benefits of tft display brands

TFT stands for thin-film transistor, which means that each pixel in the device has a thin-film transistor attached to it. Transistors are activated by electrical currents that make contact with the pixels to produce impeccable image quality on the screen. Here are some important features of TFT displays.Excellent Colour Display.Top notch colour contrast, clarity, and brightness settings that can be adjusted to accommodate specific application requirements.Extended Half-Life.TFT displays boast a much higher half-life than their LED counterparts and they also come in a variety of size configurations that can impact the device’s half-life depending on usage and other factors.TFT displays can have either resistive or capacitive touch panels.Resistive is usually the standard because it comes at a lower price point, but you can also opt for capacitive which is compatible with most modern smartphones and other devices.TFT displays offer exceptional aspect ratio control.Aspect ratio control contributes to better image clarity and quality by mapping out the number of pixels that are in the source image compared to the resolution pixels on the screen.Monitor ghosting doesn’t occur on TFT displays.This is when a moving image or object has blurry pixels following it across the screen, resembling a ghost.

TFT displays are incredibly versatile.The offer a number of different interface options that are compatible with various devices and accommodate the technical capabilities of all users.

There are two main types of TFT LCD displays:· Twisted nematic TFT LCDs are an older model. They have limited colour options and use 6 bits per each blue, red, and green channel.

In-plane switching TFT LCDs are a newer model. Originally introduced in the 1990s by Hitachi, in-plane switching TFT LCDs consist of moving liquid pixels that move in contrast or opposite the plane of the display, rather than alongside it.

The type of TFT LCD monitor or industrial display you choose to purchase will depend on the specifications of your application or project. Here are a few important factors to consider when selecting an appropriate TFT LCD display technology:Life expectancy/battery life.Depending on the length of ongoing use and the duration of your project, you’re going to want to choose a device that can last a long time while maintaining quality usage.

Touch type and accuracy.What type of activities are you planning on using your device for? If it’s for extended outdoor use, then you should go with projected capacitive touch as this is more precise and accurate. Touch accuracy is important for industrial and commercial applications.

Image clarity.Some TFT displays feature infrared touchscreens, while others are layered. The former is preferable, especially in poor lighting conditions or for outdoor and industrial applications, because there’s no overlay and therefore no obstructions to light emittance.

The environmental conditions make a difference in operation and image clarity. When choosing a TFT for outdoor or industrial applications, be sure to choose one that can withstand various environmental elements like dust, wind, moisture, dirt, and even sunlight.

As a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality digital displays in North America, Nauticomp Inc. can provide custom TFT LCD monitor solutions that are suitable for a multitude of industrial and commercial indoor and outdoor applications. Contact us today to learn more.

There are a lot of noteworthy pros and cons of using high-brightness TFT displays for various applications. Keep reading to learn about why TFT displays have become so popular in recent years.

Perhaps one of the biggest attributes of using this type of industrial display for your business is that it has the ability to maintain full onscreen readability regardless of current lighting conditions. Equipped with a bright backlight and special polarizer, high-brightness TFT displays can offset the effects of ambient lighting conditions and retain their screen visibility at all times, making them ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

Designed specifically for flat screen devices such as TVs, phones, tablets, and advertising displays, TFT displays have an incomparably high resolution that makes them the top LCD monitor of choice for a variety of applications. In addition to excellent readability in all lighting conditions, TFT displays also have an incomparably high resolution that allows them to deliver crystal clear images and text that aptly represent your brand and maximize the viewing pleasure of users.

Industrial applications require a much higher screen visibility and usability standard than consumer-grade devices. That’s why so many industries are turning to TFT displays for their professional requirements. Consumer displays aren’t made to last as long as commercial-grade displays. This is a known fact. For that reason, various industries such as agriculture, textile, transportation, communication, etc. all rely on TFT displays for long-lasting high-quality performance at every turn.

TFT displays come in a variety of sizes, user interfaces, and configurations that are designed to suit the environmental requirements of various industries. Not only can they be custom-tailored to meet specific industrial standards, but they’re also guaranteed to last longer and yield a better return on investment than commercial-grade displays that have a lower upfront cost.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have been forced to adopt new marketing and communication techniques to continue reaching out to customers. With limited store capacities in place, outdoor and window industrial displays have been a communication saving grace for businesses. TFT displays are the top monitor of choice because they offer high-performance sunlight readability and easy-to-use interface in all weather and lighting conditions.

Nauticomp Inc.is a first-rate renowned provider of high-performance LCD monitors and industrial displays. We’ve served numerous businesses across North America, providing them with sophisticated LCD display technology that’s custom-tailored according to their industrial standards and the specific requirements of their operations. Our LCD monitors are equipped with a number of important computing features including sunlight readability, infrared lighting, as well as dust and waterproof capabilities.Contact ustoday to learn more or to place an order.

Panox Display provides free connectors for clients who purchase more than five products from us. Our product range includes connectors from Molex, Kyocera, AXE, AXG, JAE, Hiros, and more.

Panox Display provides a customized cover glass/touch panel service. We supply cover glass from Gorilla, AGC, and Panda, which all have excellent optical performance. We also supply driver ICs from Goodix and Focaltech.

If your applications are directly connected to a PC, a cellphone, or Raspberry Pi, and you have enough space to insert a board to input video, Panox Display can provide customized Controller/Driver boards with input connections for VGA, HDMI, DVI, DP, Type-C video input, MIPI, RGB, LVDS, and eDP.

The functions of our boards include, but are not limited to, adjustment of brightness, sound output, touch interface, extra data transmission, and gyroscope.

The use of TFT (thin film transistor) LCD display has gained popularity over the years, with the advent of high technology such as laptop computers, iPads, televisions, and other gadgets. A TFT LCD module uses complex and advanced technology that allows it to provide the screen a homogenous illumination, making the quality of images better. Aside from gadget users, businesses and companies can also benefit from this technology that can help with productivity.

