Standard VATN LCD vs. Full View VATN LCD: Technical Differences and Applications You Must Know When Purchasing VA Segment LCDs
Mar 24, 2025
In the field of monochrome passive LCD technology, Vertical Alignment (VA) technology is highly favored for its excellent contrast ratio and deep black background effect.
I. Technical Principle of VATN LCD
VA technology is a liquid crystal display technology that utilizes the electric field effect. Its principle mainly involves controlling the voltage magnitude and direction of LC(liquid crystal) cells to alter the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules. VATN-type LCDs employ vertically aligned liquid crystal molecules. Their working principle is as follows:
OFF state: The liquid crystal molecules in the VATN LCD are vertically aligned on the glass substrate, resulting in a deep black state.
ON state: When a voltage is applied, these molecules tilt, allowing light to pass through and displaying a clear white state.
Therefore, VATN LCDs can achieve a deep black background effect. When paired with a white backlight, they offer a high black-and-white contrast ratio, delivering clear and vivid visual effects, making them appear high-end and stylish when used in premium electronic products.
II. Limitations of Ordinary VATN LCDs
VATN LCD is featured of deep dark black backgound and high contrast ratio, but these dominant performance will become worse as the number of segments (drive duty) increases:
Weakened deep black background effect: As the number of segments increases, the blackness of the background becomes lighter, the contrast ratio decreases, and the display effect is compromised.
Narrowed viewing angle: The viewing angle of standard VATN LCDs significantly become narrower as the number of segments increases. For example,
At 1/1 duty, the viewing angle can reach up to 170°, which is close to a full viewing angle.
At 1/4 or 1/8 duty, the viewing angle is reduced to around 100°, limiting the multi-angle viewing experience.
III. Wide-View VATN LCD
To meet customer demand for wider viewing angles, we have introduced the full-view VATN LCD through technological innovation. Our R&D team has made special process and material improvements to enable liquid crystal molecules to control and guide light more effectively at different angles. While maintaining the original advantages of contrast ratio and black performance, the viewing angle has been significantly enhanced. Compared to standard VATN LCDs, the viewing angle of wide-view VATN LCDs has been greatly improved.
At ≤1/4 duty, the maximum horizontal viewing angle of the full-view VATN LCD can reach 170°, and the vertical viewing angle can reach 110°, which is nearly double that of ordinary VA LCDs.
However, the production of full-view VATN LCDs is more difficult with lower yield rate, and the cost is 10%-20% higher than that of standard VATN LCDs. Additionally, due to its lower light transmittance of full-view VA LCDs, the white color of the displayed characters may not be bright enough, which may have a certain impact on the contrast ratio.
IV. Selection Recommendations
Since VATN LCDs do not perform well at high duty cycles, we usually recommend that customers choose them for ≤1/4 duty to achieve good display effects. Therefore, VATN LCDs are mostly recommended for segment-type display products.
1/1duty VA segment LCD:
Ordinary VATN LCDs are the best choice due to their excellent display effect, near-full viewing angle, and high cost-effectiveness.
1/4 duty VA segment LCD:
Single viewing: If the main viewing direction is 6:00 or 12:00, and customers pursue a high contrast effect with deep black and bright white, it is recommended to choose ordinary VATN LCDs.
Multi-angle viewing: For the application scenarios requiring multi-angle viewing, such as medical equipment, industrial control panels, and vehicle displays, and if customers are willing to pay extra for a wider viewing angle, it is recommended to choose full-view VATN LCDs.
V. Conclusion:
Ordinary VATN LCDs and full view VATN LCDs each have their unique advantages and application scenarios. Through this analysis, we hope you can better understand the technical differences between them and make more informed decisions when purchasing. If you are interested in VATN LCDs, please feel free to contact us for more information.
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