advantages of flat panel display screens manufacturer

Flat-Panel Devices are the devices that have less volume, weight, and power consumption compared to Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). Due to the advantages of the Flat-Panel Display, use of CRT decreased. As Flat Panel Devices are light in weights that’s why they can be hang on walls and wear them on our wrist as a watch. Flat Panel Display (FPD) allow users to view data, graphics, text and images.

Non-Emissive Display or Non-Emitters are the devices that use optical effects to convert sunlight or some other source into graphic patterns.Examples: LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

When one hears the term “flat-panel display,” the first thing that may come to mind is a modern 21st-century classroom where a teacher gives lessons on an interactive flipchart to students using smart whiteboards. And this vision would not be wrong. However, this technology is being adopted into many other industries, such as:

In fact, the flat-panel display market is booming. In a recent ResearchAndMarkets.com report, the global market for this technology was valued at $116.80 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $189.60 billion by 2026.

Flat-panel displays are electronic viewing technologies used to enable people to see content (still images, moving images, text, or other visual material) in a range of entertainment, consumer electronics, personal computer, and mobile devices, and many types of medical, transportation and industrial equipment. They are far lighter and thinner than traditional cathode-ray tubes (CRT)  television sets and video displays and are usually less than 10 centimeters (3.9 in.) thick.

The LCD is comprised of millions of liquid pixels (picture elements). The picture quality is described by the number of pixels. For example, the “4K” label indicates that the display contains 3840×2160 or 4096×2160 pixels. Each pixel is made up of three subpixels: red, green, and blue (called RGB for short). When the RGBs in a pixel change color combinations, a different color is produced (e.g., red and green produce yellow). With all the pixels working together, the display can make millions of different colors. And finally, a picture is created when the pixels are rapidly turned off and on.

LED displays are the second most common display technology. In essence, the LED display is an LCD as it uses the same liquid diode technology but uses light-emitting diodes to backlight instead of cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) backlighting.

The “O” in OLED stands for “organic,” as these flat-panel displays are made of organic materials (like carbon, plastic, wood, and polymers) that are used to convert electrical current into light. With OLED technology, each pixel is capable of producing its own illumination. Whereas both LCD and LED technology uses a backlighting system.

PDPs contain an electrically charged gas (plasma) that is housed between two panels of glass. PDPs are known for their vivid colors and have a wider viewing angle. However, one disadvantage with this technology is that it tends to “burn” permanent images onto the viewing area. In addition, when compared to an LCD, the PDP tends to be heavier and thicker because of the two glass panels, and it typically uses more electricity.

EL Technology places electroluminescent material (such as gallium arsenide or GaAs) between two conductive layers. When an electric current is introduced to the layers, the electroluminescent material lights up, thus creating a pixel. EL displays are most typically used for instrumentation for rugged military, transportation, and industrial applications.

In today’s world, interactivity is king. Devices like mobile phones and tablets are everywhere, and people are looking for similar experiences in their workplace and as they go about their daily lives. As a result, multi-video walls, kiosks, and interactive flat-panel displays are cropping up in almost any place you can think of.

Automobile dealerships are installing interactive flat-panel displays that allow shoppers to view their line-up of cars. These panels have touchscreen features that enable customers to view a vehicle from all angles and even zoom in on different parts. With this technology, buyers can order a fully customized car by choosing the upholstery, trim, accessories, and even some of the engine features of their new car.

Doctors have many non-invasive diagnostic tools in their toolkits—things like x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasound, PET, etc. These days, new techniques have been developed that combine multiple scans into 3D renderings. These images require high-quality (medical-grade) flat-panel displays that provide the highest resolution possible. And because these displays are in constant use, they must be durable and long-lived. LCDs with edge-lit LED backlights are currently the industry standard with about 93 percent penetration.

