When we’re on the search for a new television, many of us like to keep it simple. We take a look at screen size, resolution, and sound features, and in most cases, that’s the end of the story! But there are so many unique specifications that you can consider to get the most out of your TV experience!
One of the most overlooked specifications is bit depth. If you’ve never heard of bit depth before, you might wonder what makes it so important, and how it could possibly impact your TV experience.
Want to know what people mean when they mention bit depth? Want to know why it should matter to you? Our team of Reliant tech experts have put together this definitive guide, to highlight everything you need to know about bit depth in your TV! Let’s get started!
What Is Bit Depth In A TV Panel?
At its most basic, bit depth refers to the number of bits that can be found in each of your TV’s colour channels. Most TVs have three distinct colour channels: red, green, and blue. Combining light from these colour channels results in the creation of millions of unique colours. The more bits that there are in each of these three channels, the more unique colours that a TV can replicate on its screen!
Bit depth refers to the number of unique shades that each colour zone of a TV can create. The more bits found in the red, green, and blue colour zones, the more unique colours a TV panel can create!
TVs can massively vary in terms of the number of bits that are packed into each of the colour channels. This has led to the development of 8-bit and 10-bit depth TVs. But what are the differences between the two? Let’s take a look below!
What Is 8 Bit Colour Depth?
Within an 8-bit colour system, there are around 256 unique bits within each of the three colour zones. When the different colours from each of the zones combine together in different ways, it results in all of the different colours you see on your TV. As such, when the 256 bits are cubed, it results in an immense 16 million unique colours!
TVs with 8-bit colour depth are immensely popular. Most TVs make use of 8-bit colour depth, as it is perfect for displaying HDR images in all of their glory. TVs with 8-bit colour depth are also some of the most affordable on the market.
Pros
- TVs with 8-bit colour depth are incredibly affordable.
- Offers enough colour to enjoy HDR images.
Cons
- Does not offer as much colour depth as the comparatively superior 10-bit colour depth.
- Can result in colour banding.
What Is 10 Bit Colour Depth?
Though the jump from 8 bits to 10 bits may not sound particularly significant, it has a massive impact. In a 10-bit display, there are 1,024 unique colours packed into each of the colour zones. This means that when these 1,024 colours are cubed, it results in a whopping 1.1 billion possible colours!
If you want colours to truly pop, and to avoid colour banding, then a 10-bit TV is totally worth investing in. However, it’s worth noting that 10-bit displays cost slightly more than usual, so you might have to spend a little bit more to get access to one!
Pros
- 10-bit displays can recreate an immense 1.1 billion possible colours!
- Fantastic for taking HDR content to its limits!
Cons
- TVs with 10-bit colour depth are often costly.
- You won’t notice the impact of 10-bit colour depth with non-HDR content.
Why Does Bit Depth Matter On Your TV?
It’s worth considering the bit depth of your TV if you plan to enjoy HDR content. HDR is a premium video format that allows your TV to increase its colour gamut. When your TV has a high bit depth, it’s much easier for it to recreate the colours found in your favourite HDR content.
As resolutions improve, screens get bigger, and content is packed with more detailed metadata, it’s important to grab a TV with a bit rate that can display large images with plenty of packed-in detail!
A TV with a higher bit depth is better equipped to replicate specific colours. If you want to enjoy HDR images or eliminate colour banding, then it’s worth investing that little bit extra!
Higher bit depth also helps to prevent annoying issues with colour banding! Colour banding occurs when different colour gradients don’t blend together seamlessly. If you were looking at an image with a plain grey background, then you might notice that, as the light changes on the grey background, the different shades of grey don’t blend together naturally. Each shade will abruptly end and lead to the next.
A higher bit depth ensures that colour gradients seamlessly blend into one another. This creates a more realistic and far more satisfying image!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Bit Depth In A TV Panel?
Bit depth refers to the number of unique colours that each of the three colour zones of a TV can achieve. When these unique colours combine, they create new colours. Perfect for displaying colourful images on your TV. An 8-bit TV panel can replicate an immense 16 million colours. A 10-bit display goes even further, creating up to 1.1 billion unique colours.
Does 10-Bit Colour Look Better Than 8-Bit?
Yes. However, in order to make the most of a 10-bit colour depth, you’ll need to make sure that you are watching HDR content at an incredibly high resolution. When watching standard SDR content, it’s very unlikely that you’d notice much of a difference between 8-bit and 10-bit colour depth!
