mil spec lcd display free sample

Our military displays are COTS products which have been modified to meet various MIL specs. They are designed to withstand harsh conditions such as extreme cold and heat, high humidity, dust and sand, water and salt fog exposure, shock and vibration, altitude extremes and rapid decompression, rapid acceleration and deceleration. Many displays include or can be modified to include performance requirements such as sunlight readability, NVIS compatibility, DO-160, EMI requirements, and more.

Our displays are deployed on fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, naval surface ships, Coast Guard cutters and submarines, transport and tactical vehicles, UAS/UAV ground control and air traffic control stations. Check out our Deployment section to see which display would best meet your requirements.

At General Digital, we produce the finest rugged military displays available on the market for the U.S. Armed Forces and her allies. Every rugged monitor that we produce is uniquely equipped with highly specialized capabilities for use within tanks, armored personnel carriers, Humvees, submarines, aircraft carriers, helicopters, fighter jets and all types of land, marine, air, space and autonomous vehicle systems.

As innovators in the rugged display industry, we stay on top of the military"s ever-evolving mobile warfare approach to expertly answer the call for new, highly-advanced display technology, which includes:

These rugged LCD innovations continue to prove indispensable as the military continues its development of on-the-move intelligence systems, threat detection, surveillance and suppression operations. Therefore, every General Digital military-grade LCD monitor and ruggedized peripheral can be customized to meet the rigorous demands presented in the modern warfare theater.

General Digital"s reputation for going above and beyond military standards means we utilize in-house equipment for engineering, design, testing and validation of all of our rugged LCD displays.

Quality control inspection is performed on 100% of all General Digital’s manufactured products, not on a sample lot. This proves invaluable for today"s modern and future war fighter since life and limb depends on equipment that works EVERY time, ALL of the time, regardless of the harsh environment.

General Digital designs and builds in the United States of America, so you know you’re getting robust and dependable flat panel military LCD monitors and accessories. Our monitors will last for years, long after the others have succumbed to the elements. Below is a list of our heavy-duty product line, which will suit just about any requirement you have. And if it doesn’t, we’ll build it for you.

TheTactical TwoViewand Tactical ThreeView are two of the first militarized workstations to supportvideo over USB-C, allowing power, video, and data to be handled over a singlecable—minimizing potential vulnerabilities and reducing maintenance time.General Digital developed a custom video controller to support this application,the first of its kind. It’s been futureproofed to allow for additional backlightingupgrades for sunlight/night readability and other enhancements.

This smart device features an integrated computer system designed to connectto a server through a gigabit Ethernet connection. As configured, the customizable computer allows two independent video feeds on the displays, and allowsthe keyboard and trackball to provide inputs to the host server.

The Tactical TwoView’s modular design allows for highly customizable iterations to suit your specific requirements. The unit is available in rack mount,desktop and mobile versions.

The Saber series consists of standard rack mount, panel mount and standalone/VESA mount military-grade and COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) LCD monitors. Options include sunlight readable displays, LED backlights, NVIS goggle compatibility, touch screens, multiple video inputs and more. The

The TwoView Micro (dual display), SlimLine Micro and Rack Mount Hinge series consist of 1U and 2U high rack mount, flip-up and flip-down military-grade LCD monitors in a rack mount drawer. Options include sunlight readable displays, LED backlights, NVIS goggle compatibility, touch screens, multiple video inputs and more. They have been used in military applications such as:

Integrated for use within Humvees and ECS transit cases for the CONDOR (Command and Control On-the-Move Network, Digital Over the Horizon Relay) program (high bright displays)

The TwoView (dual display), SlimLine 1U and SlimLine Lite II series consist of 1U and 2U high rack mount, flip-up military-grade LCD monitors with integral keyboards and trackballs in a rack mount drawer. Options include sunlight readable displays, LED backlights, NVIS goggle compatibility, touch screens, multiple video inputs, keyboards and more. They have been used in military applications such as:

Integrated for use within Humvees and ECS transit cases for the CONDOR (Command and Control On-the-Move Network, Digital Over the Horizon Relay) program (high bright displays)

The Barracuda series consists of NEMA 4/6 and IP67 environmentally sealed rack mount, panel mount and standalone/VESA mount military-grade and COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) LCD monitors. Options include sunlight readable displays, LED backlights, NVIS goggle compatibility, touch screens, multiple video inputs and more. The marine-grade

The Impact series consists of an open frame military-grade LCD monitor kit, ready for mounting where you need it. Options include sunlight readable displays, LED backlights, NVIS goggle compatibility, touch screens, multiple video inputs and more. They have been used in military applications such as:

We appreciate all the hardships that our young fighting men and women must endure. They deserve the best America has to offer to keep them safe and sound, and General Digital is proud to supply them with ruggedized tactical display equipment upon which they and their battalion can depend.

In fact, the General Digital philosophy remains as true today as it was in 1973—to listen to you, our valued customer with respect for your needs, and then provide you with superior products and services that remain in top-notch working condition until the end of your mission—and beyond.

With so many available rugged military display options available for the armed forces, we are happy to help you, the military professional, develop an individualized rugged monitor display system that matches your unique battlefield needs.

Whether by special request or recognizing a need that hasn"t been satisfied, General Digital creates many uniquely innovative LCD monitors, smart displays and keyboards, among other highly specialized HMI products. By working closely with our customers, we can specially design a component to perfectly satisfy your requirements. Below is a sampling of the interesting display systems and keyboards we"ve produced in recent years.

General Digital designed a custom version of our Barracuda environmentally-sealed monitor to meet customer-supplied specifications for fit, form and function. The display system is used as a fire control system (digital sight) for a portable rocket grenade launcher in combat situations. Design of this complex solution required General Digital’s mechanical, electrical, optical and software engineering expertise and integration skill sets. Watch the video of the L40-2 Grenade Launcher in action on the Department of Defence Australia YouTube channel.

