Views: 234 Author: Reshine Display Publish Time: 2023-10-10 Origin: Site
You might be wondering how long a digital display lasts. It's an excellent question. A fast Google search will reveal that an LCD panel has a lifespan of approximately 60,000 hours, which is equivalent to nearly seven years. Of course, LCDs aren't the only type of display available. There are also LED, OLED, QLED, ELD, PDP, and MicroLED versions, among many more. That seven-year estimate will not be universal. For the sake of simplicity, let's stick to some of the most basic forms of displays that most of us are familiar with.
Here's some LCD alphabet soup for you: LED LCDs, CFFL LCDs, LED displays, and other options are available. It's easy to become perplexed with all of these acronyms. What matters is whether the display employs an LCD screen and how the LCD panel is lighted. You may learn more about the distinctions between LCD and LED signage kinds here, but here are the most common: Click here for TFT LCD Display.
LED displays do not have an LCD panel. Instead, they use a network of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to generate a lighted image. LCDs generate images and colors using a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, which is not self-emitting and requires an external light source, often an LED backlight, to illuminate the image. Because their full name "LED-backlit LCD" is typically reduced to "LED displays," they are sometimes confused with the actual LED displays we've defined above.
Unfortunately, LED backlights in LCDs fail over time. An LED backlight will last between 40,000 and 60,000 hours if utilized at high or maximum brightness, which is required for outdoor applications. Or roughly 4.5 to 7 years.
OLED is an acronym that stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. OLED screens vary from traditional LCDs in that their pixels self-illuminate. To put it another way, no LED backlight is necessary to illuminate the display image; everything happens within the OLED pixels themselves. According to one US Department of Energy publication, OLED screens have a life expectancy of approximately 40,000 hours at 25% brightness and 10,000 hours at maximum brightness. That translates to 1 to 4.5 years, a substantially shorter (although dazzling) lifespan than an LCD.
Perhaps you've noticed that the acronym QLED is similar to the acronym OLED. This is not by chance. Samsung's original design, QLED, was created to compete with OLED technology. However, the two are not synonymous. QLED is an abbreviation for Quantum Light Emitting Diode. While QLED is similar to a traditional LED design, it varies in that it uses nanoparticles known as "Quantum dots" to generate its distinct brightness and color. According to Samsung, the lifespan of QLED panels is projected to be 7-10 years. Following that, a user is likely to observe signs of decline.
MicroLED is a new display technology that uses microscopic LEDs in tiny arrays within each pixel. This technology outperforms the previously leading OLED options, with substantially darker blacks and higher contrast levels. MicroLEDs, unlike OLEDs, are not organic. They are less prone to burn-in and, as a result, have a longer lifespan than OLEDs. They are, however, substantially more expensive - so much so that the majority of consumers do not consider them a realistic option. The longevity of Samsung's MicroLED panels is estimated to be 100,000 hours or around 11 years.
Plasma Display Panel (PDP) refers to displays that use small cells full of plasma. When charged by electricity, the atoms in the plasma emit light. While PDPs are typically thought to have greater colors than LCDs, they consume a lot more power and are usually not battery-powered. The new generation of PDPs has an estimated lifespan of 100,000 hours or 11 years of continuous use.
Reflective LCD panels function in several respects similarly to normal LCDs, with one major difference: they do not require a backlight. Instead, they make images using ambient light (or sunlight). This opens up some ground-breaking possibilities. The first (and most important) benefit is reduced power usage. Reflective screens can save up to 95% of energy. Not bad, especially in a world where people are constantly looking for new ways to be green. Take into account the financial ramifications of this. Lowering power implies spending less money on running expenditures.
Because reflective displays do not require a backlight (a component that is particularly susceptible to degradation) and do not emit as much heat, it is safe to assume that the lifespan of these displays will much outlast that of backlit LCD panels (which was 7 years at the high end). However, because this unique technology is still relatively new, estimating its true lifespan is more challenging – simply because it has yet to be reached.
There are a few more issues that can damage reflective screens. For one thing, they rely on natural light. These displays work admirably on a sunny day and can be seen in even the brightest of lighting settings. As the available ambient light declines, so does this performance. Furthermore, because they do not emit their light, they are not intended to be viewed at night or in extremely low light circumstances (without extra lighting features). In short, their images are visible to the extent that there is ambient light. In light of this, side light (and front light) options are being investigated.
Azumo is one company at the forefront of this research. Azumo developed a light guide that adheres to the front of a display. It uses 90% less energy than a typical LCD backlight. This significantly addresses the problem of low light visibility and maintains reflecting displays in the same low energy consumption ballpark. One limitation is that Azumo currently only provides light guidance for smaller-sized units. If you wish to use this function on a display that is larger than 10" diagonally, you'll have to look elsewhere.
Other "pioneer companies" are also at the forefront of this research, and several are already creating new methods to expand the practicality of reflective technology - both in terms of low light visibility and screen sizes. Reflective technology has enormous promise, and it is reasonable to expect further advancements shortly.
Another consideration for reflecting technology is its cost. That reflective coating is more expensive to produce than many of the backlights it replaces, implying a higher initial investment for businesses looking to invest in energy-efficient signage. However, these initial price points are quickly justified as purchasers discover the substantially lower running expenses and longer longevity that come with the purchase of reflective display signage (without even factoring in replacement prices of other "expired" displays). If a backlit LCD panel, for example, only lasts 7 years, you'll have paid for it twice in 10 years. Does a valid concern arise... is that "cheaper" lighting cheaper? Most likely not. It simply appears to be that way at first.