TFT LCD monitors are less bulky. They can easily be carried and moved around. In fact, they can be mounted on walls. This means that they don’t occupy a lot of space, allowing you to utilize and organize a workstation better. You can make room for more important tasks.

You can save money on electric bills with a TFT LCD screen. Because it uses millions of pixels that provide accurate illumination on less electricity, it’s more energy-efficient than CRT monitors. It consumes 78% less energy. Given this, companies can make better use of their resources.

The visual that a TFT LCD display produces is sharper than a CRT monitor. Every pixel in a TFT LCD is active, preventing flickers and distortions. This means that you can get a clearer picture, which is necessary for work. Blurry images on a screen can affect a person’s productivity. This is also good for helping avoid headaches, eyestrain, and nausea that are caused by too much exposure to computers that produce low quality images.

Adaptability is a reason why graphic and web designers prefer TFT LCD screens. Such technology fits dual monitor configurations. This means that a capable computer can have two monitors that you can use simultaneously. It can help speed up your work because you don’t have to switch between windows on one screen. You can view and work on a main document on one screen and use the other one for other tasks.

These are only some of the reasons to use a TFT LCD screen at work. If you believe that you can benefit from this technology, contact a reliable manufacturer to get the best product for you.

TFT or thin film transistor is a variant of the LCD technology. TFTs are active matrix LCDs, which help improve contrast, color, and picture quality. Thin film transistors are used along with capacitors to improve image quality in many electronic devices. Owing to their several advantages, these TFT displays are available in various specifications. The 4.3 inch TFT display is one of the most popular among them. The 4.3-inch TFT LCD display module touch screen has a resolution of 480X272 with an RGB interface. This display finds applications in mobile phones, cars, embedded systems, and certain industrial equipment among others. There are many 4.3-inch TFT LCD module manufacturers making this display; however, certain features may slightly differ based on the manufacturer. However, it is essential that you source it from a reliable manufacturer. Microtips Technology, one of the leading 4.3-inch TFT LCD module manufacturers, offers the new low-cost 4.3-inch TFT display. This post discusses the common features, working, and benefits of using this new low cost 4.3-inch TFT LCD display module touch screen provided by Microtips.

As mentioned, TFT is a subset of the LCD technology. TFT is an active matrix display. There are active matrix displays and passive matrix displays used in LCD flat panels of computers, phones, and so on. The images produced by active matrix are responsive and enable a wider angle of view compared to passive matrix display. Passive matrix displays, on the other hand, use a grid of horizontal and vertical wires to display an image. In this case, the charge of two wires is altered to change a pixel at intersection. The response time of producing an image with the passive matrix technology is much slower than active matrix. Also, at times, the image quality produced by passive matrix is blurred and pixelated. Active matrix, in comparison, offers many more advantages and a fine image quality, and hence is widely used in making 4.3-inch TFT LCD display module touch screens. The pixels on the TFT screen are arranged in a row-column configuration. The glass panel has an amorphous silicon transistor on which the pixels are attached. This enables each pixel to get a new charge and keep it consistent even after the screen is refreshed to load a new image. So, each pixel continues to be in its maintained state when other pixels are being used. This is one reason why this technology is called active matrix.

Display Mode: This indicates the image resolution and maximum number of colors available. Here, the display mode is usually white with some transmissivity.

Interface: The display interface helps humans exchange information with software. For instance, you need to control color, brightness, and other parameters as there are many interface options. This display has RGB interface and a TFT-LCD display type.

Response Time: This indicates the time in which you receive a response on your command, with tough screens it is much faster than typing a command. Once you touch the screen, most 4.3-inch TFT LCD display module touch screens respond in 15ms.

Active Area: Most 4.3-inch TFT LCD module manufacturers make this display with an active area of 95.04X53.86 mm and pixel pitch of 0.198(W) x0.198(H)mm.

Operating Temperature Range: Most displays are designed to function accurately in harsh environments and weather. These displays usually have an operating temperature ranging from -20 to +70 degrees Celsius.

Suited for Advanced Applications: These displays are suitable for car system scree, industrial systems and equipment, and mobile phones among others

TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) we are talking here is TN (Twisted Nematic) type TFT displays which is align with the term in the TV and computer market. Now, TFT displays have taken over the majority of low-end color display market. They have wide applications in TV, computer monitors, medical, appliance, automotive, kiosk, POS terminals, low end mobile phones, marine, aerospace, industrial meters, smart homes, consumer electronic products etc. For more information about TFT displays, please visit our knowledge base.

Talking about Pros and Cons of TFT displays, we need to clarify which display they are compared to. To some displays, TFT displays might have advantages, but compared with another display, the same character might become the disadvantages of TFT displays. We will try our best to make clear as below.

Less Energy Consumption: Compared with CRT(Cathode-Ray Tube) VFD ( Vacuum Fluorescent Display) and LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, which made laptop possible.

Excellent physical design. TFT displays are very easy to design and integrated with other components, such as resistive and capacitive touch panels (RTP, CTP, PCAP) etc.

Minimum Eye Strain: Because TFT panel itself doesn’t emit light itself like CRT, LED, VFD. The light source is LED backlight which is filtered well with the TFT glass in front for the blue light.

More Energy Consumption: Compared with monochrome displays and OLED (PMOLED and AMOLED) display, which makes TFT displays less attractive in wearable device.

Poor response time and viewing angle: Compared with IPS LCD displays, AMOLED displays and recent micro-LED display. TFT displays still need to note viewing angle of 6 o’clock or 12 o’clock in the datasheet and still have the gray scale inversion issue.

High tooling cost: Depending on which generation production line to produce and also depending on its size. Building a TFT display fab normally need billions of dollars. For a big size display which needs high generation production line to produce. The NRE cost can be millions dollars.

Sunlight Readability: Because it is very expensive to produce transflective TFT LCD displays, in order to be readable under the sunlight, very bright LED backlight (> 1,000 nits) has to be used. The power needed is high and also need to deal with heat management. If used together with touch panel, expensive optical bonding (OCA or OCR) and surface treatment (AR, AF) technologies have to be used.

