How To Choose Standard vs. Custom LCD Modules?

Outlines:

1. Common Misconceptions About LCD
2. Advantages of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 
3. Customized LCD
4. Important Information To Design Custom LCD Panel
5. Advantages Of Custom LCD
6. Disadvantages Of LCDs
7. How can Createxplay help you?
8. Final Words

Are you confused about how to choose a standard vs. custom LCD module for your use?

No need to worry now. Today in this article, I’ll explain everything about how you can choose the best LCD module according to your need. When considering a display module for your project, you will have to answer: “Should I design a standard module or customized one for my use?”  This article has described some tips, common misconceptions, and detailed answers to common questions to help you choose the best one.

1. Common Misconceptions About LCD

Here are some common misconceptions about LCD you kneed to know before your final decision.

•  Custom LCD Modules Are Costly.

The common misconception is that custom display modules cost more than standard modules.

While the above holds for NRE cost, custom LCD module unit pricing is often equivalent to or lower than a similar product.

Here’s why: Standard display modules are often designed to maximize their implementation potential.

This can lead to:

1. variable interface protocols allowed by high pin counts,
2. high-output backlighting to maximize application potential,
3. Generally conservative mechanical design practices.

• Custom NRE Costs Are Too Restrictive.

For most Passive Matrix LCD modules, we can deliver a custom LCD with active area size and resolution or a custom backlight, mechanical housing, and electrical interface for a total NRE cost of less than USD 10k. Likewise, Createxplay can customize an Active Matrix LCD module’s backlight, housing, and mechanical interface for an NRE cost of less than USD 10k. 

In these cases, the design flexibility justifies the modest NRE required that customization often allows.

However, customizing the Active Matrix LCD itself (size/resolution) can cost restrictive for most applications since the minimum NRE required for panel mask sets is around USD 100k. Unless the scope of the business dictates a customer-owned TFT panel or the project volumes depending on the size, are over 500k pieces per year. In many applications, combining a standard active matrix TFT cell with a custom-designed module and electrical interface offers the most favorable overall cost solution.

• Designing Custom Modules Extend Lead Time.

The lead time is another consideration for a custom design that can be shorter than you would think. Short lead time is made off-the-shelf LCD modules attractive for designers.

LCD manufacturers like Createxplay can typically design custom housing for passive or active matrix LCDs – with integrated capacitive touch sensor and interface – within one to two weeks of the initial RFQ and then provide sample custom LCD modules 4-5wks after that.

Createxplay also offers customers the option to use off-the-shelf modules as prototypes within their design before the custom display is ready to evaluate other design aspects and perform qualification work (e.g., testing software).

For many implementers, the design freedom and iterative optimization that customization offers are well worth the additional time required to sample custom LCD modules.

2. Advantages of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 

There are many advantages of Liquid crystal display that are listed below:

• The LCD can produce over 60 inches or 150 cm diagonal in large sizes.
• It has no geometric distortion.
• It is very compact, thin, and has light CRT displays.
• Magnetic fields do not affect it.
• Small heat is emitted during operation due to low power consumption.
• It is much thinner than a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor.

3. Customized LCD

Nowadays, different LCDs are used in various applications, from calculators, watches, games to medical and industrial applications. The display content easily modified to satisfy the exact requirements of an application is one of the main advantages of LCDs over all other display technologies. The customized LCD panels can show particular user interface information that enhances the product performance and value.

Customized LCDs display alphanumeric digits, numeric, ON, or OFF indicators, graphic icons, messages, pie charts, bar graphs, symbols, etc. The content of the LCDs panel is limited only by the product designer’s imagination. Many factors should be considered in the design of a customized LCD panel. 

4. Important Information To Design Custom LCD Panel

The following information is necessary to design a quotation for a customized LCD panel:

• LCD panel, 
• Display modes, 
• Polarisers, 
• Viewing mode, 
• Backlight requirement, 
• Operating environment, 
• Drive method, 
• Connection method, 
• A keypad is required if applicable.

5. Advantages Of Custom LCD

• Custom LCD monitors display static images with full-color detail from computer sources extremely well and no screen burn-in.
• The number of pixels/square inches on an LCD is typically higher than other display technologies.
• Custom LCD monitors are good at displaying a large amount of data, e.g., on an Excel spreadsheet with exceptional clarity and precision.
• Custom LCDs are available in many sizes.
• They are not affected by increased or decreased air pressure in airplanes.
• Custom LCD technology is not prone to ghosting or screen burn-in.
• Custom LCD televisions require less power to operate than a plasma TV.

• Generally, LCD monitors are better for public display, such as airport and retail store signage, due to the bright room light environment.
• Portable test equipment
• Diagnostic device
• Electric, water, gas meters
• Telecom products
• Measuring device
• Marine equipment
• Medical equipment
• Automotive display

6. Disadvantages Of LCDs

1. They suffer from a motion blur effect.
2. The high refresh rate of LCD televisions can negatively affect the picture.
3. LCD technology can change colors slightly as the backlight ages.

7. How Can Createxplay Help?

Createxplay manufactures standard and custom LCD modules and small TFT with and without integrated front cover lenses or capacitive touch panels. createxplay’s integrated display modules are available as off-the-shelf products. Fully custom display modules are designed from the ground up based on a unique set of customer requirements as the semi-custom display modules are modified for specific applications.

8. Final Words

No matter the size and scope of your display application, createxplay is ready to provide a solution with just the right customization to meet your needs. Contact us below to learn more.