lcd panel taking advantage of fluorescent lamp manufacturer

The main functionality of the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is to perform the initial hardware checks after the computer is powered on and start up the operating system.

Which of the acronyms listed below refers to a series of basic hardware diagnostic tests performed by the startup BIOS after the computer is powered on?

After replacing a modular hardware component inside computer case, the updated information about specific parameters of the new device can be stored in: (Select 2 answers)

After completing the initial diagnostics and assigning system resources, the startup BIOS program checks for information about secondary storage devices that might contain the OS. The list of devices and the order in which they should be checked can be found and arranged in the CMOS setup utility, and this option is commonly referred to as:

After launching Windows Virtual PC application technician receives error message stating that the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization (HAV) feature is not enabled on the computer. Which of the following steps might help in fixing this problem?

It is imperative to discuss the importance of checking for grounding of electrical appliances and other equipment. The nurse should provide examples of comm...

The purposed network architecture will consist of four deployable tough boxed server stack’s which will contain two Dell 1130 1U Rugged Dart Frogs server bla...

The fact that the electrical grid provides employees access to stay associated with one another, regardless of their location in the world, is an incredible ...

Edison originated the first electric grid and ever since, the electric grid has been rapidly expanding, spreading to millions of cities across the globe. Not...

The advance in technology implies incrementation in the number of devices, machines as well as systems which, require electrical energy to operate. Therefore,

2. If the LCD screen changes colors, like turning green and then blue or red, it is likely that you have a cable problem. First check the monitor cable whether it is loose. Then try to twist the monitor and see if there is any problem. If the problem occurs, it may be necessary to replace the LCD monitor cable.

3. You need more brightness when a projector is used in environment where there is plenty of light in the room. Higher lumens provide more brightness, but more expensive.

4. TFT LCDs, also known as "active matrix", were developed as a variant of LCD. TFT LCDs improved the color, contrast and response times of passive matrix LCDs. FT LCD stands for "Thin Film Transistor" and "Liquid Crystal Display".

5. The two most common types of TFT LCDs are IPS TFT LCD and TN TFT LCD. TN generally has a faster response time, which provides better entertainment experiences for watching sports or gaming, but IPS was designed to solve TN display flaws, such as a poor viewing angle and low-quality color reproduction.

6. LCD display can"t be viewed by itself. It requires back lighting, just like your digital watch requires a back light to view the time. At present, there are two main methods of backlighting in LCD flat-panels: Cold-Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) and LED (light-emitting diode). LCD with CCFL back lighting were widely used in TVs and computer monitors. However, they are becoming obsolete these days. LCD with LED back lighting is widely used in TVs and computer monitors. Now a days. LED back lighting is most popular as it requires less power, and lasts longer. Note that the back lighting technologies should not be confused with LCD display technologies. The popular term LED TV is a bit misleading as it is actually an LCD TV, but with LED back lighting instead of CCFL.

7. Plasma display is entirely a different technology when compared with LCD. In plasma display each pixel on the screen is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma or charged gas, somewhat like a tiny neon light. Plasma displays offer high refresh times, better viewing angles and color schemes when compared with LCD displays. However, they consume more power, and bulkier.

1. TN (Twisted Nematic):The advantages of these panels are low manufacturing cost and a relatively high level of responsiveness; the pixels change their state quickly which helps make moving images appear smoother. Some Twisted Nematic displays have double the usual refresh rate (120Hz instead of 60Hz) allowing them to take advantage of "active 3D shutter" technologies and allowing them to display twice as much information every second for a smoother gaming experience. Even 144Hz refresh rates have become possible using this technology.

2. VA panels (Vertical Alignment panels):These panels are more like TN panels, the main advantage is its efficiency at blocking light from the backlight when it"s not wanted. This gives deeper blacks and higher contrast ratios of around 2000:1 - 5000:1 Another key advantage of VA is the improved viewing angles and colour reproduction compared to TN. The main disadvantage is its slow responsiveness.

3. IPS and PLS: IPS is short for In-Plane Switching is a technology developed chiefly by LG Display, PLS (Plane to Line Switching) technology by Samsung and AHVA by AUO. These are sometimes simply referred to collectively as "IPS-type" panels. The main advantage is their superior colour accuracy, consistency and viewing angles when compared to the other LCD technologies. Usually, you can get contrast ratios of 1:1000 on these panels.

LED fluorescent lamp is the newest product line in the fluorescent family and is considered to be the final replacement for traditional fluorescent lamp. It is made up of white LED chip modules. Provided with the advantages of long life-span, radiation-free, energy saving, environmental friendly and stroboflash-free, LED fluorescent lamp is superior to other kinds of lamps.

Besides, the installation of LED fluorescent lamp is quite easy. Just to replace the original fluorescent lamp with the new LED one, and to take out the starter. What’s more, the electricity saving efficiency can reach as high as 50% compared to ordinary fluorescent lamp and the life span is more than 10 times than that of ordinary one, almost totally free of maintenance. LED fluorescent lamp is adaptive to be used in offices, factories, marketplaces, schools and houses and so on indoor spaces.

Traditional fluorescent lamp contains large amount of mercury vapor which will do harm to the environment if the lamp is broken up and the vapor volatilize into the atmosphere. On the contrary, LED fluorescent lamp does not contain mercury or lead, doing no harm to the environment. So, LED products are recognized to be the green lighting lamps in the 21st century.

Compared to traditional lamps which will generate a large amount of heat, LED lamps can directly make electric energy into light energy, causing less heat and no waste of the energy.

LED lamp will not produce any noise, enabling it to be a good choice for illumination application in high precision electrical instrument. It is also fit to be used in occasions like libraries, offices and so on.

Traditional fluorescent lamp uses alternating current, which will generate 100-120 times of stroboflash per second. As to LED fluorescent lamp, it can directly switch the alternating current into direct current, without causing any flickering, helpful to protect the eyes.

Traditional lamps will generate ultraviolet radiation, thus will attract mosquitoes to fly around the lamps. LED lamp doesn’t have this disadvantage, thus the indoor space will become cleaner.

Traditional fluorescent lamp should recur to rectifier to release high voltage to get brighten up. If the voltage fell, the lamp will went out. However, LED lamps can be lighted within a certain voltage range (80V-245V) and its brightness can be adjusted.

