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6 bit?

D

Dave the Great

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 27, 2004
160
0
I was talking to some friends. They told me that my MBP display was only 6 bit and therefore only really able to display ~260k colors. Is this true?

Are there laptops out there that are true 8 bit and can truly display millions of colors?

Thanks!!
 
An MBP display is "8-bit" (usually referred to as "24 bits per pixel"); your friend may be thinking of a colour iPod.
 
Nermal said:
An MBP display is "8-bit" (usually referred to as "24 bits per pixel"); your friend may be thinking of a colour iPod.
Click to expand...

That is what I thought, but then if you look at the thread about the LED displays and some of the other MBP display threads...

A lot of people complained that the LED displays were only 6 bit, but then some people retorted that the current MBP LCDs are also only 6 bit. They looked up the manufacturer codes and looked up the specs.

So, I wasn't sure.
 
Dave the Great said:
That is what I thought, but then if you look at the thread about the LED displays and some of the other MBP display threads...

A lot of people complained that the LED displays were only 6 bit, but then some people retorted that the current MBP LCDs are also only 6 bit. They looked up the manufacturer codes and looked up the specs.

So, I wasn't sure.
Click to expand...


Sadly, all MBP and Macbook displays are in fact 6-bit displays. If you check the LCD manufacturers Apple uses (Samsung, Chimei, AUO, LG-Philips) you'll see that they don't even offer 8-bit displays for notebook computers.
 
PDE said:
Sadly, all MBP and Macbook displays are in fact 6-bit displays. If you check the LCD manufacturers Apple uses (Samsung, Chimei, AUO, LG-Philips) you'll see that they don't even offer 8-bit displays for notebook computers.
Click to expand...

Does anybody offer an 8bit Laptop LCD? Or is it only Apple?

Do you know if there is talk of Apple changing to an 8 bit display in the near future? I know it would probably be just a rumor until officially released, but I would hope there would be at least some talk.

Thanks for the reply!!
 
Dave the Great said:
Does anybody offer an 8bit Laptop LCD? Or is it only Apple?

Do you know if there is talk of Apple changing to an 8 bit display in the near future? I know it would probably be just a rumor until officially released, but I would hope there would be at least some talk.

Thanks for the reply!!
Click to expand...


I don't think any manufacturer offers 8-bit displays right now, but I could be wrong. At least the main LCD manufacturers don't produce 8 bit LCDs for laptops at present. Maybe those that produce their own LCDs, like Sony and Toshiba, make 8-bit displays? I'd like to know too...

Haven't heard any rumors about switching to 8- bit. Sorry.
 
Dave the Great said:
I was talking to some friends. They told me that my MBP display was only 6 bit and therefore only really able to display ~260k colors. Is this true?

Are there laptops out there that are true 8 bit and can truly display millions of colors?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...



There was thread that discussed this topic in more detail. It has to do with rumored LED backlit notebook displays for the next MBP/MB rev. Click here for more info.
 
Nermal said:
Then why does Apple say "support for millions of colours"? Surely you need at least 21 bits/pixel to get millions :confused:
Click to expand...

Indeed, you would.

I've seen several desktop displays that only support 16.2 million (instead of 16,777,216) colours and that doesn't make sense, either.
 
Nermal said:
An MBP display is "8-bit" (usually referred to as "24 bits per pixel"); your friend may be thinking of a colour iPod.
Click to expand...

you got it backwards, 24bit colour is usually refered to as 8bits/ pixel. 24bits a pixel would be 72bit colour.


And the MacBooks all have 6bit displays.
 
PDE said:
I don't think any manufacturer offers 8-bit displays right now, but I could be wrong. At least the main LCD manufacturers don't produce 8 bit LCDs for laptops at present. Maybe those that produce their own LCDs, like Sony and Toshiba, make 8-bit displays? I'd like to know too...

Haven't heard any rumors about switching to 8- bit. Sorry.
Click to expand...

I wonder what the technical limitation is that prevents a laptop LCD from being an 8 bit. I know that standard LCDs have been at 8 bits and even higher for what seems like forever.

nuclearwinter said:
There was thread that discussed this topic in more detail. It has to do with rumored LED backlit notebook displays for the next MBP/MB rev. Click here for more info.
Click to expand...

Yes, I started reading that thread. Pretty interesting...
 
Dave the Great said:
That is what I thought, but then if you look at the thread about the LED displays and some of the other MBP display threads...

A lot of people complained that the LED displays were only 6 bit, but then some people retorted that the current MBP LCDs are also only 6 bit. They looked up the manufacturer codes and looked up the specs.

So, I wasn't sure.
Click to expand...

They are 6 bits with dittering!!!!

It is better than just 6 bits, but ultimately even in the spec sheets these screens are listed to be capable of only rendering 252K colours.
 
Nermal said:
Then why does Apple say "support for millions of colours"? Surely you need at least 21 bits/pixel to get millions :confused:
Click to expand...

Yes, I was wondering that, too. Is it possible they mean that the MBP/MB can support an external display that can display millions of colors?

Or?
 
Dave the Great said:
Yes, I was wondering that, too. Is it possible they mean that the MBP/MB can support an external display that can display millions of colors?

Or?
Click to expand...

Wonder why they said support for millions of colours rather than outright saying capable of millions of colours?

The devil is in the details my friend.

Nermal said:
An MBP display is "8-bit" (usually referred to as "24 bits per pixel"); your friend may be thinking of a colour iPod.
Click to expand...

A colour iPod is only 64K colour :)
 
iW00t said:
They are 6 bits with dittering!!!!

It is better than just 6 bits, but ultimately even in the spec sheets these screens are listed to be capable of only rendering 252K colours.
Click to expand...

