eli5: why do twisted nematic displays appear black when viewed from extreme angles?
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Not an electrical engineer, but did previously sell computer monitors and nerded out over the different display techs, so I’ll give this a shot.
TN displays work kind of like Venetian shades in a house window. Each pixel is covered by a separate set of shades that opens to different angles to allow different levels of light through. The problem is, like with Venetian shades, even when they’re open, if you try and look at them from an extreme angle, you end up seeing the side of the shade, and not the direct light coming through.
By the same analogy, when TN panels try to block all the light, the shades don’t fully close, and allow light to leak through. This is why most TN displays don’t have contrast levels that match those of other display technologies.
Not an electrical engineer, but did previously sell computer monitors and nerded out over the different display techs, so I’ll give this a shot.
TN displays work kind of like Venetian shades in a house window. Each pixel is covered by a separate set of shades that opens to different angles to allow different levels of light through. The problem is, like with Venetian shades, even when they’re open, if you try and look at them from an extreme angle, you end up seeing the side of the shade, and not the direct light coming through.
By the same analogy, when TN panels try to block all the light, the shades don’t fully close, and allow light to leak through. This is why most TN displays don’t have contrast levels that match those of other display technologies.
Not an electrical engineer, but did previously sell computer monitors and nerded out over the different display techs, so I’ll give this a shot.
TN displays work kind of like Venetian shades in a house window. Each pixel is covered by a separate set of shades that opens to different angles to allow different levels of light through. The problem is, like with Venetian shades, even when they’re open, if you try and look at them from an extreme angle, you end up seeing the side of the shade, and not the direct light coming through.
By the same analogy, when TN panels try to block all the light, the shades don’t fully close, and allow light to leak through. This is why most TN displays don’t have contrast levels that match those of other display technologies.
The shades are more the TN elements themselves.
If I’m remembering it correctly, the light comes through the polarizer, and the TN elements themselves are twisted either parallel to the polarized light (on), or perpendicular to the light polarization (off).
So I’ve always visualized the shades in the analogy as the TN elements themselves. When they’re open and allowing light to pass through, they’re parallel to the light coming in the window, but when they’re closed, they’re perpendicular to that same light.
The shades are more the TN elements themselves.
If I’m remembering it correctly, the light comes through the polarizer, and the TN elements themselves are twisted either parallel to the polarized light (on), or perpendicular to the light polarization (off).
So I’ve always visualized the shades in the analogy as the TN elements themselves. When they’re open and allowing light to pass through, they’re parallel to the light coming in the window, but when they’re closed, they’re perpendicular to that same light.
The shades are more the TN elements themselves.
If I’m remembering it correctly, the light comes through the polarizer, and the TN elements themselves are twisted either parallel to the polarized light (on), or perpendicular to the light polarization (off).
So I’ve always visualized the shades in the analogy as the TN elements themselves. When they’re open and allowing light to pass through, they’re parallel to the light coming in the window, but when they’re closed, they’re perpendicular to that same light.
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