The power consumption for LED fluorescent lamp is lower than 1/3 of the traditional lamp’s consumption, and the life span for it is 10 times longer than that of traditional one. So there is no need to change the lamp for a long period of time, reducing the manpower and other costs.

LED lamp body is made by epoxy resin instead of glasses like other traditional lamps. So it is more rigid and safe. Even if falling to the floor, LED lamp will not be broken easily. Users can set their heart at rest when using LED lamps.

LCD Lighting manufactures miniature backlight lamps (CCFL) for liquid crystal displays (LCD) in laptop computer screens. Most computer screens are lit with built-in fluorescent tubes above, beside and sometimes behind the LCD. A white diffusion panel behind the LCD redirects and scatters the light evenly to ensure a uniform display, which is known as a backlight.

In general, miniature lamps are multi-bend in shape and are 2mm to 18mm in outside diameter (O.D.). LCD Lighting miniature lamps can replace multiple lamp designs with more efficient, single-lamp systems. These single-lamp systems provide a number of important benefits, including simplified wiring harnesses, reduced power requirements and enhanced durability.

LCDL can work with OEMs to make connections for their specific applications. Please visit or Lamp Sub-Assembly page for more information about our value-added solutions.

In order to access the backlight lamp leads, the rubber caps from both side of the lamp need to be removed. Wear rubber gloves to avoid touching the backlight lamp with bare fingers.

When it comes todisplay technologies such asprojectorsand panels, factors such as resolution and refresh rate are often discussed. But the underlying technology is equally, if not more, important. There are tons of different types of screens, from OLED and LED to TN, VA, and IPS. Learn about the various monitor and television types, from operation to pros and cons!

The most common form of monitor or TV on the market is LCD or Liquid Crystal Display. As the name suggests, LCDs use liquid crystals that alter the light to generate a specific colour. So some form of backlighting is necessary. Often, it’s LED lighting. But there are multiple forms of backlighting.

LCDs have utilized CCFLs or cold cathode fluorescent lamps. An LCD panel lit with CCFL backlighting benefits from extremely uniform illumination for a pretty even level of brightness across the entire screen. However, this comes at the expense of picture quality. Unlike an LED TV, cold cathode fluorescent lamp LCD monitors lack dimming capabilities. Since the brightness level is even throughout the entire array, a darker portion of scenes might look overly lit or washed out. While that might not be as obvious in a room filled with ambient light, under ideal movie-watching conditions, or in a dark room, it’s noticeable. LED TVs have mostly replaced CCFL.

An LCD panel is transmissive rather than emissive. Composition depends on the specific form of LCD being used, but generally, pixels are made up of subpixel layers that comprise the RGB (red-green-blue) colour spectrum and control the light that passes through. A backlight is needed, and it’s usually LED for modern monitors.

Please note that some of the mentioned types may be considered a sub-category of LCD TVs; therefore, some of the names may vary depending on the manufacturer and the market.

1)Film layer that polarizes light entering2)glass substrate that dictates the dark shapes when the LCD screen is on3)Liquid crystal layer4)glass substrate that lines up with the horizontal filter5)Horizontal film filter letting light through or blocking it6)Reflective surface transmitting an image to the viewer

While many newer TVs and monitors are marketed as LED TVs, it’s sort of the same as an LCD TV. Whereas LCD refers to a display type, LED points to the backlighting in liquid crystal display instead. As such, LED TV is a subset of LCD. Rather than CCFLs, LEDs are light-emitting diodes or semiconductor light sources which generate light when a current passes through.

LED TVs boast several different benefits. Physically, LED television tends to be slimmer than CCFL-based LCD panels, and viewing angles are generally better than on non-LED LCD monitors. So if you’re at an angle, the picture remains relatively clear nonetheless. LEDs are alsoextremely long-lasting as well as more energy-efficient. As such, you can expect a lengthy lifespan and low power draw. Chances are you’ll upgrade to a new telly, or an internal part will go out far before any LEDs cease functioning.

Please note that some of the mentioned types may be considered a sub-category of LED TVs; therefore, some of the names may vary depending on the manufacturer and the market.

Further segmenting LED TVs down, you"ll find TN panels. A TN or twisted nematic display is a type of LED TV that offers a low-cost solution with a low response time and low input lag.

These displays are known for their high refresh rates, ranging from 100Hz to 144Hz or higher. As a result, many monitors marketed towards gamers feature TN technology. The fast response time and low input lag make them ideal for fast-paced action and gaming. However, TN panels have some limitations.

They suffer from inferior colour reproduction, meaning that the colours they display may be less accurate and vibrant than other technologies. Additionally, they have poor viewing angles, meaning the picture quality can degrade when viewed from certain angles. This is due to the way the liquid crystal molecules point at the viewer and the orientation of the light polarizers at 90-degree angles.

Overall, while TN panels are an affordable and fast option, they may not be the best choice for those looking for accurate colour reproduction and wide viewing angles.

Like TN, IPS or In-plane Switching displays are a subset of LED panels. IPS monitors tend to boast accurate colour reproduction and great viewing angles. Price is higher than on TN monitors, but in-plane switching TVs generally feature a better picture when compared with twisted nematic sets. Latency and response time can be higher on IPS monitors meaning not all are ideal for gaming.

An IPS display aligns liquid crystals in parallel for lush colours. Polarizing filters have transmission axes aligned in the same direction. Because the electrode alignment differs from TN panels, black levels, viewing angles, and colour accuracy is much better. TN liquid crystals are perpendicular.

A VA or vertical alignment monitor is a type of LED monitor that features excellent contrast ratios, colour reproduction, and viewing angles. This is achieved by using crystals that are perpendicular to the polarizers at right angles, similar to the technology used in TN monitors. VA monitors are known for their deep blacks and vibrant colours, making them popular for media consumption and gaming.

They also have better viewing angles than TN monitors, meaning that the picture quality remains consistent when viewed from different angles. However, the response time of a VA monitor is not as fast as that of a TN monitor, which can be a concern for those looking to use the monitor for fast-paced action or gaming.

The pricing of VA monitors varies, but they are typically more expensive than TN monitors and less costly than IPS or OLED monitors. Overall, VA monitors are an excellent option for those looking for a balance between good picture quality and affordability.

