Planar EL160.120.39 User manual

EL160.120.39
EL Small Graphics Display
USER’S MANUAL
www.planar.com

Revision Control
Date Description
July 1999 Document number OM120-00
June 2004 Document number 020-0344-00A

Contents
EL160.120.39 Display................................................................................................................................................2
Features ...................................................................................................................................................................2
Installation and Handling........................................................................................................................................3
Mounting EL Displays..........................................................................................................................................3
Cable Length...........................................................................................................................................................3
Cleaning ...................................................................................................................................................................4
Avoiding Burn-In ...................................................................................................................................................4
Specifications ..............................................................................................................................................................4
Power.........................................................................................................................................................................4
Data and Power Connector...............................................................................................................................5
Generating Grayscales.........................................................................................................................................6
Interface Information...........................................................................................................................................6
Video Input Signals.......................................................................................................................................... 6
Self-Test Mode........................................................................................................................................................7
Optical.......................................................................................................................................................................8
Dimming ..................................................................................................................................................................8
Environmental........................................................................................................................................................9
Reliability..................................................................................................................................................................9
Safety and EMI Performance.............................................................................................................................9
Mechanical Characteristics..............................................................................................................................10
Component Envelope .......................................................................................................................................10
Description of Warranty ........................................................................................................................................12
Ordering Information.............................................................................................................................................12
Support and Service................................................................................................................................................12
Figures
Figure 1. Data/Power Connector.....................................................................................................................5
Figure 2. Video Input Timing Diagram..........................................................................................................6
Figure 3. Pixel Location versus Sequence of Data.....................................................................................7
Figure 4. Display Dimensions..........................................................................................................................11
Tables
Table 1. DC Input Voltage Requirements. ....................................................................................................4
Table 2. Video Input Requirements. ...............................................................................................................5
Table 3. Connector Pinouts. ..............................................................................................................................5
Table 4. Video Input Descriptions. ..................................................................................................................7
Table 5. Optical Characteristics........................................................................................................................8
Table 6. Dimming Rates......................................................................................................................................8
Table 7. Environmental Characteristics.........................................................................................................9
Table 8. Mechanical Characteristics..............................................................................................................10

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A)
2
EL160.120.39 Display
The EL160.120.39 thin film electroluminescent (EL) display is a high
visual performance small graphic display that excels in a wide range of
ambient lighting environments. The EL160.120.39 utilizes Planar’s
proprietary Integral Contrast Enhancement (ICE
™
) technology to
achieve unparalleled image quality without the use of filters or
temperature compensation.
The display module consists of an EL glass panel and control
electronics assembled into a space-saving, rugged package for easy
mounting and includes an integrated DC/DC converter. The
EL160.120.39 is easily interfaced using standard 4-bit LCD control
signals. Each of the pixels has an aspect ratio of 1:1 and is individually
addressable to clearly display high information-content graphics and
text.
Features and Benefits
• Excellent visual performance:
High brightness and contrast
Wide viewing angle >160°
• Rapid display response <1 ms
• Space efficient mechanical package
• Low EMI emissions
• Extremely rugged and durable
• Reliable, long operating life: >50,000 MTBF
• 4-bit LCD-type interface

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A) 3
Installation and Handling
Do not drop, bend, or flex the display. Do not allow objects to strike the
surface of the display.
CAUTION: The display uses CMOS and power MOS-FET devices. These
components are electrostatic sensitive. Unpack, assemble, and examine this
assembly in a static-controlled area only. When shipping, use packing
materials designed for protection of electrostatic-sensitive components.
CAUTION: To prevent injury in the event of glass breakage, a protective
overlay should be used on the viewer side of the display.
Mounting
Properly mounted, EL displays can withstand high shock loads as well as
severe vibration found in demanding applications. However the glass panel
used in an EL display will break if subjected to bending stresses, high impact,
or excessive loads.
Avoid bending the display. Stresses are often introduced when a display is
mounted into a product. Ideally, the mounting tabs of the display should be
the only point of contact with the system. Use a spacer or boss for support;
failure to do so will bend the display and cause the glass to break. The
instrument enclosure or frame should not flex or distort in such a way that
during use the bending loads might be transferred to the display. Mounting
surfaces should be flat to within ±0.6 mm (±.025"). Use all the mounting holes
provided. Failure to do so will impair the shock and vibration resistance of the
final installation.
The EL160.120.39 is a tab mounted display. Use appropriate length standoffs
to assure that screws through the mounting tabs do not introduce bending
stresses into the display. Do not deflect the circuit board out of its normal
plane.
WARNING: These products generate voltages capable of causing personal
injury (high voltage up to 230 V
ac
). Do not touch the display electronics
during operation.
Cable Length
A maximum cable length of 600 mm (24 in.) is recommended. Longer cables
may cause data transfer problems between the data transmitted and the
display input connector. Excessive cable lengths can pick up and source
unwanted EMI. There are techniques which allow this maximum cable length
to be exceeded. Contact Planar Application Engineering for more information.

