OMRON has developed a new backlight technology for LCD televisions that consumes only two-thirds as much power as conventional backlights. The backlight for a 32-inch LCD TV typically uses about 10 of these lamps. Omron's backlight manufacturing subsidiary, Tama Fine Opto Co., determined that these lamps are brightest when kept at a temperature of around 50 C. When fewer lamps are used in an effort to reduce power consumption, it results in a dimmer display. Now with the new CCFLs, Omron was able to fabricate a backlight for a 32-inch LCD TV that uses just three U-shaped CCFL tubes and consume only 39 watts, compared with the roughly 60 watts of a conventional backlight.

Omron plans to have a commercial version ready in January 2009 for marketing to the world's panel makers. The company has plans to make 100,000 units a month if all goes well.

Via