A quantum dot LED TV or QLED is yet another form of LED television. But it’s drastically different from other LED variants. Whereas most LED panels use a white backlight, quantum dot televisions opt for blue lights. In front of these blue LEDs sits a thin layer of quantum dots. These quantum dots in a screen glow at specific wavelengths of colour, either red, green, or blue, therefore comprising the entire RGB (red-green-blue) colour spectrum required to create a colour TV image.

Quantum Dot TV (QD-TV):  A type of television that uses quantum dots, also known as semiconductor nanocrystals, to produce more accurate and vibrant colours.

Please note that some of the mentioned types may be considered a sub-category of Quantum Dot TVs; therefore, some of the names may vary depending on the manufacturer and the market. Also, it"s worth mentioning that not all brands use the same technology. Some are using QD films or QD-LEDs, others are using QD-OLEDs, and the list could go on.

An OLED or organic light-emitting diode display isn’t another variation of LED. OLEDs use negatively and positively charged ions for illuminating individual pixels. By contrast, LCD/LED TVs use a backlight that can make an unwanted glow. In OLED display, there are several layers, including a substrate, an anode, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an emissive layer, a blocking layer, an electron transport layer, and a cathode. The emissive layer, comprised of an electroluminescent layer of film, is nestled between an electron-injecting cathode and an electron removal layer, the anode. OLEDs benefit from darker blacks and eschew any unwanted screen glow. Because OLED panels are made up of millions of individual subpixels, the pixels themselves emit light, and it’s, therefore, an emissive display as opposed to a transmissive technology like LCD/LED panels where a backlight is required behind the pixels themselves.

The image quality is top-notch. OLED TVs feature superb local dimming capabilities. The contrast ratio is unrivalled, even by the best of QLEDs, since pixels not used may be turned off. There’s no light bleed, black levels are incredible, excellent screen uniformity, and viewing angles don’t degrade the picture. Unfortunately, this comes at a cost. OLEDs are pricey, and the image isn’t as bright overall when compared to LED panels. For viewing in a darkened room, that’s fine, but ambient lighting isn’t ideal for OLED use.

Please note that OLED technology can be applied to various displays and devices, and the list mentioned above may not be exhaustive. Also, some types may be considered a sub-category of OLED.

As you can see, a wide variety of displays are available on the market today, each with their unique advantages and disadvantages. While many monitors and TVs are referred to by various names, such as LED, IPS, VA, TN, or QLED, many are variations of LCD panels. The specific technology used in a display, such as the colour of backlighting and the alignment of pixels, plays a major role in determining the overall picture quality.

When choosing the right type of monitor or display for your needs, it"s important to consider all the options available and weigh the pros and cons of each one. This can include things like resolution, refresh rate, response time, colour accuracy, and more subjective factors like overall picture quality and viewing angles.

A vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) is a display device once commonly used on consumer electronics equipment such as video cassette recorders, car radios, and microwave ovens.

A VFD operates on the principle of cathodoluminescence, roughly similar to a cathode ray tube, but operating at much lower voltages. Each tube in a VFD has a phosphor-coated carbon anode that is bombarded by electrons emitted from the cathode filament.triode vacuum tube because it also has a mesh control grid.

Unlike liquid crystal displays, a VFD emits very bright light with high contrast and can support display elements of various colors. Standard illumination figures for VFDs are around 640 cd/m2 with high-brightness VFDs operating at 4,000 cd/m2, and experimental units as high as 35,000 cd/m2 depending on the drive voltage and its timing.Cadmium was commonly used in the phosphors of VFDs in the past, but the current RoHS-compliant VFDs have eliminated this metal from their construction, using instead phosphors consisting of a matrix of alkaline earth and very small amounts of group III metals, doped with very small amounts of rare earth metals.

VFDs can display seven-segment numerals, multi-segment alpha-numeric characters or can be made in a dot-matrix to display different alphanumeric characters and symbols. In practice, there is little limit to the shape of the image that can be displayed: it depends solely on the shape of phosphor on the anode(s).

The device consists of a hot cathode (filaments), grids and anodes (phosphor) encased in a glass envelope under a high vacuum condition. The cathode is made up of fine tungsten wires, coated by alkaline earth metal oxides (barium,electrons when heated to 650 °Cdiffused by the grids (made using Photochemical machining), which are made up of thin (50 micron thick) stainless steel.fluoresce, emitting light. Unlike the orange-glowing cathodes of traditional vacuum tubes, VFD cathodes are efficient emitters at much lower temperatures, and are therefore essentially invisible.graphite, which in turn is coated with phosphor. This transfers energy from the trace to the segment. The shape of the phosphor will determine the shape of the VFD"s segments. The most widely used phosphor is Zinc-doped copper-activated Zinc oxide,

The cathode wire to which the oxides are applied is made of tungsten or ruthenium-tungsten alloy. The oxides in the cathodes are not stable in air, so they are applied to the cathode as carbonates, the cathodes are assembled into the VFD, and the cathodes are heated by passing a current through them while inside the vacuum of the VFD to convert the carbonates into oxides.

The principle of operation is identical to that of a vacuum tube triode. Electrons can only reach (and "illuminate") a given plate element if both the grid and the plate are at a positive potential with respect to the cathode.multiplexed displays where the multiple grids and plates form a matrix, minimizing the number of signal pins required. In the example of the VCR display shown to the right, the grids are arranged so that only one digit is illuminated at a time. All of the similar plates in all of the digits (for example, all of the lower-left plates in all of the digits) are connected in parallel. One by one, the microprocessor driving the display enables a digit by placing a positive voltage on that digit"s grid and then placing a positive voltage on the appropriate plates. Electrons flow through that digit"s grid and strike those plates that are at a positive potential. The microprocessor cycles through illuminating the digits in this way at a rate high enough to create the illusion of all digits glowing at once via persistence of vision.

The extra indicators (in our example, "VCR", "Hi-Fi", "STEREO", "SAP", etc.) are arranged as if they were segments of an additional digit or two or extra segments of existing digits and are scanned using the same multiplexed strategy as the real digits. Some of these extra indicators may use a phosphor that emits a different color of light, for example, orange.

