The January/February 2023 edition of Information Display has paper by Frank Seto of VESA, and Dale Stolitka of Samsung, on the Clear Motion Ration (CMR) certification program, specifically pitching its value as a consumer metric for displays.
The ClearMR program is off to a great start, garnering widespread industry attention. Already, VESA has awarded certifications to multiple display vendors. This article explains the full ClearMR procedure and why the industry needs a blur metric implemented through authorized test centers suitable for enabling fair comparisons across panel technologies. Unlike existing metrics, which only show one aspect of display clarity performance, CMR is a comprehensive metric that factors in the human visual system. It also undergoes rigorous testing under many conditions without sacrificing other desirable features. The resulting ClearMR logo, now certified by VESA, delivers a straightforward message to consumers: “Want better motion clarity in your next display? Then look for a higher ClearMR tier.”
Frank Seto and Dale Stolitzka
First of all, the full paper does a good job of explaining more fully the progression that ClearMR makes in reaching its conclusion and delivering its scores. Some of the criticism leveled at the standard is that it isn’t really a standard, but a costly merit badge. So, on the one hand, there should be meaningful metrics that define essentially qualitative features in a like-for-like comparison of displays. On the other hand, qualitative features are subjective experiences, no matter how good the arguments for the testing and analysis process.
I find it a hard sell to consumers TV buyers but the audience that is most likely to appreciate the measure, gamers, are an even harder sell. ClearMR is certainly a better measure of performance for gamers than relying solely on refresh rates and display speed and the manipulation of MPRT and GtG by vendors.
It’s the blur, stupid, as the popular euphemism goes. Unfortunately, I don’t see how the value of the ClearMR mark doesn’t become diminished among those that would really value it, those hard-headed gamers, when there is no self-test, and none that is tied to actual games. Performance is subjective and tied to particular games or applications. And, yes, I get what ClearMR does in measuring a specific function of display hardware but, it still has to resonate with end users to be of value to vendors. I would argue that it still has work to do on that front.
Nevertheless, ClearMR probably elevates the conversation among manufacturers who will have a common standard and base of discussion to compare and contrast their technologies. Whether that translates into meaningful value to the consumer of a laptop, a PC monitor, a tablet or a TV …. that’s going to nee d something more proletarian.