Micromesh EMI filter blocks incoming and outgoing RF radiation to comply with MIL-STD-461 (Army Ground), while allowing more light output as compared to ITO overlays

The Barracuda PanelMount Solar/NVIS 901D 15.0/17.0 represent the pinnacle of value-add engineering and performance found in a military-grade monitor. The rugged alumimum enclosure, connectors and keypad are fully sealed (IP67 compliant) to faciliate use in hostile environments.

As an advanced avionic monitor, it is equipped with multiple optional specialized features, such as an optically bonded LCD with EMI mesh and heater, panel mount adaptor, military-grade connectors, On/Off toggle switch with finger guard, and more.

Designed to meet specific requirements and specifications for a flight simulator application, General Digital’s new 21.5" ruggedized LCD monitor boasts a 1920 x 1080 full high definition resolution, and a sunlight readable LED night vision goggle-compatible backlight. This second generation LED/NVIS backlight provides more brightness, better uniformity and less power than the original backlight, which was designed for maritime applications. Configurations include an LED/NVIS display head assembly (with optional backlight driver board), and a standalone/mountable ruggedized enclosure, as pictured here.

ZMicro incorporates the latest commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology for its military displays and there’s always ample opportunity for customization. For example, if your application requires different backlights for NVIS or day-light readable requirements, a different optical coating stack, or a different touch-screen technology, ZMicro can adapt a display to provide the necessary features and capabilities.

See Permanently Germ-Free Touch Screen Monitors below. Impact Display Solutions specializes in developing customized display solutions to our clients’ exact specifications. Our design and engineering teams have the technical skill and experience to bring your LCD display plans to fruition. No matter what LCD panel types you need (customized or

Impact Display Solutions is a distributor of over 20 lines of touch screen manufacturers. Whether you need standard resistive and capacitive touch screens or have specialized requirements, we have your solution. Talk to our team about your specific application, such as use with gloves, rugged environments, clean rooms and more. Because we have the latest touch technologies including IR, SAW, and multi touch solutions, we are your one-stop-shop for the LCD touch screen monitor products you need. Don’t miss out on the new products based on latest technological advances in this field. Examples of unconventional options include:

PIT technology is a patented multi-touch technology. Based on the traditional infrared touch technology and the theory of total internal reflection (TIR), placing the infrared emission diode and reception diode on the lower surface of glass, the infrared beams generated by emission diodes are reflected through a prism light-guide specially designed and transmit across the front glass surface. Compared to traditional infrared touch technology, PIT touch screen has slimmer bezel, lower elevated height, and better multi-touch experience. Impact Display Solutions PIT touch screens have Win8 certification. PIT touch screens support multi-touch capability, allowing more people to touch the screen simultaneously. That allows users to have a better interactive experience. Compared to traditional infrared touch screen, 0.5mm ultralow elevated height enables PIT touch screen recognize human touch very accurately. Ultra-narrow bezel allows near-true flat appearance (as the touch transducers are placed under the screen). Protection performance enhancements are optional: waterproof or vandal-resistant.

Based on proven SAW touch technology, Impact Display Solutions has the capability of offering curved SAW touch screens in sizes of 21.5”, 27”, 32”, 35”, 42”. Furthermore, curved SAW touchscreens inherit and enjoy the benefits of SAW technology such as high reliability, protracted durability, sharp image clarity and vandal proofing. It’s the ideal touch solution for gaming and interactive kiosks.

So many applications demand a bright, vibrant, highly visible display in sun lit conditions. We address the need for bright displays through variety of innovative methods to enhance color, contrast, and brightness to maximize the clarity and impact of your message in very bright conditions. Don’t miss out on the new products based on latest technological advances in this area. Examples of unconventional options include:

Impact Display Solutions has extensive experience supporting projects in some of the harshest environments. Whether you are dealing with extreme temperatures, wet, oily or dirty conditions we have LCD panel types that will work for you.  We can create shock, vibration and impact resistant solutions. We are experienced with Mil Spec standards and can meet your engineering specifications. Don’t miss out on the new products based on latest technological advances in this field. Examples of cover options include (stronger glass substrates in order of toughness):

Optical bonding can increase the brightness and contrast of a display. Typically, there are air gaps between the layers of the completed LCD assembly including the substrate, cover glass and touch screen. Optical bonding can be employed to strengthen the assembly and in most cases, to improve the overall brightness, contrast ratio and readability by mitigating the light reflection between the layers. We offer variety of bonding solutions to meet your LCD touch screen monitor requirements. Don’t miss out on the new products based on latest technological advances in this field. Examples of options include:

When you need to increase readability (especially in direct sunlight) by eliminating air gap between LCD and touch screen or protective lens, or both, Impact effectively achieves that goal with optical clear adhesive (OCA) lamination process. Dry bonding with OCA is an inexpensive bonding method with a reliable track record.

Mesh EMI Shielding (with woven mesh optimized for displays with silver busbar termination, non-glare or hard-coated laminated polycarbonate, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, or 4.0 mm, max size 500x660 mm)

Performed in the U.S., Impact uses IR-curing process for optical bonding that involves infrared heat to bring optical silicone OCR material to gel state. Used to optically-bond touch screens of your choice or variety of lenses similar to options for UV curing listed above but excluding Micromesh option.

To optimize image quality in all situations, we can complete an analysis of your specifications and project environment and, if needed, provide AR/AG solutions. Don’t miss out on the new products based on latest technological advances in this field. Examples of options include:

Its brasion resistance rating: the coating shall be subjected to a 20 rub eraser abrasion resistance test and meet the requirements referenced in paragraph 4.5.10 of MIL-C-675C for sleeking at the area of abrasion.

For use with your own computer, media player, or video source, Impact can deliver completed closed frame monitor designs, or simply open frame display panels of virtually any size specialized for medical, gaming, military, industrial automation and more. Unique customizations are available upon request. Don’t miss out on the new products based on latest technological advances in this field. Examples of options include:

Because Impact specializes in LCDs, touch screens, computer motherboards, and value-added enhancements & assemblies, we are able to put all those products into convenient “all-in-ones” / AIOs, which include enclosures with either desktop mounts or backside VESA mounts. Click HERE for list of standard models of 15.6” to 21.5” diagonal, which consist of HD LCD, PCAP touch screen, internal computer motherboard, memory, and other components that encompass full computer functionality with convenient use interface. Please contact us to modify a standard model or make a custom-made AIO product from ground up.

