Electrically operated display devices have developed from electromechanical systems for display of text, up to all-electronic devices capable of full-motion 3D color graphic displays. Electromagnetic devices, using a solenoid coil to control a visible flag or flap, were the earliest type, and were used for text displays such as stock market prices and arrival/departure display times. The cathode ray tube was the workhorse of text and video display technology for several decades until being displaced by plasma, liquid crystal (LCD), and solid-state devices such as thin-film transistors (TFTs), LEDs and OLEDs. With the advent of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), integrated circuit (IC) chips, microprocessors, and microelectronic devices, many more individual picture elements ("pixels") could be incorporated into one display device, allowing graphic displays and video.
Cathode ray tube
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One of the earliest electronic displays is the cathode-ray tube (CRT), which was first demonstrated in 1897 and made commercial in 1922.[1] The CRT consists of an electron gun that forms images by firing electrons onto a phosphor-coated screen. The earliest CRTs were monochrome and were used primarily in oscilloscopes and black and white televisions. The first commercial colour CRT was produced in 1954. CRTs were the single most popular display technology used in television sets and computer monitors for over half a century; it was not until the 2000s that LCDs began to gradually replace them.
A derivative of CRTs were storage tubes, which had the ability to retain information displayed on them, unlike standard CRTs which need to be refreshed periodically. In 1968, Tektronix introduced the Direct-view bistable storage tube, which went on to be widely used in oscilloscopes and computer terminals.[2]
Monochrome CRT
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1922 Monochrome cathode ray tube:
Dual trace, showing different time bases on each trace.Color CRT
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1954 Color cathode ray tube for the display of color television:[3]
Direct-View Bistable Storage Tube
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1968[2] The Direct-View Bistable Storage Tube CRT retains static information displayed upon it, written using a steerable electron beam that can be turned off. The DVBST was used in vector displays of early computers and in oscilloscopes.
Tektronix 4014 with a "DVBST" storage display screenNixie tube display
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1955 Nixie tube:
The ten digits of a GN-4 Nixie tube
Flip-flap or disc display
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1957 Split-flap display:
1961 Flip-disc display:
Monochrome plasma display
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1964 Monochrome plasma display:
Plasma displays were first used in PLATO computer terminals. This PLATO V model illustrates the display's monochromatic orange glow as seen in 1988.LED display
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1968 LED display:
LED destination displays on buses, one with a colored route number. Outdoor 4 x 3 m large LED screen in Jelgava, Latvia.Eggcrate display
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1968 Eggcrate display
Vacuum fluorescent display
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1967 Vacuum fluorescent display as used in consumer electronics.
Vacuum fluorescent display used in a videocassette recorder. VFD raster displayTwisted nematic field effect LCD
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1971 Twisted nematic field effect LCD [4][5] [6]
Super-twisted nematic LCD
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1984 Super-twisted nematic display (STN LCD) to improve passive-matrix LCDs, allowing for the first time higher resolution panels with 540x270 pixels.
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Prototype Brown Boveri STN LCD with 540x270 pixelsPin screen
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Pin screen:
1969 Braille display:[7]
Thin film transistor LCD
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1986 Color Thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display:[8]
Digital Light Processing
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1987 optical micro-electro-mechanical technology that uses a digital micromirror device. While the Digital Light Processing (DLP) imaging device was invented by Texas Instruments, the first DLP-based projector was introduced by Digital Projection Ltd in 1997.
Full-color plasma display
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1995 Full-color plasma display:[9]
Organic light-emitting diode
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2003 Organic light-emitting diode display (OLED) [10]
Sony XEL-1, the world's first OLED TV2003 Active-matrix OLED (AMOLED):[11]
Electronic paper
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2004 Electronic paper:[12]
iLiad E-book reader equipped with e-paper display iLiad in sunlightElectroluminescent display
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1974 Electroluminescent display (ELD):[13]
Stroboscopic display
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1960s Stroboscopic display:[14][15] In the 1960s RASA Calculator (Russian), a small motor spins a cylinder that has a number of transparent numerals. To display a numeral, the calculator briefly flashes a thyratron light behind the required number when it spins into position.
See also
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References
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LED screens have been with us since early 1968 when Hewlett-Packard launched the first LED screen with integrated LED circuit technology. Since then, the LED screen technology found its way, not just to the living rooms, but also making a significant impact on the professional market, this will be our main topic of discussion in this article.
