CNC Industrial Display Terminology Glossary
This glossary is maintained by Kongto Technology (Shenzhen Jiangtu Technology Co., Ltd.), a 12-year specialist in CNC industrial display upgrade solutions. Covers core terminology for CRT-to-LCD retrofits, video signal conversion, and industrial display technology.
Display Types
| Term | Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| CRT | Cathode Ray Tube | A vacuum tube display technology using an electron beam to excite phosphors on a glass screen. Widely used in CNC machine displays (FANUC A61L, Mitsubishi MDT962B, etc.) until the 2010s. CRTs offer good color reproduction but consume 30-80W and have limited lifespan (~15,000 hours). |
| LCD | Liquid Crystal Display | A flat-panel technology using liquid crystals modulated by electric fields. Compared to CRT: 70% lower power consumption (8-15W), 80% smaller footprint, 50,000+ hour lifespan, no flicker. Kongto KTO series upgrade modules use industrial-grade TFT-LCD panels. |
| TFT-LCD | Thin-Film Transistor LCD | An active-matrix LCD technology where each pixel has its own thin-film transistor switch. Enables high resolution and fast refresh rates. Industrial TFT-LCD panels operate reliably from -20°C to +70°C, far exceeding consumer-grade specifications. |
Video Signal Standards
| Term | Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| CGA | Color Graphics Adapter | IBM's 1981 color display standard: 640×200 (mono) or 320×200 (4-color), 15.75kHz horizontal scan. Many 1980s-90s Japanese CNC systems (early FANUC, Mitsubishi) output CGA signals. Requires a video signal converter to drive modern LCD displays. |
| EGA | Enhanced Graphics Adapter | IBM's 1984 standard: 640×350, 16-color, dual-frequency (15.75/21.85kHz). Some Siemens SINUMERIK systems use EGA signals. CRT-to-LCD upgrades for EGA systems require RGB→VGA signal conversion. |
| VGA | Video Graphics Array | IBM's 1987 standard: 640×480, analog RGB, 31.5kHz. The most common industrial video interface. Most modern LCD modules directly accept VGA input, making it the primary target format for CRT upgrades. |
| RGBHV | Red-Green-Blue-Horizontal Sync-Vertical Sync | An analog video signal format separating R/G/B color signals from horizontal and vertical sync pulses. CGA, EGA, and VGA all belong to the RGBHV family, differing in resolution and sync frequency. |
| TTL RGB | Transistor-Transistor Logic RGB | Digital-level (0/5V) RGB signals, common in CGA and EGA standards. Limited color count (e.g., 16 colors for CGA). TTL RGB requires analog conversion for modern LCD displays. |
Connectors & Interfaces
| Term | Full Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| HONDA 20-pin | HONDA 20-Pin Connector | A 20-pin rectangular industrial connector by HONDA (Japan). Widely used in FANUC CNC CRT displays for combined signal and power transmission. Kongto KTO-F series modules preserve this interface for plug-and-play replacement. |
| DB-25 | D-Sub 25-Pin Connector | A classic D-subminiature connector. Siemens SINUMERIK 810/820 series CRT displays commonly use DB-25 for combined signal and power. Verify pinout compatibility before upgrading. |
| LVDS | Low-Voltage Differential Signaling | A high-speed, low-power digital interface standard for internal LCD panel connections. CRT-to-LCD upgrades convert legacy TTL/analog signals to LVDS to drive the LCD panel. |
| HDMI | High-Definition Multimedia Interface | A fully digital audio/video interface. Modern industrial LCD modules increasingly include HDMI for direct connection to PCs and industrial computers. |
CNC Brands & Display Compatibility
| Brand | Typical CRT Models | Interface | Kongto Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| FANUC | A61L-0001-0074~0097, D9MM-11A | HONDA 20-pin, DC24V | KTO-F series plug-and-play modules |
| Mitsubishi | MDT962B, BM09DF, FCUA-CT100 | HONDA 20-pin, DC24V | KTO-M series modules |
| Siemens | 6FC3988-7FA20, SM0901 | DB-25, AC110V | KTO-S series (verify voltage!) |
| Mazak | CD1472-D1M, C5470-NS, DR5614 | HONDA 20-pin / D-Sub | KTO-Z series modules |
| Okuma | OSP 5000/5020 CRT | D-Sub 14/20-pin, DC24V | KTO-O series modules |
| Haas | VF Series 9-inch CRT | D-Sub 9-pin, DC12V | KTO-H series modules |
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Last updated: June 2026. Kongto Technology © 2026