New Custom & Standard Transflective TFT Displays From Phoenix Display

We’re happy to announce an exciting new line of displays. Based on our standard small format transflective TFT glass platforms, Phoenix Display International (PDI) is launching the following new line of custom and standard transflective TFT Displays, unique and truly transflective products:

• 2.2” 320X240 (QVGA) PDI0220BMG
• 2.8” 320X240 (QVGA) PDI0283BUG
• 3.2” 320X240 (QVGA) PDI0320DUG
• 3.5” 320X240 (QVGA) PDI0350BMG-1

These small format true transflective displays will outperform their sunlight-readable counterparts, and are ideal for outdoor use, or any outdoor use based applications.

If the standard platform is not already suitable for your needs, Phoenix Display’s U.S.-based, local engineering team will work to design the ideal LCD display module around the existing transfelctive glass platform to integrate both electrically and mechanically.  PDI can also design any additional TFT display options needed; including touch screens, light guide features and flex modifications.

For more information about custom TFT display, contact Phoenix Display today.

The Phoenix Display Awards for Best CES Display Products

The Phoenix Display Awards for Best CES Display Products

After the dust settled at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV this year, the Phoenix Display judges, with a split decision, gave the award to two products.

LG OLED TV – Largest and Thinnest OLED

The first award goes to LG55EM9600.  This is a 55-inch OLED TV.  It was not only voted as the largest, but also the thinnest at OLED CES.  The OLED screens are known for the deep, vibrant colors and wide viewing angles.  The OLED combines the best of plasma and LCD display technologies.  OLED does not require a backlight, therefore allowing it to be thin – 5mm to be exact in this case.  LG has not announced the pricing for these TV’s yet, but they are rumored to cost anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000.  It was a close race between LG and Samsung’s 55-inch” OLED, but with LG being the brand to have a production release date slated for later this year, they won the top honors.

Panasonic – 152” 3D Plasma TV

The second award goes to the Panasonic 152-inch 3D Plasma TV.  While this Panasonic model does not get the same “almost production” honor as the LG OLED, its massive scale alone is unmistakably a remarkable display design and manufacturing feat.  The display features a new plasma display panel (PDP), which Panasonic developed with quadruple luminous efficiency technology.  This allows the picture to achieve its full brightness in a quarter of the time.  The panel also incorporates a crosstalk reduction technology, which utilizes frame-at-a-time methods as opposed to line-at-a-time methods.  This is essential for producing a clear 3D image.  The price tag for this TV is estimated at a cool $500,000.

Phoenix Display Formally Launches Perfect Match Program

What is Perfect Match?

Phoenix Display has developed an LCD cross-matching process where we are able to duplicate any display manufactured by another supplier and retool it in house quickly and at minimal cost with optimal results. Phoenix Display has the ability to match almost all monochrome character, graphic and full-color TFT LCD displays.

Why Switch To Phoenix Display?

Our clients come to us to solve a problem with their existing LCD display.  A “problem” is defined as anything that Phoenix Display can improve upon.  The areas that we typically enhance are:

-Price                             

-Obsolescence

-Quality

-Delivery and Logistics

-Additional Customization and/or Integration

We do this with minimum impact to our customers and provide 100% compatible drop-in replacement LCD displays in almost all cases, unless an LCD driver IC or raw TFT panel becomes obsolete.  Even in these cases of component obsolescence, we can often still create a 100% compatible hardware match.  This way, all our clients need to do is test and qualify the new Phoenix Display without making any changes to their existing design.

Because this is such a successful and common process, we have highlighted the details of this procedure.  Below are the typical steps for a Phoenix Display Perfect Match.

Client Qualification:

To keep our product costs optimized, we only work within our volume guidelines and not all LCD display projects or technologies will qualify.

Identify the Client’s Current Issue(s):

As stated above, the most common issues with our clients’ LCD display modules in order are:  price, quality, delivery, performance, and obsolescence.  We start with our technical evaluation of our client’s current product and current complaints, and from that, we create a commercial proposal that ensures that we are addressing the needs of this new LCD display moving forward.  Often it’s as simple as getting our customers a 15%-30% price reduction over their current supplier, but we also address each attribute from creative logistical stocking agreements to full or partial redesigns based on the product needs.

Commercial Proposal:

We will submit a formal proposal stating the improvements to some or all of the potential characteristics of the LCD display.  Upon commercial agreement, we initiate the development process.  In many cases there is a tooling cost involved, and Phoenix Display guarantees the results, such that the tooling is never due until the client is satisfied that Phoenix Display has created the Perfect Match.

