Thanks to the out-dated Advertising Standards Authority our industry is now stuck with the misleading term “LED TV” to describe LCD TVs that use LEDs to light the screen instead of traditional CCFL, cold cathode fluorescent lighting. And now we can expect a new layer of confusion on what “backlighting” means.
 
Last August the ASA upheld complaints against Samsung for using the phrase LED TV to describe LCD TVs with LED backlighting: click here.

Samsung then said it "welcomes the clarification the ASA decision gives in relation to our LED TV advertisements. We are pleased that we can continue to use the term LED TV as we believe it will continue to be the commonly used industry term. We appreciate that more clarification is required in relation to the LED usage within the product and will ensure this is clearly outlined in future communication."
 
Early in 2010 Samsung was referring in press releases and on the Samsung website to "LED monitors" and to the C9000, C8000, C7000 and C6500 TVs as "LED TVs" to distinguish them from the C750 and C650 models which are described as "LCD TVs". In-store publicity for Samsung TVs and Samsung's website uses the word "LED TV" in stylised writing.
 
Says a Samsung spokesperson: "Samsung will continue to use the term LED as we believe it will continue to be a commonly used industry term. Samsung is confident that it is not in breach of the ASA ruling. If you would like more clarification on the ruling, feel free to speak to the ASA for more information."
 
Says the ASA: "Advertising is considered to be anything in paid-for space, so on the internet that will include pop-ups, banner ads and sponsored link searches. While we do not cover displays in-store, we do cover direct marketing leaflets. I'm afraid websites are currently outside of the ASA's remit - when the internet was first created websites were originally thought of as online shops and therefore come under the remit of Trading Standards."
 
Now Toshiba is using the phrases “LED range”, "LED models","LED panels" and "LED backlighting" with no distinction drawn between TVs that use LEDs round the edge of the screen, and those which use LEDs behind the screen.
 
Whereas edge LEDs can only be dimmed en bloc to match the overall picture content, LEDs behind the screen can be locally dimmed to match the picture content.
 
Toshiba's new REGZA SL and WL ranges feature integrated DVB-T2 tuners for Freeview HD and "LED backlighting". Toshiba confirms that the LEDs for these sets are at the edge of the picture, and enhance contrast by constantly adapting to the overall content of the images on screen. So the term "LED backlit" here means "LED edgelit".
 
True LED backlighting with local dimming is used only in the new high end Cell TV which incorporates a 55in Kira2 panel with 512 clusters of individually controlled LEDs behind the screen, to give a claimed contrast ratio of 9 million: 1. The first sets for Europe with local dimming will be shown at IFA.
 
Surely the simple generic "LED lit" would more accurately describe the use of LEDs for edge and back lighting? Toshiba says it “will consider”.
 
But while the ASA remains stuck in a pre-internet age, Samsung, Toshiba and Uncle Tom Cobley can say whatever they like on their websites, in store displays and in press releases which sloppy journalists re-publish as news.

Barry Fox