In today’s rapidly advancing technological landscape, LED displays have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. When discussing LED displays, we often encounter the technical terms “32 scan” and “64 scan.” What exactly is the difference between these two? Read on to explore the distinctions between them in depth.
What is LED Scan Mode?
LED scan mode, also known as LED scanning rate or scanning driver IC, refers to the operating mode of the internal drive circuit of an LED display screen. It defines the order and number of LED lamp beads and their scanning sequence. Currently, there are two types of drive modes for LED display screens on the market: static scanning and dynamic scanning.
What is 32 scans?
32 scan means that within each frame, the LED display screen is divided into 32 regions, which are sequentially illuminated in order to form a complete image.
What is 64 scans?
64 scan means that within each frame, the LED display screen is divided into 64 smaller regions, which are sequentially illuminated. This means that within the same time frame, a 64 scan LED display screen will have more regions illuminated sequentially, resulting in a more detailed image quality. This technology further enhances the precision and stability of LED display screens.
Comparison between 32 scan and 64 scan
Next, I will compare 32 scan and 64 scan from multiple aspects, including scan regions, drive chips, refresh rates, and stability.
Scan Area
Based on the above definitions, the most significant difference between 64 scan and 32 scan is the scan area. In 32 scan, since the screen is divided into 32 areas, each area has a relatively larger number of LED lights. Conversely, in 64 scan, there are more scan areas, resulting in fewer LED lights being lit simultaneously.
Generally, the more scan areas there are, the more uniform the current distribution becomes, thereby reducing the current load on individual areas. Therefore, 64 scan LED displays offer higher stability and a longer service life.
Driver Chip
A driver chip is an integrated circuit chip used to control specific components within a device. Compared to 64 scan, 32 scan primarily employs traditional driver solutions, such as using a 138 decoder to control the illumination of LED diodes. However, to support higher scan frequencies, 64 scan abandons traditional decoding methods and adopts more advanced encoders, resulting in a clearer circuit design.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate, also known as the refresh frequency, refers to the rate at which the display screen updates, typically measured in hertz (Hz). Generally, 64 scan LED display screens can provide a higher refresh rate. Not only can 64 scan simultaneously illuminate more LED chips, resulting in faster screen updates, but the higher number of scans per unit time also helps eliminate screen flickering, making it more suitable for dynamic visuals and video recording.
Furthermore, during the playback of dynamic videos, the 64 scan system delivers clearer and more stable visuals, reducing instances of blurriness.
Brightness and Power Consumption
Brightness Performance
In terms of brightness performance, since the 64 scan configuration drives fewer LEDs per scan than the 32 scan configuration, the overall brightness of the 64 scan configuration is theoretically slightly lower than that of the 32 scan configuration within the same time frame. However, LED manufacturers typically adjust the drive current to balance brightness, so the final brightness effect may not differ significantly.
Power Consumption Performance
32 scan requires driving a larger number of LEDs, which may result in slightly higher current load per LED. 64 scan drives fewer LEDs per scan, which may result in slightly lower current load per LED.
Power Consumption Differences
The power consumption difference between 32 scan and 64 scan LED displays primarily stems from the number of LEDs driven per scan and the drive current. Theoretically, 64 scan may consume less power than 32 scan, but in practice, 64 scan requires a higher current to balance brightness, so its power consumption may be similar to or even higher than that of 32 scan.
Cost
When comparing manufacturing costs, the 32 scan system uses the 138 decoding method, which is a more mature technology with lower manufacturing costs. Additionally, the drive circuitry is simpler and has lower hardware requirements, giving the 32 scan system advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and practicality. The 64 scan system, on the other hand, uses more complex drive ICs and serial bus technology.
Although the number of chips is reduced, this increases the complexity of circuit design and manufacturing processes. Furthermore, optimizing the drive scheme requires more technical investment, making the 64 scan more expensive and resulting in a higher price.
Technical Complexity
From a technical perspective, as mentioned earlier, the 32 scan has fewer scan areas, meaning the circuit design and routing are relatively simple. In contrast, 64 scan divides each LED or pixel group into 64 scan lines for illumination, increasing the complexity of circuit design and wiring.
It requires more precise control over the illumination sequence and timing of each scan line to ensure uniformity across the entire screen. Therefore, 64 scan technology is more complex than 32 scan technology and faces additional challenges, such as grayscale loss, reduced brightness, performance degradation, and the inability to remove low-brightness color blocks.
Uniformity
In terms of uniformity, the 32 scan system offers better uniformity than the 64 scan system. This is because the 32 scan system has a simpler drive circuit, resulting in more uniform display performance. Conversely, the 64 scan system has a relatively complex drive circuit, leading to slightly inferior uniformity compared to the 32 scan system.
Failure Rate
In terms of failure rate, the 32 scan system has a lower failure rate. Since the 32 scan system’s drive circuit is simpler than that of the 64 scan system, its failure rate is lower. However, the 64 scan system, which reduces the number of chips to force a higher refresh rate, may cause long streaks of bright or dark spots (commonly known as the “caterpillar” phenomenon), resulting in a higher failure rate.
Dynamic Images
In terms of dynamic images, the 32 scan not only offers stable visuals but is also more suitable for displaying high-speed dynamic content, with fewer ghosting effects and relatively higher color accuracy. In contrast, the 64 scan’s refresh rate partially compensates for the lack of visual stability. At the same frequency, the 64 scan may exhibit some blurring or motion blur, especially when displaying complex dynamic scenes.
Color
In terms of color performance, while the 32 scan method can meet basic requirements, limitations in refresh rate and brightness uniformity may result in insufficient color depth or detail in certain scenarios. In contrast, the 64 scan method enhances refresh rate and brightness uniformity, providing a better foundation for color performance. This allows the display to present richer color depth and more detailed imagery.
Brightness Uniformity
In terms of brightness uniformity, the 32 scan method may cause uneven brightness in certain areas of the screen due to the relatively longer time intervals between scan lines. This issue may be more pronounced in large-screen or high-resolution displays.
The 64 scan method, however, achieves more uniform brightness across the screen by enabling more precise control over the lighting time of each LED, resulting in a smoother and more consistent visual experience.
Lifespan
Generally, the lifespan of a 64 scan display is longer than that of a 32 scan display. This is because the higher current load of a 32 scan display can have a certain impact on the lifespan of the LED lights. In contrast, the reduced current load of a 64 scan display helps extend the lifetime of the LED display.
Applications
32 scan is suitable for scenarios where high display quality is required but extremely high brightness is not necessary, such as hotels, shopping malls, airports, and retail stores. 64 scan is typically used in scenarios requiring high brightness and stability, ensuring clear and vibrant visuals under various lighting conditions. Examples include outdoor billboards and large-scale sports venues.
How to calculate the scan rate of an LED screen?
Calculating the scan rate of an LED screen involves three steps. First, calculate the total number of drive IC pins. Second, calculate the total number of LED chips in the module. Finally, use the formula (scan mode = total number of drive IC pins ÷ total number of LED chips) to determine the scan mode.
32 Scan vs. 64 Scan: How to Choose?
After reading this article, you should have a basic understanding of 32 scan and 64 scan technologies in LED displays, each with its own advantages and application scenarios. When making a choice, consider specific application requirements, budget, and personal preferences.
If you prioritize cost-effectiveness and practicality, I recommend selecting an LED display with 32 scan technology. If you prioritize image clarity and natural color transitions, I recommend choosing an LED display screen with 64 scan technology.