The light emitted by most VFDs contains many colors and can often be filtered to enhance the color saturation providing a deep green or deep blue, depending on the whims of the product"s designers. Phosphors used in VFDs are different from those in cathode-ray displays since they must emit acceptable brightness with only around 50 volts of electron energy, compared to several thousand volts in a CRT.

Besides brightness, VFDs have the advantages of being rugged, inexpensive, and easily configured to display a wide variety of customized messages, and unlike LCDs, VFDs are not limited by the response time of rearranging liquid crystals and are thus able to function normally in cold, even sub-zero, temperatures, making them ideal for outdoor devices in cold climates. Early on, the main disadvantage of such displays was their use of significantly more power (0.2 watts) than a simple LCD. This was considered a significant drawback for battery-operated equipment like calculators, so VFDs ended up being used mainly in equipment powered by an AC supply or heavy-duty rechargeable batteries.

During the 1980s, this display began to be used in automobiles, especially where car makers were experimenting with digital displays for vehicle instruments such as speedometers and odometers. A good example of these were the high-end Subaru cars made in the early 1980s (referred to by Subaru enthusiasts as a digi-dash, or digital dashboard). The brightness of VFDs makes them well suited for use in cars. The Renault Espace and older models of Scenic used VFD panels to show all functions on the dashboard including the radio and multi message panel. They are bright enough to read in full sunlight as well as dimmable for use at night. This panel uses four colors; the usual blue/green as well as deep blue, red and yellow/orange.

This technology was also used from 1979 to the mid-1980s in portable electronic game units. These games featured bright, clear displays but the size of the largest vacuum tubes that could be manufactured inexpensively kept the size of the displays quite small, often requiring the use of magnifying Fresnel lenses.LCD games could be manufactured for a fraction of the price, did not require frequent changes of batteries (or AC adapters) and were much more portable. Since the late 1990s, backlit color active-matrix LCD displays have been able to cheaply reproduce arbitrary images in any color, a marked advantage over fixed-color, fixed-character VFDs. This is one of the main reasons for the decline in popularity of VFDs, although they continue to be made. Many low-cost DVD players still feature VFDs.

From the mid-1980s onwards, VFDs were used for applications requiring smaller displays with high brightness specifications, though now the adoption of high-brightness organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is pushing VFDs out of these markets.

Vacuum fluorescent displays were once commonly used as floor indicators for elevators by Otis Elevator Company worldwide and Montgomery Elevator Company in North America (the former from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s in the form of (usually two) 16-segment displays, and the latter from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s in the form of (usually 3) 10x14 dot-matrix displays).

In addition to the widely used fixed character VFD, a graphic type made of an array of individually addressable pixels is also available. These more sophisticated displays offer the flexibility of displaying arbitrary images, and may still be a useful choice for some types of consumer equipment.

Several radio amateurs have experimented with the possibilities of using VFDs as triode amplifiers.Korg released the Nutube, an analogue audio amplifier component based on VFD technology. The Nutube is used in applications such as guitar amplifiers from Vox

Fading is sometimes a problem with VFDs. Light output drops over time due to falling emission and reduction of phosphor efficiency. How quickly and how far this falls depends on the construction and operation of the VFD. In some equipment, loss of VFD output can render the equipment inoperable. Fading can be slowed by using a display driver chip to lower the voltages necessary to drive a VFD. Fading can also occur due to evaporation and contamination of the cathode. Phosphors that contain sulfur are more susceptible to fading.

Of the three prevalent display technologies – VFD, LCD, and LED – the VFD was the first to be developed. It was used in early handheld calculators. LED displays displaced VFDs in this use as the very small LEDs used required less power, thereby extending battery life, though early LED displays had problems achieving uniform brightness levels across all display segments. Later, LCDs displaced LEDs, offering even lower power requirements.

The first VFD was the single indication DM160 by Philips in 1959. It could easily be driven by transistors, so was aimed at computer applications as it was easier to drive than a neon and had longer life than a light bulb. The 1967 Japanese single digit seven segment display in terms of anode was more like the Philips DM70 / DM71 Magic Eye as the DM160 has a spiral wire anode. The Japanese seven segment VFD meant that no patent royalties needed to be paid on desk calculator displays as would have been the case using Nixies or Panaplex neon digits. In the UK the Philips designs were made and marketed by Mullard (almost wholly owned by Philips even before WWII).

The Russian IV-15 VFD tube is very similar to the DM160. The DM160, DM70/DM71 and Russian IV-15 can (like a VFD panel) be used as triodes. The DM160 is thus the smallest VFD and smallest triode valve. The IV-15 is slightly different shape (see photo of DM160 and IV-15 for comparison).

Joseph A. Castellano (ed), Handbook of display technology, Gulf Professional Publishing, 1992 ISBN 0-12-163420-5 Chapter 7 Vacuum Fluorescent Displays pp. 163 and following

While it sounds like a promising idea, it turns out that the long-lasting, swirl-shaped light bulbs known as compact fluorescent lamps are to the nation’s energy problem what vegetables are to its obesity epidemic: a near perfect answer, if only Americans could be persuaded to swallow them.

For all its power in retailing, though, Wal-Mart is meeting plenty of resistance — from light-bulb makers, competitors and consumers. To help turn the tide, it is even reaching out to unlikely partners like Google, Home Depot and Hollywood.

A compact fluorescent has clear advantages over the widely used incandescent light — it uses 75 percent less electricity, lasts 10 times longer, produces 450 pounds fewer greenhouse gases from power plants and saves consumers $30 over the life of each bulb. But it is eight times as expensive as a traditional bulb, gives off a harsher light and has a peculiar appearance.

Which is what makes Wal-Mart’s goal so wildly ambitious. If it succeeds in selling 100 million compact fluorescent bulbs a year by 2008, total sales of the bulbs in the United States would increase by 50 percent, saving Americans $3 billion in electricity costs and avoiding the need to build additional power plants for the equivalent of 450,000 new homes.

That would send shockwaves — some intended, others not — across the lighting industry. Because compact fluorescent bulbs last up to eight years, giant manufacturers, like General Electric and Osram Sylvania, would sell far fewer lights. Because the bulbs are made in Asia, some American manufacturing jobs could be lost. And because the bulbs contain mercury, there is a risk of pollution when millions of consumers throw them away.