One of the best weapons in peace and war is information. The Pentagon is placing flat-panel displays on almost every surface they can think of—war rooms, control rooms, ships, planes, trucks, and even helmets, rifle sights, and radios. The displays used by the military must be:

Brick and mortar retail stores’ biggest competition is e-commerce sites. Interactive flat-panel displays combine in-store and online selling with the use of self-service kiosks. Salespeople are using these kiosks to personalize customer service and enhance their product availability beyond what they stock in the store. This technology can also help retailers customize their products for their customers and are particularly helpful to boutiques and luxury retailers.

As we have demonstrated, there are many uses for flat-panel displays in a multitude of sectors.  Flat-panel displays produce high-quality images, are stylish, consume less power, and give a maximum image in a minimum space. Best of all, they disperse information and help make our lives easier and safer.

Versa Technology’s objective is to keep our customers fully informed about a broad array of communication and networking technologies. We sincerely hope you found this article informative. Versa has over 25 years of experience in networking solutions. To learn more about our products and services, please visit ourhomepage.

A flat–panel display is a type of display device that uses thin, flat, electronic technologies to create images. They are found in a variety of devices, including televisions, computers, mobile phones, and tablets. Flat-panel displays have many advantages over traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, including lower power consumption, thinner form factors, and better image quality.

Flat-panel displays have many advantages over their older counterparts, cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors. They are thinner, lighter and consume far less power. They also offer a much wider viewing angle and generally provide a sharper, more vibrant image.One of the biggest advantages of flat–panel displays is their size. They are significantly thinner and lighter than CRT monitors, making them much easier to transport and install. This also means that they take up far less space, which is ideal for use in small offices or homes.Flat-panel displays also consume far less power than CRTs. This is due to the fact that they do not require the high-voltage electron beams that are used in CRTs. This reduced power consumption not only saves money, but also helps to reduce the strain on the environment.Another advantage of flat–panel displays is their viewing angle. CRTs have a very narrow viewing angle, which can make it difficult to see the screen from certain angles. Flat-panel displays, on the other hand, have a much wider viewing angle, making them much easier to use.Finally, flat–panel displays generally provide a sharper, more vibrant image than CRTs. This is due to the fact that they use a technology called active matrix, which allows each pixel to be controlled independently. This results in a much higher level of image quality.

It is a well-known fact that flat–panel displays have a number of advantages over their older CRT counterparts. However, there are also some disadvantages that should be considered before making a purchase.One of the biggest disadvantages of flat–panel displays is their cost. While prices have come down considerably in recent years, they still tend to be more expensive than CRTs. This is particularly true of larger displays.Another downside of flat–panel displays is that they can be more difficult to view in brightly lit rooms. This is because they tend to reflect more light than CRTs. If you plan to use your display in a room with lots of windows or overhead lighting, you may want to consider a CRT.Finally, flat–panel displays tend to have shorter lifespans than CRTs. This is due to the fact that they contain a number of delicate parts, such as the backlight. If one of these parts fails, it can be very expensive to repair or replace the display.

A flat–panel display is a type of display device that uses a thin, flat piece of electric crystal to show images. They are typically used in devices such as computers, cell phones, televisions and portable media players. Flat-panel displays can be made in different ways, using various technologies. The most common types of flat–panel displays are liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diode displays (LEDs) and plasma displays. LCD flat–panel displays work by placing a layer of liquid crystal between two polarized sheets of glass. The liquid crystals are arranged in a pattern that allows them to twist and turn when electric current is applied. This twisting and turning allows the crystals to block or pass light, which is used to create the images on the screen. LCDs are the most common type of flat–panel display, and are used in a variety of devices, including computers, televisions, and cell phones.LED flat–panel displays work in a similar way to LCDs, but use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of liquid crystals. LEDs are small, electrically charged devices that emit light when electric current is passed through them. The LEDs are arranged in a pattern on the flat–panel display, and can be used to create images in the same way as liquid crystals in LCDs. LED displays are becoming increasingly common, as they offer a number of advantages over LCDs, including better power efficiency and brighter images.Plasma flat–panel displays work by using a gas that is electrically charged to create images on the screen. The gas is contained in small cells between two pieces of glass. When electric current is applied, the gas is ionized and creates ultraviolet light. This ultraviolet light then excites phosphors on the inside of the cells, which emit visible light to create the images on the screen. Plasma displays are typically used in larger devices, such as televisions, and offer a number of advantages over LCDs and LEDs, including better image quality and wider viewing angles.

