Sony Debuts OLED TVs

Sony's Japan-only XEL-1 will boast a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, an 11-inch screen, and the price of a TV three times its size.

While many still marvel over how thin plasma-screen televisions are, Sony has leapfrogged the competition with the introduction of an ultra-thin OLED television – the world’s first. Sony’s XEL-1 will be just 3mm thick, with an 11-inch screen size.

Besides the thin factor, OLED screens should also possess superior brightness and dark levels, with a contrast ratio Sony claims is over 1,000,000:1. Color reproduction should also be better than on sets using other technologies, and without a high-voltage backlight to power, the TVs consume just 45 watts.

There are caveats, though. The lifetime of an OLED screen will still be half that of its LCD counterpart, and a price of Y200,000 ($1,736 USD) would put the 11-inch XEL-1 in the same league as much larger plasma and LCD sets.

Sony’s XEL-1 will go on sale in Japan only on December 1. Since its high price will make it off limits to most TV shoppers, Sony will produce only 2,000 units a month.