In this article, we are looking at the benefits of looking for Chinese TFT LCD manufacturers. Instead of resorting to other manufacturing means, opting for the Chinese is a much wiser and lucrative choice. If you are looking for Chinese LCD manufacturers, you should start with STONE Tech.

There is no doubt that China has taken the mass manufacturing business by storm. There are few products that we can encounter in our lives that don’t have the words ‘Made in China’ scribbled underneath. There is a glut of products that are mass-manufactured by the Chinese and then shipped out internationally to be sold.

Handbags, wallets, phone cases, and other similar items have become the favorites of wholesalers and bulk buyers. These products are directly sold to end consumers. However, the fascinating thing about the Chinese production and manufacturing business is that it does not only cover the end-consumer products. Rather, you can also acquire raw and basic materials needed for the further manufacturing of goods and products. One such product is LCD displays.

LCD displays have become something of a necessity in today’s world of tech advancement. Many things in our daily life have been automated, and are operated using an interactive user interface. For these kinds of machines and gadgets, LCD displays are typically necessary.

In this article, we are looking at the benefits of looking for Chinese LCD manufacturers. Instead of resorting to other manufacturing means, opting for the Chinese is a much wiser and lucrative choice. If you are looking for Chinese LCD manufacturers, you should start with Stoneitech.com.

STONE Tech is an LCD manufacturer located in Beijing, China. It was founded back in 2010, and it has been developing TFT LCD display modules ever since. These modules can be used for a variety of different machines including electric equipment, precision instruments, and civil electronics etcetera.

One of the main benefits that you get with Stoneitech.com is that there is a wide range of diverse products that you can purchase. For example, there are three different application types that you can choose from which include the Industrial Type, Advanced Type, and Civil Type. Similarly, there is a range of different sizes that you can choose from. There are 11 different sizes that you can buy, ranging from the smallest 3.5-inch display to the large 15.1-inch one. The same goes for the Android series which where you can choose between 4.5-inch and 31.5-inch displays.

This is probably the biggest advantage that you can get when working with manufacturers from China. It can even be assumed that this is probably the biggest reason why the Asian country is at the forefront of the mass manufacturing business.

When you are going to be ordering in bulk, you need to save up on costs as much as you can. The more you save up, the more profit you can make when reselling. Furthermore, lower costs can allow you to set lower prices when selling. This can attract more customers and your sales can increase.

In the initial period of your business, you want to build trust with your customers and give them more value than they expect. The best way you can achieve this is by making your products available for less than the average price. And this can only be done if you are saving up on costs yourself.

The same applies to LCD displays. When you save up on costs when buying LCD displays, you can set a lower price for the whole machine or gadget that you are producing.

This is a very useful benefit for small start-up companies. Generally, manufacturers in the USA are not going to be very willing to work with you unless you are a big company or unless you have a large recognition and following. Due to this, smaller companies can have trouble getting their demands heard. However, the refusal of suppliers to do so is not unjustified. Smaller companies are going to start off with smaller orders. Small orders are not very lucrative and beneficial for suppliers. The larger the order, the more convenient it will be for the manufacturer.

However, with Chinese manufacturers, this problem is minimized. The Chinese often don’t care how big a brand you are and what recognition your company has. As long as you meet the minimum order requirements, you can get your products easily. This is highly advantageous for smaller companies. Due to this, smaller firms can get started and kick off their business.

When it comes to LCD modules, the orders are not received by the hundreds or thousands as is the case with other smaller products such as handbags and wallets etcetera. One module can cost around $250, and it is for this reason that the dynamics are a little different with this business. That is why STONE offers single pieces for sale as well as multiple pieces. This encourages smaller businesses to make their purchases since they can easily purchase as many modules as they like. As long as you meet the limit stated by the supplier, you are good to go.

Typically, when you are paying less, you can have the expectation that the quality might not be good or the time taken may be too long. However, when you are buying from the Chinese, you don’t have to face any of these problems. While you are paying less, you can get satisfactory quality and even the production time is cut down.

The factories in China have more machines and workers working simultaneously. This means that you can get bigger orders more quickly. For example, if you are getting 10 units from a domestic supplier in 4 days, you will be able to get 12 units from a Chinese supplier in just 3 days. That means that the production rate is increased, and the time taken is also cut short. This is merely an example to show that both aspects of production are enhanced when you do business with the Chinese.

Another great benefit of getting production done in China is the option for expansion. What that means is that while you can transport your merchandise to your home country, you also have the option of making them available in China. Instead of only bringing the goods back home to resell, you can set up a business that makes your merchandise available for sale in China as well.

In the case of LCD modules, this benefit relates to a reselling business. For example, if you are planning on buying some modules to use in your machines etcetera, then there is not a very suitable opportunity for you to expand. If you want to start a business in another country, you will have to open a manufacturing unit there so that your products can be produced and then get sold. Or, you will have to transport your final products to the other country in order to run your business.

However, if you are buying the LCD modules to resale at a profit, you can use the Chinese markets to grow your business. You can buy the modules at a reduced price and then sell them at a profit in a different area or city where the people will be willing to pay more.

Now that we have seen the benefits of choosing Chinese manufacturers for LCD modules, let us narrow it down a bit and look at why you should choose STONE specifically.

With STONE, you get the option of buying a range of different-sized modules. If your business deals in making different electronics and machines that require panels of different sizes, you don’t have to look at multiple suppliers to fulfill your need. You could be making some products that require 3.5-inch panels, while some of your machines could be needing 15.1-inch modules. Instead of taking the trouble to go to different suppliers, you can enjoy an all-in-one experience from STONE.

STONE offers its customers ease when it comes to making a purchase. Generally, wholesalers and suppliers sell their merchandise in bundles of 10, 50, 100, etc. However, the STONE store gives you the option of buying single pieces so that you can buy as much as you presently need.

