Monochrome LCD · Character & Graphic

Monochrome LCD Modules for Meters, Appliances and Point of Sale

The full monochrome family — character 16×1 to 40×4 and graphic 128×64 to 320×240 — in STN, FSTN and TN optics, with transflective options that stay readable in direct sunlight and LED backlights rated past 20,000 hours.

16×1–40×4character formats

128×64–320×240graphic resolutions

-30~+85°Cwide temperature grade

20K+ hLED backlight life

STN · FSTN · TN

One display family, every monochrome optical mode

Monochrome LCDs switch pixels between clear and dark — no color filter, and no backlight required for the transflective variants. That makes them the lowest-power, longest-life display option for devices that show numbers, status and simple graphics for a decade or more, from a 16×1 character line on a coffee machine to a 320×240 graphic on a factory terminal.

Character formats	16×1 / 16×2 / 20×2 / 20×4 / 40×4 (5×8 dots)
Graphic resolutions	128×64 most popular; 96×64 to 320×240
Optical modes	STN / FSTN / TN, positive or negative image
Sunlight option	Transflective — reflective plus backlit
Backlight colors	Yellow-green / gray / blue / white LED; EL optional
Backlight life	20,000+ hours continuous
Temperature	-30~+85°C wide-grade option
Packaging	COG and COB construction
Interfaces	8-bit parallel · SPI · I2C
Power draw	µA-level standby; milliamps active
Certifications	ISO 9001 · RoHS · REACH

Monochrome graphic LCD modules with yellow-green and blue backlights arranged on a clean lab bench

Character & Graphic Range

From a 16×1 status line to a 320×240 terminal

Two tables cover the line. Character modules use HD44780-compatible controllers, so existing firmware runs unchanged; graphic modules ride the ST7565/ST7567 ecosystem with ready initialization code. Formats, optics and backlights can be mixed on one BOM.

Character monochrome LCD line — format, dots, controller, optics, backlight and temperature
Format	Dots	Controller	Mode	Backlight	Temperature
16×1	5×8	HD44780-compatible	STN positive	Yellow-green	-20~+70°C
16×2	5×8	HD44780-compatible	STN positive	Yellow-green	-20~+70°C
16×2	5×8	HD44780-compatible	STN negative	Blue	-20~+70°C
20×2	5×8	HD44780-compatible	STN positive	Gray	-20~+70°C
20×4	5×8	HD44780-compatible	STN positive	Yellow-green	-20~+70°C
40×4	5×8	HD44780-compatible	STN negative	White	-30~+85°C

Graphic monochrome LCD line — resolution, driver, optics and interface
Resolution	Dots	Driver IC	Mode	Backlight	Interface
96×64	96×64	ST7565A	FSTN	Transflective	SPI · I2C
128×64	128×64	ST7567	FSTN transflective	Sunlight	SPI · I2C · 8-bit
128×64	128×64	ST7567	STN negative	Blue	SPI · I2C
128×128	128×128	ST7565A	FSTN	White	SPI · I2C
240×64	240×64	NT7534	FSTN gray scale	White	SPI · I2C
320×240	320×240	ST7567	FSTN	White	SPI · 8-bit

Transflective displays combine a reflector with a backlight: in daylight they read from ambient light at zero backlight draw; after dark the LED lights the same pixels. We verify every transflective build against a 10,000-lux bench, and wide-grade options hold operation from -30 to +85°C.

Close-up of a transflective 128×64 LCD showing partial digits in outdoor daylight with sunlight hitting the screen surface

Applications

Monochrome where color adds cost, not value

Four application families put monochrome to work. Each runs a dedicated optics and temperature program matched to how the panel is actually read.

Meters & Instrumentation

Utility meters run 128×64 graphics on internal coin cells — µA-level standby keeps a 10-year battery realistic.

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Home Appliances

Ovens and washing machines show status on 16×2 characters; 20K-hour backlights outlast the appliance itself.

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POS & Retail

Receipt printers and kitchen terminals run 24/7 on negative-mode blue STN for glare-free reading in bright retail light.

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EV Charging & Outdoor

Transflective panels keep full contrast in direct sun and operate from -30 to +85°C at the charging pole.

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FAQ

Monochrome questions we answer every week

Short answers to the four most common monochrome questions. Anything else — send it with your drawing and we reply within 48 hours.

STN twists the liquid crystal to widen the viewing cone, with a green or blue cast on the pixels. FSTN adds a compensation film that removes the color cast and sharpens contrast — the choice for 128×64 and larger graphic panels. Both run on the same ST7565/ST7567 driver ecosystem.

LED backlights are rated past 20,000 hours of continuous operation, which outlives most 10-year appliance duty cycles. EL backlights are available for evenly lit very small formats, with a comparable life target.

Yes — transflective panels reflect ambient light through the pixel layer, so a 128×64 graphic stays readable in direct sun with the backlight off. Wide-grade options operate from -30 to +85°C for outdoor meters and chargers.

500 pcs for standard character and graphic formats; samples ship in 7–15 days and mass production runs 20–35 days. Custom dot patterns, pinouts and backlight colors are quoted with transparent NRE.

Start a Quote

Tell us the format and the optics — we will return a drawing, a price and a schedule.

Character 16×1–40×4, graphic 128×64–320×240, any backlight color, transflective or negative mode. MOQ 500 pcs, samples in 7–15 days, quoted within 48 hours, FOB Shenzhen, CIF or DDP.

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