Sony introduced its next-generation microLED display technology (direct-view LED as the company calls it), the high contrast Crystal LED C-series (ZRD-C12A/C15A) and the high brightness B-series (ZRD-B12A/B15A).
The new display modules offer two pixel pitch sizes (in both series), 1.26 mm and 1.56 mm and are equipped with Sony's "X1 for Crystal LED" image quality processor, which features Sony's signal processing technology and microLED control technology. Other features include high-quality and high-resolution upscaling, Sony's Motionflow technology for smooth and artifact-free pictures without motion blur, 22 bit Super Bit Mapping, 120 fps (HFR) and HDR.
The C-Series modules features a "deep black coating" which enables a high (1:1,000,000) contrast ratio, and Sony says it suits applications such as corporate showrooms, lobbies, and customer experience centers.
The B-Series features anti-reflection coating with a matte finish and features a higher (1,800 nits) brightness, and is suitable for bright environments. Sony says it is ideal for creators, designers and production applications including virtual sets and studio backdrops.
Sony will start offering the new Crystal LED displays in the summer of 2021.
Sony was the the first company to introduce micro-LED large-area displays with its launch of the Crystal LED (also called Canvas LED, or CLEDIS) displays in 2016. The company introduced its displays to the residential market in September 2020.
Sony' previous-generation Crystal LED displays (which are probably called Series A Crystal LED now) are made from tiled LED modules, each 403x453 mm in size and with a resolution of 320x360. The displays offer HDR support (peak luminance is 1,000 nits), 10-bit grayscale support, high frame rate (up to 120p) and a freedom of design.
Sony's commercial displays cost around $400,000 for a 146" display and almost $800,000 for a 219" one in Europe. Sony suggests several sample configurations for its Series A displays, for example a 110" FHD display (made from 18 units), a 220" 4K display (72 units), a 440" 8K display (288 units) and finally a 16K 790" display made from 576 units.
In December 2018 Sony installed a Crystal LED Series A commercial display EDGE Technologies' HQ, a 3.2 x 1.8 meters 2560x1440 pixels display. In April 2019 Sony installed the world's largest microLED display - its first 16K (15360x4320) 19.2 x 5.4 meters display at at Shiseido new research center in Yokohama, Japan.