Flat-panel displays are thinner and lighter than traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions and computer monitors. They use less electricity, which not only saves you money on your energy bill, but also helps reduce your carbon footprint. And because they don’t have any moving parts, they’re less likely to break.There are two main types of flat–panel displays: liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma displays. LCDs are found in most laptops, desktop monitors, and televisions. Plasma displays are typically found in larger televisions.Here’s a quick comparison of the two types of displays:LCD Displays• Thinner and lighter than CRTs• Use less electricity• No moving parts• Available in a wide range of sizes• Can be difficult to read in direct sunlightPlasma Displays• Thinner and lighter than CRTs• Use less electricity• No moving parts• Available in larger sizes• Better for watching movies and playing video games• Can be difficult to read in direct sunlight

The first engineering proposal for a flat-panel TV was by General Electric as a result of its work on radar monitors. Their publication of their findings gave all the basics of future flat-panel TVs and monitors. But GE did not continue with the R&D required and never built a working flat panel at that time.[1] The first production flat-panel display was the Aiken tube, developed in the early 1950s and produced in limited numbers in 1958. This saw some use in military systems as a heads up display, but conventional technologies overtook its development. Attempts to commercialize the system for home television use ran into continued problems and the system was never released commercially.[2] The Philco Predicta featured a relatively flat (for its day) cathode ray tube setup and would be the first commercially released "flat panel" upon its launch in 1958; the Predicta was a commercial failure. The plasma display panel was invented in 1964 at the University of Illinois, according to The History of Plasma Display Panels.[3] The first active-matrix addressed display was made by T Peter Brody"s Thin-Film Devices department at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1968.[4] In 1977, James P Mitchell prototyped and later demonstrated what was perhaps the earliest monochromatic flat panel LED television display LED Display. (As of 2012), 50% of global market share in flat-panel display (FPD) production is by Taiwanese manufacturers such as AU Optronics and Chimei Innolux Corporation.

Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are lightweight, compact, portable, cheap, more reliable, and easier on the eyes than cathode ray tube screens. LCD screens use a thin layer of liquid crystal, a liquid that exhibits crystalline properties. It is sandwiched between two electrically conducting plates. The top plate has transparent electrodes deposited on it, and the back plate is illuminated so that the viewer can see the images on the screen. By applying controlled electrical signals across the plates, various segments of the liquid crystal can be activated, causing changes in their light diffusing or polarizing properties. These segments can either transmit or block light. An image is produced by passing light through selected segments of the liquid crystal to the viewer. They are used in various electronics like watches, calculators, and notebook computers.

Some LCD screens are backlit with a number of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are two-lead semiconductor light source that resembles a basic "pn-junction" diode, except that an LED also emits light. This form of LCD (liquid crystal display) is the most prevalent in the 2010s. The image is still generated by the LCD.

A plasma display consists of two glass plates separated by a thin gap filled with a gas such as neon. Each of these plates has several parallel electrodes running across it. The electrodes on the two plates are at right angles to each other. A voltage applied between the two electrodes one on each plate causes a small segment of gas at the two electrodes to glow. The glow of gas segments is maintained by a lower voltage that is continuously applied to all electrodes. In the 2010s, plasma displays have been discontinued by numerous manufacturers.