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A)
4
Cleaning
As with any glass or coated surface, care should be taken to minimize
scratching. Clean the display glass with mild, water-based detergents only.
Apply the cleaner sparingly to a soft cloth, then wipe the display. Disposable
cleaning cloths are recommended to minimize the risk of inadvertently
scratching the display with particles embedded in a re-used cloth. Particular
care should be taken when cleaning displays with anti-glare or anti-reflective
films.
Avoiding Burn-In
As with other light emitting displays, displaying fixed patterns on the screen
can cause burn-in, where luminance variations can be noticed. Use a screen
saver or image-inversion technique to avoid causing burn-in on the display.
Specifications
The EL panel is a matrix structure with column and row electrodes arranged in
an X-Y formation. Light is emitted when an AC voltage of sufficient amplitude
is applied at a row-column intersection. The display operation is based on the
symmetric, line-at-a-time data addressing scheme. Performance characteristics
are guaranteed when measured at 25°C with rated input voltage unless
otherwise specified.
Power
The supply voltages are shown in Table 1. All internal high voltages are
generated from the display supply voltage (VH). The logic supply voltage (VL)
should be present whenever video input signals or VH is applied. The
minimum and maximum specifications in this manual should be met, without
exception, to ensure the long-term reliability of the display. Planar does not
recommend operation of the display outside these specifications.
Any combination or sequencing in the application or removal of VL, VH, or
video signals will not result in abnormal display operation or display
catastrophic failure.
Table 1. DC Input Voltage Requirements.
Description Symbol Min Typ Max Absolute Max Units
Input voltage (nom=12.0V) V
H
8 18 19 Vdc
Input voltage (nom=5.0V) V
L
4.75 5.25 6.0 Vdc
12V Input current (V
H
=12.0V) I
H
max 0.35 Adc
5V Input current (V
L
=5.0V) I
L
max 0.10 Adc
Power consumption 5 V/12 V
@ max. frame rate
3.0 3.9 W
CAUTION: Absolute maximum ratings are those values beyond which
damage to the device may occur.

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A) 5
Table 2. Video Input Requirements.
Description Min Max Units Notes
Absolute Input Voltage Range -0.5 V
H
+ 0.5 V V VImax
Video logic high voltage 70% 100% V VI
H
Video logic low voltage 0% 20% V VI
L
Video logic input current -10 +10 µA II
L
All data signal inputs are LC-filtered (lowpass, -3db at ca 13 MHz) CMOS. See
information about current-limiting circuit for safety on page 9.
Data and Power Connector
The EL160.120.39 uses the 20-pin, 2-mm locking connector, Samtec
EHT-110-01-S-D. The mating connector is the Samtec TCSD family of cable
strips. Compatibility with non-Samtec equivalents should be verified before
use.
Figure 1. Data/Power
Connector.
Table 3. J1 Connector Pinouts.
Pin Signal Description Pin Signal Description
1 V
H
+12 V Power 2 V
H
+12 V Power
3 Selftest Selftest Input
1
4 LUM Luminance Control
5 V
L
+5 V Power 6 GND Ground
7 VS Vertical Sync 8 GND Ground
9 HS Horizontal Sync 10 GND Ground
11 VCLK Video Clock 12 GND Ground
13 VID
0
Video Data 14 GND Ground
15 VID
1
Video Data 16 GND Ground
17 VID
2
Video Data 18 GND Ground
19 VID
3
Video Data 20 GND Ground
1
Connect pin 3 to ground for normal display operation.
Pin 1
Key
(Viewed from electronics side of display)
(Viewed from top of connector)
Pin 1
Pin 2
Key

