Text display

A text display is an electronic alphanumeric display device that is mainly or only capable of showing text, or extremely limited graphic characters. This includes electromechanical split-flap displays, vane displays, and flip-disc displays; all-electronic liquid-crystal displays, incandescent eggcrate displays, LED displays, and vacuum fluorescent displays; and even electric nixie tubes. There are several ways to form text for display. A segment display uses lines, while a dot-matrix display uses a grid of dots, and both of these are seen in LCD, LED, VFD, and vane/disc types. For split-flap displays, the characters or words are pre-printed, and for nixie tubes the shapes are also pre-formed. In any case, the display elements are controlled by electronics which activate them in the correct physical and temporal sequence to show the desired information. Text displays are used in everything from clocks (clock radios, wristwatches) to variable-message signs (departure boards, intelligent transportation systems), because until the late 2000s, they were (and in many cases still are) the least expensive for their purpose. LED text displays refer to types that are specialized and limited to display of alpha-numeric characters. Most types display either one character or a group of characters. One character is generally displayed by a matrix of LEDs, or by a set of segments. Dot-matrix display A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, video display that uses the light modulating or polarizing properties of liquid crystals (LCs). LCs do not emit light directly. A character display type is limited to and specialized for display of alphanumeric characters. They are used in a wide range of applications, including computer monitors, television, instrument panels, aircraft cockpit displays, signage, etc. They are common in consumer devices such as video players, gaming devices, clocks, watches, calculators, and telephones. The low electrical power consumption of LCDs enables them to be used in battery-powered electronic equipment.