While many standard displays are rated for -30C already, both displays and computer motherboards can be operational all the way at -40C with optional heaters. Heaters may be controlled via manual adjustment or automatically when paired with thermistors.

Surface capacitive touchscreens are often used in large LCD panel applications such as naval navigation systems. Surface capacitive touchscreen detects only one contact point at a time, cannot be used with gloves, and does not support multi-touch capabilities.

Military-display designers continue to face stringent size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) constraints while integrating commercial innovations like HD – and soon 4K – into systems that must work with legacy sensors and interfaces while also complying with a variety of open architectures and standards. Meanwhile, researchers plan for military augmented reality and immersive display solutions for warfighters.

Today’s military displays – whether designed for avionics, naval, vetronics, or ground-control stations – with their touch screen capability and high-resolution digital graphics, have little in common with their analog forebears, except they must be just as rugged and just as reliable while taking up less room.

To younger warfighters, stories of analog cockpits with their gauges and dials must sound like their grandparents describing rotary phones. Smartphones, touch screens, windows – these are all second nature to the digital natives operating military glass displays in modern cockpits and ground vehicles. But the military still lags behind the ubiquitous personal iPhone or 60-inch 4K smart TV when it comes to capability.

Defense integrators are consistent in what they want from displays – “essentially taking the latest advances in commercial technology and delivering them in rugged systems that can survive in harsh battlefield environments,” says Jason Wade, president of ZMicro (San Diego, California). “In these applications, eliminating latency is critical. For example, if an operator using direct vision to drive has latency with the direct vision system, he will feel a bump seconds after the vehicle hits it and be unable to avoid it. Hitting bumps and obstacles like this could cause the operator and passengers to get sick, putting them at risk in a battle.” (See lead image.)

Ruggedizing commercial technology still takes time; while some defense applications such as ground-control station (GCSs)s for unmanned systems take advantage of the high-resolution capability as soon as it’s available, some still choose basic over sophisticated when it comes to display functionality.

Dumb versus smart sounds like a blunt contrast, but it aptly describes the choice integrators make when choosing a rugged military display for their platforms.

Dumb as opposed to smart displays also describes the two main requirement trends designers are seeing from military system integrators. “The first is a demand for low-cost, plug-and-play touch screens with bezel key-control displays,” says Richard Pollard, senior product manager, VMS product line at Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions (Letchworth, Hertfordshire, U.K.). “These are simple rugged, dumb displays that interface with a mission processor somewhere else. Users get benefits separating the intel from the display from an obsolescence standpoint, so that when processors get upgraded to increase performance, they don’t have to change the entire display.

“The second trend is a demand for a smart display that combines the processor and display in one unit for applications such as 360-degree situational awareness,” he continues. “In the U.S. we see more demand for simple displays that plug and play easily with a separate processor. European applications are still sticking to the smart display approach.” (Figure 1.)

[Figure 1 | Rugged GVDU mission displays from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions intended for use in military ground vehicle applications are fully qualified to established military environmental standards, can be connected to a wide variety of video sources, and offer full touch screen operation.]

“Customers are matching display requirements to what they need for missions,” says Steve Motter, vice president, Business Development, IEE Inc. (Van Nuys, California). “If all they need is simple information displayed with simple symbology, they will steer clear of super-high-resolution systems. But if the mission requires use of moving maps and integrating video from multiple camera and sensor feeds, they can get a lot of benefit from higher-resolution, smart displays.” (Figure 2.)

[Figure 2 | The 10.4-inch ARINC-818 Multi-Function Display from IEE, Inc. is a primary flight display in a portrait-oriented 8-inch by 6-inch format; it can display one of two optical-fiber ARINC-818 video sources with or without a computer-generated overlay.]

Human factors – namely, warfighter pref­erences – are also playing a role in display requirements. “Operator interface requirements are trending more and more toward multi-touch solutions with gestures and away from keyboards and mouse interfaces,” Motter says. “Multi-touch solutions make sense in many military and aviation displays from a human-factor perspective. Operators can react more quickly to displays with their gestures or fingers than when operating a keyboard. Touch screens also free up space in cockpits and ground vehicles by eliminating peripheral interfaces. Such ease of use is critical in applications where operators have really high workloads, like in ground vehicles during combat.”

Multi-touch requirements are flavoring every application. “A common trend among Navy shipboard applications, air traffic control for aircraft carriers, tactical vehicle systems, and GCSs is for multi-touch capability,” says Michael McCormick, president and CEO, CP Tech (Prescott, Arizona). “In the GCS market there is demand for rugged portable systems with really good human interfaces without keyboards and game controllers. They want operators to be able to use touch to move screens and windows around. Going forward, I see requirements even moving away from touch screens to point-and-move applications. In other words, the displays use sensors to recognize pointing and moving gestures.”

An example is the Portable Aircraft Control Station (PCAS) for the U.S. Air Force, where CP Tech won a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to leverage 3-inch by 24-inch, sunlight-readable, multi-touch displays with Intel Xeon processors for PCAS, McCormick continues. (Figure 3.)

[Figure 3 | The three-screen MTP-24 Rugged Portable Mil-Grade Lunchbox Computer from CP Tech comes with multi-touch capability and leverages Intel Xeon scalable processor technology.]

What isn’t trending in military designs yet is 4K technology. Most smart TVs, computer monitors, and video game consoles used by consumers leverage 4K-resolution screens, which are essentially four times the revolution of high-definition screens. However, while your neighbor gets this definition watching “the big game,” military users have yet to see it on their consoles and designers rarely see it in future system requirements, because sometimes it’s just not necessary.

