Perspectives on Small, Flat Video Displays

Much work has been done during the past ten years on the development of flat displays for television (1). The flat-panel display warrants attention in that it does not possess some of the inherent limitations of the cathode ray tube (CRT). The flat panel display will be lighter and less bulky than the CRT and will not require a 25 KV power supply. The flat-panel display also has the potential of being made in any size, conceivably from 1 in.2 to sizes larger than 15 ft.2. The CRT, however, is limited to a practical screen size of 4 ft.2. Also, for small screen sizes, the CRT consumes too much power for prolonged battery operation and cannot be made much smaller than 10 in.2. The flat panel will not possess the large fragile glass envelope of the CRT making it better suited for rugged portable operation.