What is Viewing Angle and why does it matter?

Glossary of Terms

The viewing angle is the angle at which the image quality of an LCD degrades and becomes unacceptable for the intended application. As the observer physically moves to the sides of the LCD, the images on an LCD degrade in three ways. First, the luminance drops. Second, the contrast ratio usually drops off at large angles. Third, the colors may shift. The definition of the viewing angle of an LCD is not absolute as it will depend on your application.

Most LCD manufacturers define viewing angle as the angles where the CR (contrast ratio). For LCDs designed for less demanding applications, the viewing angle is sometimes defined as the angles where the CR ³ ?5.??For LCDs used in outdoor applications, defining the viewing angle based on CR alone is not adequate. Under very bright ambient light, the display is hardly visible when the screen luminance drops below 200 nits. Therefore, MetroSpec defines the viewing angles based on both the CR and the Luminance. For further details, please refer to data sheets for specific MetroSpec sunlight readable LCD modules.