A dot matrix display is a display device

Display device

A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form...

 used to display information on machines, clocks, railway departure indicators and many other devices requiring a simple display device of limited resolution. The display consists of a matrix of lights or mechanical indicators arranged in a rectangular configuration (other shapes are also possible, although not common) such that by switching on or off selected lights, text or graphics can be displayed. A dot matrix controller converts instructions from a processor into signals which turns on or off lights in the matrix so that the required display is produced.

Usual resolutions

Common sizes of dot matrix displays:

• 128×16 (Two lined)
• 128×32 (Four lined)
• 128×64 (Eight lined)

Dot Matrix is used in displays

Usual character resolutions

• A common size for a character is 5×7 pixels, either separated with blank lines with no dots (in most text-only displays), or with lines of blank pixels (making the real size 6x8). This is seen on most graphic calculators, such as CASIO calculators or TI-82
  TI-82
  The TI-82 is a graphing calculator made by Texas Instruments. The TI-82 was designed in 1993 as a stripped down, more user friendly version of the TI-85, and as a replacement for the TI-81. It was the direct predecessor of the TI-83. It shares with the TI-85 a 6 MHz Zilog Z80 microprocessor...
  
   and superior.
• A smaller size is 3×5 (or 4x6 when separated with blank pixels). This is seen on the TI-80
  TI-80
  TI-80 is a graphing calculator made by Texas Instruments. It was originally designed in 1995 to be used at a middle school level .The TI-80 featured the smallest screen and slowest processor of any TI graphing calculator. In comparison, the TI-81, released in 1990, featured a 2 MHz Zilog Z80...
  
   calculator as a "pure", fixed-size 3×5 font, or on most 7×5 calculators as a proportional (1×5 to 5×5) font. The disadvantage of the 7×5 matrix and smaller is that lower case characters with descenders are not practical. A matrix of 11×9 is often used to give far superior resolution.
• Dot matrix displays of sufficient resolution can be programmed to emulate the customary seven-segment
  Seven-segment display
  A seven-segment display , or seven-segment indicator, is a form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals that is an alternative to the more complex dot-matrix displays...
  
   numeral patterns.

See also

• Flip-disc display
  Flip-disc display
  The flip-disc display is an electromechanical dot matrix display technology used for large outdoor signs, normally those that will be exposed to direct sunlight. Flip-disc technology has been used on buses across North America and Europe. It has also been used extensively on public information...
  
  
• Seven-segment display
  Seven-segment display
  A seven-segment display , or seven-segment indicator, is a form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals that is an alternative to the more complex dot-matrix displays...
  
  
• Fourteen-segment display
  Fourteen-segment display
  A fourteen-segment display is a type of display based on 14 segments that can be turned on or off to produce letters and numerals. It is an expansion of the more common seven-segment display, having an additional four diagonal and two vertical segments with the middle horizontal segment...
  
  
• Sixteen-segment display
• LED panel
• Display examples
  Display examples
  Over the years, a variety of display devices and technologies have been used in order to display electronic data in a way that's legible to humans.-Early history:...