In recent years, more and more alternatives to traditional rectangular displays have appeared on the market. Increasingly, we see models with unusual proportions and shapes which, thanks to their functionality, give projects a unique character and make them stand out from the competition. In this article, we present selected non-standard solutions available in Litemax’s offer.
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Until recently, achieving a shape other than rectangular required compromises. An example is the first “round” LCD in Unisystem’s portfolio, which was in fact a square panel placed in a round housing. Today, manufacturers can produce panels actually tailored to the intended form – precisely cut to the project’s shape, enabling solutions that would have been impossible just a decade ago.
Display Proportions – What is Aspect Ratio?
Aspect ratio is the basic parameter that describes the shape of an image on a screen, representing the ratio of width to height of the active area, expressed in a numerical format with a colon (e.g., 16:9 means 16 units of width to 9 units of height). In practice, it serves as a shortcut that facilitates matching the format to the content and work environment. The most popular ratios include:
- 4:3 – classic, close to square; typical for CRT and early LCDs, today mainly in specialist equipment,
- 16:9 – current standard for TVs and Full HD/4K monitors; universal for work and multimedia,
- 16:10 – common in business monitors; helpful when a vertical perspective is needed, e.g., in project editing,
- 21:9 – ultra-wide; popular in cinema screens and gaming monitors, providing a wider field of view,
- 1:1 – a perfect square; rare, but practical in video walls and displays.
For non-standard shaped displays, the aspect ratio often goes beyond these standards. This can be seen, for example, in panoramic formats found in:
- consumer electronics – elongated screens (e.g., 1:5) for unusual interfaces in narrow housings,
- retail – smart shelf solutions on shelf edges; 12:1 or 24:1 ratios ideal for promotional information,
- transportation – passenger information systems tailored to boards and showcases; common 32:9 or 16:4.5 ratios make timetables and announcements easier to present.
However, it is worth remembering that an unusual screen shape does not always mean a non-standard aspect ratio. There are triangular LCD-TFT panels in which the aspect ratio remains typical for rectangular screens (e.g., 16:9), because the basis is still a rectangular pixel matrix. In such a situation, content is prepared in the 16:9 standard, although it requires appropriate graphic design to display correctly in the unusual form. Learn more in our article.
Litemax Displays – High Brightness and Durability
Litemax is a company specializing in industrial displays, designed for reliable operation in conditions where standard LCD-TFT panels may lose functionality. Their key advantages include high brightness, wide viewing angles, long component lifetime, and the ability to work continuously, 24/7.
Litemax solutions are used wherever constant access to information is required, and environmental conditions can be challenging. Examples include:
- transportation – passenger information systems (including vehicle-mounted screens), automated access control, traffic management,
- retail – advertising media, kiosks and multimedia totems, video walls, menu boards, etc.,
- industrial automation – displays on production lines, in control devices, and HMI panels,
- defense sector,
- gaming – displays used in machines and entertainment devices.
One of Litemax’s flagship product lines is the DuraPixel series. These are LCD-TFT displays designed for demanding environments – resistant to temperature fluctuations, equipped with powerful and uniform LED backlighting, and built to minimize the risk of image burn-in. Thanks to these features, they perform excellently in applications requiring continuous operation for many years, such as digital signage systems.
Although the DuraPixel series includes standard formats such as 4:3 or 16:9, Litemax’s portfolio also offers many non-standard shaped LCD-TFT displays created using precise LCD-TFT panel cutting technology. This makes it possible to produce panoramic, square, as well as entirely unique forms, such as semi-circular or triangular.
Panoramic Displays – Spanpixel Series
Among non-standard display formats, some solutions have become “standard” – one of them being panoramic panels. Thanks to their elongated form (aspect ratio much wider than the classic 16:9) and large horizontal surface, they are widely used in digital signage systems, e.g., in transportation and retail. Their universal format has made them one of the most frequently chosen solutions for years, where clear and effective presentation of content in a horizontal layout is key.
Litemax’s Spanpixel series includes panoramic LCD-TFT displays with wide aspect ratios, available in a broad range of diagonals – from 6” to over 60”. All share the key features of Litemax industrial displays: high brightness, wide viewing angles, and continuous 24/7 operation.
Square Displays – Squarepixel Series
The opposite of panoramic panels are square displays, with proportions close to 1:1. Although the difference between a square and a rectangle may seem small, in practice, standard monitors rarely have perfectly equal sides – rectangular formats such as 4:3 dominate. Meanwhile, in many projects, a square screen may prove to be the best choice, e.g., in industrial automation, measurement systems, or interactive exhibitions.
