View source for Display device

{{Short description|Output device for presentation of information in visual form}}
{{redirects|Display technologies|the defunct company|Display Technologies, Inc.}}
{{Inline citations|date=April 2023}}
[[Image:Anzeigen(Displays).jpg|240px|thumb|[[Nixie tube]]s, [[LED]] display and [[Vacuum fluorescent display|VF display]], top to bottom]][[File:Fallblattanzeigetafel ausschnitt ffm hbf.jpg|thumb|Display board at [[Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof]] (2005)]]
{{anchor|Visual displays}}A '''display device''' is an [[output device]] for presentation of [[information]] in [[visual]]<ref name="University of West Florida">{{cite web|last=Lemley|first=Linda|title=Chapter 6: Output|url=http://uwf.edu/clemley/cgs1570w/notes/Concepts-6.htm|work=Discovering Computers|publisher=University of West Florida|access-date=3 June 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614152622/http://uwf.edu/clemley/cgs1570w/notes/Concepts-6.htm|archive-date=14 June 2012}}</ref> or [[Touch|tactile]] form (the latter used for example in [[Refreshable Braille display|tactile electronic displays]] for blind people).<ref name="Office of the Chief information Officer">{{cite web|title=Accommodations For Vision Disabilities|url=http://energy.gov/cio/accommodations-vision-disabilities|work=Energy.gov|publisher=Office of the Chief information Officer|access-date=3 June 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609151025/http://energy.gov/cio/accommodations-vision-disabilities|archive-date=9 June 2012}}</ref> When the input information that is supplied has an electrical signal the display is called an ''[[Electronic visual display|electronic display]]''.

Common applications for ''electronic visual displays'' are [[television set]]s or [[computer monitor]]s.

== Types of electronic displays ==
{{Main|Electronic visual display}}

=== In use ===
These are the technologies used to create the various displays in use today.

* [[Liquid-crystal display]] (LCD)
** [[LED-backlit LCD|Light-emitting diode (LED) backlit LCD]]
** [[TFT LCD|Thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD]]
** [[Quantum dot display|Quantum dot (QLED) display]]
* [[LED display|Light-emitting diode (LED) display]]
** [[OLED|OLED display]]
** [[AMOLED|AMOLED display]]
** [[AMOLED#Super AMOLED|Super AMOLED display]]

==== Segment displays ====
[[Image:Digital clock changing numbers.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Digital clocks display changing numerals]]
[[File:Common segment displays.svg|right|thumb|The common segment displays shown side by side: [[Seven-segment display|7-segment]], [[Nine-segment display|9-segment]], [[Fourteen-segment display|14-segment]] and [[Sixteen-segment display|16-segment]] displays]]
Some displays can show only [[numerical digit|digits]] or [[alphanumeric]] characters. They are called '''segment displays''', because they are composed of several segments that switch on and off to give appearance of desired [[glyph]]. The segments are usually single [[LED]]s or [[LCD|liquid crystals]]. They are mostly used in [[digital watch]]es and [[pocket calculator]]s. Common types are [[seven-segment display]]s which are used for numerals only, and alphanumeric [[Fourteen-segment display|fourteen-segment displays]] and [[sixteen-segment display]]s which can display numerals and Roman alphabet letters.

=== Other types ===
* [[Vacuum fluorescent display]]
* [[Electroluminescent display|Electroluminescent (ELD) display]]
* [[Plasma display|Plasma (PDP) display]]
* [[Laser-powered phosphor display]]

[[Cathode-ray tube]]s were also formerly widely used.

==== Full-area 2-dimensional displays ====
[[2-dimensional]] displays that cover a full area (usually a [[rectangle]]) are also called '''video displays''', since it is the main modality of presenting [[video]].

===== Applications of full-area 2-dimensional displays =====
Full-area 2-dimensional displays are used in, for example:
* [[Television set]]
* [[Computer monitor]]
* [[Head-mounted display]]s, [[Heads-up display]]s and [[Virtual reality headset]]s
* [[Broadcast reference monitor]]
* [[Medical monitor]]s
* [[Mobile display]]s (for [[mobile devices]])
* [[Comparison of high-definition smartphone displays|Smartphone displays]] (for [[smartphones]])
* [[Video wall]]s

===== Underlying technologies of full-area 2-dimensional displays =====
Underlying technologies for full-area 2-dimensional displays include:
* [[Cathode-ray tube]] display (CRT)
* [[LED display|Light-emitting diode display]] (LED)
* [[Electroluminescent display]] (ELD)
* [[Electronic paper]], [[E Ink]]
* [[Plasma display]] panel (PDP)
* [[Liquid-crystal display]] (LCD)
** [[High-performance addressing]] display (HPA)
** [[Thin-film transistor]] display (TFT)
* [[Organic light-emitting diode]] display (OLED)
* [[Digital Light Processing]] display (DLP)
* [[Surface-conduction electron-emitter display]] (SED) (experimental)
* [[Field-emission display]] (FED) (experimental)
* [[Laser TV]] (forthcoming)
* [[Carbon nanotube]]s (experimental)
* [[Quantum dot display]] (QLED)
* [[Interferometric modulator display]] (IMOD)
* Digital microshutter display (DMS)
* [[microLED]] (in development)

The [[multiplexed display]] technique is used to drive most display devices.

==== Three-dimensional displays ====
* [[Swept-volume display]]
* [[Laser display]]
* [[Holographic display]]
* [[Light field display|Light field displays]]
* [[Andotrope]]

{{Further|Volumetric display|3D display}}

== Mechanical types ==
* [[Ticker tape]] (historical)
* [[Split-flap display]] (or simply [[flap display]])
* [[Flip-disc display]] (or flip-dot display)
* Vane display
* [[Destination sign#Rollsign|Rollsign]]
* [[Refreshable braille display|Tactile electronic displays]] are usually intended for the blind. They use electro-mechanical parts to dynamically update a tactile image (usually of text) so that the image may be felt by the fingers.
** [[Optacon]], using metal rods instead of light in order to convey images to blind people by tactile sensation.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Electronics}}
* [[Comparison of CRT, LCD, plasma, and OLED displays]]
* [[Graphical user interface]]s
* [[History of display technology]]
* [[User interface]]
* [[Input device]]
* [[Text display]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Display devices}}
*[https://www.sid.org Society for Information Display] - An international professional organization dedicated to the study of display technology
*[https://www.uwaterloo.ca/stratford-campus University of Waterloo Stratford Campus] - A university that offers students the opportunity to display their work on the school's 3-storey Christie MicroTile wall.

{{Display technology}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Display devices| ]]
[[Category:Video hardware]]
[[Category:User interfaces]]