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Why not using mini-LED?

Imgartn
Protege
Want to raise another hot topic. Panels.
So everyone is aware that the new thing is mini-LEDs. They provide benefits of OLED (vibrant colors, deep black) and lack its issues (resolution, burn out).
Current issue is that mini-LED yields are very low. But that's for 65" panels.
It should be way-way easier to cut bad mini-LED panel into smaller working 2" panels. Similar approach made wide panels mainstream.
I even think that was the idea for Apple to use it in upcoming iPads. Thought tablets is a different story since requirement is different.

Is anyone aware why mini-LED doesn't happen for VR?
Is it technical complication on VR side? Technical complication on panel manufacturer side?
Inertness? :smile:
7 REPLIES 7

Sofian75
Expert Protege
https://youtu.be/E4aTieT-AUY?t=152

VR @2:30

Could be too expensive for now.

Imgartn
Protege
Recent VR displays got smaller. They are around 2" now. With mini-LED they probably can get even smaller. Though optics may be an issue.

My idea is following. During manufacturing process when 65" panel gets borked - it is probably gets recycled. E.g. to extract chemicals.
I understand that you cannot simply cut 65" panel into hundreds of 2" panels like paper. There is circuitry. Though I'm confident it's technically possible with some adjustments.

My idea is.
Wouldn't it be more beneficial (for both panel and headset manufacturers) to reuse bad panel and make perfectly functional VR displays from it?!
I understand that it's new process and new factory line and other things to implement. Though considering that you are turning waste into money from one side and benefit from other - it may be a good idea.
Maybe headset manufacturers should talk to panel manufacturers directly. For benefit of both.

Imgartn
Protege
P.S.: With 50% usable surface of one bad 65" panel you can get around 500 headset panels. For around 10$ per panel seems to be a veeery good deal for both sides.
And considering that there are promises of 1 million new headset the deal looks veeery tasty.

Anonymous
Not applicable
One thing to keep in mind - while it might be possible to do such a cut - those size panels are those size because its easier to work with at those sizes. More space to work with than a smaller displays/area. For example, 4k over 65' screen is far easier than 4k on a 2' screen. By cutting the panel - you are simply cutting smaller resolution panels making it a wash as best and at worst a useless panel with only a handful of pixels to work with. This is why everyone wows at the idea of a small panel with soo many pixels.

There is something call pixels pitch - and it doesn't scale with size/area.

Imgartn
Protege

Mradr said:




It makes sense. Smartphones (or VR headset displays) and TVs do have different PPI.
E.g. 200 for TV to 600 for smartphone.
So you cannot simply reuse TV panel unfortunately.
Though it's possible to manufacture mini-LED VR displays with low yields.

kanewilliamson535
Honored Guest

Mini-LED technology is becoming increasingly popular in the display industry due to its ability to provide better contrast, improved brightness, and energy efficiency compared to traditional LED displays. However, it may not always be the best option for every application.

The decision to use mini-LED technology depends on several factors such as the required display size, resolution, budget, and intended use case. Mini-LED displays are typically more expensive than traditional LED displays, which may not be feasible for some applications.

In addition, mini-LED technology may not always provide significant advantages over other display technologies such as OLED or micro-LED, depending on the specific requirements of the application. OLED displays are known for their deep blacks and vibrant colors, while micro-LED displays offer even better energy efficiency and longer lifespan than mini-LED displays.

Therefore, the decision to use mini-LED technology ultimately depends on the specific requirements and constraints of each application, and a careful evaluation of the available display technologies should be conducted before making a decision.

See: https://bitdifference.com/uled-vs-oled/

imDavids
Honored Guest

It's an interesting point you've raised about mini-LEDs and their potential applications. Mini-LED technology does offer advantages in terms of color vibrancy and avoiding issues like burnout compared to OLED. The challenge with mini-LEDs, as you mentioned, is primarily related to yield, especially for larger panels.

Regarding your question about why mini-LEDs aren't used in VR, there could be several factors at play. One possibility is the technical complexity of implementing mini-LEDs in VR headsets. VR displays require high resolution, fast refresh rates, and low latency to provide a seamless experience. Achieving these requirements with mini-LED technology may pose technical challenges.