One of the main things that you have to look at in any supplier is the level of reliability and trust. This is usually determined by the level of experience and the time that the supplier has spent in the market. STONE was founded in 2010 and has been producing LCD modules for the past 10 years.

If you are looking to buy LCD modules in bulk, look no further than the Middle Kingdom. China has become the hub of mass manufacturing and is the favorite spot for wholesalers and business owners.

In case you need some convincing about buying from the Chinese, we have compiled a list of benefits that you can enjoy when looking for TFT LCD manufacturers in China.

Let us start with the basics first; refresh the knowledge about TN and LCD displays in general, later we will talk about TFTs (Thin Film Transistors), how they differ from regular monochrome LCD displays. Then we will go on to the ghosting effect, so we will not only discuss the technology behind the construction of the TFT, but also some phenomena, like the ghosting effect, or grayscale inversion, that are important to understand when using an LCD TFT display.

Next, we will look at different technologies of the TFT LCD displays like TN, IPS, VA, and of course about transmissive and transflective LCD displays, because TFT displays also can be transmissive and transflective. In the last part we will talk about backlight.

Let us start with a short review of the most basic liquid crystal cell, which is the TN (twisted nematic) display. On the picture above, we can see that the light can be transmit through the cell or blocked by the liquid crystal cell using voltage. If you want to learn more about monochrome LCD displays and the basics of LCD displays, follow this link.

What is a TFT LCD display and how it is different from a monochrome LCD display? TFT is called an active display. Active, means we have one or more transistors in every cell, in every pixel and in every subpixel. TFT stands for Thin Film Transistor, transistors that are very small and very thin and are built into the pixel, so they are not somewhere outside in a controller, but they are in the pixel itself. For example, in a 55-inch TV set, the TFT display contains millions of transistors in the pixels. We do not see them, because they are very small and hidden, if we zoom in, however, we can see them in every corner of each pixel, like on the picture below.

On the picture above we can see subpixels, that are basic RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colors and a black part, with the transistors and electronic circuits. We just need to know that we have pixels, and subpixels, and each subpixel has transistors. This makes the display active, and thus is called  the TFT display. TFT displays are usually color displays, but there are also monochrome TFT displays, that are active, and have transistors, but have no colors. The colors in the TFT LCD display are typically added by color filters on each subpixel. Usually the filters are RGB, but we also have RGBW (Red, Green, Blue, White) LCD displays with added subpixels without the filter (White) to make the display brighter.

What is interesting, the white part of the RGB and RGBW screen will look exactly the same from a distance, because the lights are mixed and generate white light, but when we come closer to the screen, we will not see white light at all.

Going a little bit deeper, into the TFT cell, there is a part inside well known to us from the monochrome LCD display Riverdi University lecture. We have a cell, liquid crystal, polarizers, an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) layer for the electrodes, and additionally an electronic circuit. Usually, the electronic circuit consists of one transistor and some capacitors to sustain the pixel state when we switch the pixel OFF and ON. In a TFT LCD display the pixels are much more complicated because apart from building the liquid crystal part, we also need to build an electronic part.

That is why TFT LCD display technologies are very expensive to manufacture. If you are familiar with electronics, you know that the transistor is a kind of switch, and it allows us to switch the pixel ON and OFF. Because it is built into the pixel itself, it can be done very quickly and be very well controlled. We can control the exact state of every pixel not only the ON and OFF states, but also all the states in between. We can switch the light of the cells ON and OFF in several steps. Usually for TFT LCD displays it will be 8-bit steps per color, so we have 256 steps of brightness for every color, and every subpixel. Because we have three subpixels, we have a 24-bit color range, that means over 16 million combinations, we can, at least theoretically, show on our TFT LCD display over 16 million distinct colors using RGB pixels.

Now that we know how the TFT LCD display works, we can now learn some practical things one of which is LCD TFT ghosting. We know how the image is created, but what happens when we have the image on the screen for a prolonged time, and how to prevent it. In LCD displays we have something called LCD ghosting. We do not see it very often, but in some displays this phenomenon still exists.

If some elements of the picture i.e., your company logo is in the same place of the screen for a long period of time, for couple of weeks, months or a year, the crystals will memorize the state and later, when we change the image, we may see some ghosting of those elements. It really depends on many conditions like temperature and even the screen image that we display on the screen for longer periods of time. When you build your application, you can use some techniques to avoid it, like very rapid contrast change and of course to avoid the positioning the same image in the same position for a longer time.

You may have seen this phenomenon already as it is common in every display technology, and even companies like Apple put information on their websites, that users may encounter this phenomenon and how to fix it. It is called image ghosting or image persistence, and even Retina displays are not free of it.

Another issue present in TFT displays, especially TN LCD displays, is grayscale inversion. This is a phenomenon that changes the colors of the screen according to the viewing angle, and it is only one-sided. When buying a TFT LCD display, first we need to check what kind of technology it is. If it is an IPS display, like the Riverdi IPS display line, then we do not need to worry about the grayscale inversion because all the viewing angles will be the same and all of them will be very high, like 80, 85, or 89 degrees. But if you buy a more common or older display technology type, like the TN (twisted nematic) display, you need to think where it will be used, because one viewing angle will be out. It may be sometimes confusing, and you need to be careful as most factories define viewing direction of the screen and mistake this with the greyscale inversion side.

On the picture above, you can see further explanation of the grayscale inversion from Wikipedia. It says that some early panels and also nowadays TN displays, have grayscale inversion not necessary up-down, but it can be any angle, you need to check in the datasheet. The reason technologies like IPS (In-Plane Switching), used in the latest Riverdi displays, or VA, were developed, was to avoid this phenomenon. Also, we do not want to brag, but the Wikipedia definition references our website.