“The adoption of 4K has gone slower than I initially thought based on how quickly it made its way into consumer market,” Wade says. “That said, there are new programs looking at 4K, and down the road the U.S. Army will likely require 4K ground-vehicle displays where practical. We have multiple customers using 4K including one with multiple video sources coming into a 32-inch 4K monitor that functions like a video wall.”

Yet, 4K requirements are on the way. “I expect to see military adoption of 4K designs in about five years at the earliest,” Hudman says. “DSE has products to support and is looking to integrate a 4K LCDs – including smaller form factors – into the FHDRM product line.” (Figure 4.)

[Figure 4 | The FHDRM Display Series from Digital Systems Engineering is built with a full-HD 1,920 by 1,080 LCD in a mil-spec design with low-power consumption, a high-brightness backlight, and an ultrathin form factor for operations requiring 1080p detail.]

While 4K monitors work well in the average living room, getting them to mesh with older sensor systems in small 10-inch screens in a military ground vehicle can be challenging. “Older legacy systems with 10-inch screens would be an example where it would not be practical as the eye can’t differentiate or tune into that level of pixel detail,” Wade says. “The 15-inch and 17-inch screens seem to be what users desire for 4K, but there is not much room inside these vehicles.”

“There are also upscaling and downscaling challenges with non-4k inputs that can have negative consequences when trying to leverage 4K,” Hudman explains. “If FLIR or L3Harris came out with a 4K camera, but the displays themselves still cannot show 4K resolution, then you have a reverse problem. You’re now removing data and impacting the operational success of that image, as the soldier is not able to take advantage of the 4K sensor.”

4K also makes it harder to maintain low latency. “Implementing 4K gets further complicated as 4K video high-compression requirements increase latency, which means the operator looking at the display cannot get the data in real time, Pollard notes. “Electro-optical (EO) turret providers currently work with 8K sensors, with the resolution squished down to 1080-pixel resolution. If you want true 4K resolution in the display, the sensors will have to go up to 12K.”

Integration and interface challenges for military display designers often comes down to managing the tradeoffs when it comes to stringent size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements.

Often it’s “not so much about reduced size or weight, but about how you customize display mounts or consider changing mounts to footprints or envelopes for unique installation locations and reconfiguring enclosures,” Hudman says.

“Such integration problems have grown more complex as tactical vehicles now have 360-degree camera systems around them and the displays must be adaptable for multiple inputs,” McCormick says. “How we manage these challenges depends on what the customer wants in a display – from sensor feeds to camera feeds to other data inputs. As rugged display designers we need to understand how to interface between the computer and the display as well as with whatever technologies coexist off payloads and cameras and sensors.”

All-in-one systems also help reduce the SWaP footprint of displays, he continues: “For reduced SWaP requirements, we will build the computer and display in one system. Along these lines, we are also seeing external power supplies being eliminated and having the display and computer leverage the same power supply. The challenge then becomes heat dissipation, especially when operating at test ranges where the temperatures reach 100 degrees.”

Maintaining equilibrium with conflicting requirements is complex. “We tend to think of SWaP-C almost as a fine balancing act depending on requirements,” Pollard says. “A ground-vehicle customer may put more emphasis on cost versus resolution for a small display. Yet another may want the smarter display features and will be fine with higher-cost software in that version. Meeting SWaP requirements always comes with tradeoffs, but when you factor in the cost element other requirements may get relaxed.

Open architectures enable efficient technology refreshes but also add to the interface challenges. “Whether we are developing display systems for the Israeli Ministry of Defense or for U.S. ground tactical vehicles, we have to be mindful whether the display will interface with myriad external and internal systems and components all based on different open architectures and standards,” McCormick says. “Often, it is like putting a square peg in a round hole.”

Every aspect of the light imaging system in Pro Display XDR is crucial to the overall quality of what you see onscreen. Each element builds on top of the last to create a display with unbelievable brightness and contrast.

Typical LCDs are edge-lit by a strip of white LEDs. The 2D backlighting system in Pro Display XDR is unlike any other. It uses a superbright array of 576 blue LEDs that allows for unmatched light control compared with white LEDs. Twelve controllers rapidly modulate each LED so that areas of the screen can be incredibly bright while other areas are incredibly dark. All of this produces an extraordinary contrast that’s the foundation for XDR.

For even greater control of light, each LED is treated with a reflective layer, a highly customized lens, and a geometrically optimized reflector that are all unique to Pro Display XDR. Through a pioneering design, light is reflected, mixed, and shaped between two layers to minimize blooming and provide uniform lighting.

Converting blue light to white is a difficult process that requires extremely precise color conversion. It’s why most display makers use white LEDs. Pro Display XDR accomplishes this conversion with an expertly designed color transformation sheet made of hundreds of layers that control the light spectrum passing through them.

Pro Display XDR extends exceptional image quality to the very edge. To ensure that LEDs along the sides of the display mix well with adjacent ones, a micro-lens array boosts light along the edges. This creates uniform color and brightness across the entire screen.

With a massive amount of processing power, the timing controller (TCON) chip utilizes an algorithm specifically created to analyze and reproduce images. It controls LEDs at over 10 times the refresh rate of the LCD itself, reducing latency and blooming. It’s capable of multiple refresh rates for amazingly smooth playback. Managing both the LED array and LCD pixels, the TCON precisely directs light and color to bring your work to life with stunning accuracy.

A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in pictorial or textual form. A discrete monitor comprises a visual display, support electronics, power supply, housing, electrical connectors, and external user controls.

The display in modern monitors is typically an LCD with LED backlight, having by the 2010s replaced CCFL backlit LCDs. Before the mid-2000s,CRT. Monitors are connected to the computer via DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C, DVI, VGA, or other proprietary connectors and signals.

Originally, computer monitors were used for data processing while television sets were used for video. From the 1980s onward, computers (and their monitors) have been used for both data processing and video, while televisions have implemented some computer functionality. In the 2000s, the typical display aspect ratio of both televisions and computer monitors has changed from 4:3 to 16:9.

