What Are TV Screens Made Of?

In the United States, more than 98% of households own at least one television set and 61% receive cable television. The best TV models have seen improvements in size, weight, and quality recently. Using specific techniques, televisions have also become less likely to experience image retention, referred to as burn-in. Because of the popularity of these types of TVs, many people may wonder what material are TV Screens and how has this technology improved.

Various TVs are now designed with their screen in mind. These screens include glass, color filters, and polymers, as well as electrodes, capacitors, and shutters. These components contain plastic and a variety of metals. TVs also contain several other pieces, including the bezel, main circuit board, tuner, power board, and rear covers. In smart TVs, Bluetooth and WiFi modules are also present. And if you are looking to purchase a new TV, whether it is a smart TV or not, you can check out our guide on the top-rated Toshiba TVs.

Different types of TV screens

When talking about the components of a television screen, one must remember that there are several different types of TVs. This includes light-emitting diodes (LED,) both quantum light-emitting diodes (QLED) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED,) liquid crystal displays (LCD,) and plasma screens.

What is inside a TV screen?

Different types of TVs have various components. Although LCD and LED are classified as distinct types of televisions, they contain mostly the same materials. The only difference is that LED screens are backlit versions of LCD ones. The main components of these displays are glass, polymers, cases, and filters. Cathode ray tubes used in previous bulkier televisions have been replaced by cells filled with phosphor gas. The electronics and cases of televisions often contain plastic and metals, including copper, tin, zinc, gold, and chromium. Plasma screens with tiny phosphor gas chambers and electrodes have also replaced TVs that used cathode ray tubes.

• LCD
  • LCD TVs contain glass, color filters, and a polymer containing liquid crystals. These crystals are formed by dissolving a material, which turns into a cloudy fluid and clears as the temperature rises. Upon cooling, the fluid becomes blue before crystallizing.
  • There are two thin, polarized sheets of glass with color filters and the polymer between the glass. This polymer holds the liquid crystals that make up the display. There are three color filters, which are red, green, and blue. Electrodes, shutters, and capacitors are also present in the television display.
• LED
  • LED screens contain the glass, filters, polymers, electrodes, shutters, and capacitors present in LCD screens. The main difference between the two types of screens is that LED screens are backlit. There are two types of LED screens, QLED and OLED.
    • QLED
      • QLED displays use nanoparticles to improve the color and brightness of the display. These nanoparticles are called quantum dots. Quantum dots allow for bigger screens that may last longer and be less susceptible to image burn-in. We have a great article comparing Hisense quantum dot vs Samsung QLED that you can read if you would like to learn more. Alternatively, you can check out the TCL 50 5 Series 4K QLED smart TV if you are in the market for a new TV.
    • OLED
      • OLED displays contain small organic molecules or polymers. These naturally occurring compounds sit between two electrodes. OLED does not require backlighting and may provide greater contrast between colors. Because OLEDs do not use color filters, they may be thinner and lighter than LCD TVs. If you would like, check out our article on what is OLED TV for the advantages and disadvantages of this type of screen, including what to do with OLED burn-in.
• Plasma
  • Plasma display TVs contain a cellular grid with plasma-containing pixels. The plasma is a gas that responds to electric fields. Plasma TVs use phosphor screens like those used in cathode-ray tubes. TVs that contain plasma include tiny chambers coated in phosphorescent chemicals, which allow different colors to show through. These TVs are less common now than in the 1990s because they are susceptible to image retention but you can read more about them in our article on what is a plasma TV.

What other components are included in a TV?

• Bezel – The bezel on a TV surrounds the screen and adds structural integrity to the TV and its screen.
• Main circuit board – The main circuit board contains semiconductors that allow the TV to function. This is similar to the circuit board of a computer. This may also be where you find output functions like HDMI. You may review what is arc TV if you would love a newer HDMI output.
• Tuner – The tuner allows the TV to receive the electronic signals broadcast by channels.
• Powerboard – The power board converts the AC power into lower voltages for the TV to use.
• Speakers – The speakers provide a place for the sound to come out of the TV. You may want to find out what is a soundbar for a TV if you wish to get convenient external speakers.
• Rear cover – The rear cover, as the name suggests, covers the back of the TV and protects the other parts of the TV.
• Bluetooth module – Bluetooth module allows other Bluetooth devices, such as phones or computers, to connect to the TV. This is used in smart TVs to allow for casting.
• WiFi module – The WiFi module is used in smart TVs and allows television applications to connect to the internet to stream shows, movies, or music.

Each TV contains a number of components from the glass screen to the rear cover, though some TVs have more pieces than others. LED, QLED, and OLED have additional components that may not be present in LCD and plasma TVs, while smart TVs have both Bluetooth and WiFi modules.

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