Basic interface types of LCD screens

1.LVDS interface

The LVDS interface, or low-voltage differential signal interface, is one of the basic interface types for liquid product screens. It transmits data through low-voltage differential pairs and has a relatively high transmission rate. For instance, many common notebook computer LCD screens adopt the LVDS interface, with a rate that can reach 1.8Gbps or even higher, enabling rapid and stable transmission of high-definition image data.

2.MIPI interface

The MIPI interface, which stands for Mobile Industry Processor Interface, is an interface standard specifically designed for mobile devices. It features low power consumption and high speed, and is widely used in the connection of LCD screens in smart phones. It can effectively reduce system power consumption and improve display performance. The data transmission rate varies according to different protocol versions, with the highest reaching several Gbps. The RGB interface, also known as the red-green-blue interface, transmits image data in parallel, and each color channel has an independent data cable. It was quite common in early liquid crystal displays, such as some industrial control displays. The data transmission bit numbers of these displays were often 8 bits, 16 bits, 24 bits, etc. Different bit numbers determined the number of colors that could be displayed. The eDP interface, also known as the Embedded Display Port interface, is mainly used to connect LCD screens in devices such as laptops and tablets. It is based on the Display Port standard and supports higher resolutions and refresh rates. For instance, some high-end laptops can achieve 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate display effects by using the eDP interface. The SPI interface, or Serial Peripheral Interface, is a synchronous serial communication interface. It is applied in some small LCD screens or occasions where the data transmission rate requirement is not high. Simple control and data transmission can be achieved through the SPI interface, and its clock frequency can generally reach several MHz.

3.I2C interface

The I2C interface, namely the Integrated Circuit Bus Interface, is a serial communication protocol for multiple hosts. In the control of LCD screens, it is often used to transmit some control information, such as parameters like brightness adjustment and contrast setting. Its communication rate has different modes such as standard mode (100kbps) and fast mode (400kbps). The HDMI interface, a high-definition multimedia interface, can not only transmit high-definition video signals but also audio signals. It is widely used in some LCD TVS and high-end monitors, such as HDMI2.1 version, with a bandwidth of up to 48Gbps and support for 8K and even higher resolution video transmission. The VGA interface, or Video Graphics array interface, is an analog signal interface that once dominated the display field. It transmits red, green and blue signals respectively through three analog signal cables, and the common resolutions include 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 and many others. The DVI interface, a digital video interface, is divided into two types: DVI-D(only digital signals) and DVI-I(both digital and analog signals). It is often used for the connection between computers and monitors. The DVI-D interface can achieve pure digital signal transmission, ensuring image quality. The transmission bandwidth varies according to different specifications.

4.USB Type-C interface

The USB Type-C interface has gradually become popular in recent years. It can not only transfer data but also output video and supply power. Some new types of LCD screens have begun to adopt USB Type-C interfaces to achieve multi-functional connections, and their data transmission rates can reach up to 10Gbps or even higher.