During an extraordinary meeting in Las Vegas in early October, competing bulb makers, academics, environmentalists and government officials met to ponder, at times uncomfortably, how Wal-Mart could sell more of the fluorescent lights.

The proposals discussed at what Wal-Mart dubbed the “light bulb summit” ranged from the practical (advertise the bulbs on the back of a Coke 12-pack) to the quixotic (create a tax on incandescent bulbs to make them more expensive).

Selling 100 million bulbs “is not a slam dunk by any stretch of the imagination,” Stephen Goldmacher, an executive at Royal Philips, the Dutch company that is one of the world’s largest light-bulb makers, told the group. “If this were easy, it would have happened already.”

The attendees did not need to look far for evidence. Wal-Mart had asked the owners of the Mirage Hotel and Casino, where the conference was held, to commit to using the energy saving bulbs in its guest rooms in time for the meeting. The hotel politely declined.

It is not alone. Compact fluorescent bulbs, introduced in the United States with much fanfare in 1979 by Philips just as the nation’s second energy crisis of the decade was getting under way, have never captured the public imagination.

The new bulbs — lighted by sparking an efficient chemical reaction, rather than heating a metal filament — were ungainly, took several seconds to light up and often did not fit into traditional light fixtures.

And it would have stayed that way unless Wal-Mart decided to go green. More than a year ago, Mr. Scott, the company’s chief executive, began reaching out to some environmental groups, telling them that Wal-Mart, long regarded as an environmental offender, wanted to become a leader on issues like fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr. Scott viewed such a move as a way to use Wal-Mart’s influence to improve the environment, cut costs and, of course, burnish the company’s bruised image. In September 2005, Mr. Scott and Andy Ruben, Wal-Mart’s vice president for strategy and sustainability, drove 6,000 feet to the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire with Steve Hamburg, an environmental studies professor at Brown University, and Fred Krupp, the president of the advocacy group Environmental Defense.

“You need to look at what is being sold on the shelf,” Mr. Hamburg recalled telling Mr. Scott over a dinner of turkey and mashed potatoes. He began talking excitedly about compact fluorescent bulbs. “Very few products,” he said, “are such a clear winner” for consumers and the environment.

Soon after returning from the trip, Wal-Mart publicly embraced the bulbs with the zealotry of a convert. In meetings with suppliers, buyers for the chain laid out their plans: lower prices, expanding the shelf space dedicated to them and heavily promoting the technology.

Light-bulb manufacturers, who sell millions of incandescent lights at Wal-Mart, immediately expressed reservations. In a December 2005 meeting with executives from General Electric, Wal-Mart’s largest bulb supplier, “the message from G.E. was, ‘Don’t go too fast. We have all these plants that produce traditional bulbs,’ ” said one person involved with the issue, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of an agreement not to speak publicly about the negotiations.

Philips, despite protests from packaging designers, agreed to change the name of its compact fluorescent bulbs from“Marathon”to “energy saver.” To keep up with swelling orders from the chain, Osram Sylvania took to flying entire planeloads of compact fluorescent bulbs from Asia to the United States.

At the same time that it pressured suppliers, Wal-Mart began testing ways to better market the bulbs. In the past, Wal-Mart had sold them on the bottom shelf of the lighting aisle, so that shoppers had to bend down. In tests that started in February, it gave the lights prime real estate at eye level. Sales soared.

To show customers how versatile the bulbs could be, Wal-Mart began displaying them inside the lamps and hanging fans for sale in its stores. Sales nudged up further.

To explain the benefits of the energy-efficient bulbs, the retailer placed an education display case at the end of the aisle, where it occupied four feet of valuable selling space — an extravagance at Wal-Mart. Sales climbed even higher.

One proposal, headed by Lawrence Bender, who produced Al Gore’s 2006 documentary,“An Inconvenient Truth,”is to create a Web site that would track sales of compact fluorescent bulbs at major retailers like Walgreen’s and Target. The result would be a real-time map, with data collected by a third party, showing how much Americans have saved by using the energy-efficient bulbs.

But Home Depot and Lowe’s balked at the idea of cooperating with their larger rival. “We don’t think we need an organization like that to sell more CFLs,” said Ron Jarvis, the vice president of environmental innovation at Home Depot, using the bulb’s industry nickname.

Then there is the mercury inside the bulbs, a problem Wal-Mart is working with the federal government and environmental groups to resolve, possibly by collecting the bulbs at its stores or off-site locations for recycling.

Helen Capone encapsulates the challenge. Ms. Capone, 68, said she “curses the energy company every month” because of her electricity bill and loves the five-year-old, trouble-free compact fluorescent bulb in her attic. But she won’t switch to the energy-saving bulbs in the rest of her house in Secaucus, N.J. “They are not the prettiest things in the world,” she said, surveying the bulbs at a Wal-Mart.

Do you wonder what’s better: fluorescent lights (including compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs) or light emitting diodes (LEDs)? Well here’s a head-to-head comparison of the two followed by an in-depth discussion of each technology in turn.

Fluorescent light bulbs are a specific type of gas-discharge light (also known as a high intensity discharge, HID, or arc light). CFL is an acronym that stands for compact fluorescent light. Standard fluorescent lights are available in tubes (generally 48 to 84 inches in length). CFLs are much smaller. They are still tubes but they are, as the name implies, “compact.” CFLs were designed to replace standard applications for incandescent bulbs as they are both more efficient and longer lasting.

Fluorescent bulbs produce light by converting ultraviolet emissions with a fluorescent coating on the inside of the tube. UV radiation is generated in the first place by an electrical charge that is run through the inert mercury glass internal to the bulb. The gas is excited by the electricity andreleases ultraviolet radiation as a consequence. Fluorescent lights require ignition, which is typically provided by a voltage pulse or a third electrode (an additional metal part) internal to the bulb. Starting is relatively simple with small tubes but can require significant voltage with larger lights.

Fluorescent light bulbs previously required a “warm-up” period in order to evaporate the internal gas into plasma, but now there are several near-instantaneous starting technologies for fluorescent light (those include “quick-start,” “instant start,” and “rapid-start”). Additionally, as the light heats up it requires additional voltage to operate. Voltage requirements in fluorescent bulbs are balanced by a ballast (a magnetic device in older bulbs and an electrical one in newer fluorescent technology). As the fluorescent light ages, more and more voltage is required to produce the same amount of light until eventually the voltage exceeds the fixed resistance provided by the ballast and the light goes out (fails). Fluorescent lights become less and less efficient over time because they must use more and more voltage to produce the same lumen output as the light degrades.

