19.5: Unique Approach for Replacement Displays in Military Systems

Abstract Legacy military systems will continue to be around for years to come since funding for new systems is virtually nonexistent. Replacement products must be manufactured to meet form, fit, and function and be drop‐in replacements as modification to the platform cannot always be accommodated. Currently there are many “out‐of‐production” monochrome plasma, CRTs and electroluminescent displays in these systems. Sometimes products can be built around commercial off‐the‐shelf COTS LCD modules, but many times the only possible solution is a unique system made from a modified LCD. This paper addresses a unique approach to one such application starting with a 27 inch LCD panel cut to fit a product with outside dimensions of 26.75 inches wide by 8.427 inches high by 3.250 inches deep. The cut LCD results in a panel with resolution of 1920 × 400 lines which replaces an out of production neon‐orange AC plasma with a resolution of 1536 × 288 lines. The replacement system is programmed to interface via EIA 485 Synchronous Data Link SDLC type I/O and provides data to the screen in an orange color replicating the AC plasma color. The display system includes an infrared touch panel, a processor, and self contained power system. This paper will begin with the military application/specification and provide an overview of product design and test. The resized LCD was the only possible solution, it worked, and it's COTS.