An OLED (organic light-emitting diode) is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound which emits light in response to an electric current. This layer of organic semiconductor is situated between two electrodes; typically, at least one of these electrodes is transparent. OLEDs are used to create digital displays in devices such as television screens, computer monitors, portable systems such as mobile phones, handheld game consoles and PDAs. A major area of research is the development of white OLED devices for use in solid-state lighting applications.[1][2][3]

QLED- QLED or Quantum Dot LED is a flat panel display technology introduced by Samsung under this trademark. Other television set manufacturers such as Sony have used the same technology to enhance the backlighting of LCD Television already in 2013.[5][6] Quantum dots create their own unique light when illuminated by a light source of shorter wavelength such as blue LEDs. This type of LED TV introduced by Samsung enhances the color gamut of LCD panels, where the image is still generated by the LCD. In the view of Samsung, quantum dot displays for large-screen TVs are expected to become more popular than the OLED displays in the coming years; they are so far rare, but seem potentially on the cusp of more widespread consumer take-up, with firms like Nanoco and Nanosys competing to provide the QD materials. In the meantime Samsung Galaxy devices such as smartphones are still equipped with OLED displays manufactured by Samsung as well. Samsung explain on their website that the QLED TV they produce can determine what part of the display needs more or less contrast. Samsung also announced a partnership with Microsoft that will promote the new Samsung QLED TV.

Volatile displays require that pixels be periodically refreshed to retain their state, even for a static image. As such, a volatile screen needs electrical power, either from mains electricity (being plugged into a wall socket) or a battery to maintain an image on the display or change the image. This refresh typically occurs many times a second. If this is not done, for example, if there is a power outage, the pixels will gradually lose their coherent state, and the image will "fade" from the screen.

Amazon"s Kindle Keyboard e-reader displaying a page of an e-book. The Kindle"s image of the book"s text will remain onscreen even if the battery runs out, as it is a static screen technology. Without power, however, the user cannot change to a new page. https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?curid=1075027

Static flat-panel displays rely on materials whose color states are bistable. This means that the image they hold requires no energy to maintain, but instead requires energy to change. This results in a much more energy-efficient display, but with a tendency towards slow refresh rates which are undesirable in an interactive display. Bistable flat-panel displays are beginning deployment in limited applications (Cholesteric displays, manufactured by Magink, in outdoor advertising; electrophoretic displays in e-book reader devices from Sony and iRex; anlabels).

The age of the CRT (cathode ray tube) display is well and truly over. Although some people are rediscovering how great CRTs can be, the vast majority of displays today are flat panels. However, just because modern screens have more or less the same appearance, doesn’t mean that they’re the same under the hood.

There are multiple flat panel display technologies to be found all around you. The specific type of technology in your flat screen display influences everything from how the image is reproduced to what the display costs.

We’ll be looking at the most important current and upcoming panel technologies and the pros and cons of each. Armed with this information, you can make an informed decision the next time you have to purchase a television or monitor.

TN panels are the most basic form of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The name refers to the basic principle of how all LCDs work. A special liquid crystal material twists into alignment or out of alignment based on an electrical current. In this way these displays can reproduce full-color images by varying the amount of red, green or blue light passing through each pixel.

Modern TN panels are much better than those early models that really made you regret switching from CRT, but these days general audiences would be happy with a typical mainstream TN screen.

There are two main advantages to choosing a TN screen. The first is a fast response time. That’s a measurement of how long it takes for the display to change from one state to the next. Slow response times can lead to blurry images and ghosting. This is why competitive gamers tend to favor TN panels, since it’s not uncommon to find ones with a response time under a millisecond.

The second major advantage of TN panels is price. With all other things being equal, TN screens are almost always less expensive than other technologies.

Unfortunately, there are problems. They have relatively poor viewing angles, can appear washed out and don’t reproduce vibrant, accurate colors. What’s worse, IPS displays (which we’ll discuss next) can now reach similar response times without compromising on image quality.

