gen4 displays from company 4D Systems bring several improvements

Do you know that good old song from group Mike and the Mechanics, beginning with words „Every generation, blames the one before..."? Usually it´s true in life, but in technics it is always true. Newer components are almost always better than older ones and in case of „gen4“ displays it brings several improvements. It´s worth of mentioning that the core of displays including the graphic processor ( Diablo 16 or Picaso) remains unchanged, that´s why also a compatibility with older displays and with a powerful graphic software Workshop 4.

What´s new / changed?

• thinner design, modules are thinner and also thanks to a lack of pin header they require substantially less space from a bottom side

• pin header for power supply and programming is replaced by an FFC connector, which also contains many other processor pins. Each display is supplied with a 15 cm FFC cable and with a small PCB - „IB – interface board“, serving to interconnect programming cable with an FFC cable and the display

• extra high brightness displays. In the gen4, also the types with an „SB“ suffix can be found (super bright, 800-1000 nit) with more than a double brightness in comparison to common types. That´s why they are also suitable for exterior and on places with strong ambient lighting

• integrated design cover lens bezel. Displays with a „CLB“ suffix (cover lens bezel) have at production integrated glass bezel as we know it for example from tablets. Such a display is also easy to integrate into an end device. Bottom of the bezel also features a thin double-sided sticking tape.

• 5“ display. A new 5” display was added into the gen4 family (800x480 px)

• mechanical support for mounting of a PCB with your application. This way a “combo” arises, which is mechanically stable and compact. For this case also short 30 mm FFC cables will be available.

Good news is also that the gen4 doesn´t replace a previous generation and both versions will be produced simultaneously. That´s why those of you, who have everything “tuned” on a previous version and above mentioned advantages are not important for us, there´s no need to change anything pr to worry about possible redesign.

The last benefit of a new series is a feelingly lower price, i.e. a module of the same size and of same features (for example with a capacitive touch panel) is in a new series feelingly cheaper (roughly -15 -35%, depending on a type). This might be eventually the one and only but strong reason to migrate from older to a new series.