We all know that LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have several major advantages over Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT). Firstly there is the space issue, as an LCD monitor takes up far less space than an equivalent CRT screen width. This makes them ideal for use in vehicles such as police cars, and army vehicles such as command and control vehicles whereby several monitors may be needed.

In the latter instance not only is space an issue, with a LCD screen being around once inch thick compared to around fourteen or more inches for a CRT screen, but the heat output is also a benefit e.g. the less heat given out in the confined space of an armoured control vehicle the more comfortable the working environment.

Yet in both instances of police and military vehicles there is the fact that both such environments can be harsh places to work in, with people often moving in and out of vehicles at speed in pressurised environments, and in these circumstances it is all too easy to break an LCD display accidentally.

Clearly in either one of these environments it is essential that no such breakage occurs, and whilst you cannot control what is going on in the vehicles, you can protect the monitors to ensure they put up with such vigorous working conditions.

To do so requires the use of rugged LCD monitors. These are LCD screens that have been specially packaged to ensure that whilst the display can still be clearly seen, that the screen itself is protected from direct frontal impact, fluid spillages and the numerous bumps and shakes that an armoured military control vehicle will have thrown at it. Indeed a CRT screen would be unlikely to survive more than a few minutes in an army vehicle.

Rugged screens are also designed to put up with hot and cold environments that a normal LCD screen would struggle with.

Rugged LCD monitors are designed with such harsh environments from the outset. You can even buy portable rugged screens (Often found on rugged tablet computers), which are used for anything from meter readings, to command and control applications on a battlefield. These screens are designed to put up with being dropped, thrown around and even immersed in water.

So if you have an application whereby your current screens are failing due to shock damage or liquid spillage then maybe it is time you looked to see if a rugged custom controller board monitor would provide a better solution.