IPS technology was one of the new LCD approaches developed specifically to address the major weaknesses in TN technology. IPS displays offer accurate color reproduction, vibrant colors and fantastic viewing angles.

IPS technology has also essentially eroded the response time advantage of TN screens, but that depends on the specific model. Be sure to check the response time specification on any IPS screen you’re interested in.

One area where IPS screens fall a little short compared to TN panels is in the reproduction of blacks. However, poor black reproduction is a problem all LCD technologies share. It’s an issue that’s being improved across the board.

IPS monitors are generally the best option for anyone who works in video editing, photo editing, design and other professions where color accuracy is important. Although you do still have to calibrate your IPS display to really nail the right settings.

IPS screens are also suitable for gamers, especially those who don’t care for refresh rates above 60Hz. While high refresh rate IPS screens do exist, they carry a stiff price premium compared to equally speedy TN panels. Overall, when it comes to computer monitors, IPS displays are the best choice for most users.

VA panels put the liquid crystals that all LCDs use into a different orientation. That is, they are aligned vertically relative to the glass of the display when a current is applied. This changes what happens to light as it passes through the display compared to the TN and IPS approaches.

One of the most important advantages of VA panels is the fact that they produce the best black levels among LCD displays. This flat panel display design also offers much wider viewing angles than either TN or IPS.

This is why VA panels are often used in televisions, rather than computer monitors. Computer users generally work solo and view the screen from the optimal central viewing position. Televisions are watched by groups of people, with some looking at the screen from an off-axis position. VA panels minimize color shift and other distortions for those viewers sitting far to the left or right of the screen.

MVA flat panel display technology was developed as a middle-ground between TN and IPS displays. With the improvements of both TN and IPS, the need for this compromise is lessened, but modern MVA technology has its place in the form of “Advanced” and “Super” MVA technology.

OLED or Organic Light-Emitting Diodedisplays use a completely different principle than LCDs. They consist of pixels that contain organic chemicals which produce light. LCDs use a backlight through the panel to make the display visible. This makes it hard for LCDs to produce true black, since there’s always light shining through the panel. OLEDs achieve perfect black levels by simply switching off those pixels.

Premium smartphones and high-end TVs make use of OLED flat panel display technology. It’s superior to LCD technology in almost every way, apart from a higher tendency to suffer “burn-in”, where an image is retained on the screen. Oled can also be made incredibly thin, making for stylish wall-mounted TVs or ones that are easily hidden when not in use.

That being said, LCD manufacturers have been making improvements to their technology to bring it closer to what OLED can do, at a much lower price. Samsung’s cheekily-named QLED televisions is one example of this.

Mini LED flat panels are just standard LCD panels which can be of any type. The difference comes from the backlight technology. At first, LCDs were backlit with fluorescent tube lights, which produced uneven brightness and various other problems. Then LED backlights, dotted around the edges of the screen dramatically improved the situation. Today higher-end TVs use “local dimming” where numerous LEDs are placed behind the panel across its surface.

For example, a TV might have 12 dimming zones, which allows for better representation of true black thanks to precisely controlled brightness in each zone.

Mini LEDs are many times smaller than those existing LED arrays, making it possible to put hundreds and perhaps thousands of local dimming zones in a TV. They promise to approach the visual prowess of OLEDs but at a much more affordable price. Especially for the larger displays.

Finally, we have microLED flat panel display technology. You can’t buy a display using this technology yet, but it probably won’t be long. If you thought mini LEDs were small, hold on to your hat. microLEDs are so small that they can be used as pixels themselves. That’s right, a microLED display doesn’t have an LCD panel. You’re looking at millions of microscopic lights.

This technology promises superior image quality to OLED displays, without the decay organic compounds suffer over time. If you want to know more, check out OLED vs MicroLED: Should You Wait? for an in-depth breakdown.

