Why choose Monochrome lcd display | Maclight
Monochrome LCD displays have been a popular choice in the electronics industry for several years. They offer a cost-effective and reliable solution for displaying information in a variety of applications, including industrial control panels, medical equipment, and consumer electronics. In this article, we will explore the basics of monochrome lcd displays, their applications, and the benefits they offer. We will also discuss the various types of monochrome LCD displays available in the market and their features. monochrome lcd display can be a popular custom lcd screen because tooling fee of custom making is cheaper.
1. What is a Monochrome LCD Display?
A monochrome LCD display is a type of display that uses a single color to display information. Monochrome LCD displays typically use black or dark gray pixels on a light-colored background to create images or text.
Monochrome LCD displays are commonly used in applications where color is not necessary, and a simple display is sufficient. They offer several benefits over color displays, including lower cost, lower power consumption, and better readability in bright light conditions.
2. Applications of Monochrome LCD Displays
Monochrome LCD displays are used in a wide range of applications, including:
- Industrial control panels
- Test and measurement equipment
- Cash registers and POS machines
- Consumer electronics, such as digital watches and calculators
- Automotive displays
- Appliances, such as microwaves and ovens
- Medical equipment
- Handheld devices, such as GPS devices.
3. The benefits of Monochrome LCD Displays
There are several benefits to using monochrome LCD displays in electronic devices. Some of these benefits include:
Low Cost: Monochrome LCD displays are typically less expensive than color displays, making them an ideal choice for cost-sensitive applications.
Low Power Consumption: Monochrome LCD displays consume less power than color displays, making them ideal for battery-powered devices or applications where power consumption is a concern.
Better Readability in sunlight: Monochrome LCD displays are easier to read in bright light conditions than color displays. They also offer better contrast, making them ideal for displaying text or simple graphics.
Long Lifetime: Monochrome LCD displays have a long lifestime, 50k hours typically, up to 10K hours lifetime, making them a reliable choice for applications that require long-term use.
Customizable: Monochrome LCD displays can be a custom lcd display to meet the specific requirements of a particular application. They can be made in various sizes, resolutions, and aspect ratios.
4. The disadvantages of Monochrome LCD Displays
No colorful: it can not display images in vivid colors, the background is monochrome color with one of white, black, blue, gray color. the display color is only mono color, sometimes, by silk printing technoloy, it can be 4 multi-colors for TN, stn lcd in Maximum.
Low resolution: a monochrome lcd is mainly in TN and STN LCD technology, the maximum resolution is up to 240 lines maximum. that is 320*240 pixels, or 640*240 pixels (except monochrome tft).
Low contrast: except monochrome tft lcd, the monochrome TN LCD and STN LCD, because cross-talk effect inside lcd cell, the contrast of monochrome lcd is lower than color TFT LCD panel.
5. Types of Monochrome LCD Displays
There are several types of monochrome LCD displays available in the market.
5.1. Based on the display technologies, the display types include:
TN LCD Displays: TN LCD (Twisted Nematic, twisted angle: 90°) offer a fast response time and low power consumption, low cost, However, they have limited viewing angles and color reproduction.
HTN LCD Displays: HTN LCD(High-Temperature Nematic,twisted angle: 110°) offer a wider viewing angle than TN LCD displays, making them ideal for applications that require wider viewing angle than TN display, lower power consumption.
STN LCD Displays: STN LCD(Super-Twisted Nematic,twisted angle: 240°) offer high contrast and low power consumption,wider viewing angle than TN and HTN LCD, STN LCD offer more display contents for characters or graphic display, However, STN LCD also have limited color reproduction.
FSTN LCD Displays: FSTN LCD(Film Compensated Super-Twisted Nematic), a kinds of STN lcd, because of film compensation, FSTN offer better viewing angles and color reproduction than STN LCD displays. FSTN LCD is black-white display with more simily to E-paper display.
VA TN LCD displays: VA TN lcd provide super wide viewing angle and high contrast than TN and STN LCD. it the black background with white display content, backlight is necessary for VA TN lcd module.
5.2. Based on the configuration, monochrome lcd displays include:
COG LCD module: Driver IC Chip on lcd glass.
COB LCD module: Driver IC Chip on PCB board.
COF LCD module: Driver Chip on flexible film.
5.3. Based on the display content, monochrome lcd displays include:
Segment lcd modules:
An seven segment lcd display is like the below picture, it can display numbers from 0 to 9 and several letters such as C, A, b E, L, and F by control some segments "on" and "off". it is the cheapest lcd display panel.
The segment lcd also could be in Icon lcd display, that is the display content are the custom segments based on customer's application. each segment means one icon, we could design the icon on our application.
