Nowadays there are many options when it comes to buying a screen with LED technology. You may ask yourself, what is the difference between them, what exterior technology is better, which brand to choose. So many questions and such a technical subject. In this article we are going to explain important concepts about this light-emitting world so that you will be able to make the best decision for your personal and industrial projects.
Light-Emitting Diode
What does LED means exactly? Well, a LED corresponds to a special type of diode which transforms electrical energy into light. It functions based on the emission of photons when electrons carrying electricity pass through the diode. This phenomenon is known as electroluminescence. A LED display is an image formed by LED modules.
In simple words, this specific technology translate in many advantages for you, the user. Some of those are its long service life, which can be up to 10 years, and even after that the screen wont die but will lose brightness. Other benefits are the quality of the image, giving higher contrast and brightness, and a wide view angle. Also, forget about the “loop” effect.
For outdoor display, LED screens is the best option. Under direct sunlight, the contrast and viewing angle couldn't be better. Also, the climate and temperature do not affect the working capacity.
Important technical components
There are 4 main parts of the LED that are important. First, the LED chip which is a thin plate of semiconductor material. It is key in the fabrication of semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits or solar cells. The size of it will determine the brightness and useful life of the LED.
Other important element is the bond that unites the chip and the anode. This solder can be of copper, aluminium or gold. This last one is the material that achieves the better quality for this union.
The reflective cup is other main component of a LED, which directs the light in the required direction. Its size and inclination determine the brightness and visibility.
The fourth main part of the LED is the Epoxy lens. This element covers the chip and the reflector. Usually, the coating is green, blue or red, to determine the diode color without connecting. To distinguish a good quality lens you should be able to recognize the three colors without the screen being on.
Exterior technologies
When choosing a outdoor screen display, you may don’t know what the difference is between DIP and SMD technologies. Maybe you didn’t even know this two option existed. Here are some tips that can help you decide.
Traditionally, the electrical board is based in the DIP technology in which each pixel is compose of color diodes that are soldered at a greater or lesser distance depending on the resolution and viewing distance requirements. The screening is very bright, has low consumption and is reliable.
In the SMD technology, the individual miniature diodes are placed inside a coating that is soldered directly to the printed circuit. It has been usually used in inside displays, but lately it has new technical measures that make it waterproof and brighter. In displays of this type, the surface appears to be flat.
Even though SMD use newer technology, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are better for exterior uses. DIP LED is much brighter and the colors are more vibrant in the daylight. Furthermore, not every SMD LED is certified to function in an outside environment. It is thow highly recommended for inside uses.
The importance of drivers
The operation and duration of an LED luminaire depends largely on the driver that stabilizes the current and provides thermal protection.
In LED lighting, the luminaries do not connect directly to the electric current, but instead do so through a driver that deals with transforming the voltage adapting it to the needs of the luminary. If we want the LED display to work in an alternating current installation, like the one is usually in houses, it requires a driver that converts this current into continuous one, which is the one LED uses.
The function of this aid is crucial, because they adapt the output voltage to the needs of the LED. Due to their low consumption, LED works with very low voltages so a high voltage not only would not work but would burn them.