Which flat panel display technology do you think offers the best overall experience? Do you care mainly about cost or performance? Are there other display technologies you think should be included in this list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

The global flat panel display market was valued at $116.80 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $189.60 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 6.10% from 2019 to 2026. Flat panel display is electronics viewing technology that projects information such as images, videos, texts, or other visual material. Flat panel displays are far lighter and thinner than traditional Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) television sets. These display screens utilize numerous technologies such as Light-Emitting Diode (LED), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED), and others. Also, it is mostly used in consumer electronic devices such as TV, laptops, tablets, laptops, smart watches, and others.

The emergence of advanced technologies offers enhanced visualizations in several industry verticals, which include consumer electronics, retail, sports & entertainment, transportation, and others. Also, flexible flat panel display technologies witness popularity at a high pace. In addition, display technologies, such OLED, have gained increased importance in products such as televisions, smart wearables, smartphones, and other devices. Moreover, smartphone manufacturers plan to incorporate flexible OLED displays to attract consumers. Furthermore, the flat panel display market is also in the process of producing energy saving devices, primarily in wearable devices.

The major factors that drive the flat panel display market include growth in vehicle display technology in the automotive sector, increase in demand for OLED display devices in smartphones and tablets, and rise in adoption of interactive touch-based devices in the education sector. However, high cost of latest display technologies such as transparent display and quantum dot displays, and stagnant growth of desktop PCs, notebooks, and tablets hinder the flat panel display market growth. Furthermore, upcoming applications in flexible flat panel display devices are expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the global flat panel display market.

The flat panel display market is segmented into technology, application, industry vertical, and region. By technology, it is classified into OLED, quantum dots, LED, LCD, and others. By application, it is categorized into smartphone & tablet, smart wearables, television & digital signage, PC & laptop, vehicle display, and others. By industry vertical, it is divided into healthcare, retail, BFSI, military & defense, automotive, and others. Region-wise, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

The significant impacting factors in the global flat panel display industry include high demand for vehicle display technology in the 0automotive sector, Increase in demand for OLED display devices in smartphones and tablets, Rise in adoption of interactive touch-based devices in education sector, high cost of new display technologies, stagnant growth of desktop PCs, notebook, and tablets, surge in adoption of flexible flat panel display. Each of these factors is anticipated to have a definite impact on the flat panel display market size during the forecast period.

Display devices nowadays have also been integrated in the automotive industry. For instance, looking at this opportunity, LG display announced that it is expected to start the manufacturing of a head-up display system for the automotive industry. The vehicle display device produced by LG is a transparent flexible display, which can be rolled around. The heads-up display can be utilized in several ways and has different functions for an enhanced driving experience. The vehicle display includes automotive components such as co-driver display, head-up display, center information display, rear seat entertainment, and others. OLED displays is the most preferred display technology among the major automotive players.

Organic LEDs are emerging type of display technology. This technology removes the need of separate backlighting. The display panels based on this technology are thinner than other technologies that are integrated in display devices. This technology is widely used in smartphones which boast OLED screen and are rapidly becoming more prevalent. Major player like Apple, Oppo, Vivo, LG, and Xiaomi also stared using OLED displays from last few years. In addition, when in low light ambient conditions at room, an OLED can achieve higher contrast ratio than other technology.

In recent years, the number of devices with touch sensors has risen exponentially as touch-based devices are easier to access. The touch-based devices require a display panel to operate which, in turn, helps in the growth of display devices. The demand for interactive displays in schools, institutions, and universities has increased around the world. These displays are useful for learning and teaching purposes such as efficient interaction in classrooms, student accomplishments, and overall productivity. Interactive display offers numerous advantages such as increased level of engagement between students and teachers, allowing students with physical disability learn better, bring flexibility in learning, saves teaching cost, and allows students to save lessons for further review. Also, interactive flat panel display allows teachers to share text, video, and audio files with students easily.

