LCD Drivers




LCD drivers are semiconductor chips used to power and control liquid crystal displays (LCDs). An LCD driver or LCD controller also provides an interface for various LCD components. There are many types of LCD drivers. Examples include LCD monitor drivers, LCD display drivers, LCD inverters, super twist pneumatic (STN) drivers, and thin film transistors (TFT). An LCD monitor driver informs the operating system (OS) about supported screen resolution. An LCD display driver uses multi-line addressing LCD technology to provide a high-resolution color display and high-speed moving images. A super twist pneumatic (STN) LCD driver provides good resolution for many colors and offers a high-contrast display over a wide range of viewing angles. A thin film transistor (TFT) driver is capable of providing very high resolutions. In thin film transistors (TFT) LCDs, the transistors are embedded inside the panel. This improves image stability and reduces cross talk between pixels. Specialized and proprietary LCD drivers are also available.
LCD drivers differ in terms of specifications and features. A standard LCD driver consumes less power, but still supports high-speed moving images. An LCD monitor driver provides high resolution for a number of colors. An LCD display driver uses an exponentially greater current during operation than during shutdown. A common supply voltage is 5 V +/-10%. A common external clock frequency is 488 Hz. In terms of features, an LCD inverter provides uniform backlighting and brightness. Some examples of LCD controller specifications include screen resolution and operating temperature. Automatic image scaling and contrast enhancement may also be available. A super twist pneumatic (STN) driver is capable of providing high resolution for approximately 65,000 colors. Specialized or proprietary LCD drivers may carry additional product specifications or provide extra features.