Blue Character LCD Display Module with White LED Backlight

Blue Character LCD Displays becoming more popular:

Although Yellow/Green Character LCD Display modules have been in use for many years, the release of the color blue character lcd has more people integrating this older technology into newer product designs.

Below are two character display modules, sometimes referred to as alphanumeric LCD displays. Both are 16×2, wide temperature, bottom view. The one on the left is a STN, yellow/green background with yellow/green LED backlight. The display on the right is a FSTN, negative mode, blue background with white backlight.

The blue character LCD Display with white LED backlight combination makes the display stand out. There is very little cost difference between the yellow/green and blue and lead time is the same. There are a few concerns with moving from an older yellow/green configuration to a blue/white.

Issues with negative mode blue Character LCD:

#1: Battery Drain:

Negative mode blue character displays with a white backlight are easier to read in low light situations. But there are a few concerns that designers need to be aware of.

The first is the backlight; it must be on to read the display. The backlight drains more power (15mA and greater) then the LCD. This makes it a poor choice for a battery powered products.

If your product will always be in low light or no light situations, then you have no choice and should go with the negative mode blue, but if your display will operate in bright ambient light and power drain is a concern, you might want to steer clear of these.

#2: Blue Character LCD Display With Hot Spots:

Another issue with negative mode, blue character LCD’s is its hot spots. A hot spot is where the backlight is brighter is some areas, and dimmer in other areas. Negative mode LCD Displays with a white LED backlight will produce the most noticeable hot spots.

In the past EL (electroluminescent) backlights would provide a nice even glow, but this backlight has fallen out of favor due to the AC noise they generate and their short half-life.

Below is a photo that demonstrates the hot spot issue of a white negative mode display module. (See hot spot on the right.)

Note: The display below has an exaggerated hot spot due to the LED backlight being over driven.

UWVD technology to eliminate hot spots:

One solution to avoid hot spots is to replace the FSTN fluid with a newer display technology called Ultra-Wide Viewing Display Technology LCD (UWVD).

The photo below shows a UWVD blue custom segment LCD Display.

Ready to add some color to your older displays? Contact us or call us TODAY at 480-503-4295!