We know already that TN (twisted nematic) displays, suffer from grayscale inversion, which means the display has one viewing side, where the image color suddenly changes. It is tricky, and you need to be careful. On the picture above there is a part of the LCD TFT specification of a TN (twisted nematic) display, that has grayscale inversion, and if we go to this table, we can see the viewing angles. They are defined at 70, 70, 60 and 70 degrees, that is the maximum viewing angle, at which the user can see the image. Normally we may think that 70 degrees is better, so we will choose left and right side to be 70 degrees, and then up and down, and if we do not know the grayscale inversion phenomena, we may put our user on the bottom side which is also 70 degrees. The viewing direction will be then like a 6 o’clock direction, so we call it a 6 o’clock display. But you need to be careful! Looking at the specification, we can see that this display was defined as a 12 o’clock display, so it is best for it to be seen from a 12 o’clock direction. But we can find that the 12 o’clock has a lower viewing angle – 60 degrees. What does it mean? It means that on this side there will be no grayscale inversion. If we go to 40, 50, 60 degrees and even a little bit more, probably we will still see the image properly. Maybe with lower contrast, but the colors will not change. If we go from the bottom, from a 6 o’clock direction where we have the grayscale inversion, after 70 degrees or lower we will see a sudden color change, and of course this is something we want to avoid.

To summarize, when you buy older technology like TN and displays, which are still very popular, and Riverdi is selling them as well, you need to be careful where you put your display. If it is a handheld device, you will see the display from the bottom, but if you put it on a wall, you will see the display from the top, so you need to define it during the design phase, because later it is usually impossible or expensive to change the direction.

We will talk now about the other TFT technologies, that allow us to have wider viewing angles and more vivid colors. The most basic technology for monochrome and TFT LCD displays is twisted nematic (TN). As we already know, this kind of displays have a problem with grayscale inversion. On one side we have a higher retardation and will not get a clear image. That is why we have other technologies like VA (Vertical Alignment), where the liquid crystal is differently organized, and another variation of the TFT technology – IPS which is In-Plane Switching. The VA and IPS LCD displays do not have a problem with the viewing angles, you can see a clear image from all sides.

Nowadays all TV sets, tablets and of course mobile phones are IPS or VA. You can turn them around and see the image clear from all sides. But, for monitor applications the TN technology is still widely used, because the monitor usually is in front of you and most of the time you look directly at it, from top, left or right side, but very rarely from the bottom, so the grayscale inversion viewing angle can be placed there. This technology still is very practical because it is affordable and has some advantages for gamers because it is very fast.

Apart from the different organization of the liquid crystals, we also organize subpixels a little bit differently in a VA and IPS LCD displays. When we look closer at the TN display, we will just see the subpixels with color filters. If we look at the VA or IPS display they will have subpixels of subpixels. The subpixels are divided into smaller parts. In this way we can achieve even wider viewing angles and better colors for the user, but of course, it is more complicated and more expensive to do.

The picture above presents the TN display and grayscale inversion. For IPS or VA technology there is no such effect. The picture will be the same from all the sides we look so these technologies are popular where we need wide viewing angles, and TN is popular where we don’t need that, like in monitors. Other advantages of IPS LCD displays are they give accurate colors, and wide viewing angles. What is also important in practice, in our projects, is that the IPS LCD displays are less susceptible to mechanical force. When we apply mechanical force to the screen, and have an optically bonded touch screen, we push the display as well as squeeze the cells. When we have a TN display, every push on the cell changes the image suddenly, with the IPS LCD displays with in-plane switching, different liquid crystals organization, this effect is lesser. It is not completely removed but it is much less distinct. That is another reason IPS displays are very popular for smartphones, tablets, when we have the touchscreens usually optically bonded.

If we wanted to talk about disadvantages, there is a question mark over it, as some of them may be true, some of them do not rely on real cases, what kind of display, what kind of technology is it. Sometimes the IPS displays can have higher power consumption than others, in many cases however, not. They can be more expensive, but not necessarily. The new IPS panels can cost like TN panels, but IPS panels definitely have a longer response time. Again, it is not a rule, you can make IPS panels that are very fast, faster than TN panels, but if you want the fastest possible display, probably the TN panel will be the fastest. That is why the TN technology is still popular on the gaming market. Of course, you can find a lot of discussions on the internet, which technology is better, but it really depends on what you want to achieve.

Now, let us look at the backlight types. As we see here, on the picture above, we have four distinct types of backlight possible. The most common, 95 or 99 per cent of the TFT LCD displays on the market are the transmissive LCD display type, where we need the backlight from the back. If you remember from our Monochrome LCD Displays lecture, for transmissive LCD displays you need the backlight to be always on. If you switch the backlight off, you will not see anything. The same as for monochrome LCD displays, but less popular for TFT displays, we have the transflective LCD display type. They are not popular because usually for transflective TFT displays, the colors lack in brightness, and the displays are not very practical to use. You can see the screen, but the application is limited. Some transflective LCD displays are used by military, in applications where power consumption is paramount; where you can switch the backlight off and you agree to have lower image quality but still see the image. Power consumption and saving energy is most important in some kind of applications and you can use transflective LCD displays there. The reflective type of LCD displays are almost never used in TFT. There is one technology called Low Power Reflective Displays (LPRD) that is used in TFT but it is not popular. Lastly, we have a variation of reflective displays with frontlight, where we add frontlight to the reflective display and have the image even without external light.

Just a few words about Low Power Reflective Displays (LPRD). This kind of display uses environmental light, ambient light to reflect, and produce some colors. The colors are not perfect, not perfectly clear, but this technology is becoming increasingly popular because it allows to have color displays in battery powered applications. For example, a smartwatch would be a case for that technology, or an electrical bike or scooter, where we can not only have a standard monochrome LCD display but also a TFT LCD color display without the backlight; we can see the image even in

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strong sunlight and not need backlight at all. So, this kind of TFL LCD display technology is getting more and more popular when we have outdoor LCD displays and need a low power consumption.