Early electronic computer front panels were fitted with an array of light bulbs where the state of each particular bulb would indicate the on/off state of a particular register bit inside the computer. This allowed the engineers operating the computer to monitor the internal state of the machine, so this panel of lights came to be known as the "monitor". As early monitors were only capable of displaying a very limited amount of information and were very transient, they were rarely considered for program output. Instead, a line printer was the primary output device, while the monitor was limited to keeping track of the program"s operation.

Multiple technologies have been used for computer monitors. Until the 21st century most used cathode-ray tubes but they have largely been superseded by LCD monitors.

The first computer monitors used cathode-ray tubes (CRTs). Prior to the advent of home computers in the late 1970s, it was common for a video display terminal (VDT) using a CRT to be physically integrated with a keyboard and other components of the workstation in a single large chassis, typically limiting them to emulation of a paper teletypewriter, thus the early epithet of "glass TTY". The display was monochromatic and far less sharp and detailed than on a modern monitor, necessitating the use of relatively large text and severely limiting the amount of information that could be displayed at one time. High-resolution CRT displays were developed for specialized military, industrial and scientific applications but they were far too costly for general use; wider commercial use became possible after the release of a slow, but affordable Tektronix 4010 terminal in 1972.

Some of the earliest home computers (such as the TRS-80 and Commodore PET) were limited to monochrome CRT displays, but color display capability was already a possible feature for a few MOS 6500 series-based machines (such as introduced in 1977 Apple II computer or Atari 2600 console), and the color output was a speciality of the more graphically sophisticated Atari 800 computer, introduced in 1979. Either computer could be connected to the antenna terminals of an ordinary color TV set or used with a purpose-made CRT color monitor for optimum resolution and color quality. Lagging several years behind, in 1981 IBM introduced the Color Graphics Adapter, which could display four colors with a resolution of 320 × 200 pixels, or it could produce 640 × 200 pixels with two colors. In 1984 IBM introduced the Enhanced Graphics Adapter which was capable of producing 16 colors and had a resolution of 640 × 350.

By the end of the 1980s color progressive scan CRT monitors were widely available and increasingly affordable, while the sharpest prosumer monitors could clearly display high-definition video, against the backdrop of efforts at HDTV standardization from the 1970s to the 1980s failing continuously, leaving consumer SDTVs to stagnate increasingly far behind the capabilities of computer CRT monitors well into the 2000s. During the following decade, maximum display resolutions gradually increased and prices continued to fall as CRT technology remained dominant in the PC monitor market into the new millennium, partly because it remained cheaper to produce.

There are multiple technologies that have been used to implement liquid-crystal displays (LCD). Throughout the 1990s, the primary use of LCD technology as computer monitors was in laptops where the lower power consumption, lighter weight, and smaller physical size of LCDs justified the higher price versus a CRT. Commonly, the same laptop would be offered with an assortment of display options at increasing price points: (active or passive) monochrome, passive color, or active matrix color (TFT). As volume and manufacturing capability have improved, the monochrome and passive color technologies were dropped from most product lines.

The first standalone LCDs appeared in the mid-1990s selling for high prices. As prices declined they became more popular, and by 1997 were competing with CRT monitors. Among the first desktop LCD computer monitors was the Eizo FlexScan L66 in the mid-1990s, the SGI 1600SW, Apple Studio Display and the ViewSonic VP140vision science remain dependent on CRTs, the best LCD monitors having achieved moderate temporal accuracy, and so can be used only if their poor spatial accuracy is unimportant.

High dynamic range (HDR)television series, motion pictures and video games transitioning to widescreen, which makes squarer monitors unsuited to display them correctly.

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) monitors provide most of the benefits of both LCD and CRT monitors with few of their drawbacks, though much like plasma panels or very early CRTs they suffer from burn-in, and remain very expensive.

Viewable image size - is usually measured diagonally, but the actual widths and heights are more informative since they are not affected by the aspect ratio in the same way. For CRTs, the viewable size is typically 1 in (25 mm) smaller than the tube itself.

Radius of curvature (for curved monitors) - is the radius that a circle would have if it had the same curvature as the display. This value is typically given in millimeters, but expressed with the letter "R" instead of a unit (for example, a display with "3800R curvature" has a 3800mm radius of curvature.

Display resolution is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed natively. For a given display size, maximum resolution is limited by dot pitch or DPI.

Dot pitch represents the distance between the primary elements of the display, typically averaged across it in nonuniform displays. A related unit is pixel pitch, In LCDs, pixel pitch is the distance between the center of two adjacent pixels. In CRTs, pixel pitch is defined as the distance between subpixels of the same color. Dot pitch is the reciprocal of pixel density.

Pixel density is a measure of how densely packed the pixels on a display are. In LCDs, pixel density is the number of pixels in one linear unit along the display, typically measured in pixels per inch (px/in or ppi).

Contrast ratio is the ratio of the luminosity of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black) that the monitor is capable of producing simultaneously. For example, a ratio of 20,000∶1 means that the brightest shade (white) is 20,000 times brighter than its darkest shade (black). Dynamic contrast ratio is measured with the LCD backlight turned off. ANSI contrast is with both black and white simultaneously adjacent onscreen.

Color depth - measured in bits per primary color or bits for all colors. Those with 10bpc (bits per channel) or more can display more shades of color (approximately 1 billion shades) than traditional 8bpc monitors (approximately 16.8 million shades or colors), and can do so more precisely without having to resort to dithering.

Refresh rate is (in CRTs) the number of times in a second that the display is illuminated (the number of times a second a raster scan is completed). In LCDs it is the number of times the image can be changed per second, expressed in hertz (Hz). Determines the maximum number of frames per second (FPS) a monitor is capable of showing. Maximum refresh rate is limited by response time.

Response time is the time a pixel in a monitor takes to change between two shades. The particular shades depend on the test procedure, which differs between manufacturers. In general, lower numbers mean faster transitions and therefore fewer visible image artifacts such as ghosting. Grey to grey (GtG), measured in milliseconds (ms).

On two-dimensional display devices such as computer monitors the display size or view able image size is the actual amount of screen space that is available to display a picture, video or working space, without obstruction from the bezel or other aspects of the unit"s design. The main measurements for display devices are: width, height, total area and the diagonal.

