Samsung starts mass producing transparent LCD panels

Samsung announced today that it has become the first company to begin mass production of transparent LCD panels.

The panels, which measure 22 inches across the diagonal, support resolutions up to 1,680-by-1,050, have 500:1 contrast ratios, and are available in both color and black-and-white models.

Samsung claims that the panels offer the world's highest transparency rate: over 20 percent for the black-and-white variety, and over 15 percent for color. (The company says that conventional LCD panels with a backlight unit have only 5 percent transparency.)

According to Samsung, because panels with higher transparency rates are better able to utilize ambient light, the company's new panels consume up to 90 percent less electricity compared to traditional LCD monitors.

In a press release issued today, Samsung touts the panels' "endless possibilities" in the advertising world, suggesting that they could be applied to show windows and outdoor billboards, or be used as an interactive communication device for businesses and schools.

Of the development, Samsung Electronics LCD Business senior vice president Younghwan Park said, "Transparent displays will have a wide range of use in all industry areas as an efficient tool for delivering information and communication. With the world's first mass production of the transparent LCD panel, Samsung Electronics plans to lead the global transparent LCD market by developing various applications."

Additional information about pricing and availability was not disclosed, though Samsung did reveal that the panels will include HDMI and USB ports for easier connectivity.

This article, written by Matthew Murray, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.