Fluorescent technology has been around for more than 100 years and it generally represents a high efficiency way to provide lighting over a vast area. The lights are much more efficient as well as longer lasting than incandescent bulbs, however, they fail in both categories when compared to LED.

Fluorescent lights contain toxic mercury.Mercury, as well as the phosphor inside the bulbs, are hazardous materials that present a waste disposal issue at the end of a light’s life. Broken bulbs release a small amount of toxic mercury as a gas and the rest is contained in the glass itself.

Fluorescent lights age significantly if they are frequently switched on and off.Typical lamp life for a CFL is about 10,000 hours but this can degrade as a consequence of frequent switching (turning on and off). Burning life is extended if lamps remain on continuously for long periods of time. It’s worth thinking about in the event that you are using CFLs in conjunction with motion sensors that frequently activate and time out.

Fluorescent lights are omnidirectional.Omnidirectional lights produce light in 360 degrees. This is a large system inefficiency because at least half of the light needs to be reflected and redirected to the desired area being illuminated. It also means that more accessory parts are required in the light fixture itself in order to reflect or focus the luminous output of the bulb (thus increasing unit costs).

Older fluorescent lights have a brief warm-up period. Once the arc is ignited it melts and evaporates metal salts internal to the device. The light doesn’t arrive at full power until the salts are fully evaporated into plasma. This is corrected in many newer models that utilize “rapid start” or similar technologies.

Fluorescent lighting emits a small amount of UV radiation.Ultraviolet light is known to cause fading of dyed items or paintings exposed to their light.

Fluorescent lights require a ballast to stabilize the light.In the event that there is a minor flaw in the ballastthe light may produce an audible hum or buzz.

Common applications for fluorescent lighting include warehouses and schools or commercial buildings. CFLs are also used as a replacement for incandescent lights in many residential applications.

When current passes through the semiconductor material the device emits visible light.It is very much the opposite of a photovoltaic cell(a device that converts visible light into electrical current).

LEDs have an extremely long lifespanrelative to every other lighting technology (including fluorescent lights). New LEDs can last 50,000 to 100,000 hours or more. The typical lifespan for a fluorescent bulb, by comparison, is 10-25% as long at best (roughly 10,000 hours).

LEDs areextremely energy efficientrelative to every other commercially available lighting technology. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that they waste very little energy in the form of infrared radiation (much different than most conventional lights to include fluorescent lights), and they emit light directionally (over 180 degrees versus 360 degrees, which means there are far fewer losses from the need to redirect or reflect light).

Color:LEDs can be designed to generate the entire spectrum of visible light colors without having to use the traditional color filters required by traditional lighting solutions.

In particular, LED lights are relatively expensive. The up-front costs of an LED lighting project are typically greater than most of the alternatives. This is by far the biggest downside that needs to be considered. That said, the price of LEDs are rapidly decreasing and as they continue to be adopted en masse the price will continue to drop. (If you received a proposal for LED lights that just costs too much, don"t give up hope. Value engineering can help.)

The first practical use of LEDs was in circuit boards for computers. Since then they have gradually expanded their applications to include traffic lights, lighted signs, and more recently, indoor and outdoor lighting. Much like fluorescent lights, modern LED lights are a wonderful solution for gymnasiums, warehouses, schools, and commercial buildings.

They are also adaptable for large public areas (which require powerful, efficient lights over a large area), road lighting (which offer significant color advantages over low and high pressure sodium lights), and parking lots. For an interesting take on the history of street lighting in the United States readhere.

different methods of producing light. Fluorescent bulbs contain inert gas within the glass casing while LEDs are a solid state technology. Fluorescent lights produce UV radiation and then convert it into visible light through the use of a phosphor coating inside the bulb. LEDs emit electromagnetic radiation across a small portion of the visible light spectrum and don’t waste energy by producing waste heat or non-visible electromagnetic radiation (such as UV). There is such a thing as an IRED (infrared emitting diode) which is specifically designed to emit infrared energy.

In the last few yearsLED efficiency has surpassed that of fluorescent lights and its efficiency improvements are progressing at a much more rapid rate. Further, fluorescent lamps require the use of a ballast to stabilize the internal current that produces light. When the ballast has a minor imperfection or is damaged, the light can produce an audible buzzing noise. Other shortcomings include the following:

Fluorescent lights are non-directional, meaning that they emit light for 360 degrees. As you might expect, a large portion of this light is wasted (for example, that portion that is directed at the ceiling).

As good as fluorescent light efficiency has become, LED is better (and continues to improve at a more rapid pace). As long as fluorescent lights last, LED lights last much longer. Further, fluorescentlamps require the use of a ballast to stabilize the internal current that produces light. When the ballast

has a minor imperfection or is damaged, the light can produce an audible buzzing noise. Other shortcomings include waste disposal issues (due to CFL"s reliance on mercury), and non-directional light generation. Non-directional light generation is a bigger deal than you might think. For example, light that is being directed at the ceiling rather than the room is wasted light. Therefore, CFL (as well as the related standard fluorescent bulbs) might have good “source efficiency” (i.e. it looks good on paper), but will fall short of LED when it comes to the more important measure: “system efficiency” (actual efficiency in real world applications).

Fluorescent light is available in a range of CCT values that can be adjusted by changing the amount of phosphor inside the bulb. Typical values range between warm white at 2700K to daylight at 6500K depending on the lighting requirement.

CRI for LED is highly dependent on the particular light in question. That said, a very broad spectrum of CRI values is available ranging generally from 65-95.

Typical CRI values for fluorescent light are between 62 and 80. This is fairly good color rendering but it leaves room for improvement when compared to LED.

LEDs are an ideal light for purposely turning on and off because they respond rather instantaneously (there is no warm up or cool down period). They produce steady light without flicker.

Fluorescent lights exhibit a short delay when turning on. Older fluorescent models actually required a significant warm up period before the tube would light but this has been improved with newer, rapid-start fluorescent lights. Possible failures or delays in the start-up process are typically due to faulty starters, transformers, or ballast. Fluorescent bulbs may also flicker, display swirling or pink light, light at the ends of the tube only, or cycle on and off as the bulb reaches the end of its useful life.

