Edge-lit LED-based LCD by Samsung explodes--photos

Here's the "exploded" view of the edge-lit LED-based LCD display. In the foreground is the frame, followed by the LCD element, then the LED lighting assembly.

The heart of the beast is the LED lighting assembly. The LEDs themselves are arranged in strips on all four sides of the panel (the bottom strip was removed for this display). A series of filters, a "light guide," and a reflecting back serve to translate the LEDs' light toward the LCD display itself.

Here's a closer look at the assembly. The rightmost, thinner three panels are the color filter, polarizing filter, and diffuser. The leftmost, notched white panel is the reflecting back, the only one of the five elements that sits behind the row of LEDs (top).

Second from the left is the clear-looking, thicker "light guide," a proprietary Samsung development that uses a series of tiny lens-like refractors to send light from the LEDs along edges toward the middle of the screen. The company claims its edge-lit LED-based LCDs have the same uniformity characteristics as its standard backlit LCD displays. If true, that would be an improvement on the only other edge-lit display we've reviewed so far, the Sony KLV-40ZX1M.

Here's a closeup of the LEDs themselves, which are visible along the strip at the top. Despite their yellowish appearance, each produces white light, which is filtered and sent through the LCD panel. According to Samsung, the advantage of using white LEDs, as opposed to the multicolored "triluminous" LEDs in Sony's XBR8 models, is purer reproduction of color-corrected primary and secondary colors at low luminance levels, as well as better energy efficiency.

Here's where we mention that, unlike so-called local dimming LED based displays we've reviewed in the past, these edge-lit models can't dim or turn off the LEDs selectively. That's why we expect that the black-level performance of edge-lit LED-based LCD displays won't match that of local dimming models, such as the Sony XBR8 or Samsung's own A950 series.

The LCD panel is the 1080p variety, containing the liquid-crystal elements that create the image from the filtered LED light.

Samsung slimmed down its circuit boards to fit inside the display's ultrathin chassis.

Even the connection bay is slimmed down, although it looks like there's still room for all but the thickest cables.

Samsung claims the displays use 40% less power than conventional Energy Star-certified LCD TVs of similar size.

Seen from the front, they look like normal LCD TVs.

Seen from the side, the thinness of the edge-lit LED-based LCD is readily apparent. The sets measure just 1.2 inches thick.

Apparently Samsung is sending a UN46B7000 to CNET for review. Until then, here's what we know.

Samsung edge-lit LED-based LCD product info:

UNB6000 series

UNB7000 series

UNB8000 series