The size of a display is usually given by manufacturers diagonally, i.e. as the distance between two opposite screen corners. This method of measurement is inherited from the method used for the first generation of CRT television, when picture tubes with circular faces were in common use. Being circular, it was the external diameter of the glass envelope that described their size. Since these circular tubes were used to display rectangular images, the diagonal measurement of the rectangular image was smaller than the diameter of the tube"s face (due to the thickness of the glass). This method continued even when cathode-ray tubes were manufactured as rounded rectangles; it had the advantage of being a single number specifying the size, and was not confusing when the aspect ratio was universally 4:3.

With the introduction of flat panel technology, the diagonal measurement became the actual diagonal of the visible display. This meant that an eighteen-inch LCD had a larger viewable area than an eighteen-inch cathode-ray tube.

Estimation of monitor size by the distance between opposite corners does not take into account the display aspect ratio, so that for example a 16:9 21-inch (53 cm) widescreen display has less area, than a 21-inch (53 cm) 4:3 screen. The 4:3 screen has dimensions of 16.8 in × 12.6 in (43 cm × 32 cm) and area 211 sq in (1,360 cm2), while the widescreen is 18.3 in × 10.3 in (46 cm × 26 cm), 188 sq in (1,210 cm2).

Until about 2003, most computer monitors had a 4:3 aspect ratio and some had 5:4. Between 2003 and 2006, monitors with 16:9 and mostly 16:10 (8:5) aspect ratios became commonly available, first in laptops and later also in standalone monitors. Reasons for this transition included productive uses for such monitors, i.e. besides Field of view in video games and movie viewing, are the word processor display of two standard letter pages side by side, as well as CAD displays of large-size drawings and application menus at the same time.LCD monitors and the same year 16:10 was the mainstream standard for laptops and notebook computers.

In 2010, the computer industry started to move over from 16:10 to 16:9 because 16:9 was chosen to be the standard high-definition television display size, and because they were cheaper to manufacture.

In 2011, non-widescreen displays with 4:3 aspect ratios were only being manufactured in small quantities. According to Samsung, this was because the "Demand for the old "Square monitors" has decreased rapidly over the last couple of years," and "I predict that by the end of 2011, production on all 4:3 or similar panels will be halted due to a lack of demand."

The resolution for computer monitors has increased over time. From 280 × 192 during the late 1970s, to 1024 × 768 during the late 1990s. Since 2009, the most commonly sold resolution for computer monitors is 1920 × 1080, shared with the 1080p of HDTV.2560 × 1600 at 30 in (76 cm), excluding niche professional monitors. By 2015 most major display manufacturers had released 3840 × 2160 (4K UHD) displays, and the first 7680 × 4320 (8K) monitors had begun shipping.

Every RGB monitor has its own color gamut, bounded in chromaticity by a color triangle. Some of these triangles are smaller than the sRGB triangle, some are larger. Colors are typically encoded by 8 bits per primary color. The RGB value [255, 0, 0] represents red, but slightly different colors in different color spaces such as Adobe RGB and sRGB. Displaying sRGB-encoded data on wide-gamut devices can give an unrealistic result.Exif metadata in the picture. As long as the monitor gamut is wider than the color space gamut, correct display is possible, if the monitor is calibrated. A picture which uses colors that are outside the sRGB color space will display on an sRGB color space monitor with limitations.Color management is needed both in electronic publishing (via the Internet for display in browsers) and in desktop publishing targeted to print.

Most modern monitors will switch to a power-saving mode if no video-input signal is received. This allows modern operating systems to turn off a monitor after a specified period of inactivity. This also extends the monitor"s service life. Some monitors will also switch themselves off after a time period on standby.

Monitors that feature an aspect ratio greater than 2:1 (for instance, 21:9 or 32:9, as opposed to the more common 16:9, which resolves to 1.77:1).Monitors with an aspect ratio greater than 3:1 are marketed as super ultrawide monitors. These are typically massive curved screens intended to replace a multi-monitor deployment.

Some displays, especially newer flat panel monitors, replace the traditional anti-glare matte finish with a glossy one. This increases color saturation and sharpness but reflections from lights and windows are more visible. Anti-reflective coatings are sometimes applied to help reduce reflections, although this only partly mitigates the problem.

Most often using nominally flat-panel display technology such as LCD or OLED, a concave rather than convex curve is imparted, reducing geometric distortion, especially in extremely large and wide seamless desktop monitors intended for close viewing range.

Newer monitors are able to display a different image for each eye, often with the help of special glasses and polarizers, giving the perception of depth. An autostereoscopic screen can generate 3D images without headgear.

A combination of a monitor with a graphics tablet. Such devices are typically unresponsive to touch without the use of one or more special tools" pressure. Newer models however are now able to detect touch from any pressure and often have the ability to detect tool tilt and rotation as well.

The option for using the display as a reference monitor; these calibration features can give an advanced color management control for take a near-perfect image.

Raw monitors are raw framed LCD monitors, to install a monitor on a not so common place, ie, on the car door or you need it in the trunk. It is usually paired with a power adapter to have a versatile monitor for home or commercial use.

The Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI), also known as VESA Mounting Interface Standard (MIS) or colloquially as a VESA mount, is a family of standards defined by the Video Electronics Standards Association for mounting flat panel displays to stands or wall mounts.

A fixed rack mount monitor is mounted directly to the rack with the flat-panel or CRT visible at all times. The height of the unit is measured in rack units (RU) and 8U or 9U are most common to fit 17-inch or 19-inch screens. The front sides of the unit are provided with flanges to mount to the rack, providing appropriately spaced holes or slots for the rack mounting screws. A 19-inch diagonal screen is the largest size that will fit within the rails of a 19-inch rack. Larger flat-panels may be accommodated but are "mount-on-rack" and extend forward of the rack. There are smaller display units, typically used in broadcast environments, which fit multiple smaller screens side by side into one rack mount.