Perfect Match Product Development:

Phoenix Displays starts the design process with our competitor’s LCD display specifications, then we use actual samples to match all of the softer attributes like contrast, background color, backlight color, backlight brightness, backlight uniformity, contrast binning, cross talk, viewing angle, viewing direction, over-driven or under-driven states, and mechanical dimensions.  Once we are satisfied that our module meets or exceeds the referenced competitors’ sample performance and attributes, then we test the new Phoenix Display LCD module in our client’s terminal or device to make sure that we have captured the optimal performance on all aspects in the same setting in which the display is actually used.  The strength of the Perfect Match Process lies in our ability to start with the optimal configuration and create the correct iterations to match attributes and to balance other performance matrices to end up with the ideal LCD display configuration.

Qualification Submittal:

The time and effort taken in the development stage greatly reduces the efforts required in the qualifications stage.  Because of our rigorous and up front testing , most often this is a plug-and-play process with no additional iterations or changes required.

Please contact Phoenix Display and tell us about your LCD project.

LCD Viewing Modes Explained

LCD Viewing Modes Explained

The optimal viewing mode is application specific. These definitions apply to any display type, whether it is monochrome character LCD, graphic LCD or full- color TFT LCD displays.

Find this and more information check out our Technical Resources page: http://www.phoenixdisplay.com/viewing-modes.php

Transmissive

For a transmissive LCD display, the glass cell has no reflective properties. The image is created solely by utilizing a backlight behind the display. The liquid crystal cell then acts as a light valve to either let the light through the display, or block the light. This technology is used when there are few ambient light sources available.

Reflective

This LCD display device has a reflector located on the rear of the cell. Ambient light is passed through the cell and reflected back to the user. The application is best used in direct sunlight or a well-lit office environment. This technology has the lowest power consumption because there is no backlight. This is the preferred lowest cost and lowest powered consumption type. Typical applications include desk phone and calculators.

Transflective

A transflective LCD display utilizes a transflector, which is a partial reflector that will still allow some light to pass through, while reflecting present ambient light as well. These LCD displays can achieve both reflective and transmissive properties, which results in acceptable transmissive performance with a backlight in low-light conditions, and allows the LCD display to switch to a reflective mode in adequate ambient-light conditions. These displays work great outdoors in direct sunlight as well as in completely dark applications. This is the most common monochrome LCD viewing mode. Unfortunately, true transflective color TFT LCD displays are much more difficult to produce and result in fewer available standard sizes with a higher cost.

Sunlight-Readable

The Sunlight- Readable LCD viewing mode grew out of the need for a transflective color TFT application, when there was no standard transflective LCD cell in that form factor available. The Sunlight-Readable TFT LCD module combines a highly efficient anti-reflective front polarizer and high-efficiency rear polarizer paired with a high-brightness backlight resulting in a legible display in an outdoor environment.

Positive Image

A darker pixel on a lighter background is the most common configuration for monochrome displays. In a non-powered state, the display will retain the lighter background appearance.

Negative Image

A lighter pixel on a darker background is the most common configuration for color displays. In a non-powered state, the display will retain the darker background appearance.

Plasma vs. LCD

TV Buying Guide: Plasma vs. LCD

When shopping for a new television, the question of whether to choose a plasma TV or LCD TV is a key decision. Both types provide bright, clear, and color-saturated images, and both now offer similar size options. There are some important differences, however, between plasma and LCD, and you’ll find that each type of TV has advantages and disadvantages to consider when making your decision.

Plasma and LCD TVs use different types of technology to turn video or computer signals into the images you see displayed. Plasma TVs use an electric charge to exite Zenon and Neon gas to emit light, whereas LCD TV displays rely on light filtered through a liquid-crystal matrix to produce the precise intensities of hues you see in the TV picture.

So what does this mean to you, the TV buyer? Here is an overview of the most important advantages and disadvantages of both plasma and LCD TVs.

LCD TV Advantages:

• Not susceptible to screen burn-in
• Operates at a cooler temperature
• Less screen glare
• Produces a brighter image, making for easier viewing in bright lighting
• Longer screen life
• Uses less energy to run
• Functions well at high altitudes
• Weighs less

LCD TV Disadvantages:

• Lower contrast ratio
• Less ability to render deep blacks
• Slight motion lag with fast-moving images

Plasma TV Advantages:

• Superior contrast ratio
• Deeper colors
• Better at rendering deep blacks
• Better response time with fast motion
• Greater availability in large screen

Plasma TV Disadvantages:

• Still somewhat vulnerable to burn-in, although improvements have been made
• Generates more heat when running
• Doesn’t function as well at higher altitudes
• More difficult to view in brightly lit rooms
• Weighs more
• More fragile to ship

The choice of plasma vs. LCD ultimately depends on your particular requirements and preferences, but both provide excellent value and a high-quality image. One of the best ways to make your final decision is to visit a retailer who can help you compare. So head to your nearest electronics store and see the difference for yourself.

Bonus tip: look for great bargains on TVs big and small as Super Bowl Sunday looms closer. Who wants to watch football on a TV with a subpar picture?

Best of luck in your decision making and happy shopping!