On the picture above, we have some examples of how transmissive and reflective LCD displays work in the sunlight. If we have a simple image, like a black and white pattern, then on a transmissive LCD display, even with 1000 candela brightness, the image probably will be lower quality than for a reflective LCD display; if we have sunlight, we have very strong light reflections on the surface of the screen. We have talked about contrast in more detail in the lecture Sunlight Readable Displays. So, reflective LCD displays are a better solution for outdoor applications than transmissive LCD displays, where you need a really strong backlight, 1000 candela or more, to be really seen outdoors.

To show you how the backlight of LCD displays is built, we took the picture above. You can see the edge backlight there, where we have LEDs here on the small PCB on the edge, and we have a diffuser that distributes the light to the whole surface of LCD screen.

In addition to the backlight, we have something that is called a frontlight. It is similar to backlight, it also uses the LEDs to put the light into it, but the frontlight needs to be transparent as we have the display behind. On the example on the picture above we can see an e-paper display. The e-paper display is also a TFT display variation, but it is not LCD (liquid crystal), it is a different technology, but the back of the display is the same and it is reflective. The example you see is the Kindle 4 eBook reader. It uses an e-paper display and a frontlight as well, so you can read eBooks even during the night.

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Julia Nielsen is a jack-of-all-trades writer, having written for newspapers, magazines, websites, and blogs for the last 15 years. When she"s not dabbling in the written world, she"s spending time with her beautiful granddaughter. She loves to hear from readers, especially when they offer chocolate.

The two buzzwords the tech world has been chatting about for a number of years now is IPS, (In-Plane Switching) screen technology used for liquid crystal displays or LCD’s for short, and TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor) an active matrix screen technology, which is more expensive, but a sharper image.

Designed in the 1980’s, but not introduced until nearly a decade later, in 1996, by Hitachi, IPS technology is nothing new, and a type of LCD design that affords greater viewing angles and higher-quality color reproduction than the traditional TN or Twisted Nematic LCDs.

When Apple brought it to the public’s attention, it took off, and as they say, the rest is history; but, it really didn’t become widespread or worldwide until just the late 1990’s. Since then, IPS screens have been implemented in homes all over the world, with variations to suit one’s electronic needs.

TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor) Liquid Crystal Display is a thin display type, where a transistor embedded into each crystal gate; these transistors are then printed on thin-transparent film. The technology was designed to improve image qualities, such as contrast and addressability.

Also designed in the late 1980’s, TFT display technologies is just another variation of LCD displays that offer greater color, contrast, and response times as opposed to available passive matrix LCD’s. One of the primary differences between IPS and TFT display technologies is the cost. IPS is more expensive than TN technology. However, there are some key differences between the two that should be noted.

Before we go into the differences, let’s talk about features of each technology. Note that we’re not talking TVs, computer, or tablets, but screens on a much smaller scale, (think 7” or smaller) which uses different rules to fit that scale. First, it’s interesting to discover that the TFT display technologies is the most common type of color display technology; more monochrome displays still out-sell color, due to lower cost and lower power consumption, however, the narrow poor visibility of TFTs in direct sunlight is their downside; but I’m getting ahead of myself here.

IPS technology has come a long way in regards to cell phones and other LCD screens that are even much smaller. (Picture digital clocks on a radio, microwave, and hand-held games) Some of the features of an IPS screen include:Wider viewing angles – crystals are aligned horizontally rather than vertically, so it allows for better angled viewing, perfect for smaller screens, where you need to rotate the screen for better viewing

Brilliant color image – this is a huge advance in technology, from a Twisted Nematic (TN) display that only produced 6-bit color, to an 8-bit color display with the IPS technology

Variations to help with user’s viewing requirements or desires – there are several different forms of IPS technology: Super-IPS, (S-IPS) Advanced Super IPS, Advanced S-IPS, where the liquid crystal molecules stay parallel to the front and back panels, instead of perpendicular when a voltage is applied

TFT display technologies have developed over the years and have become quite popular in tech circles. The features offered with this advancing technology are:Superior color display – for technology that requires it or for consumers that desire color screens

Features a longer half-life, (half-life is the amount of time in hours before the display is 50% as bright as when it was first turned on), than OLEDs and comes in varying sizes, from under an inch up to over 15 inches

Capacitive Touchscreen or touch panel, which is in the majority of Smartphones and allows for additional functionality, specifically for zooming and scrolling

Aspect ratio control, which refers to a screen’s ability to maintain an aspect ratio of a source image at the hardware level, and 1:1 pixel mapping, used to literally “map” the exact number of pixels specifically in the source resolution to pixels on the screen

Variety of displays, which can be interfaced through a variety of bus types, including 18 and 24 bit for red/green/blue, LVDS, and 8 bit and 16 bit for a CPU – many controllers allow for two or more different types of interfaces on the same TFT screen

Okay, now that we’ve covered the features of both technologies, let’s look at the differences between the two. Before we get into the spec differences, let’s first address the main difference: the arrangement of transistors and liquid crystal. Seems vague, doesn’t it?

Let me explain. As you can see, both have excellent color display and clarity; however, IPS screens offer greater color reproduction and viewing angles because of the way crystal orientation and polarizers are arranged. In a TFT screen, the structure of the crystals results in angular retardation in the light. The IPS screens thus offer less distortion properties. Other differences include power consumption and cost. With IPS screens, it takes more power (up to 15% more) than with a TFT screen. If you’re on a monitor, such as a computer screen that’s bigger than 7 inches, it will drain your battery faster than if you’re on a 3.5” screen. Regarding cost, IPS panels are more expensive to produce than TFT panels.

Here’s why:IPS screens are popular and in high demand with professionals including surgeons and photographers or pretty much any profession that requires color reproduction, therefore, because the demand is high, the price goes up. (way to love economics) Also, less manufactures are building IPS at this time.