Character lcd modules:
The familiar Characters lcd modules have 16x1, 16x2, 16x4 characters, 20x1, 20x2, 20x4 characters, and 40x2, 40x4 etc, characters lcd display module. An 16x2 lcd display means 16 characters x 2 lines character on the lcd. normally, one characters is made by 5x8 pixels, we could display numbers 1~9, and A~Z letters and most of characters on the 5x8 pixels per characters.
Graphic lcd module:
The standard graphic lcd resolution have 96x64 pixels、96x96、 122x32、128x64、128x128、160x128、160x160、192x64、240x64、240x128、320x240 etc. we could display all the characters and image in the graphic lcd display. of course, the higher resolution lcd, the display effect of image would be better.
6. How can i get a Monochrome LCD Displays:
6.1. Choose the standard monochrome lcd module from Maclight display.
If you need small quantity monochrome lcd display for your project, choose a standard monochrome lcd module would be a good choice, you could save the tooling fee by choosing standard lcds, Maclight have wide range standard Characters lcd and Graphic lcd module, including COB type and COG type for your choosing, please visit Maclight website(www.szmaclight.com) or simply contact us at [email protected] for more details.
6.2. Custom made lcd for the monochrom display.
The tooling fee of custom monochrome lcd panel would be around 200~500 USD, if only the simple segment lcd panel, such as TN display mode, then tooling fee would be cheaper, but if the custom lcd screen is monochrome graphic lcd panel, such as STN display panel, the tooling fee would be little higher than TN lcd panel. because the tooling mask for STN LCD would be higher than TN lcd panel. but it is only the tooling fee for monochrome lcd panel.
If for custom monochrome lcd module that with IC chip on glass, we call it COG LCD module, the tooling fee would be higher than lcd panel only, because if for custom TN or STN lcd panel, the tooling mask can be made by PI film, while for custom monochrome COG LCD module, the custom COG LCD tooling mask would be used the metal mask, the tooling fee would be more higher to around 1500~2000 USD.
Besides the custom lcds panel, for some custom lcd mode that in transmissive lcd or transflective lcd display mode, because lcd panel is passive display, different to OLED display panel, lcd panel can not emit light by itself, it have to be with backlight for working, the backlight tooling fee would be upper than 1000 USD, the more complicating structure on the backlight, the tooling fee would be more. for saving the cost of tooling fee on lcd backlight, the simple structure would be cheaper.
6.3. What is the MOQ for a custom making monochrome lcd:
The MOQ of custom lcd display for monochrome lcd is calculated based on the mother-glass of LCD panel, some person may ask, what is mother-glass of lcd panel? is it the mother of lcd panel? no, no,no..., it is just a joke, the mother-glass of lcd is the primary glass of lcd, we also call it ITO glass, because it have an ITO layer on the glass. the lcd panels are array on the mother glass in manufacturing lcd panel, and cutting it one by one after lcd cell production finished. the main mother glass sizes if 14"x16", as in lcd manufacturing, for stable running in the full-auto machine line, it is at least 50 set of 14"x16" for an production running, that is the smaller sizes of lcd, the bigger MOQ of lcd quantity is necessary.
6.4. How to custom make mono lcd displays?
First, we need to make a design for the custom lcd, we need to confirm some necessary information for the custom lcd,
1. Confirm the sizes what you would like to custom making, the custom mono lcd displays would be mainly less than 10", the custom sizes is up to the mother glass of lcd panels that is less than 14"x16". the custom mono lcd can be custom made the random sizes below 10".
2. The color of the custom lcd display, the monochrome lcds have difference colors.
3. Display patterns: it can be segment display or graphic display. the graphic display can be up to 240 rows and 480 column.
4. With or without IC driver.
5. Display connection and interface.
Then after drawing approved, LCD manufacturer would make the tooling moulds for the custom LCD, the tooing fee of moulds would be difference based on the configulation of the custom lcd module.
Finally, the custom lcd displays would be produced in LCD factory. if it is a LCD panel, the custom lcd panel would be made in LCD panel factory only, if it is LCD module with driver, backlight, FPC, touch compoments, the custom LCD displays would be made in LCD module factory.
5.5. What is lead time for custom making monochrome lcd in Maclight?
The lead time for custom lcd would be 3~5 working days for counter drawing, after counter drawing approval from customer, lead time would be 2 weeks only for tooing samples of LCD panel, if the solution is COG lcd (chip on glass) or COB lcd module (chip on board), the samples lead time would be 2~3 weeks for COG IC bonding and final assembly.
If you are interesting for monochrome lcd displays, please contact us at [email protected]