The latest display technologies such as transparent display and quantum dot displays are relatively high in cost due to its complex design. Hence, most of the latest display technologies are integrated in premium devices, which are not affordable. This factor is expected to restrict the flat panel display market growth.

The current flat panel display market is focused on developing new technologies and products primarily for large-sized displays and high-resolution images. The flat panel display market in future is expected to concentrate on flexible displays. Flexible displays are thin, light, and less prone to breakage compared to conventional displays. Therefore, flexible displays are expected to replace current display devices as well as create new ones. These factors are expected to create lucrative flat panel display market opportunities globally.

Key Benefits for Flat Panel Display Market:This study comprises an analytical depiction of the global flat panel display market share with current trends and future estimations to depict the imminent investment pockets.

Key Market Players AU OPTRONICS CORP., CRYSTAL DISPLAY SYSTEMS LTD, E INK HOLDINGS INC, JAPAN DISPLAY INC., LG DISPLAY, NEC CORPORATION, PANASONIC CORPORATION, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD., SONY CORPORATION, SHARP CORPORATION

Responsible for performing installations and repairs (motors, starters, fuses, electrical power to machine etc.) for industrial equipment and machines in order to support the achievement of Nelson-Miller’s business goals and objectives:

• Provide electrical emergency/unscheduled diagnostics, repairs of production equipment during production and performs scheduled electrical maintenance repairs of production equipment during machine service.

It looks like a grapefruit half with a laptop computer screen floating above it, but Apple"s latest incarnation of the popular iMac is more than a design gimmick. It"s an indication that bulky monitors are on the way out.

With the release of the new iMac, Apple is the first major manufacturer to abandon the traditional cathode-ray tube entirely. And the iMac is the first mass-market computer that comes with a flat panel screen as standard equipment.

Although it accounts for only 5 percent of the market, Apple has always been a style-setter, and makers of Intel-based PCs are likely to get the message - that flat is phat.

Flat panel monitors certainly look good - at first glance. They"re only an inch or two thick, so they occupy a fraction of the space of standard monitor. They exude a sleek aura of high-tech hip, and many users love their sharp images. Most importantly, they"re finally affordable .

Traditional monitors use cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), much like those in TV sets. They produce images by passing a beam of electrons over miniscule dots of red, blue and green phosphor that coat the front of the screen. After 70 years of development, manufacturers have learned how to make good, cheap CRTs. An acceptable 17-inch monitor costs as little as $200, a great one is $350. The major knock on the CRT is the depth of the picture tube, which makes monitors ungainly space hogs.

Flat planel monitors use the type of liquid crystal display (LCD) found in laptop computers. They sandwich a thin layer of liquid crystals between layers of polarizing filters and special conductive glass to create an electrical grid with millions of tiny transistors that can be switched on and off to allow pinpoints of light from thin fluorescent tubes to pass through.

Because they don"t use an electron gun that requires distance to project its beam, LCDs only have to be thick enough to house a few layers of glass. And they use only a trickle of electricity.

Unfortunately, liquid crystal displays are far more difficult and expensive to manufacture than CRTs. This is particularly true in larger sizes, because their complex circuitry has to be very close to perfect.

As little as 18 months ago, a 15-inch destop LCD monitor cost more than $1,000, and larger displays cost two to three times that much. Even then, all but the best LCD screens lacked the brilliance, refresh speed and color fidelity of cheaper CRTs. But as technology improved and new factories that could produce larger screens came online in Korea and Taiwan, the price of flat panels tumbled while quality increased.

Flat panel displays are still more expensive than CRTs, but the gap is shrinking. You can find a 15-inch LCD monitor for as little as $350 today, although better models are still $500 to $600. Even before Apple"s announcement, Gateway was selling a system with a 15-inch flat screen for $999.

According to International Data Corp., 15 percent of the monitors sold last year were LCDs, and IDC predicts it will jump to 23 percent this year. Some analysts expect prices to rise slightly as demand catches up with a temporary oversupply, but all expect flat panels to increase market share.