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A)
6
Generating Grayscales
The EL160.120.39 is a monochrome display but will display dithered grayscale
when driven by a suitably-equipped video controller. See Application Note
119 for more information.
Interface Information
Planar EL Small Graphics Displays (SGD) incorporate an interface that is similar
to many LCD modules. This interface is supported by a variety of off-the-shelf
chip sets which take care of all display control functionality, freeing the system
processor for other tasks. This 4-bit LCD-type video interface provides a low
cost, flexible method for controlling display brightness and power
consumption.
Video Input Signals
The end of the top line of a frame is marked by VS, vertical sync signal as
shown in Figure 2. The first pixel of each row is marked by the falling edge of
HS. The first 160 pixels, or 40 clocks, after the falling edge of HS will be visible
on the display.
The VS signal is active high. It may be independently set to a CMOS low level at
any time for longer than one frame period. During the time of VS inactivity the
display is blank. Halting VS results in a standby condition to minimize power
consumption. Input signals VID3 through VID0 contain the video data for the
screen. Pixel information is supplied from left to right and from top to bottom
four pixels at a time.
HS
VCLK
VID3-0
VS
HS
3
First Line VID Data
4
1
Pixels: w x y z
Horizontal Timing
Vertical Timing
Pixels: a b c d
5
6
910
7
11
8
2
Second Line VID Data
Figure 2. Video Input Timing Diagram.
Timing is compatible with LCD graphics controllers such as the SED 1335.

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A) 7
Table 4. Video Input Descriptions.
Num Description Symbol Min. Typ. Max. Units
1 HS high time tHSh 100 nsec
2 HS low time tHSl 40 tVCLK
3 HS to VCLK rise tHSsu 95 nsec
4 VID setup to VCLK tVIDsu 50 nsec
5 VID hold from VCLK tVIDhd 50 nsec
6 VID clock period tVCLK 140 nsec
VCLK rise, fall time tVCLKrf 10 15 nsec
7 VCLK low width tVCLKl 60 nsec
8 VCLK high width tVCLKh 60 nsec
9 VS high setup to HS low tVShsu 140 nsec
10 VS hold after HS tVShd 140 nsec
11 VS low setup to HS high tVSlsu 140 nsec
12 HS period tHS 52 µsec
VS period tVS 121 tHS
Frame Rate fVS 0 150 Hz
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p
EL Panel
(Front)
w xyz
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
w
x
y
z
VID3
VID2
VID1
VID0
Row 1
Figure 3. Pixel Location versus Sequence of Data.
Self-Test Mode
The display incorporates a self-test mode composed of two patterns displayed
for approximately one minute each, and then repeated. The patterns are as
follows: Full On and 1 x 1 Checkerboard. The self-test mode is entered at
power on until two VS signals are detected or when pin 3 is pulled high. For
normal operation the SELFTEST pin must be connected to GROUND.

EL160.120.39 Operations Manual (020-0344-00A)
8
Optical
Table 5. Optical Characteristics.
Luminance
L
on
(areal), min
L
on
(areal), typ
L
off
(areal), max
50 cd/m²
70 cd/m²
0.3 cd/m²
screen center, 150 Hz frame rate
screen center, 150 Hz frame rate
5 points: center plus four corners measured 10±
2 mm from display edges, 150 Hz
Non-uniformity
All pixels fully lit 25% Maximum difference between two of five points,
using the formula:
LNU%=[1- (min_lum/max_lum)] x 100
Luminance Variation (Temperature)
Maximum ±20% Across operating temperature range @120 Hz
Luminance Variation (Time)
Maximum <20%
10,000 hours at 25°C ambient @ 120 Hz
Viewing Angle
Minimum >160°
Contrast Ratio
Typical 59:1
32:1
4.3:1
@ 500 lux ambient, max frame rate
@ 1,000 lux ambient, max frame rate
@ 10,000 lux ambient, max frame rate
Dimming
Analog dimming is available on the EL160.120.39 display by connecting a
50K(ohm) logarithmic external potentiometer to the dimming port.
Alternatively an external voltage or current-mode D/A converter may be used
to dim the display by sinking a 0-250 µA current at 4-0 voltages respectively
from the control pin to ground. For information on controlling display
brightness by frame rate, please refer to Planar Application Note 120.
Table 6. Dimming Rates.
Resistance Dimming
Maximum (No resistor connected) 100% (Default)
Maximum (50 K ohm resistor connected) 95%
Minimum (0 ohm resistor connected) 5% maximum
Values are measured as a percentage of full On Luminance