A stowable rack mount monitor is 1U, 2U or 3U high and is mounted on rack slides allowing the display to be folded down and the unit slid into the rack for storage as a drawer. The flat display is visible only when pulled out of the rack and deployed. These units may include only a display or may be equipped with a keyboard creating a KVM (Keyboard Video Monitor). Most common are systems with a single LCD but there are systems providing two or three displays in a single rack mount system.

A panel mount computer monitor is intended for mounting into a flat surface with the front of the display unit protruding just slightly. They may also be mounted to the rear of the panel. A flange is provided around the screen, sides, top and bottom, to allow mounting. This contrasts with a rack mount display where the flanges are only on the sides. The flanges will be provided with holes for thru-bolts or may have studs welded to the rear surface to secure the unit in the hole in the panel. Often a gasket is provided to provide a water-tight seal to the panel and the front of the screen will be sealed to the back of the front panel to prevent water and dirt contamination.

An open frame monitor provides the display and enough supporting structure to hold associated electronics and to minimally support the display. Provision will be made for attaching the unit to some external structure for support and protection. Open frame monitors are intended to be built into some other piece of equipment providing its own case. An arcade video game would be a good example with the display mounted inside the cabinet. There is usually an open frame display inside all end-use displays with the end-use display simply providing an attractive protective enclosure. Some rack mount monitor manufacturers will purchase desktop displays, take them apart, and discard the outer plastic parts, keeping the inner open-frame display for inclusion into their product.

According to an NSA document leaked to Der Spiegel, the NSA sometimes swaps the monitor cables on targeted computers with a bugged monitor cable in order to allow the NSA to remotely see what is being displayed on the targeted computer monitor.

Van Eck phreaking is the process of remotely displaying the contents of a CRT or LCD by detecting its electromagnetic emissions. It is named after Dutch computer researcher Wim van Eck, who in 1985 published the first paper on it, including proof of concept. Phreaking more generally is the process of exploiting telephone networks.

Masoud Ghodrati, Adam P. Morris, and Nicholas Seow Chiang Price (2015) The (un)suitability of modern liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for vision research. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:303.

The use of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in user interface assemblies is widespread across nearly all industries, locations, and operating environments. Over the last 20 years, the cost of LCD displays has significantly dropped, allowing for this technology to be incorporated into many of the everyday devices we rely on.

The odds are high you are reading this blog post on a laptop or tablet, and it’s likely the actual screen uses LCD technology to render the image onto a low-profile pane of glass. Reach into your pocket. Yes, that smartphone likely uses LCD technology for the screen. As you enter your car, does your dashboard come alive with a complex user interface? What about the menu at your favorite local drive-thru restaurant? These are some everyday examples of the widespread use of LCD technology.

But did you know that the U.S. military is using LCD displays to improve the ability of our warfighters to interact with their equipment? In hospitals around the world, lifesaving medical devices are monitored and controlled by an LCD touchscreen interface. Maritime GPS and navigation systems provide real-time location, heading, and speed information to captains while on the high seas. It’s clear that people’s lives depend on these devices operating in a range of environments.

As the use of LCDs continues to expand, and larger screen sizes become even less expensive, one inherent flaw of LCDs remains: LCD pixels behave poorly at low temperatures. For some applications, LCD displays will not operate whatsoever at low temperatures. This is important because for mil-aero applications, outdoor consumer products, automobiles, or anywhere the temperature is below freezing, the LCD crystal’s performance will begin to deteriorate. If the LCD display exhibits poor color viewing, sluggish resolution, or even worse, permanently damaged pixels, this will limit the ability to use LCD technologies in frigid environments. To address this, there are several design measures that can be explored to minimize the impact of low temperatures on LCDs.

Most LCD displays utilize pixels known as TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor) Color Liquid Crystals, which are the backbone to the billions of LCD screens in use today. Since the individual pixels utilize a fluid-like crystal material as the ambient temperature is reduced, this fluid will become more viscous compromising performance. For many LCD displays, temperatures below 0°C represent the point where performance degrades.

Have you tried to use your smartphone while skiing or ice fishing? What about those of you living in the northern latitudes - have you accidently left your phone in your car overnight where the temperatures drop well below freezing? You may have noticed a sluggish screen response, poor contrast with certain colors, or even worse permanent damage to your screen. While this is normal, it’s certainly a nuisance. As a design engineer, the goal is to select an LCD technology that offers the best performance at the desired temperature range. If your LCD display is required to operate at temperatures below freezing, review the manufacturer’s data sheets for both the operating and storage temperature ranges. Listed below are two different off-the-shelf LCD displays, each with different temperature ratings. It should be noted that there are limited options for off-the-shelf displays with resilience to extreme low temperatures.

For many military applications, in order to comply with the various mil standards a product must be rated for -30°C operational temperature and -51°C storage temperature. The question remains: how can you operate an LCD display at -30°C if the product is only rated for -20°C operating temperature? The answer is to use a heat source to raise the display temperature to an acceptable range. If there is an adjacent motor or another device that generates heat, this alone may be enough to warm the display. If not, a dedicated low-profile heater is an excellent option to consider.

Made of an etched layer of steel and enveloped in an electrically insulating material, a flat flexible polyimide heater is an excellent option where space and power are limited. These devices behave as resistive heaters and can operate off a wide range of voltages all the way up to 120V. These heaters can also function with both AC and DC power sources. Their heat output is typically characterized by watts per unit area and must be sized to the product specifications. These heaters can also be affixed with a pressure sensitive adhesive on the rear, allowing them to be “glued” to any surface. The flying leads off the heater can be further customized to support any type of custom interconnect. A full-service manufacturing partner like Epec can help develop a custom solution for any LCD application that requires a custom low-profile heater.

With no thermal mass to dissipate the heat, polyimide heaters can reach temperatures in excess of 100°C in less than a few minutes of operation. Incorporating a heater by itself is not enough to manage the low temperature effects on an LCD display. What if the heater is improperly sized and damages the LCD display? What happens if the heater remains on too long and damages other components in your system? Just like the thermostat in your home, it’s important to incorporate a real-temp temperature sensing feedback loop to control the on/off function of the heater.

