DIY Perks YouTube channel created their own dual layer display by combining two LCD panels. This means that the screen offers better black levels than a standard LCD screen. Many manufacturers already offer such screens, but they cost tens of thousands of euros.
DIY privileges shown in the video How he made his two-layer screen. He did this by placing an LCD panel from a screen on top of his existing screen. The YouTuber faced several issues while doing this. For example, both LCD panels have a polarizing layer, so that the additional LCD panel does not transmit light and therefore does not display an image. The YouTuber managed to solve this problem by placing tracing paper between two LCD screens. This acts as a kind of depolarizing filter by scattering the light from the first LCD.
In addition, the extra LCD panel made the screen less bright than before, as part of the light was blocked. To increase the lost brightness, the YouTuber also created a new LED backlight with more tracing paper as a diffusion layer. Everything is housed in a new housing with four 120mm fans and two smaller Noctua fans to cool the new LCD and LED backlights.
The end result costs about $180 to $230, according to DIY Perks, plus the cost of a monitor he already owns. The YouTuber states that the contrast and black levels of the screen are significantly improved compared to a single LCD screen. DIY Perks says the variance is close to Pixel level dimming It comes from OLED screens, for example. Color reproduction will also be clearer, since both LCD screens have a color filter. The YouTube user notices some slight blurring of the image, which can be seen, among other things, when viewing text. This is caused by the distance between the two LCD screens.
Layered screens are not a new concept. Many manufacturers, such as Eizo and Sony, use the same technology for professional reference monitors. However, these monitors cost tens of thousands of euros and are mainly intended for use by professionals doing color correction for film or television, for example. Hisense also introduced a TV in 2019 with an additional black and white LCD screen for better contrast.