The color channels increase from 6 bits (TN displays) to 8 bits (IPS displays) to ensure the precision of shades per color channel, thus increasing manufacturing costs

If you want the benefits of having a Smartphone without a huge price tag, then TFT devices are your best bet. Another difference is that IPS screens have longer response times than TFT screens, so the lag output is greater. A few other key differences to be aware of are that with IPS panels, you get a bigger variety of panels, as was discussed above, with their super, advanced, and so forth developments, giving the consumer options, and IPS screens that can display 24-bit TrueColor; they also stay color-accurate and remain stable.

So, are you ready to delve into the pros and cons of these two technologies? Granted, we’ve touched on their features and differences, but now it’s time to ask yourself, which one is better for me or my business?

Because of their superior color and clarity of images, devices using an IPS screens are easy to install on walls, due to their compact form and low-depth. The Super IPS screens offer a higher angle of 170˚ for better clarity and wider viewing, particularly at night. Images remain stable and clear and not sparkly, shiny, like other screens; they also have a longer battery life and screen life, (on smaller screens of course) because of the lower electrical output. The release of heat is lower, again because of the reduced electrical consumption. The colors are also more vibrant and clear, not pixelated like other lower quality-type devices. As mentioned earlier, there are also many variations of IPS technology to suit your needs and desires.

Now we will go over the downside of IPS screens, which we briefly touched on above, which includes a major disadvantage: cost. If you’re just looking for an average Smartphone or don’t need all the fancy coloring and clarity for LCD displays, then cost may not be a big factor; however, this is the main reason why IPS technology is beginning to come down. As with every new invention, discovery or technology, demand is everything. Another disadvantage is that colors may not always transcribe correctly or accurately, which may or may not be a deterrent. Also, high resolutions are not always readily available for personal applications. In certain circumstances, the brightness may not be enough, especially in darkness.

Steve Jobs said it best: “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” I tend to agree with him. With TFT display technologies, less energy consumption is a big deal, especially when dealing with bigger screens, and of course less electricity means lower cost, overall. The visibility is sharper, meaning no geometric distortion, which is great for these tired, old eyes. The response time and physical design of the screens are also appealing. TFT displays can also save space and be placed virtually anywhere in an office or home, because of the brightly lit feature and crisp clear images.

Some cons of TFT screens deal with the viewing angle, which create distortion, resulting in a less-than-perfect image. Static resolution, meaning the resolution can’t be changed, may also cause a problem, but newer models seem to have tackled that issue. The accuracy of the display of colors is not perfect, specifically strong blacks and bright whites, so when printing an image, it may not display the spectrum of colors.

And there you have it. In the future, even this superb technology will change and new, more exciting technology will take its place. But until then, IPS & TFT screens are forging ahead with their own advances and improvements, so stayed tune. You don’t want to miss it.

Focus Display Solutions (www.FocusLCDs.com) offers off-the-shelf Color TFT display technologies in both TN and IPS. Many of the color modules contain built in touch panels.

The adoption of LCD technology in vehicular displays has happened quite quickly and smart displays have by now pretty much replaced the mechanical dashboards of yesteryears in cars. In an interview with our team, Rei Tjoeng from Sharp Devices revealed some interesting information regarding automotive-grade LCDs, the recent trends, and specific characteristics that make some LCD displays different from the others available in the market.

A. Adoption of TFT in 2-wheeler cluster applications has increased in a big way. The global automotive industry is widely believed to be on the cusp of tremendous change in terms of manufacturing, sales, and the overall business model, owing to the rapid advances in new-age technologies such as autonomous driving, augmented reality, and big data.

Visualisation technologies are the most vital components of in-vehicle interactions, with overall automotive navigation and connectivity characterising the cars of this generation.

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)—such as parking assistance, forward collision, lane-departure warnings, and blind-spot monitoring—are frequently hailed as the technologies that will usher us into an age of autonomous transportation, but drivers are still either untrusting or too trusting of these features. This has led to an evolution of sorts in the in-car user experience interfaces, and more so with the way automotive display makers are developing new products.

The future for ergonomic conformal displays, display-based dash, central console, in-door wing mirrors, and transparent displays that offer unobtrusive visual information during journeys is bright. Head-up displays are fast gaining popularity as an ideal interface for disseminating crucial information such as navigation messages, vehicle speed, and warnings.

A. Yes, reflective LCDs, which use ambient light to reflect in order to read. In 2W cluster applications, where TFT is exposed to direct sunlight, readability is a major issue. Sharp Reflective LCD is a solution as visibility is crystal clear without any glare and is available in colour too. Equipped with a backlight, it can be used at night also.

Normal TFT has to pump more power through the backlight, which results in more power consumption and backlight life also gets affected to a large extent. This reflective LCD consumes very little power and could be the best fit-in product for the EV segment.

Q. One of the first fears that come to one’s mind when we see a large tablet-like display in cars is of its breaking. But what is the actual risk of these screens breaking?

A. The market is now shifting to large-size TFT displays in the automotive segment. These displays are automotive-grade LCDs and are tested for shock, vibration, high and low temperature, etc. For more protection and safety, glass bonding is done over TFT. Glass bonding with a cover glass on the LCD protects it from shock, as the hardened adhesive behind the glass acts as a shock absorber. Shakes and shocks are less likely to damage the display and glass, making this an important benefit for transportation applications. In the unlikely event that the glass is damaged, shards of broken glass will remain stuck to the optical adhesive.

Q. Reflection or glaring sunlight sometimes makes it difficult to read the displays. Any innovation introduced recently, or underway, that may solve this issue?

A. Reflective LCD and Progressive Super View are the two technologies which are effective under high ambient light. In progressive super view technology, internal and external reflection is cut down, which results in a clear view without glare. And the beauty of this technology is that it happens without pumping more power from the backlight. This helps in more lifetime of the backlight and less power consumption.

A. Automotive-grade LCDs have strict requirements. The LCD must remain working during the extreme environment, for example, Indian summertime. For example, our LCDs are tested for storage temperature of -40 to 95°C and operating temperature of -30 to 85°C.