The first step is to select temperature sensors that can be affixed to the display while being small enough to fit within a restricted envelope. Thermistors, thermocouples, or RTDs are all options to consider since they represent relatively low-cost and high-reliability ways to measure the display’s surface temperature. These types of sensors also provide an electrical output that can be calibrated for the desired temperature range.

The next step is to determine the number of temperature sensors and their approximate location on the display. It’s recommended that a minimum of two temperature sensors be used to control the heater. By using multiple sensors, this provides the circuit redundancy and allows for a weighted average of the temperature measurement to mitigate non-uniform heating. Depending on the temperature sensors location, and the thermal mass of the materials involved, the control loop can be optimized to properly control the on/off function of the heater.

Another important consideration when selecting a temperature sensor is how to mount the individual sensors onto the display. Most LCD displays are designed with a sheet metal backer that serves as an ideal surface to mount the temperature sensors. There are several types of thermally conductive epoxies that provide a robust and cost-effective way to affix the delicate items onto the display. Since there are several types of epoxies to choose from, it’s important to use a compound with the appropriate working life and cure time.

For example, if you are kitting 20 LCD displays and the working life of the thermal epoxy is 8 minutes, you may find yourself struggling to complete the project before the epoxy begins to harden.

Before building any type of prototype LCD heater assembly, it’s important to carefully study the heat transfer of the system. Heat will be generated by the flexible polyimide heater and then will transfer to the LCD display and other parts of the system. Although heat will radiate, convect, and be conducted away from the heater, the primary type of heat transfer will be through conduction. This is important because if your heater is touching a large heat sink (ex. aluminum chassis), this will impact the ability of the heater to warm your LCD display as heat will be drawn toward the heat sink.

Before freezing the design (no pun intended) on any project that requires an LCD display to operate at low temperatures, it’s critical to perform low temperature first. This type of testing usually involves a thermal chamber, a way to operate the system, and a means to measure the temperature vs time. Most thermal chambers provide an access port or other means to snake wires into the chamber without compromising performance. This way, power can be supplied to the heater and display, while data can be captured from the temperature sensors.

The first objective of the low-temperature testing is to determine the actual effects of cold exposure on the LCD display itself. Does the LCD display function at cold? Are certain colors more impacted by the cold than others? How sluggish is the screen? Does the LCD display performance improve once the system is returned to ambient conditions? These are all significant and appropriate questions and nearly impossible to answer without actual testing.

As LCD displays continue to be a critical part of our society, their use will become even more widespread. Costs will continue to decrease with larger and larger screens being launched into production every year. This means there will be more applications that require their operation in extreme environments, including the low-temperature regions of the world. By incorporating design measures to mitigate the effects of cold on LCD displays, they can be used virtually anywhere. But this doesn’t come easy. Engineers must understand the design limitations and ways to address the overarching design challenges.

A full-service manufacturing partner like Epec offers a high-value solution to be able to design, develop, and manufacture systems that push the limits of off-the-shelf hardware like LCD displays. This fact helps lower the effective program cost and decreases the time to market for any high-risk development project.

No endless screens and pages to remember. The encoder is a mil-spec Grayhill optical encoder with a 25yr typical life. And if it ever needs replacing,

With the increased use of technology out in the field, the military has put an emphasis on rugged LCD displays. While on missions in harsh environments, military LCDs need to be built to withstand much more rigorous situations than your average desktop monitor. The factors considered when purchasing a display for the average user is readability, size, and price. For those of whom who need to read an LCD screen on a ship in the middle of the ocean in 100-degree weather, the needs for an LCD display dramatically changes.

One of the most common requests in building a rugged LCD screen is sunlight (daylight) readability. Most of us have had some difficulty while reading our smartphone on a bright day, but adding some shade with a free hand is a serviceable solution. However, if you’re on a critical mission with lives on the line, this may not be an option. In order to ensure readability at all times in the day, an LCD should be tested under all lighting conditions. Direct sunlight, reflections, and artificial lighting can affect a display so much so that it becomes unreadable. Dusk and darkness can be a difficult time to view LCD screens as well so dimming capabilities need to be installed. Since these needs vary so much through the day and into the night, personnel need an easy-to-use on-screen display (OSD) to quickly adjust settings to their needs.

During most missions that involve the Army, Air Force, Navy or other branches of the military, screens are not treated with a whole lot of care. The environment they’re in guarantees that they’ll be unstable, constantly adjusted, and moved from site to site. Because of this, all screens should meet required military standards and be prepared to take a beating.

The military can have a variety of different needs for an LCD during a single mission. This means it needs to be adaptable to as many situations as necessary. Size and weight play a major role as screens may need to be moved to different areas or placed on unorthodox surfaces. Users need to be able to move displays around easily and quickly. A bulky, heavy display will slow down missions and could result in a critical loss in time.

Whether it’s the desert or the mountains, a screen cannot fail due to temperature. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, LCD displays need to meet military standards and be able to operate at temperatures ranging from at least 5°F to 130°F (-15°C to +55°C). Storage temperature is just as important because displays need to be ready to be deployed at all times. Storage temperature of rugged LCD displays should be able to withstand temperatures ranging from -67°F to 185°F (-55°C to +85°C).

For more information on rugged display design, check out Core Systems design and engineering services as well as their full range of rugged LCD displays.

The RADēCO ™ Model H-810DM (Defense Model) is a ruggedized version of the popular H-810AC. The H-810DM is designed to meet a variety of military standards and for use in extreme environments. This microprocessor based unit has our unique aluminum Tough Screen. The Tough Screen has no moving parts or buttons and operates like a touch screen phone only made of 1/4 inch thick aluminum with a polycarbonate display window.

External upgrades to the unit include the upgraded keypad, power cord clamp, mil-spec paint, and the case has an internal support structure to prevent denting if dropped. The display and microprocessor have been upgraded to operate in extreme sub zero temperatures.

Like it’s predecessor, the H-810DM displays current flow rate, sample time and t