The professional use of large-format LED screen technology can be divided into several industries;
Used in the commercial sphere of advertising (retail)
Through to the corporate industry
As well as large-format film and music production
People living in big cities will most encounter the large-scale use of LED screens in everyday life. The main reason is that it simply has set a new precedent in the commercial and advertising business. LED screens have actually shaped iconic looks for an entire City.
Let’s start by taking a look at Times Square in New York where the 7TSQ building, famously known for the New Year’s Eve ball drop event. This building recently underwent a notable change. The previous installation consisting of three LED screens was replaced in 2019, with a single Samsung screen comprising a total size of 1,639 square feet and a height of 300 feet, making it one of the most expensive LED screens to advertise on this planet!
Another very noticeable build includes the installation of a colossal LED screen at London Trafalgar square. The transition from a Neon tube banner to an LED screen beautifully showcases how LED installation has majorly influenced the architecture creating an impact on the overall mood at the location. Incorporating the LED technology to work around the actual shape of the historical buildings makes a striking impact.
Considerable progress is symbolised on one of the main features at Trafalgar Square – the neon tube banner SANYO, this momentous banner has been updated with an installation of a large-format LED screen. Transforming the appearance of one of London’s most quintessential squares. The total screen size is 783.5 square meters, amounting to 5,500 individual LED tiles and a resolution of 5,490 x 2,160 pixels. An interesting fact about the life cycle of the screen is that it runs for 100,000h, which is almost a magnificent 11.5 years of non-stop operation!
Modern rigging solutions simplify the installation of LED screens and thanks to the scalability of the system, it becomes a very easy solution for installation in unusual locations, such as retail window displays.
A fundamental advantage of LED technology when used in the advertising industry is without a doubt excellent visibility thanks to the high output. For indoor installations the brightness and hi-res output achieved with the high pitch LED cannot be matched with any other retail technology today on the market. The same applies to outdoors visual technology, as it is exposed to direct sunlight, LED provides the best solution. In these conditions, no passive or active solutions reach even nearly comparable results.
Retail business is a popular market where we can find large-format LEDs. These LED screens are not only limited to the display windows of large retail chains but also in conference rooms, galleries, exhibitions, and as the world has had to change we have seen the LED screens being used in Virtual Conferences and Awards.
A monumental step forward in recent years is the inclusion of LED screens in the Film Industry. More and more creators are turning to use the LED screens when shooting, Commercials, Music Videos and last but not least, Blockbuster Movies.
One of the most notable Film Productions utilising LED on an extensive scale has been on the set of the Mandalorian series. The production team made the decision to connect a LED screen inclusive of a 20-foot-high LED screen within a 270-degree angle and 70-foot diameter. And of course, not forgetting the inclusion of the ceiling LED. In this particular case, the LED screens fully replaced the workflow with the traditional set up of the green screen.
The “workhorse” for the virtual production is The Unreal Engine software platform, capable to work with the whole set in real-time and implement not just changes, such as day conditions and weather, but also manipulate the whole graphic content that appears on the screens. Thanks to this combination, the creative process of producing the final look is considerably improved because the change on the scene can be seen immediately around the whole situation, which delivers a completely new experience for the actors, directors, and even the entire film crew. A clear plus is also the real-time lighting of the characters and the whole set. LED screens in this case replace conventional lighting methods, achieving noticeably better results. The virtual production team of Mandalorian was very pleased by this feature, keeping in mind the fact that the main character’s suit was made of shiny plates which reflects the surrounding environment all the time. That level of realistic highlights and reflections that you can see on all surfaces on the set of Mandalorian is a whole new experience in the film-making industry.
Another field in which LED screens are more frequently used is in Music Video Production. The producers are very often looking for a combination of a high-quality image in all light conditions combined with easy scalability, all of which are often required to work with the pressure for all to be implemented in a short production time.
High pitch LED screens can allow the authors to transform any space including studios into one large interactive world. Artists can easily express their actual mood and feeling, thanks to modern-day live production video software all of that process becomes easily accessible live on the set. The VJ software combined with High Pitch LED can achieve remarkable results compared to older solutions like the green screen, when most of the work would have to be done in post-production, generating additional costs and taking up more time. LED is incredibly versatile, from low pitch solutions with a resolution of 640×480 pixels to the high resolution, colour accurate LEDs where 4K can be achieved in a small studio with a couple of square meters of the LED screen.
LED screen technology has come a long way from 1968. Although we have seen major advances in 2021, we will say that in our opinion, as LED technicians, it has still not reached its true potential. As we can clearly see in the LED industry, the progress of technology in the past few years is absolutely breathtaking and it shall only continue to advance.
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