The KCS038AA1AC-G21 is a 3.8" industrial LCD display panel manufactured by Kyocera, featuring 240×320 resolution with CCFL backlight and Parallel Data interface. With 100 cd/m² brightness and 17:1 contrast ratio, viewing angle 50/50/50/50, designed for industrial instrumentation, embedded systems, and reliable display applications.
| Brand | Kyocera |
| Model | KCS038AA1AC-G21 |
| Size | 3.8" |
| Resolution | 240×320 |
| Brightness | 100 cd/m² |
| Contrast Ratio | 17:1 |
| Viewing Angle | 50/50/50/50 |
| Display Type | Color |
| Backlight | CCFL |
| Interface | Parallel Data |
Industrial instrumentation and gauges
Embedded systems displays
Metering equipment
Point-of-sale terminals
Security alarm panels
Small appliance displays
FAQ:
Q1: What do the “KCS” and “AC” prefixes mean for this display’s technology and interface?
A1: The “KCS” indicates this is an STN (Super Twisted Nematic) passive-matrix display, meaning it has slower response times and lower contrast than a TFT. However, the “AC” is crucial: it means the panel has a built-in LCD controller and VRAM. Unlike the digital TTL panels that require a constant high-speed video stream from a host CPU, this panel connects via a simple microprocessor bus (like an 8-bit or 16-bit parallel interface). You just send it pixel data or commands, and the onboard controller handles the screen refresh.
Q2: Why is the resolution 240×320 instead of the standard 320×240 (QVGA)?
A2: The 240×320 resolution indicates that this is a Portrait-mode (vertical) display. When viewing the panel with the connector at the bottom, the display is taller than it is wide. While it can be used in landscape mode via software, it was primarily designed for early PDAs, handheld industrial terminals, and medical devices where scrolling through vertical lists or text was the main use case.
Q3: What does the “-G21” suffix indicate regarding the backlight?
A3: The “-G21” (falling under the “-G0xx” convention) indicates that this module uses a CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) backlight with a specific inverter specification. For a small 3.8" display, the CCFL tube is extremely thin and fragile, and requires a small external high-voltage inverter to illuminate. This is an older technology compared to modern LED backlights.