There are a few LCD specs the design engineers need to consider at high priority when they select the LCD. The first specification will be the screen size and aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the length and width of the LCD. Some common ratios are 4:3, 5:4, 16:9, and so on. Of course, sometimes marketing people will also consider these specs as they will affect the whole outlook and design of the product.

A. The smartphone has become very popular in recent years and it is influencing the engineers’ design. We saw some EV companies use the smartphone LCD as the cluster or GPS display for their first-generation products. The smartphone LCD is nice but, unfortunately, it is not designed for automotive applications, especially not for 2-wheeler outdoor usage. When the 2-wheeler is under the sunshine, the driver can barely see anything from the smartphone LCD. And, also, the smartphone LCD’s lifetime becomes much shorter under the automotive application scenario.

A. Sharp Singapore has been in this region for many years. We understand our customers. First, our team will get the customer’s requirements from both the marketing and engineering sides. We will check the customer’s motherboard’s graphics capability, display interface, and other necessary technical details. We will propose the best suitable LCDs to the customer and explain the reason. We will explain what we observe from the market trend and help the customer to know the best options.

Q. Do you have some form of sampling programme for them to receive samples during their prototyping stages? Do you have development or evaluation kits for your LCD displays?

A. Sharp Singapore understands that samples and evaluation kits are important in the project’s early stage. Evaluation kits are available for the engineer to evaluate the LCD performance during the proof of concept stage. Then we will provide sample LCDs for the customer’s prototype builds.

The adoption of LCD technology in vehicular displays has happened quite quickly and smart displays have by now pretty much replaced the mechanical dashboards of yesteryears in cars. In an interview with our team, Rei Tjoeng from Sharp Devices revealed some interesting information regarding automotive-grade LCDs, the recent trends, and specific characteristics that make some LCD displays different from the others available in the market.

A. Adoption of TFT in 2-wheeler cluster applications has increased in a big way. The global automotive industry is widely believed to be on the cusp of tremendous change in terms of manufacturing, sales, and the overall business model, owing to the rapid advances in new-age technologies such as autonomous driving, augmented reality, and big data.

Visualisation technologies are the most vital components of in-vehicle interactions, with overall automotive navigation and connectivity characterising the cars of this generation.

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)—such as parking assistance, forward collision, lane-departure warnings, and blind-spot monitoring—are frequently hailed as the technologies that will usher us into an age of autonomous transportation, but drivers are still either untrusting or too trusting of these features. This has led to an evolution of sorts in the in-car user experience interfaces, and more so with the way automotive display makers are developing new products.

The future for ergonomic conformal displays, display-based dash, central console, in-door wing mirrors, and transparent displays that offer unobtrusive visual information during journeys is bright. Head-up displays are fast gaining popularity as an ideal interface for disseminating crucial information such as navigation messages, vehicle speed, and warnings.

A. Yes, reflective LCDs, which use ambient light to reflect in order to read. In 2W cluster applications, where TFT is exposed to direct sunlight, readability is a major issue. Sharp Reflective LCD is a solution as visibility is crystal clear without any glare and is available in colour too. Equipped with a backlight, it can be used at night also.

Normal TFT has to pump more power through the backlight, which results in more power consumption and backlight life also gets affected to a large extent. This reflective LCD consumes very little power and could be the best fit-in product for the EV segment.

Q. One of the first fears that come to one’s mind when we see a large tablet-like display in cars is of its breaking. But what is the actual risk of these screens breaking?

A. The market is now shifting to large-size TFT displays in the automotive segment. These displays are automotive-grade LCDs and are tested for shock, vibration, high and low temperature, etc. For more protection and safety, glass bonding is done over TFT. Glass bonding with a cover glass on the LCD protects it from shock, as the hardened adhesive behind the glass acts as a shock absorber. Shakes and shocks are less likely to damage the display and glass, making this an important benefit for transportation applications. In the unlikely event that the glass is damaged, shards of broken glass will remain stuck to the optical adhesive.

Q. Reflection or glaring sunlight sometimes makes it difficult to read the displays. Any innovation introduced recently, or underway, that may solve this issue?

A. Reflective LCD and Progressive Super View are the two technologies which are effective under high ambient light. In progressive super view technology, internal and external reflection is cut down, which results in a clear view without glare. And the beauty of this technology is that it happens without pumping more power from the backlight. This helps in more lifetime of the backlight and less power consumption.

A. Automotive-grade LCDs have strict requirements. The LCD must remain working during the extreme environment, for example, Indian summertime. For example, our LCDs are tested for storage temperature of -40 to 95°C and operating temperature of -30 to 85°C.

There are a few LCD specs the design engineers need to consider at high priority when they select the LCD. The first specification will be the screen size and aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is the ratio between the length and width of the LCD. Some common ratios are 4:3, 5:4, 16:9, and so on. Of course, sometimes marketing people will also consider these specs as they will affect the whole outlook and design of the product.

A. The smartphone has become very popular in recent years and it is influencing the engineers’ design. We saw some EV companies use the smartphone LCD as the cluster or GPS display for their first-generation products. The smartphone LCD is nice but, unfortunately, it is not designed for automotive applications, especially not for 2-wheeler outdoor usage. When the 2-wheeler is under the sunshine, the driver can barely see anything from the smartphone LCD. And, also, the smartphone LCD’s lifetime becomes much shorter under the automotive application scenario.

A. Sharp Singapore has been in this region for many years. We understand our customers. First, our team will get the customer’s requirements from both the marketing and engineering sides. We will check the customer’s motherboard’s graphics capability, display interface, and other necessary technical details. We will propose the best suitable LCDs to the customer and explain the reason. We will explain what we observe from the market trend and help the customer to know the best options.

Q. Do you have some form of sampling programme for them to receive samples during their prototyping stages? Do you have development or evaluation kits for your LCD displays?

A. Sharp Singapore understands that samples and evaluation kits are important in the project’s early stage. Evaluation kits are available for the engineer to evaluate the LCD performance during the proof of concept stage. Then we will provide sample LCDs for the customer’s prototype builds.