Does this mean a flat panel screen is right for you? If saving space is your primary consideration and you"re willing to pay a couple of hundred dollars extra, the answer is yes. Otherwise, consider the pros and cons.

First, you"ll have to settle for a somewhat smaller screen with an LCD. Today"s most popular tube-based monitors measure 17 inches diagonally, compared to 15 inches for affordable LCDs. But the viewable area of a 17-inch tube is only 16 inches in most cases, while flat panels use the whole screen. That diminishes the difference. However, if you want a larger monitor for desktop publishing, photography or aging eyes (19-inch CRTs are increasingly popular), you"ll need a truckload of money for a bigger flat panel.

Second, unless you buy a premium flat panel screen, the display won"t be as bright as a CRT, and the image will fade slightly when viewed from an angle. Flat panels are less likely to flicker the way some tubes do under fluorescent light, but they aren"t as fast at refreshing the screen. This makes them less attractive for gamers who crave action.

A crisp display of text and images is one of the LCD"s major selling points. This is largely a matter of taste - some people appreciate it, while others find that the LCD"s crisp dot definition produces text that seems jagged.

A problem I"ve found is that LCD screens are designed to work best at a particular resolution - typically 1,024 by 768 pixels on a 15-inch monitor. This produces text and icons that are too small for my middle-aged eyes. Changing the display to a lower resolution, such as 800 by 600 pixels, produces noticeable fuzzing of text on most LCDs I"ve tried.

The lesson here is to shop carefully before you choose a monitor, and give each a tryout with the kind of software you"ll be using. A flat-panel screen can be a great buy if it works well in your environment. Make sure it"s right for you.

The company reported few complaints about speed on the new system, which replaced a backbone supplied by bankrupt Excite@home. We haven"t heard any gripes either, which is almost unheard of. It did take a call to tech support to get the new service working in our house, but we"re unusual because we have three computers hooked to the system. For most, the change was transparent.

Comcast users in Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties are still using their old @home e-mail addresses, which have to be replaced by Feb. 28, when Excite@home ceases operation. Comcast officials haven"t set a date for the e-mail switchover.

New Way Air Bearings has long been a friend to high precision industries, namely semiconductor manufacturing, flat panel display production and the associated quality processes which they necessitate. Today we want to focus on an adjacent industry which stands to reap immense gains from the benefits of Frictionless Motion®️: LCD production. Butwhat does LCD stand for, why is this industry important, and how do air bearings factor into the equation? Keep reading to find out.

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display, which is a variety of flat panel displays used in everything from microwaves to watches to high-resolution screens. They are thinner, lighter, and draw far less power than over varieties of screen, making them ideal for consumer electronics. Depending on the level of complexity required, these displays can be simple black-and-white and need a backlight, or offer full color and high definition.

Liquid crystal displays use the properties of electrically sensitive liquid crystals to generate images.As current is applied, the crystals align relative to the field, blocking or allowing light to pass through. For the most complex displays, this light then pases through tiny filtered squares of the screen colored blue, green or red. These are the pixels which we commonly understand to be the basic units of screen resolution. Taken in aggregate, the current applied across the screen in a defined pattern produces the resulting image.

The LCD market is not a small one, with avaluationof approximately 164 billion dollars in 2020, and an expected growth to 223 billion by 2026. Along with the rest of the electronics industry, LCD production is susceptible to the supply chain instabilities which are currently engulfing many high tech industries. These bottlenecks can take the form of external factors like raw material shortages or shipping delays, as well as internal considerations such as process inefficiencies, material defects and quality rejections.

Cleanroom compliance is of the utmost importance in manufacturing LCDs. If you can’t meet cleanroom standards for particulates per cubic meter, almost all of your other process metrics are meaningless. ISO 9001 defines the standards for cleanroom compliance, from ISO 9 which permits 35,200,000 particles of 0.5