
10
SCDV5540/1/2/3/4
Optical Considerations
The 0.123" high character of the SCDV554X gives readability
up to ve feet. Proper lter selection enhances readability
over this distance.
Using lters emphasizes the contrast ratio between a lit LED
and the character background. This will increase the discrimina-
tion of different characters. The only limitation is cost. Take into
consideration the ambient lighting environment for the best
cost/benet ratio for lters.
Incandescent (with almost no green) or uorescent (with
almost no red) lights do not have the at spectral response of
sunlight. Plastic band-pass lters are an inexpensive and effec-
tive way to strengthen contrast ratios. The SCDV5540/2 are
red/high efciency red displays and should be matched with
long wavelength pass lter in the 570 nm to 590 nm range. The
SCDV5543/4 should be matched with a yellow-green band-pass
lter that peaks at 565 nm. For displays of multiple colors, neu-
tral density grey lters offer the best compromise.
Additional contrast enhancement is gained by shading the dis-
plays. Plastic band-pass lters with built-in louvers offer the
next step up in contrast improvement. Plastic lters can be
Figure 11. SCDV interface to Siemens/Intel 8031 microprocessor
(using serial port in mode 0)
Figure 12. SCDV interface to Siemens/Intel 8031 microprocessor
(using one bit of parallel port as serial input)
VCC
U1
8031
9 RST
18
19
XTAL2
XTAL1
40
RXD
TXD
10
11
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
22
f
TAN
.01
f
P3.7 17
P3.3 13
P3.4 14
GND
DATA
VCC
CS
CLK I/O
SDCLK
LD
RST
GND
ID
+
1
2
6
7
VCC
U1
8031
1
9
20
RST
P1.0
18
19
XTAL2
XTAL1
40 P3.0
P3.1
P3.6
P0.0
10
11
16
39
VCC
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
22
F
TAN
.01
F
GND
DATA
VCC
CS
CLK I/O
SDCLK
LD
RST
GND
ID
+
1
2
6
7
improved further with anti-reective coatings to reduce glare.
The trade-off is fuzzy characters. Mounting the lters close to
the display reduces this effect. Take care not to overheat the
plastic lter by allowing for proper air ow.
Optimal lter enhancements are gained by using circular polar-
ized, anti-reective, band-pass lters. The circular polarizing fur-
ther enhances contrast by reducing the light that travels through
the lter and reects back off the display to less than 1%.
Several lter manufacturers supply quality lter materials.
Some of them are: Panelgraphic Corporation, W. Caldwell, NJ;
SGL Homalite, Wilmington, DE; 3M Company, Visual Products
Division, St. Paul, MN; Polaroid Corporation, Polarizer Division,
Cambridge, MA; Marks Polarized Corporation, Deer Park, NY,
Hoya Optics, Inc., Fremont, CA.
One last note on mounting lters: recessing displays and bezel
assemblies is an inexpensive way to provide a shading effect in
overhead lighting situations. Several Bezel manufacturers are:
R.M.F. Products, Batavia, IL; Nobex Components, Grifth Plas-
tic Corp., Burlingame, CA; Photo Chemical Products of Califor-
nia, Santa Monica, CA; I.E.E.-Atlas, Van Nuys, CA.