As the light-emitting units of an LED display, LED screen lights determine not only the screen’s brightness but also its service life. Therefore, choosing suitable LED screen lights is essential for the success of a project. In this article, I will introduce the main types of LED screen lights and the key considerations when choosing them.
What Is An LED Screen Light?
LED screen lights, also known as LED beads, are the light-emitting components of LED displays. Typically, each LED screen light contains independent semiconductor chips of three colors: red, green, and blue. By adjusting the brightness ratio of these three chips, different colors can be mixed to create different images.
Types of LED Screen Lights
Classified by Packaging Technology
Dual In-line Package LED
Dual In-line Package is generally abbreviated as DIP. DIP LED screen lights typically have a square or circular silicone housing containing a semiconductor chip. Two leads on the bottom of the housing are used for electrical conductivity.
DIP LED chips feature a larger housing size, enabling them to accommodate larger chips. This means that DIP LED chips can emit brighter light under the same current. Additionally, the silicone casing has strong UV resistance, preventing it from yellowing and ensuring long-term color stability for the display. The two long leads of DIP LEDs help conduct heat, so the DIP LEDs dissipate heat very quickly.
Surface Mount Device LED
An SMD is a flat, square-shaped surface-mount device consisting of an epoxy gel shell, a semiconductor chip, and a metal support frame. Thanks to its flat structure, SMD displays have no protruding particles, thus ensuring that the entire display is smooth.
Compared to DIP LEDs, SMD LEDs are smaller and arranged more densely, thereby reducing the distance between pixels. The high-density arrangement of SMD LEDs makes the color gradations of the LED display more natural, and every detail of the image can be accurately captured.
Chip on Board LED
COB is an abbreviation for Chip on Board. Unlike DIP and SMD, which package the chip into an independent component and then mount it onto the PCB, COB LEDs directly mount the chip onto the PCB and encapsulate the chip and the PCB with adhesive.
COB LEDs have a very small pixel pitch, so the LED displays made with them can display deeper blacks, higher color contrast, and clearer images. Furthermore, the seamless connection between COB LEDs and PCB makes the structure of the LED screen more stable, preventing chips from falling off due to external impact. If your project demands high-definition quality, COB LEDs may be the better choice.
Classified by Color
Single-Color LED
A single-color LED is a light source that emits only a single color. Its structure is very simple, mainly consisting of three parts: the chip, the housing, and the lead frame.
Although the structure of single-color LED lights is simple, they also have advantages that other LED screen lights cannot match. For example, the single-color LED lights feature high brightness. Under the same power conditions, single-color LEDs are brighter than RGB LEDs. Meanwhile, due to the absence of interference from other chips, single-color LEDs have slower light decay and longer service life.
RGB LED
RGB LEDs are LED beads that encapsulate three independently emitting chips (red, green, and blue) together. This LED screen light uses integrated packaging technology, allowing the light from the three chips to mix within the package, resulting in more natural colors.
Furthermore, since the three chips emit light independently, by adjusting the brightness ratio of the three chips, these RGB LEDs can produce 16 million different colors. If your project requires excellent dynamic color performance, RGB LEDs would be a good choice.
Classified by Size
Small-Sized LED Screen Light
Small-sized LED beads usually refer to LED screen lights characterized by small size and high integration density. The size of these LED beads ranges from 1mm to 3mm. Smaller LEDs can be arranged more closely on the PCB, resulting in a smooth screen.
Furthermore, the chips in small-sized LED beads are relatively small, so they can heat up and cool down quickly.
Large LED Screen Light
The size of these LED screen lights ranges from 50mm to 150mm. Larger LED chips have a larger light-emitting area and higher brightness, thus ensuring better screen brightness.
How to Choose LED Screen Lights for Your Project？
Application Scenes
Outdoor Environment
In outdoor environments, LED displays are susceptible to strong ultraviolet radiation and erosion from heavy rain. Therefore, they are easily damaged. If your project is for outdoor use, high-power SMD LEDs are your best choice. This is because these LEDs feature excellent waterproofing and heat dissipation, making them suitable for outdoor environments.
Indoor Environment
Indoor LED screens prioritize soft lighting, clear images, and vibrant colors. LED displays manufactured using COB LEDs feature a smooth surface, effectively meeting the requirements for the indoor environment. Therefore, you can choose COB LEDs for your indoor applications.
Viewing Distance
Short Distance
LED screens suitable for short-distance viewing are generally used in conference rooms or shopping malls, which require high-definition image quality. Therefore, small SMD LEDs or COB LEDs are the most suitable for short-distance viewing.
Long Distance
LED displays suitable for long-distance viewing must have high brightness and a long service life. Each DIP LED features high brightness and is durable. That’s why DIP LEDs are the most suitable for making large screens for long-distance viewing.
The Uses of Screens
Display Text
LED screens used to display text are generally used to show store information and commercial signage, so the requirements for image clarity are not high. Therefore, choosing single-color LED beads is the most cost-effective option. Although single-color LED beads have a simple structure, they feature high brightness and slow light decay.
Play Video
LED screens used for playing videos require high-definition image quality, so you need to select LED beads with a small pixel pitch for your project. For example, small-pitch SMD LEDs and COB LEDs are good choices.
FAQ
What Are the Differences Between Ordinary LED Lights and LED Screen Lights?
Ordinary LED lights are like household light bulbs, used for illumination. However, LED screen lights consist of a tightly arranged array of pixels, used to display text or images. Therefore, their working principles and applications are completely different.
What Is Light Decay in LED Beads?
Light decay of LED chips refers to the gradual decrease in brightness of LED chips over time. There are two reasons affecting the light decay of LED chips: heat accumulation and chip aging.
How Many Years Can an LED Screen Light Be Used?
Theoretically, LED screen lights can last 6-11 years, but this also depends on specific circumstances. LED screen lights used for indoor screens can last longer, 8-12 years. However, the LED screen lights used in outdoor screens only have a lifespan of 5 to 8 years.
Do LED Screen Lights Emit Radiation?
LED screen lights do emit radiation, but this radiation is not the electromagnetic radiation that is harmful to the human body. LED screen lights work on the principle of electroluminescence and do not produce radioactive substances, so they are safe for the body.
How to Dispose of Discarded LED Screen Lights?
The process involves three steps: First, you need to disassemble and categorize all the materials of the LED screen. Then, you need to recycle all the precious metal materials. Finally, you must dispose of all hazardous substances according to strict standards.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, as long as you choose the right LED screen light, the performance and lifespan of the LED screen are guaranteed. If you are looking for the best partner for your project, JINGYLED will be your best choice. Our company has top-notch technology and an experienced team, and please feel free to contact us if you have any needs.
