# LCD has better picture when lots of sunlight is in the room. WHY?



## Rikinky (Mar 4, 2010)

My Lcd Tv is calibrated with a backlight setting of 7 and the picture looks amazing, however I have alot of natural sunlight in my living room and during the day my picture looks even better almost like your looking out a window. Does anyone know why this is and how can I achieve this picture at night without all the natural light?


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Perhaps it's human eye phenomena - with high level of ambient light, eye's pupil dialed down and focal depth is increasing; from other side of such condition - contrast ratio of your screen is much lower the on objects with direct sunlight, so it should bring viewer's perception to different way.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Because during the day your pupils are a little smaller (due to the "natural sunlight"), this in turn gives the appearance of better black levels (better contrast).

Or

Your TV has a light sensor. During the day the contrast is turned way up to compensate for the bright room.


My two guesses


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

P Smith said:


> Perhaps it's human eye phenomena - with high level of ambient light, eye's pupil dialed down and focal depth is increasing; from other side of such condition - contrast ratio of your screen is much lower the on objects with direct sunlight, so it should bring viewer's perception to different way.


ya beat me by seconds.... Great minds think alike.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I don't see how pupil's diameter could increase contrast ratio on the TV. Second guess is more likely.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

P Smith said:


> I don't see how pupil's diameter could increase contrast ratio on the TV. Second guess is more likely.


OK, maybe it's better black levels. Not so much better contrast ratio. Black levels look better on my TV during the day. Pupils allowing in less light make dark grays look closer to black. That's my guess as to why black levels look better during the day on my TV. I have my TV's ambient light sensor disabled.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Isn't part of the reason because LCD relies, in part, on a light source to be able to see the picture? More light might make it easier to see?

Where as on plasma and CRT, the picture is the light source so it would get washed out by a brighter source...of course I’m just guessin’ because I know very little about it. :grin:

Mike


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

My guess is an ambient light sensor in the TV.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

MicroBeta said:


> Isn't part of the reason because *LCD relies*, in part, *on a light source to be able to see the picture*? More light might make it easier to see?
> 
> Where as on plasma and CRT, the picture is the light source so it would get washed out by a brighter source...of course I'm just guessin' because I know very little about it. :grin:
> 
> Mike


On backlit only.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Davenlr said:


> My guess is an ambient light sensor in the TV.


My Panasonic plasma has that (they call it Contrast Automatic Tracking System) but it would still get washed out while the LCD not as much. :shrug:

Mike


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

I've got the light sensor turned on and my LCD looks great in daylight, so I'm guessing that's what it going on.


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## space86 (May 4, 2007)

Hutchinshouse said:


> Because during the day your pupils are a little smaller (due to the "natural sunlight"), this in turn gives the appearance of better black levels (better contrast).
> 
> Or
> 
> ...


My HDTV works good at night


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