TFT LCD Replacement

Some TFT Display manufactures calling it quits

Finding a TFT LCD replacement can sometimes be a challenge. Just recently TFT display manufactures, such as Seiko Display products and Standish Displays have discontinued production of all their LCD display modules; these, of course, include Thin-Film-Transistor Displays (TFT).

Other LCD suppliers have discontinued production of selected TFT models, requiring many OEM customers to quickly locate another LCD supplier for their current production needs.

Drop-in equivalent TFT LCD replacement

We receive calls and e-mails asking us to find a drop-in equivalent TFT displays. The customer’s goal is to locate a LCD module that will be 100% interchangeable with their current product. Sometimes this is easy and does not require any tooling or modifications cost; other times the customer will need to invest in a one-time tooling fee.

Modifying the TFT Glass size

Modifying the size or dimensions of the TFT glass is not a good option. The cost to modify TFT glass is very, very expensive. On previous custom TFT LCD designs, we have seen tooling cost starting at $500K, and this does not include the extremely high Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ) involved with such a modification. Unless you are a Google, Amazon or Microsoft, choose a standard size glass.

If your product requires a unique size of TFT glass, redesign your product to accept a standard size glass or switch to a different LCD technology such as OLED or FSC. This will save you money and reduce the number of headaches.

Low-cost TFT display modifications

There are other modifications that may be necessary to manufacture a TFT display this is 100% equivalent. This includes the relocation of the cable, the lengthening of the cable, adding a resistive touchscreen or increasing the brightness of the backlight. All of these can be accomplished with a much lower tooling cost and acceptable MOQs.

Since the majority of the TFT projects we receive deal with the backlight brightness, we will focus on this.

The brightness of a TFT display is measured in nits; one nit is roughly equal to the light produced by one candle.

TFT display manufactures choose backlight brightness for their product. The brighter the backlight, the more the displays stands out, but also the more power that is required to drive. This is a key element to consider if your product is battery powered or you have a limited power budget.

We are able to modify our current TFT LCD Displays and increase their brightness with a low (one-time) tooling cost. Let us know what intensity you require and we will make the necessary adjustments.

Need a brighter TFT display?

Need a brighter TFT Display or just a TFT LCD replacement? Call one of our US based technical support people or click here to get started.