LEDs are very easy to dim and options are available to use anywhere from 100% of the light to 0.5%. LED dimming functions by either lowering the forward current or modulating the pulse duration.

Newer CFL bulbs can be dimmed very effectively (down to about 15% of their normal light) while older fluorescent bulbs are often not suitable for dimming. If looking to dim a fluorescent bulb, make sure that you choose a ballast that is rated for dimming.

LEDs emit light for 180 degrees. This is typically an advantage because light is usually desired over a target area (rather than all 360 degrees around the bulb). You can read more about the impact of directional lighting by learning about a measurement called “useful lumens” or “system efficiency.”

LEDs are very efficient relative to every lighting type on the market. Typical source efficiency ranges 37 and 120 lumens/watt. Where LEDs really shine, however, is in their system efficiency (the amount of light that actually reaches the target area after all losses are accounted for). Most values for LED system efficiency fall above 50 lumens/watt.

Fluorescent and CFL lights are very efficient compared to incandescent lights (50-100 lumens/watt source efficiency). They lose out to LEDs principally because their system efficiency is much lower (<30 lumens/watt) due to all of the losses associated with omnidirectional light output and the need to redirect it to a desired area.

LED efficiency drops as current increases. Heat output also increases with additional current which decreases the lifetime of the device. The overall performance drop is relatively low, however, when compared to fluorescent lights.

Fluorescent lights also experience efficiency losses as the device ages and additional current is required to achieve the same lighting output. Efficiency losses are greater and the degradation time shorter in the case of fluorescent bulbs.

LEDs produce a very narrow spectrum of visible light without the losses to irrelevant radiation types (IR or UV) associated with conventional lighting, meaning that most of the energy consumed by the light source is converted directly to visible light.

Fluorescent lights actually produce primarily UV radiation. They generate visible light because the bulb is coated with a layer of phosphor which glows when it comes into contact with UV radiation. Roughly 15% of the emissions are lost due to energy dissipation and heat.

Fluorescent lights produce primarily UV radiation. They generate visible light because the bulb is coated with a layer of phosphor which glows when it comes into contact with UV radiation. Although most UV radiation stays within the bulb, some does escape into the environment which can potentially be a hazard.

Fluorescent lights can fail in a number of different ways. Generally they exhibit an end-of-life phenomenon known as cycling where the lamp goes on and off without human input prior to eventually failing entirely.

Foot candle is a measure that describes the amount of light reaching a specified surface area as opposed to the total amount of light coming from a source (luminous flux).

LEDs are very efficient relative to every lighting type on the market. Typical source efficiency ranges 37 and 120 lumens/watt. Where LEDs really shine, however, is in their system efficiency (the amount of light that actually reaches the target area after all losses are accounted for). Most values for LED system efficiency fall above 50 lumens/watt.

Fluorescent and CFL lights are very efficient compared to incandescent lights (50-100 lumens/watt source efficiency). They lose out to LEDs principally because their system efficiency is much lower (<30 lumens/watt) due to all of the losses associated with omnidirectional light output and the need to redirect it to a desired area.

Fluorescent lights emit heat that is absorbed by the ballast and/or lost to the environment. Roughly 15% of the emissions are lost due to energy dissipation and heat losses. In some circumstances heat emissions could be beneficial, however, it is generally a bad thing to emit heat as it represents an energy inefficiency. The ultimate purpose of the device is to emit light, not heat.

LEDs last longer than any light source commercially available on the market. Lifespans are variable but typical values range from 25,000 hours to 200,000 hours or more before a lamp or fixture requires replacement.

Fluorescent lights have good lifespan relative to some bulbs but not compared to LED. Typical lifespan values range from 7,000 hours to 15,000 hours before a bulb requires replacement. Note: sometimes fluorescent lights need to be changed out before the end of their useful life to preempt serious degradation effects like flicker or changing light color (turning pink).

Fluorescent lights are relatively cheap to purchase but relatively expensive to maintain. Fluorescent bulbs will likely need to be purchased several times and the associated labor costs will need to be paid in order to attain the equivalent lifespan of a single LED light.

Fluorescent bulbs are particularly fragile - especially T5, T8, and T12 tubes. Perhaps more importantly, broken fluorescent bulbs require special handling and disposal due to hazardous materials like mercury inside the lights.

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are designed to be small (such that they can replace an incandescent household light). Even so, they typically aren’t produced below roughly a centimeter in width. Standard fluorescent tubes are bulky and fragile at the same time. Neither compare to the small size and robust build of a solid state light like LED.

Fluorescent lights with regular magnetic ballasts (such as the T12 tube) are not generally recommended for temperatures below 50-60 Degrees Fahrenheit. For colder weather choose a fluorescent light with an electronic ballast such as a T8 tube.

LEDs produce significantly less heat than conventional gas discharge lights.This is typically a positive, however, for the unique case of application with traffic lights, there is a small potential that snow can accumulate on the bulbs. In reality, however, this is generally not an issue due to the use of visors and/or proper orientation of the light within a fixture that shields it from the elements.

Fluorescent bulbs are not generally recommended for outdoor lighting. CFLs will work but as the temperature drops the light quality suffers significantly. This is noticeable slightly below the freezing level and dramatic below about 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

For decades, fluorescent tubes have been a longstanding fixture in many offices, classrooms, warehouses, and other facilities. While they do a fine job providing light (generally, the stereotypical harsh cubicle office glare), lighting technology hasrapidly advancedin the intervening decades to provide energy efficient lighting solutions that virtually all facilities should consider. LED lighting is a viable, common sense replacement for fluorescent lamps, so let’s examine the differences between fluorescent and LED lighting solutions.

The two different technologies utilize entirely different methods of producing light. Fluorescent bulbs contain inert gas within the glass casing while LEDs are a solid state technology. Fluorescent lights produce UV radiation and then convert it into visible light through the use of a phosphor coating inside the bulb. LEDs emit electromagnetic radiation across a small portion of the visible light spectrum and don’t waste energy by producing waste heat or non-visible electromagnetic radiation (such as UV). Now, let’s take a look at three disadvantages of fluorescent lighting, and three benefits of completing an LED replacement.