The Squarepixel series was created in response to the growing demand for square-format displays. These panels offer high brightness, durability, and adaptation for continuous operation in demanding conditions. The square format allows central interface design, even content distribution, and the creation of harmonious graphic compositions that stand out from standard solutions.
Squarepixel displays are used in digital signage systems in transportation and retail, as well as in exhibition spaces such as galleries and museums, and at information points. Their unusual shape serves both practical and decorative functions, allowing better use of installation space, attracting audience attention, and giving projects a unique character.
Customized Sizes – Cutting Panels into Non-Standard Shapes
Both panoramic Spanpixels and square Squarepixels are created in the process of precisely cutting standard LCD-TFT panels. This technology preserves full display functionality while giving them a format unavailable in traditional production.
However, Litemax offers the possibility of going a step further – creating LCD-TFT modules with entirely individual dimensions, designed from the ground up for a specific project. In this process, not only is the glass size of the matrix modified, but also the polarizer layers and control systems, so that the new shape does not negatively affect image quality, durability, or reliability.
This solution is particularly effective in the entertainment industry, where Litemax modules are used in gaming machines. In such devices, combining high image quality with unusual shapes and precise fitting to the construction is essential, while panels must withstand intensive use and ensure a long lifetime.
Importantly, LCD-TFT panel cutting technology opens the way to shapes that until recently seemed difficult to achieve – triangles, semi-circles, or more complex geometric forms. Thanks to this, device designers are no longer limited to classic squares and rectangles, and the display can fully reflect both functional requirements and the design concept of the product.
Triangular Displays
Triangular displays are one of the most unusual and newest proposals among non-standard LCD-TFT panels.
The SSD3205-A model from Litemax is a 32″ panel with Full HD resolution (1920×1080 px). It delivers 1000 cd/m² brightness, 4900:1 contrast, wide viewing angles, and LED backlighting with a lifetime exceeding 100,000 hours, providing excellent image quality and reliable operation for many years. Equipped with HDMI and DP interfaces, it ensures smooth communication with the control system.
Thanks to such parameters, the SSD3205-A model works well in digital signage systems, including transportation and retail, as well as in exhibition spaces and stage arrangements where the screen becomes not only a content carrier but also an element shaping the visual effect of the entire project.
👉 Learn more about the SSD3205-A model in our article: Triangular LCD-TFT Display in Unisystem’s Offer – A New Dimension in Device Design.
Semi-Circular Displays
Semi-circular LCD-TFT panels are another example of how far display format customization has advanced. Litemax calls them “Moon Display” – due to their crescent-like shape.
The SPD2365-C model is a 23.6-inch LCD-TFT panel that can be considered “half” of a large, round screen. With a resolution of 842×421 px, high brightness – 1000 cd/m², and 4000:1 contrast, it offers the full functionality typical of Litemax industrial displays – from excellent readability to wide viewing angles and 24/7 operation.
The semi-circle form opens up interesting design possibilities. Such screens can be used as unusual information banners, elements of consoles and dashboards (e.g., above a bus driver’s head, displaying passenger information), decorative elements, or message boards in smart city spaces. Content displayed on semi-circular panels requires proper preparation – graphics should be arranged in an arc to fully exploit the potential of this format.
Thanks to compatibility with dedicated controllers, Litemax semi-circular panels can be easily integrated into content display systems, enabling smooth animations and impressive image presentation in a shape that until recently was just a designer’s vision.
Other Unusual Displays
An unusual display is not always a matter of outline shape – an equally interesting category includes panels with modified three-dimensional geometry, i.e., curved displays. Among such solutions is the DUD4304-CT model – a 43-inch curved touch panel with an R1500 curvature radius, creating an effect of “surrounding” the user with the image. This format makes it possible to create immersive visual impressions in applications such as gaming machines, simulators, or modern exhibition displays. Multi-touch support further expands interaction possibilities.
Curved panels are available in various variants – from classic bends to J-curved or S-curved forms, where the screen takes on a wavy shape. Such solutions are increasingly used in the automotive industry (e.g., dashboards surrounding the driver) and in digital signage, where a curved screen covers a larger field of view.
Summary – The Future of Displays Comes in Many Shapes
The display market is evolving towards increasing diversity of forms and formats, going far beyond classic rectangular panels. The development of LCD-TFT technology, including precise matrix cutting, has enabled solutions that just a decade ago seemed unrealistic – from panoramic and square formats, to entirely irregular shapes, and even curved constructions.
Do you have questions about non-standard displays? Contact us – we will advise you at every stage of the project and help you find a solution perfectly suited to your needs.
