Sharp Shows Five-Color LCD By Mark Fleischmann July 1, 2009 — Sharp has developed a new five-color LCD that, according to the company, "faithfully reproduces the real surface colors that humans are capable of perceiving."

The 60.5-inch panel, with 1080p resolution, was exhibited at the Society for Information Display in San Antonio, Texas last month. It is initially intended for industrial uses.

According to a Sharp press release, Multi-Primary-Color Technology is based on a five-filter structure that adds C (cyan) and Y (yellow) to the video world's three existing primary colors, red, green, and blue. This extends color gamut to reproduce more than 99 percent of real surface colors, as described by a 1980 study that defined color limits by measuring surface colors in paint, printer ink, colored paper, and plastics.

Sharp says this will allow better reproduction of brass instruments, red roses, and an emerald green sea (perhaps not unlike this vacation shot from Venice). Another benefit is energy savings.

This is not the first time a manufacturer has sought to break the RGB barrier (if it is a barrier). Mitsubishi introduced a six-segment color wheel to improve color in its DLP rear-projectors some years ago. In addition to red, green, and blue, it also includes cyan, yellow, and magenta.