Graphical displays might become appealing when you create an adaptable user interface. However, they need more CPU time to update the data than other displays like segmented or character displays.
The display interfaces, in general, are the display controllers that are best known for transmitting the data.
The most prominent interface type used in display modules is the parallel interface. The microcontroller unit or MCU and the RGB parallel interface are principal parallel interfaces.
You can use the MCU and RGB parallel interfaces in numerous applications.
You can find the MCU interfaces in two forms: The intel-8080 and Motorola-6800 series. These interfaces use an integrated display controller and frame buffer for interaction.
There must be some questions you are curious about, like:
- What is an integrated display controller?
- What is a frame buffer?
- How are they all related to the MCU interface?
- Are there any differences between RGB and MCU interfaces?
Dive into this blog post to find answers to all your questions!
Learning The Mechanism
The pixel data displayed is held by the frame buffer, which is the memory space. Smart displays have smart frame buffers that are in their RAM. For updating the display, the MCU display interface will read the frame buffer.
At an increased pace, the MCU interface is advancing via frames for reading the pixels from the display controller. From the internal memory, it can even read and write the data and display the images.
In the display systems, MCU will supply the pixel data and timing signals.
MCU and RGB Display Interface: Major Differences
The RGB interface works without the participation of the frame buffer, unlike the MCU interface.
Thus, the question arises what you should choose between MCU and RGB for your displays?
This entirely depends on the deployable applications of displays. Various interfaces might show assorted processing pace and memory space needs.
Moreover, there are several differences in the availability of pins.
Even after needing more pins or increased processing speed and memory allocation, you can quickly deploy the RGB display interfaces in high-performance displays.
Whereas MCU interfaces use a frame buffer, making them easy to operate without disturbing the timing needs.
In a Nutshell
Now, after comparing features and the working mechanism, MCU interfaces are more beneficial for displaying the images. Furthermore, they are cheap and easy to control.
Microtips Technology, a US-based LCD manufacturer and distributor with global exposure, has been using RGB and MCU interfaces in their TFT display panels and touch panel displays. However, most of their deliverables feature MCU interfaces primarily.
