Explain Technology
EXPERTS BEHIND THE TECHNOLOGY
What's it like, inventing a new technology?
Get the inside story on Motionflow 200Hz from its developers, Sony engineers Kyoichiro Oda and Wataru Mamiya.
Identifying the task in hand
Oda: "I began wondering what the key features would be for next generation LCD TVs and felt the focus had to be on the quality of fast-moving images. We did a careful evaluation of existing image-improvement technologies and found that each involved a tradeoff between the components of LCD display performance. For example, the picture might be improved but luminance is reduced."
Coming up with an idea
Oda: "So what technological approach would we take towards achieving the perfect picture? Initially we thought about making the pixel response time faster. Then an idea surfaced: we could double the refresh rate from 100Hz to 200Hz. We didn't expect to see a big difference. Surprisingly, the result was remarkably crisp and natural motion.
The technology works by adding three frames to fast-moving sequences. It predicts movement in all directions and creates new images to match these movements, so any gaps in the action are filled. The result is an intense and immersive viewing experience. From sports to games, action movies to cartoons, Motionflow 200Hz means you won't miss a thing.
"We also discovered that there were no apparent differences in motion sharpness between 100Hz and 150Hz. Nor could the human eye discern between 200Hz, 300Hz or even 400Hz. That settled it. We decided to aim for a target frame rate of 200Hz."
Getting practical
Mamiya: "Television signals are broadcast at 50Hz, which means that an image is refreshed 50 times a second. How could we quadruple that rate to hit 200Hz? By inserting additional frames into the picture." Oda: "Using technologies we already had, together with our capability to adapt an IC frame-rate converter, we were able to create the world's fastest frame rate display."
Team work
Oda: "Our test screening for colleagues was a huge success. We got the go ahead to develop 200Hz and what had started as a two-person project became a huge team effort. Everyone worked together to maximise the benefits of 200Hz frame rate technology so that users could enjoy the absolute best in picture quality and technical innovation."
The Future
Mamiya: "Motionflow 200Hz is a world first, but it isn't the end of the story. It's the beginning of a new chapter in our pursuit of groundbreaking innovations in display engineering."
