# nine-segment display

> Form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals

**Wikidata**: [Q4156508](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4156508)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-segment_display)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/nine-segment-display

## Summary
The nine-segment display is an electronic display device specifically designed for displaying decimal numerals. It belongs to the segment display class and uses nine individual line segments to form characters.

## Key Facts
-   **Function:** Form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals.
-   **Classification:** Subclass of segment display.
-   **Composition:** Comprises 9 line segments.
-   **Predecessor:** Preceded by the eight-segment display.
-   **Successor:** Succeeded by the fourteen-segment display.
-   **Sitelink Count:** Associated with 7 Wikidata sitelinks.
-   **Wikipedia:** Has dedicated pages in English, French, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese, and Wikimedia Commons.
-   **Audio Resource:** Features spoken text pronunciation audio available in English (2016).
-   **Visual Resources:** Includes an example image, a demonstration video, and a labeled schematic diagram.

## FAQs
### Q: What is a nine-segment display?
A: A nine-segment display is an electronic device used to show decimal numerals, utilizing nine distinct line segments arranged to form each digit (0-9).

### Q: How does a nine-segment display compare to an seven-segment display?
A: The source material does not directly compare a nine-segment display to a seven-segment display. However, it explicitly lists the eight-segment display as its predecessor and the fourteen-segment display as its successor within the segment display class.

### Q: What characters can a nine-segment display show?
A: The source material specifies its primary purpose is displaying decimal numerals. It does not detail if or how it displays letters or other symbols beyond numbers.

### Q: Where can I find visual examples of a nine-segment display?
A: Visual resources include example images (e.g., Medion device), a demonstration video showing segment activation, and a labeled schematic diagram illustrating the segment layout, all linked in the source.

## Why It Matters
The nine-segment display represents a specific evolution in alphanumeric display technology. Positioned between the simpler eight-segment display and the more complex fourteen-segment display, it offers an intermediate solution for visualizing decimal numerals electronically. Its development highlights the continuous refinement of segment-based displays to balance complexity, cost, and legibility. While largely superseded by more advanced displays like LCDs and LEDs, understanding the nine-segment display is crucial for tracing the historical progression of digital output methods, particularly in contexts requiring simple numeric readouts before modern display technologies became ubiquitous.

## Notable For
-   Being a distinct subclass within the segment display class, specifically engineered for decimal numeral representation.
-   Utilizing precisely nine line segments as its fundamental components for character formation.
-   Filling a technological niche between the preceding eight-segment design and the succeeding fourteen-segment design within the segment display lineage.
-   Having dedicated visual documentation (schematic, image, video) illustrating its unique 9-segment arrangement.
-   Support for multiple language Wikipedias and Wikimedia Commons, indicating notable recognition in display technology documentation.

## Body
### Overview
The nine-segment display is a specific type of electronic display classified under the broader segment display class. Its primary function is the visual representation of decimal numerals (0-9).

### Technical Composition
-   It consists of exactly 9 individual line segments.
-   These segments are the fundamental components used to form the visual appearance of each numeral.

### Context and Evolution
-   **Predecessor:** The eight-segment display is explicitly listed as preceding it within the segment display class.
-   **Successor:** The fourteen-segment display is explicitly listed as succeeding it within the segment display class. This indicates a progression in segment count for numeral displays.

### Documentation and Recognition
-   **Wikipedia:** Dedicated pages exist in English, French, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian, and Chinese languages, plus a Wikimedia Commons category.
-   **Sitelinks:** It is associated with 7 Wikidata sitelinks.
-   **Visual Resources:**
    -   A schematic diagram labels the 9 segments.
    -   An example image shows the device in use (e.g., Medion MD8910 / Samsung SVV-07SS22-3917).
    -   An animated video demonstrates its operation.
-   **Audio Resource:** Pronunciation audio ("Nine Segment Display.ogg") is available in English, recorded in 2016.
-   **Freebase:** Has the identifier `/m/02r34jg`.

### Related Entities
While the source lists "Code stamp" as a related entity, there is no direct functional or technical link provided between the nine-segment display and machine-readable postcodes from the former Soviet Union.

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Nine-segment display",
  "description": "Form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals.",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-segment_display",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62102163"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Segment display"
}

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013