When it comes to a head-to-head comparison, LED lighting has some clear advantages over fluorescent tubes. Here are three excellent reasons to consider LED replacement for any fluorescent lights (andhereis an in-depth blog comparing the two):

Fluorescent lights contain toxic mercury.Mercury and the phosphor inside the bulbs are hazardous materials that present a waste disposal issue at the end of a light’s life. Broken bulbs release a small amount of toxic mercury as a gas, and the rest is contained in the glass itself. For this reason alone, building and facility managers should considerLED replacementfor fluorescent tubes. Incandescent bulbs have already begun to be phased out, and it’s not impractical to consider that fluorescent lights may one day be banned outright due to their hazardous content.

Fluorescent lights age significantly if they are frequently switched on and off.Typical lamp life for a fluorescent bulb is about 20,000 hours, but this can degrade as a consequence of frequent switching (turning on and off). Burning life is extended if lamps remain on continuously for long periods of time. Replacing your fluorescent tubes with LEDs is especially worth thinking about if your facility utilizes motion sensors that frequently activate and time out.

Fluorescent lights are omnidirectional.Omnidirectional lights produce light in 360 degrees. This is a large system inefficiency because at least half of the light needs to be reflected and redirected to the desired area being illuminated. The need for reflection and redirection of light means that the output is much less efficient for omnidirectional lights (due to losses) than it would be for the same light if it were directional by its nature. It also means that more accessory parts are required in the light fixture itself in order to reflect or focus theluminous outputof the bulb (thus increasing unit costs).

LED lighting technology is superior to fluorescent tubes in three important ways: decreased maintenance costs, improved lighting quality, and a smaller energy footprint. Let’s examine these claims in more detail.

LED fluorescent tube replacement will lower your maintenance costs.Although LEDs have higher upfront costs, they last longer and require less replacing over time. For instance,metal halide bulbsare typically changed en masse before the end of their useful lifetime. Fluorescent lights have a better lifespan (7,000 to 25,000 hours) relative to some bulbs, but not compared to LEDs (50,000+ hours); LEDs have the longest lifespan of any lighting technology on the commercial market. Fluorescent bulbs require regular relamping and ballast replacement in addition to the labor cost to monitor and replace aging or expired components...all of this adds up over time. Note: Like metal halides, fluorescent lights sometimes need to be changed out before the end of their useful life to preempt serious degradation effects like flicker or changing light color (turning pink).

Improved lighting quality from replacing fluorescents with LEDs.Light emitted from LEDs is likely to be much higher quality than traditional lighting solutions for two principal reasons. First, the way that objects are revealed when subject to LED emissions is very close to natural light. This means that objects will generally appear in color like you are used to seeing them during the day. Second, the amount of light that hits the target area is likely to be much higher for a given power rating than it will be with virtually any other light. In other words, the area you care about will get all of the light! LEDs also have bettercolor renderingandcorrelated color temperature. Fluorescent tube lighting is commonly associated with a cold, bluish appearance, whereas LEDs display a whiter light.

LED replacements for fluorescent tubes consume less energy - saving you money.Foot candle is a measure that describes the amount of light reaching a specified surface area as opposed to the total amount of light coming from a source (luminous flux). LEDs are very efficient relative to every other lighting type on the market. Typical source efficiency ranges between 37 and 120 lumens/watt. Where LEDs really shine, however, is in their system efficiency (the amount of light that actually reaches the target area after all losses are accounted for). Most values for LED system efficiency fall above 50 lumens/watt. Fluorescent and CFL lights are very efficient compared to incandescent lights (50-100 lumens/watt source efficiency), but they lose out to LEDs principally because their system efficiency is much lower (<30 lumens/watt). This is due to all of the losses associated with omnidirectional light output and the need to redirect it to a desired area.

As amanufacturer-neutrallighting distributor, Stouch Lighting aims to craft customized solutions for individual clients. We have completed LED retrofit projects across a variety of industries - please visit our case studies page by clickinghereto view our work. Most importantly, we are here to help you answer questions, and we would be happy to complete a return on investment calculation for you if you are considering replacing your fluorescent lighting with LED lighting. Thank you for reading, and happy retrofitting!

This isn"t the same technology they use for the giant screens at football games; in fact, the LED screens you see in shops are actually LCDs, and the term "LED" is the invention of Samsung"s marketing department.

How do they get away with this? Samsung"s televisions use a series of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) — like the ones used in LED torches and alarm clocks — to "backlight" the LCD panel, and it"s not the only company that does this. But what is backlighting, anyway?

As a consumer technology, LCD has been in widespread use since the early "70s where it first appeared in digital watches. As its name suggests, Liquid Crystal Display is a liquid that has been sandwiched between two plates, and it changes when a current is applied to it.

While we"ve had black-and-white LCDs for years, colour LCDs are a lot more recent, but the technology is the same. As we all know, you need to press a button to read a watch in the dark, and an LCD TV is no different. It needs a light behind it because it emits no light of its own.

It"s helpful to think of an LCD panel as a sandwich, consisting of different layers. On a typical TV you have a polarised filter, followed by a protective glass layer, followed by the LCD sheet, and then a light source at the back.

At present, there are two main methods of backlighting in LCD flat-panels: Cold-Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) and LED (light-emitting diode). There are several others, and this includes Sony"s Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (HCFL), but only

CCFL backlighting consists of a series of tubes laid horizontally behind the screen. It used to be the most common method of backlighting for LCD televisions, but it is quickly being superseded by LED.

LED backlighting has been in use in televisions since 2004 when it first appeared on Sony WEGA models. Though there are several different ways of backlighting using LEDs (as we"ll explain shortly), the idea is the same: a series of LED bulbs throw light from behind to illuminate the LCD panel.

There are two different methods of LED backlighting: direct and edge. The main advantage of direct lighting is that it can be used to increase contrast levels by turning some LEDs off — thus increasing the amount of black in parts of the picture. LG is one of the champions of direct lighting.

In comparison, edge lighting"s main advantage is that it can be used to make screens that are incredibly thin — the LEDs are at the side and not behind the screen. Of course, you lose the ability to switch off parts of the backlighting for better contrast, and picture quality could also suffer if light isn"t sufficiently well dispersed.

White LED is very similar to CCFL, and is meant to simulate the white light of the