
A few months after the XEL-1 launched in 2007, Sony CEO Howard Stringer promised a 27-inch model "fairly soon," but it never appeared. Sony's competitors including Samsung and LG Electronics also showed prototypes and also made promises, but they never got an OLED television to market.
Despite several technical advances of OLED displays, flat-screen makers have had a hard time perfecting OLED production to the stage where it can reliably make large, flawless screens. Smaller size screens around 3-inches have proved no problem and can be found in many cell phones and portable gadgets.
