An LED panel is an array of individually placed light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that is designed to display specific video patterns and animation from a distance. Original uses for an LED panel include basic billboard advertisements, store signs and gaming displays. More recently, LED panels have been incorporated into general lighting displays because of their versatility over traditional lighting and their lower energy demands.
Designs for LED panels come in two basic formats. Original or conventional LEDs are those with a display head about one-eighth of an inch (0.32 cm) in diameter. Displays with such LED panels are commonly used where the brightness of the display does not have to be intense.
More modern LED panel displays are based on a light-emitting diode smaller than the head of a pin. This type of LED panel is referred to in the industry as a surface-mounted device (SMD). The smaller size of these LED panels allow for viewing of the display at a closer distance without the visual distortion that would be present in a standard display.
SMD-designed LED panel displays are often used where high brightness and rapid fluctuation of the image are desired, like sports arena displays, modern billboards,etc. Other increasingly popular uses for LED panel displays include traffic lights, traffic signals and, etc.
LED panels have been incorporated into the design of televisions as well. The very first LED panel television screen was developed in 1977. These types of television displays with LED panels offer higher brightness and improved color variation than earlier liquid crystal displays (LCD).