So are you saying that they use some trickery to get it to display millions of colors?

Kind of like how the digital still cameras/camcorders claim megapixel shots when their CCDs are less than a megapixel?

iW00t said:
Wonder why they said support for millions of colours rather than outright saying capable of millions of colours?

The devil is in the details my friend.
Click to expand...

Yes, I guess I have to be more careful and think about it.

nuclearwinter said:
There was thread that discussed this topic in more detail. It has to do with rumored LED backlit notebook displays for the next MBP/MB rev. Click here for more info.
Click to expand...

Actually, that thread also brings up another interesting subject...

How much of the NTSC gamut the display can actually represent. I hope that it is better than some of the numbers people are shouting out with.

I guess I could see the MB as only 6 bit, but I thought the MBP would definitely be at 8 bit and cover a good portion of the NTSC gamut.
 
Dave the Great said:
Actually, that thread also brings up another interesting subject...

How much of the NTSC gamut the display can actually represent. I hope that it is better than some of the numbers people are shouting out with.

I guess I could see the MB as only 6 bit, but I thought the MBP would definitely be at 8 bit and cover a good portion of the NTSC gamut.
Click to expand...

According to AUO they can cover 45% of the NTSC gamut using the screen that we know as the 9C60.

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache..._id=19&items_id=2+B154PW01&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1

In fact the panel for the 9C60 Apple is using has since been discontinued by AUO, the current 1440 x 900 15.4" screen that is in production right now is the B154PW03 V0 that supposedly is capable of up to 90% of the NTSC gamut.

Truly a piece of ****, I am blessed with this screen. It has narrow viewing angles, lousy colour, and grainy to boot.

Strangely even the new Samsung LED panel that was reviewed a while ago is only capable of 42% of the NTSC gamut.
 
iW00t said:
According to AUO they can cover 45% of the NTSC gamut using the screen that we know as the 9C60.

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache..._id=19&items_id=2+B154PW01&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1

In fact the panel for the 9C60 Apple is using has since been discontinued by AUO, the current 1440 x 900 15.4" screen that is in production right now is the B154PW03 V0 that supposedly is capable of up to 90% of the NTSC gamut.

Truly a piece of ****, I am blessed with this screen. It has narrow viewing angles, lousy colour, and grainy to boot.

Strangely even the new Samsung LED panel that was reviewed a while ago is only capable of 42% of the NTSC gamut.
Click to expand...
Wow!! Thanks for the link.

Yeah, the specs are a lot better - refresh, NTSC gamut, etc.

... but, strangely, it is still only 6 bit - 262k colors. I looked at all the laptop LCDs and they are all 6 bit - 262k colors. All their other LCDs are at least 8 bit 16.7 million colors. I still wonder what is the reason and I wonder if there is anyone who makes an 8 bit laptop LCD.

Also, so are these shipping on the MBPs now?

Thanks!!
 
The reason laptop LCDs are commonly 6bit is due to the fact that they need to be cheap and thin.

Reducing the color depth allows for faster pixel response time that reduces motion blur on LCDs.

The reason it's less of an issue on desktop LCDs is that they generally have lower resolutions and more space to work in the electronics for faster response times. Consider that you have to buy a 24" widescreen monitor in order to get 1920x1200 res on a desktop monitor. That costs over $600 for the LCD. If they packed a $600 LCD into a 15.4" computer... it would seriously hit the pocket hard.

It's all about cost-effectiveness.
 
Dave the Great said:
Wow!! Thanks for the link.

Yeah, the specs are a lot better - refresh, NTSC gamut, etc.

... but, strangely, it is still only 6 bit - 262k colors. I looked at all the laptop LCDs and they are all 6 bit - 262k colors. All their other LCDs are at least 8 bit 16.7 million colors. I still wonder what is the reason and I wonder if there is anyone who makes an 8 bit laptop LCD.

Also, so are these shipping on the MBPs now?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

That would be 256 K colours, which works out to 262, 144. :)

Can they actually set the colours to millions in the Displays preference pane? My PowerBook allows it.
 
whateverandever said:
The reason laptop LCDs are commonly 6bit is due to the fact that they need to be cheap and thin.

Reducing the color depth allows for faster pixel response time that reduces motion blur on LCDs.

The reason it's less of an issue on desktop LCDs is that they generally have lower resolutions and more space to work in the electronics for faster response times. Consider that you have to buy a 24" widescreen monitor in order to get 1920x1200 res on a desktop monitor. That costs over $600 for the LCD. If they packed a $600 LCD into a 15.4" computer... it would seriously hit the pocket hard.

It's all about cost-effectiveness.
Click to expand...

If you buy a dell you get 8 but becuase the resolution is 1920x1200 so yeah there is 8 bit on laptops
 
Techguy172 said:
If you buy a dell you get 8 but becuase the resolution is 1920x1200 so yeah there is 8 bit on laptops
Click to expand...

Uhmmm, though I could be wrong, I'm fairly sure the WUXGA panels are not 8bit either. If you could give me a link to backup that claim, I'd be excited to see what panels run 8bit. It doesn't make sense that the higher res panel would be 8bit, since the refresh is going to be slower than the smaller panels.

I know the Samsung 15.4" WUXGA panel isn't 8bit.
 
Techguy172 said:
If you buy a dell you get 8 but becuase the resolution is 1920x1200 so yeah there is 8 bit on laptops
Click to expand...

Resolution and color bit depth are two different things. Use Wikipedia please?

The reason why people get confused about displaying millions of colors is because 6-bit panels use dithering to simulate the missing color combinations.

No laptop displays are currently 8-bit to my knowledge.
 
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